The Once Over

Are women who have had any amount of children supposed to be out of shape, out of date, and overweight? It seems that every time I tell women that I am a mother of four children, they give me the once over. Is her hair combed? Is she wearing mascara? Her shirts isn't stained today, and no buttons are missing.

Within seconds the women then journey down to my chest and stomach observing whether or not I am properly dispersed in those areas or if from breast feeding, very little remains. For the record, very little remains. "Does she still look preganant?" "Is her six years post belly back to normal?" "Has her stomach area drifted to her hips?" seem to be the questions rolling around in the brain of the observer.

I know that the questions of what lies underneath the clothing penetrate their curiosity button as well. "I wonder if she has stretch marks?" "Are her thighs bigger than mine?" "Does she have varicose and spider veins?" "Are those maternity jeans?" "Did she take time out for herself to get a pedicure?"

We are so silly. Of course we all have the marks of giving birth, stuck like labels, all over our bodies. They are like battle wounds.

I just hope that women such as Angelina Joile and Heidi Klum have sagging breasts and vericose veins too.