The stat they post in the article says that,

Twenty years ago the average fashion runway model weighed 8% less than the average woman, today she weighs 23% less.

Now, you might say, well twenty years ago the average woman weighed less than she does today, and you may be right, but look at this photo.  This is a runway model who is likely forced to be anorexic to keep her size, and a Russian model who is a US size 12.

You be the judge, who is more beautiful?

To me, the “plus” sized model looks healthier and sexier.

So why as women do we only celebrate being sexy when we are “thin?”  here is another photo from the article:

Many women are not between size 6-8, and there is a lot of controversy as to what qualifies as a plus sized model these days. However, if you are healthy as in; you exercise regularly and eat sensibly, you may not look like models on the covers of cosmo and the like, but it does not mean you are not sexy. –holy run on sentence batman!  There are people out there who say that Plus Sized models support women being obese but the model makes the point that the industry should not support anorexia or obesity, and that beauty comes in various sizes.

Many women struggle after giving birth with reclaiming their sexuality because quite frankly their bodies are DIFFERENT.  Not worse, just different. They may have stretch marks AKA battle scars, saggy boobs or leaky boobs, deflated stomachs, C section scars and the list goes on—wow I’m making post baby bodies sound delightful, aren’t I? But keep in mind, we created another human being!  It’s not like you sat around on the couch for 9 months eating bon bons.  And we have to get our minds around that this may be our new “sexy” body, you have to work with what you’ve got.  Guess what, your husbands (if they are not assholes) still find you beautiful, even if you do not. It is harder to get back in shape after having a child but it is not impossible, but you must make yourself a priority.

Remember ladies, beautiful women come in all sizes, celebrate the sexy you now! Sometimes, some new sexy lingerie helps Just sayin’.

This past year has been eventful in my life.

We welcomed our second son into the world in June and it has rocked our world for the past 7 months.  He is a wonderful baby and it is so very true how each baby is different.  Having two kids has been a challenge to say the least, but it’s getting more amazing everyday! I had a wonderful friend throw me a beautiful baby shower after my son was born–see the second child needs new things too! I’ve made some amazing mom friends from my most recent birth club, and many of those friendships surpass the barrier that is the Internet.  I also still have a lot of close relationships from my first sons birth club way back in 2008, it’s amazing to know a lot of these women for 5 years. AND they are talking about getting together for a trip to Vegas–big trouble.

My three year old did not give me a coronary and FINALLY started to use the potty–when he turned three. I swear I didn’t see an end in sight.  He has also grown up so much in the past year and adjusted so well to his new brother.   AND I finally learned to cut his hair well, it was always pretty embarrasing each time I had cut his hair… it was always horrible. But now I just  bribe him with candy and he sits somewhat still– but YAY it finally doesn’t look like he did it himself.  He is beyond obsessed with all things spiderman, and he wouldn’t be three without an oddity, his favourite colour is purple, and he reminds me of this every day–about 5o times a day. 

I launched my tea blog, and finally have an outlet and a justification for the obscene amount of money I spend on tea. I took a trip to Chicago with my husband and had a fabulous time reconnecting–and spending money.

My mom moved across the country and retired and my sister who was always going to have a litter of children decided three was enough. All in all it’s been a fabulous year marked with ups and downs.

Health, Wealth and Happiness to you all!  I’m so hoping that the world will not end in 2012, but i’ll be brushing up on Jericho just in case.

 

Every year without fail I procrastinate Christmas, and each year I am less and less prepared.

Mind you this year I have two kids and not one.( prepare yourselves for the excuses) My husband has been gone away on business longer than he’s been here in the last 6 weeks and all my oldest has asked for, is a gun.  Now this isn’t Texas, it’s Winnipeg. He does NOT need a gun of any form. I wanted him to watch a Christmas story to see him “shoot his eye out” but he was less than impressed with the quality of my old ass movie.

So finally, my husband is in town and we’re not attending functions on Tuesday night (the 20th of December) and we went after work. big mistake.

My husband was in a less than chipper mood, as he had wanted to go during the day and I said no, at supper time would be less busy. He was right. shhhh don’t tell him I said that. It was brutal. We waited in line for an hour.  AND just before our turn (2 people before us) he informs us he has to pee. That’s right it was a Andrew in the snowsuit moment. I HAVE TO GO PEE! And did the dance and everything. So after the “look” between me and my husband, he runs the the bathroom with him and I begrudgingly let 3 people go ahead of us. Then he got back and all of a sudden saw santa and got super shy.  He wouldn’t talk to santa.  I know this may not be huge news for you moms with crying/screaming kids for Santa, but this kid has NEVER cried for santa.  (see photo’s below)

And he wouldn’t even talk to santa.  And someone should talk to the “elves” who ring the bells.  That just freaks the crap out of small babies. So after an hour in line, a pee break, a child who would not smile or talk to Santa. This is what we got:

