HASAY: I am beautiful, no matter what I say.

HASAY: These people say "bless you" when you sneeze, they're THAT nice.

Today, I'm going to hit on two forums, my usual Monday favorite HASAY post and a newer forum called Beautiful Like Me hosted by Wicked Step Mom over at Life and Times of A Wicked Step Mom (which she so isn't. I don't think there is a wicked bone in her body. Every time I read one of her posts, I think she is one of the nicest people in the blogosphere. But she's never released her name. Which is a little wicked, I guess. So her name should be Life and Times of a Not so wicked she'd scare small children but wicked in a omitting kind of way Step Mom, but then that title would be way too long and she'd probably get the strangest Google hits, so leaving her moniker the way it is would probably be best.).

I've been watching WSM's project take form and wanted to contribute, so as sickness and my desire of health (in the purest form of health possible, you know, being able to breathe out of at least ONE nostril..) have kept me from exercising this week, I have nothing new to offer on the weight loss front. (Plus, I'm still waiting on Casey to let me know she's made it back alive from her PA trip.) (Still dealing with the air travel butterflies.)

The topic due today is "What features/qualities would we like today’s children to see as beautiful?"

I have hips. In fact, I believe they're called "child bearing hips" as my grandmother liked to put it. (And she had seven kids. I guess that would be an expert opinion.) Hell, if Sprite didn't have a big head AND hadn't gone breech, I'm sure birthing her would have been like throwing a pencil down a hallway. Yes, I have hips.

I've never considered these hips to be beautiful. When I was in high school, I still had no chest to speak of, but my hips had already begun to widen and take on that vuloptuous tone certain guys found appealing. I would get some stares, but I never saw these stares as flattering. I always thought I was being critiqued for my hips being too wide.

I would get dressed for gym next to these skinnier girls whose pelvic bones jutted out farther then their actual physique and be jealous of them. In my mind, the comparison was a no brainer. I always lost the vote, even though I was the one voting.

As I grew older, I dealt with the weight loss issues that plagues so many people out there, and my hips were always a priority on what I would prefer to trim down.

I still focus on my hips as being too big for my liking, but I've also grown used to John's compliments. He LIKES my hips. He likes the curves I have. He's seen me at my heaviest and loved me then. He sees me after losing all the pregnancy weight and loves me now. This has helped quiet those inner voices of ridicule over the years, a little at least, especially after running into some of the girls I went to high school with and realized it just took them a few more years to catch up to the rest of us who grew into our bodies.

Watching Sprite slim down out of her baby weight, I can't help but hope she doesn't have the same body image issues that I did. Her hips are exactly what a toddler's should be, nothing to them. I'm pretty sure this will change since she has sturdy legs, muscular legs like mine. These legs will most likely become shapely far before she's ready to embrace curves emotionally, and her hips will curve much like mine did, but I will use my past mistakes and lessons learned to remind her of where beauty lies. I will remind her that even if her hips don't match the cheerleader whose locker is near her own, she has qualities of her own that are just as beautiful.

Plus, she'll be snarky. I'm almost positive of it. I find that beautiful too..

STATS:

John: Down three! Damn! He was so proud of himself this week and he's being so good!
Me: Even. I was sick. I still am sick. Achoo! See?

Bless me.

Comments

[Rachel]

High five on being curvy! I had hips before an hourglass shape was trendy and a booty before anyone cared about J-Lo. Neither one has brought me the fame I deserve, and now they're hidden under some extra stuff we won't mention.

It's funny how we can already tell what our toddlers body shape is likely to be. I already know that Elizabeth takes after David and will be slim and delicate her whole life (not fair!), while poor Lilli has my whole package from the ankles on up. Darn those genetics!

[K]

A beautiful post.

Thanks for sharing a new blog.

[The Dental Maven]

Glad John is down 3, but it's even better that he likes your hips!

[Michele]

I was always stick straight in high school and would have given anything for some curves. I agree that we all have to make peace with what we were given.

