I LOVE MY BOOBS

Ok well let me begin by saying that my hands are clammy (yet cold) as I type this, and I certainly have some reservations about writing this publicly. But I'm also giddy and almost giggling out loud. AND I really believe that when we feel like we are about to jump off of something really high (like a cliff) and are trying to talk ourselves out of something... well that might be the most important time to do something.


I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking (just a little bit) about what some people might think about this post. But I'm guessing (hoping?) the most scandalized (or judgmental) will be too embarrassed (or polite) to bring it up. And in the end there are bigger more important reasons for this post then myself and what others think about me. Besides, it's my blog... and they're my boobs, so there. (grin)


Deep breath. Ok so here we go.

Not quite gutsy enough to post a picture of the real thing yet. But I thought this would work! I was going to move the knit uterus from the background, but then I thought, hey I'll leave it - it's a nice touch.

I took a shower this evening. It was necessary - it had been a couple days. And as I looked in the mirror I looked at my breasts and I thought, "I love my boobs. I wouldn't change one thing about them... I wouldn't 'enhance' them (even if my husband might like that), or erase the stretch marks, or take them back to their pre-nursing days..." Ok, well I didn't think *all* of that, but it was more like, "I love my boobs, I wouldn't change them" and then I just *felt* the rest.


So then I wrote some more in my journal a bit later thinking maybe *some day* it would make a fun blog post. Here is some of what I wrote:

My breasts have helped feed my babies for 6 1/2 years now - for 1-2 years they alone kept them alive.

I love how they look. I love that the left one is significantly larger than the right - a remnant that dates back to Marisol's breastfeeding days and her favored side. I love how many different sizes they've been - huge as melons or footballs after Marisol was born and now the right one has shrunk down to almost nothing. I love that Gerry stopped nursing today to grab his little, blue, plastic magnifying glass and looked at my nipple intently through it. When I gave a full, belly laugh he smiled his little shy, embarrassed smile and said "Don't laugh Mommy" and I said sorry.

I would not change them.

I love my boobs.

I couldn't make this stuff up if I wanted to! Kids are so funny. 


Back to the deep thoughts (about boobs). I was thinking as I showered how weird it is that in our culture we are all worked up about breasts. I  mean it is skin. They're part of our body. And they do something really amazing. In a way, I kind of wanted to put an actual picture of my breasts in all their glory at the top of this post. But I'm not quite there yet (and as it is, my husband may think I've lost my mind!) But really, it's just so mind-boggling to contemplate how our culture regards breasts, breastfeeding, and women's bodies in general. And women want to change themselves all the time. Why?! 


So this is my way of fighting back. With my boobs. Some may think I'm looking for attention (by using my well-loved, very-used mammary glands) but really this just struck me out of the blue tonight. And I'm going with it.


And now I'll probably go to bed and not get any sleep because I just posted for the world to see that I love my boobs. And I'll wake up to find that everything is just going on as it always does... but that's ok. 


I hope some day all women can love their bodies for the amazing, wonderful, life-giving and sustaining entities that they are. Love your boobs ladies. They deserve it.