Every woman has her favorite pair of jeans. You know the pair that hugs you in all the right places and puts a pep in your step. The pair that you probably have multiples of, just in case one pair fades or the company stops making them. It’s as if they were made with you in mind. Yes…those jeans. We all have our favorite pair. Everyone except me.

They were a pair of skinny jeans from Banana Republic. It was as if they were made only for me and each time I put them on, I felt luxurious. But over the weekend, I went to grab them out of the closet and suddenly, instead of making me feel luxurious, they felt like they were sucking the life out of my thighs. Even after I did my little wiggle dance to get them over my hips and buttoned, one swallow and I felt as if the button was going to pop. CLEARLY, it was time to say goodbye. I HAD to go shopping.

When we went to the store, I grabbed my size and went to the dressing room. They fit, but they were a little uncomfortable. So I went up a size. Convinced they would be too big, I tried them on anyway. And they fit. Like…perfectly. My thighs could breathe, my butt looked amazing and most importantly I felt good. But they were a size bigger than my normal size and if I’m honest, I didn’t know how to feel about that. I’ve always been a petite woman and even though I’m still skinny-thick, seeing a bigger number on the tag…I needed a moment to process that.

It’s no secret that your body changes after giving birth. I mean…you DID just give birth to an ENTIRE human being. So if we know that, why are so many of us obsessed with the snapback? We are women who have experienced a life-changing event. Our minds are different, our priorities have shifted, and our bodies, as much as we may love them, are not the same. And you know what? That’s ok. Maybe you look in the mirror and don’t recognize the body you have. Maybe you’ve lost weight in some places and gained in others. Maybe your favorite dress doesn’t fit you like it used to or maybe, just maybe no matter how many times your significant other tells you you’re beautiful, you just don’t feel that way. But here’s the thing: YOU ARE. You are SO beautiful. In all of your hips, thighs, and stretch mark glory. Whether you gave birth a few weeks, months or even years ago, YOU. ARE. BEAUTIFUL.

I’m sure some people look at me and think “BUT YOU’RE STILL SKINNY! YOUR BODY SNAPPED BACK! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT I’M GOING THROUGH?” Well, truth be told, I don’t know what you’re going through. But I know sometimes I still wear my maternity jeans because they’re comfortable and I know that half of my wardrobe has to be given away because it just doesn’t fit anymore. I mean in case you haven’t realized it by now…my body is a little different from before. And as much as I love my pre-baby wardrobe and body,  giving birth to J’Aiden made me feel more beautiful than I ever could have imagined. So if my stomach isn’t as flat as before right now and my boobs don’t look the same, SO WHAT?!? I feel beautiful and YOU SHOULD TOO.

Motherhood isn’t a glamorous job, but I truly believe it’s one of the highest callings a woman can ever have. It’s a job that will give me gray hair, saggy skin, wider hips and countless wrinkles. But it will also give me a heart that expands in ways I didn’t know were possible and I’m SO READY FOR THAT!

So now, I’m wearing my NEW favorite jeans. They feel like butter against my skin and when I look at myself in the mirror at this new body, with these new curves…I am in LOVE. I’m a size bigger and you know what? I FEEL GOOD. And y’all…ISN’T THAT THE WHOLE POINT?

One of my biggest fears is that women see what’s in a magazine and feel like they’re inadequate…that they don’t measure up or are somehow less worthy or less of a woman. But guys, comparison is the thief of joy. Why rob yourself of the joy of embracing motherhood and all that comes with it because of someone else’s snapback? We all know everyone’s journey through pregnancy and birth is different. We heard it over and over again throughout the pregnancy. So why forget that now? No two bodies are the same and it’s time we start celebrating every set of circumstances, instead of a certain standard of beauty that is NOT one size fits all.

Mama listen to me. You do NOT have to look like a supermodel after you give birth. YOU ARE SUPERWOMAN NO MATTER WHAT SIZE YOU ARE. Show yourself some grace and take a moment to celebrate what you’ve been through. You’re not the woman you were before. You’re someone totally new. So own your body girl and love the skin you’re in!

Now excuse me while I go strut around in my new jeans. 🙂