Mom Enough

I took this photo last night after seeing several other women post pictures of themselves in the infamous Time Magazine pose.  And I just felt like moms like me need representation.  It was partially to spoof  on the magazine’s shot, partially because I wanted to say “DUH we are ALL mom enough” and also a bit daring for me because I rarely post full body images of myself.  I hide behind angles and flattering camera tilts to make myself feel better.

So I posted it.  And the response, both positive and negative, was fantastic!  I had so many comments from people cheering me on and calling me “brave” …. for posting a picture showing myself as I really am?  Not sure… And the nasty ones just made me laugh.  I was so worried about my messy hair, my no makeup, my tummy and thighs and face…  And what people were focusing on was Cooper’s long hair and whether or not they could see my nipple!  I found this hilarious.

I urge you to take your own picture if you can.  There is SO MUCH drama surrounding this one image and I think it would be cool to turn it into something positive.  Let’s make it a meme about being proud, confident moms.

If your baby is little, you could place the chair beside you but hold him or her while they nurse.

If you are bottle feeding, you could do the pose but with your baby on your raised knee drinking a bottle.

If your toddler doesn’t nurse, have them stand on the chair with a sippy cup.

If your kids are older, you could have them stand around you drinking from cups while you pose.

It would be awesome! Do it!

Time Magazine

I wish I was Super Mom.  I want to be the awesome, put together, has all the right answers kind of mom.  But although I strive to do what I think is right, I fail often enough that my teenager’s eye roll is well earned.  We are all trying to be good moms, good parents.  I mean, who sets out to be a bad parent?

When I first heard that they were doing a photo shoot and article on attachment parenting I was so excited!  How cool to have a widely known magazine tackle a subject so dear to my heart (and many of my friends’, my readers’, my fellow bloggy mamas’ hearts too!) and I couldn’t wait to see what they would do!  Today, when I saw the cover, I was disappointed.  I looked at the other photos in the piece and the mothers looked confident, calm, and poised while they fed their children.   It was a perfect snippet of what it is like to be an extended breastfeeding (or tandem) mama.  The shot chosen for the cover, however, has the mother and child posed to bait readers into feeling offended.   It was chosen to get us talking and debating and fighting….

Even the title “Are You Mom Enough” is meant to stir us up.  And of course, it worked.  The internet is abuzz with Time and boobies and “extended nursing yuck!” and “Mommy Wars” and bad moms and good moms…. And that sucks.

Whether we breastfeed or formula feed, or breastfeed long enough, or pump, or supplement…  We’re all trying to be good moms- sometimes fighting passionately to defend the choices we have made.  And the old argument of how to feed our babies is one that will always divide us up- make us pick our teams.  Are we crunchy?  Are we mainstream?  And then to widen the gap, well how long did you breastfeed for?  How long is TOO LONG?  How long is acceptable?  Is it wrong to nurse in public?

Anytime breastfeeding pops into the conversation we have started a debate.  And Time Magazine knows that. And I think I’m tired of it.  You know what?  You do what you think is right for your babies and I’ll do what I think is right for mine.  As long as everyone is growing and learning its all cool, right?  However, if you want to learn more about what I do, I’m here to help- that’s what this blog is for.

The mommy war thing is old news.

UPDATE:  I decided I AM mom enough.  We ALL are!

Supermoon

Those of you wondering about my fitness goals: After a sloppy, lazy winter while I recovered from a bad ankle and then the plague…. I’m back on track!

I’ve been eating mindfully for a week now, drinking nothing but water and I’ve been trying to get my walking done regularly (I think I will make it a nightly thing!)  My ankle seems to be holding up ok and I can breathe almost normally again.

My cousin’s wedding is this fall and it would be so amazing if I could wear a pretty dress and heels instead of my normal “dressy” uniform of trousers and a nice shirt with flats.  I’d like to be able to dance with my husband and have fun without feeling self-conscious and clumsy.

I think walking at night is going to be helpful- its easier to walk when I know that

1) no one is going to cheerfully jog up the hill as I puff along.

2) No chance of sunburn.  I crisp up in minutes!

3) It is will be as cool as it can possibly get in steamy muggy southern Missouri.

I just logged in to myfitnesspal for the second day in a row, so here is hoping I can keep myself motivated and on track!