Kody Markers.

There are many things that change when you become a mother. You learn to sing along with every movie and toy (since it would apparently be a travesty for toys to be made without sound effects). You can change diapers and wash bottles like a champ. You become a child feeding ninja that can sneak food into your child's mouth without them even noticing. You get bags and dark circles under your eyes that become a permanent fixture. You learn your child's unique toddler talk (because I promise each kid sounds different from the other when they are learning to talk and communicate). You learn to fall asleep at the drop of a hat any chance you get. 

All of these are so fun and special in their own way, but the one thing I have noticed when talking to other moms is that the one thing we struggle with the most (yes, even superheroes struggle sometimes) is the physical changes. Nothing is quite the same after you give birth. Everything hangs a little looser, clothes don't fit the same, your hormones are out of control, you get grey hairs long before you wanted them... oh the joys!! The thing I personally have struggled with the most has been the stretch marks. When I was pregnant, I worked so hard to avoid them. I used all the creams and lotions they told you to. At first I thought I was going to get through it with none, but then a couple weeks before Kody came, BOOM!! they all appeared... big bummer.  

Since having Kody, I have constantly been working on my weight. I'm adjusting to the hormone changes, and thankfully, someone years and years ago invented hair color to cover up my ever increasing grey hairs. But still, to this day, I am embarrassed of my stretch marks. I am losing weight, don't tan, moisturize, but STILL they refuse to go anywhere. So instead of letting the feeling of defeat take over me, I decided to change my thinking about them. 

Rather than see these lines as something to be ashamed of, I've decided to focus on what they represent instead. They represent the perfect, warm home that my stomach made for Kody.There is a mark for every time he sucked his thumb. There is a mark for every breath he took, every sleepy yawn, and every hiccup. One for every time he turned in my belly and slept in the most perfect darkness. A mark for every time he would poke me as I sang to him. A mark for every time I would dream of what he would turn out to be like. A mark for every time I prayed for his future and character. My stomach may not be the prettiest or most perfect thing out there and will probably never be. Some may even call it ugly. But it held my precious baby boy until my arms could, and for that, I am so thankful. 

So yes, I have had to adjust to a million different things, and still have so many things to overcome and learn. There are days that I miss my "pre-baby" body and life, but every time I look at my body, I no longer see stretch marks.... I see Kody markers.