On Monday, I read this. 

On Tuesday, Saylor & I went to get Milo out of his crib after nap. He was in a sweet mood. ALL cuddles, no tears. We were playing  on his floor, reading books, snuggling, and he lifted my shirt and started patting my belly. “MAMA belly!”  It was soft, round and he was laughing and smiling  in a super loving tone. Saylor told him, “Milo, that’s where we lived before we were born. We came out of mama’s belly. Look at it!”

And they both started rubbing my belly and looking at my belly button. They were laughing and playing and in her sweetest big sister voice, Saylor told him ” Isn’t that cool Milo? We used to be inside mama’s belly!”

Without ANY fear, criticism, blame, shame or guilt. I  let this happen. I let them explore my belly…..that is not so tight and not so little…That is the HOME where they came from.  As a DIRECT result of reading the blog, I just let them explore my belly. without hiding it or feeling bad about it.

“Do you realize the significance in that? Every limb, finger, toe…her heart, even, developed near the very place my own heart beats inside of my chest. Those mountains of skin are all I have left to prove that we were once one and not two.
How can I be ashamed of that? ”

It was a pretty significant moment for me, as I  NORMALLY would have pulled my shirt down FAST and changed the subject. I would have moved on to another topic.. not beating myself up about it all- but CERTAINLY not letting them actually explore my skin or my roundness.

I feel like this was a great way to start my new year. not on a diet, not wanting or wishing things to be different. just open to experiences as they come.
learning from other inspiring mamas, trying out new practices and just seeing the moment for what is.