Tiger Stripes

I get a lot of comments about how cute I am pregnant & get questioned about whether or not I even have stretch marks from my first pregnancy let alone during my current one. 

Let me tell you. I have a lot! More than I can count on both my hands. I'm a petite woman standing at only 5 feet (5ft & a half on a good day). My wonderful mother also passed down the genes that gave me thick thighs and calves for days. I gained nearly 60lbs with my first born, so on a petite frame that was a lot for my body to handle in such a short amount of time. 

Towards the end of my pregnancy with Rylan, I had dark stretch marks almost all over my body (or at least that's what it felt like to me). After giving birth, a lot of them faded to my skin tone but up close they were all still there.

This pregnancy is not any different. What may seem "perfect" in pictures is just an illusion. And quite frankly with the number of filters social media provides for us, it's easy to conceal my imperfections. 

BUT, these two pictures below are real untouched photos that show you just some of my stretch marks AKA my tiger stripes. 

It's taken me a long time to learn how to embrace these imperfections. Going through my pregnancy with Rylan and even afterwards, I grew very very insecure about what my body looked like and how unattractive I had become. I'd be lying if I said I don't go through moments of jealousy when I see other moms or even pregnant women who are still in great shape or just look so perfect, because it happens - more often than I wish it did. But what is different this time around, is that I don't allow it to consume me to the point of extreme loss of confidence. 

Tonight, I stared at my growing belly and myself in the mirror. I rubbed my belly, feeling my stretch marks, stared at the stretch marks and cellulite on my thighs, noticed my face getting rounder, giggled at my armpit fat, and analyzed everything else that I wish I didn't have or could change. Then I stopped myself for a second and realized that although those feelings are probably going to be constant during this pregnancy or let's be honest maybe even the rest of my life - I was happy and proud of how my body looked. Not because of the many flaws I could pin point, but because this body of mine with all it's imperfections, this body which God created is housing this absolutely beautiful growing human being and that in itself is something to be thankful for. 

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

your works are wonderful, I know that full well." - Psalm 139:14