Can you tell how impressed Santa is?  So after we all had a melt down at the mall, dad and I included, we decided to just go home and brood about it.  So I said, I cannot accept this as our photo this year.   So who dragged her ass to the mall today? December 23rd? This crazy one did.  I took both kids by myself to see Santa.  We missed my youngest’s nap time to go for 10ish, and about half way through the line guess who pulled an, “I have to go pee mom.”  See, we had gone just before we left the house, so I played hard ball and said if we go pee at the mall we can’t see santa so I’m very proud to say he held it. The boys did fantastic in the line for the 45 minutes it took.   My oldest gave a smile for the camera and my littlest one was smiling at me, and just as I moved back the DAMN elf rang the freaking bells.  She tried two more times but the first one was the best. I’m pretty ok with this one

 So from our family to yours, Merry Christmas!!

I finally realize what it means to be a mother.  And because of that, it makes me appreciate the celebration that is Mother’s day.

So while Mother’s day is important to me, it’s more important to me that I celebrate my Mom and my MIL.  Because before I was a mom, it was just a day to buy something for mom, and a lunch or a dinner out.  Now it’s a celebration of all the hard thankless work that they (our moms) put in for us.

Now don’t get me wrong, if my husband forgets mother’s day. Well like they said at Church today, “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

This mother’s day I was worried that my husband would have forgotten, because he was away on business this whole week before.  So on Saturday he told me he had to go pick up my present.  Now keep in mind, he can’t keep a secret so for him to plan something or buy me something significantly in advance almost never works. But this year, he totally surprised me.  Now to appreciate this you have to understand my love of technology and my inability to always carry my cell phone with me.

It really “grinds his gears” that I have a cell phone but that I leave it at home, that it’s dead somewhere at the bottom of my purse or, by chance, that it’s charged but I don’t hear it and never answer it.  To top that off I’ve had this phone for 4 years, i’m not on a contract and I still pay 40-50$ per month for a phone I never use.

I had been talking about getting an iPhone for some time now, and he’s offered to go to the mall on the weekend and look at phone but to be honest I never wanted to, I wasn’t interested.  Plus the phone i have now is utter crap it needs a new battery and they don’t even make it anymore. yes for how tech savvy I am.. my phone is seriously Zack Morris.

One day after yet another conversation about why I wasn’t answering my phone, I told him why don’t you just go get one for me. to which he replied no. So I thought end of story.

So while my husband came home from the mall with a small pretty purple bag, i thought Jewellery.. and he had my son pass me the bag and low and behold there was an iPhone in there!  I swear I was so surprised, and elated, it was the perfect gift! He even transferred my number for me!

And when I called Telus to cancel my phone, it took 5 minutes to get to the person to get someone from the senior team to cancel my phone. they kept telling me Telus has iPhones too, and what they weren’t getting was my husband already got one for me and I was cancelling because I didn’t need the phone. Funny thing is; my phone that i had just charged, died during the call to cancel the phone. do i need any other reason to not want my telus phone now? Nope.

So on another note; on a more genuine note, to the moms out there and the moms to be.  Someone sent me an email saying that, “motherhood is the hardest vocation” there is, and honestly it is.  But, the flipside of it, it’s really an amazing journey and I’m only 2 years in.  I never expected the joys and the insecurities of being a mom. All the decisions that weigh on you, all of the things you do shape your kids, what you say, what you don’t say. it’s an amazing pressure, because you know that one day, your child will say. Mom, why…?

And to all of the moms out there who have lost their children, my heart breaks for you almost every single day.  Because no one deserves to lose a child.  I think of the mom who lost her child at the Toronto airport. going on vacation he was being “2″ and wiggling out of his mom’s arms and fell over the guardrail 15 ft below. I couldn’t imagine the pain of losing grip, or watching him fall, and being helpless to stop it.  I think of that mom and little boy who didn’t make it almost every day.  I also think of the little boy in Quebec who drowned in the river… who was missing for weeks until they found his body. I know there is peace in finding him but also despair. Because all that we do to protect our children, we cannot protect them from everything, and that scares the crap out of me. So to those moms, my heart breaks with you, I pray for you and your family that you can come to some normalcy. I know you will never forget or probably ever forgive the circumstance, but know you are not alone in your grief that all moms out there are there to support you.

To all new moms or moms to be, motherhood is hard but it’s so incredibly worth it.  And if at this point in time you don’t see it yet, I promise you will.  There is no automatic “click” for when you will get it, so if it hasn’t come yet, it will I promise.  And for those who have already had the click.you are very fortunate.

So take the time with your children, enjoy how small your children are now, even when they’re difficult.  In 20 years you’ll wish you could go back, and hold them just a moment longer.

Happy Mother’s day to all the moms, new or old, your work is not thankless, you shape a generation… may God bless you.

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