Is that All You Got?

The days are getting longer and the mercury is rising. Shorts are getting shorter and flip flops are the shoe of choice. Yep, it's summertime. And one of the best places to beat the heat is poolside. People watching has always been a hobby of sorts for me. Like when I go to a professional baseball game, the only time you find my eyes on the game is when someone yells, "Foul ball!" Otherwise, I'm drinking beer, talking to friends and, yes, people watching. Same goes for the mall, the beach and the pool. Particularly, I will admit, that I like to see what types of bathing suits the other moms are wearing and how they've faired after conceiving, carrying and pushing out their offspring. And, the more children flocked around them, the more closely I examine the body of evidence. I'm not comparing nor judging, just observing. And, my observations have been interesting.

I was at the pool last week. Layne was quietly playing in the corner with someone else's pool toys and Harper was contently kicking her legs in the water at my feet. So, with my kids pleasantly occupied, I was free to people watch. Ah, bliss. I looked up and my first thought was, "Is that all you got?" to the woman standing before me wearing a polyester/lycra nightmare of a swimsuit. It looked like she had worn it every day during every summer since 1988. It was hanging off her body like loose skin hangs from the winner of the Biggest Loser. TLC needed to have a What Not to Wear intervention right there on the spot. I turned around to see another mom, who weighed maybe 100 pounds, wearing a bathing suit that was at least half her weight. Cue some frightening music here and all of a sudden all around me I'm realizing, in horror, that almost every young mother around me is drowing in oversized tankinis and swim dresses!!

I wanted to collect all of these women, lock them in the bathroom and erase the brainwashing that had obviously been inflicted. I wanted to tell them that just because they have had children does not mean they cannot find a figure-flattering suit. So what if there are a few stretch marks? So what if everything isn't where it once was before birthing those beautiful babies? I know what it's like to lose yourself in the spotlight of your children, but there is still a beautiful woman behind the scenes. Ladies, you got it, so please don't be afraid to flaunt it. Don't be shy to strut your stuff, even with children as your accessories. Confidence is a beautiful thing!

And, to the about-to-pop pregnant lady rocking the string bikini, YOU GO GIRL!!