[Becca]

I knew I liked John for a reason. :P

From one girl with hips who had to have a C-section to another, just want to share the love.

[Kyooty]

bless you,

[Lori]

Great post! As this is an issue I struggle with, I enjoy reading these things. Glad you shared in this beautiful like me campaigne...it's a great thing!

[Sammanthia]

Coming from someone with the body of a 12 year old boy, I would KILL (or maim, at the very least) for a few curves. It would be nice if the curves were on top, but I'm not picky.

[Casey]

Yay for John being down three lbs! I think I found them and packed them on myself.

Yes, I made it back from the PA trip but not without having to sprint FULL SPEED through the Philly airport to catch my connecting flight. Jamie gave up but I ran on and caught the gate attendant as they were closing up and then made them wait for my husband who wasn't in as good a shape as me.

I've always been muscular and wanting to be waifish (is that a word) but I'm hoping I don't pass my insecurities onto Elliot. I need to join WSM but I haven't yet... soon though.

[Jan]

I'm of the curvy tribe, too. My problem as I hit adolescence (at age 10) was that my boobs grew just as fast as my hips. By the time I was 12, I was in a D cup. By the time I was 14, I was in a DD cup. *I* envied flat-chested girls - it seemed every boy in the world only wanted to get to know me because they wanted to feel me up.

It took me a LONG time to appreciate my voluptuousness. Of course now I'm a bit TOO voluptuous. Can't we ever be happy with how we look?

[Zip n Tizzy]

Bless you!
It's so unfair to be sick in May.

I have hips too. I remember waking up to stretch marks my freshman year in H.S. and guess what came with them?

My first son was breech, but my second flew out faster than a bullet.

[GreenJello]

I, too, am a "hippie". :) All four of my daughters have inherited this, and aren't quite sure if they like it. I have told them over and over again that while they may not be the stick figure teen girl that guys are attracted to right now, when they're in college, the guys will be ALL OVER them. Much to my chagrin.

[GreenJello]

(P.S. I can't email you because I don't know your email! You'll have to email me first. Tag!)

[Robin]

Great post!
Self awareness first, then comes teaching it our children. Sounds like you've got it down. Good for you!

[Robin]

Okay... I meant self esteem... duh. Awareness is always a good thing too.

[blissfully caffeinated]

Yeah, what most men find attractive is the exact opposite of what we women are always trying to achieve with our bodies. Ironic, isn't it?

[Captain Dumbass]

I am sadly out of shape and getting doughy, that's what I say. Still ruggedly handsome in a George Clooney kinda way, but still...

[Tricia]

Great post and thanks for joining in the project. For me, it was breasts...I had them way before anyone else in school, and the boys didn't know what to think of it and I remember wanting to duck tape the damn things flat.

I love that you'll be able to help your daughter navigate her curves.

Snarky is much nicer than hip size, I do happen to agree.

[Amy @ Five Flower Mom]

Bless you! Great post and thanks for joining Beautiful Like Me. Embracing our bodies especially when we are too young to understand is so hard, sounds like your little Sprite will have great guidance!!!

[WickedStepMom]

Bless you. :) And welcome!

Also, great post. I like that you want Sprite to like her hips, even if you don't. I think that is the best gift you can give her!

You're Linked!

[HeatherPride]

Oh, bless you darlin!! I can remember when I first weighed 100 pounds. It was in 9th grade. I thought I would die from the embarrassment of being so huge. Can you believe that? No, neither can I. I hope my sweet Claire doesn't have issues like that.

[mrsbear]

What a great post. Why's it so hard to embrace our curves sometimes? Especially when confronted with all these Hollywood ideals of narrow, jutting women. It's okay to be shapely, beauty is not just one thing. I want my girls to know this too. Now if I could only learn to love my pot belly. ;)

[bex]

hooray for hips! i didn't have any hips to speak of UNTIL i had children. now i have enough to go around but i rather like my curves - they look grown up.