m u m s y M A G A Z IN E
SU M M ER 2015 LO O KBO O K
H e l l o , a n dw e l c o m e ! Ov ert hepas tt woy ear s ,al otofc hangeshav ehappenedwi t hThe Mums yBl og.Or i gi nal l ys t ar t i ngoutasas mal ll i t t l ebl ogwher e i ns i ght s ,i nf or mat i on,andpas s i onsabout Mot her hood/ Womanhoodwer es har ed;t hi swebs i t ehasnow t r ans f or medi nt oav er ydi gi t al l yi nt er ac t i v ewebs i t eandt hi s magaz i nei sv er ymuc hapar toft hatnewdi r ec t i on!But ,des pi t e t hec hangest hathav et ak enpl ac e,t heonet hi ngt hatwi l lal way s s t ayt hes amei smypas s i ont onev erhi deoral t ert hec r az y ,mes s y , andbeaut i f uli mper f ec t i onsweal lex per i enc easwomen.Bec aus e, i nt oday ’ swor l d,i t ’ sov er t l yeas yt onegat i v el yc ompar ey our s el ft o ot her s .Andasmuc haswehat et oadmi ti t ,weal lgot her e s omet i mes .So,whenev erIf i ndmy s el fqui c k l yt hi nk i ng,“I fonl yI hadt hat ,t hen…”or“I ’ m notasamaz i ngbec aus e…”t her ei s PETERSO N M ICH ELLE + ED ITO R FO U N D ER
not hi ngIl ov emor et hanl ear ni ngt owor kwi t hwhatIhav ef r om ot herot herwomenwhoar en’ taf r ai dt oembr ac ewhot heyar eand c ont i nuous l ys t r i v et oenc our ageandupl i f tt hos ear oundt hem.
W ED D IN G S
|ED ITO RIAL | SEN IO RS
A DAY AT TH E BEACH W ITH TH E CREATIVE TEAM ...
+
stri ve FO R SO M ETH IN G G O O D
o u r f a v eb e a c hl o o k s CO NSIST O F FLO W Y LAYERS,STRIPES & A PO P O F CO LO R ________
BEAUTIFUL BEACH LO O K S A CU RATED CO LLECTIO N O F CLO TH IN G ,ACCESSO RIES & PLAYTIM E M U ST-H AVES FO R TH E LITTLES TH IS SU M M ER
j o y f o l i e . c o m
k a n d e l p h y . e t s y . c o m
t o p p i c k s IN G IRLS‘ SAN D ALS FO R SU M M ER
m a k i na s p l a s h
m o c . s g a b s u m
m o c . m i w s d a r
Y o u r S w i m s u i t Bo d y i s H o t S t u f f ! Sur e,Ic oul dhav ej us tpi c k edupr unni ngands t opped eat i ngmys t apl es nac kofpot at oc hi psdi ppedi nNut el l a;butIk newIwoul dgor i ghtbac kt omyol dway si n j us taf ews hor tday s .I nor dert obes uc c es s f ulatwhatI wass et t i ngoutt odo,Ineededpeopl et obe ac c ount abl et o. Whenpeopl et hi nkofs ummer ,I ’ ms ur er oadt r i ps , c ampout s ,s t argaz i ngandf r ui t yumbr el l at oppeddr i nk s ar es omeoft hef i r s tt hi ngst hatc omet omi nd.But ,f or al otofpeopl e,t hos et hought sar eeas i l yov er s hadowedbyt hei deaoft hem s howc as i ngt hei rs wi ms ui t c l adbodyal ongt hec ount l es spool s i der unway s . AndI ,am oneoft hos epeopl e.Notbec aus eIdon’ t l ov emybody ,butbec aus eIhat et hewi c k edl i t t l ev oi c e t hatal way spopsi nt omyheadt hei ns t antmyowns wi m s ui twear i ngbodyc omeswi t hi n10f eetoft henear es t openbodyofwat er ;i ns t ant l yc ompar i ngmyownbody t ot hec ount l es sonesar oundmeandqui c k l ybr i ngi ng mys el fc onf i denc el ev eldownt ot hes i ngl edi gi t s . Atonepoi nti nmyl i f e,Is ev er el ys t r uggl edwi t hmy bodyi mage.But ,asImov edonf r om myawk war d t eenagey ear sandi nt omyear l y20’ sIf i nal l ybec ame c omf or t abl ei nmyowns k i n.Ev enaf t erhav i ngmy t hr eek i ds .So,I ’ v eal way sbeendeepl yper pl ex edast o whymyhar dear neds el f c onf i denc ewoul di ns t ant l yr un f ort hehi l l st hemi nut es wi ms ui ts eas onbegi nseac h y ear .Howev er ,af t erponder i ngt hi sy ear l yoc c ur r enc e,I r eal i z edt hatmybodyi magedef ens eswer equi c k l y di s appear i ngbec aus eIwas n’ tdoi ngev er y t hi ngt hatI c oul dt ol i v eaheal t hyl i f e.And,wi t houtt hat f oundat i onalbui l di ngbl oc k ,Ir eal i z edIwast hatmuc h mor es us c ept i bl et ot henas t yc r i t i c i s msweaswomen i nf l i c tuponour s el v eseac handev er yday . Us i ngt hedr i v i ngf or c ef r om myepi phany ,Idec i dedt o dos omet hi ngaboutt hi s .Knowi ngex er c i s eandbet t er eat i ngc hoi c eswer emygol dent i c k ett oabet t er ps y c he,Ij oi nedmyl oc alXt endBar r ef ac i l i t yand downl oadedt hi sawes omet woweekmealpl anf r om Heal t hFes t .
Now,Iwi s hIc oul ds ayIwas100% f ai t hf ult omynew heal t hyl i f es t y l epl an.Buti fIs ai dt hatIwas ,Iwoul dbe l y i ng.Howev er ,ev ent houghIhav ef al l enof ft hehor s e af ewt i mes ,Is t i l ls awc hangesi nmybody .Mus c l es t hatwer enear l yex t i nc twer enowbec omi ngs t r ongand l ean,unheal t hybodyf atwass l owl ydi mi ni s hi ng,and badeat i nghabi t swer et r ans f or mi ngi nt ogoodones . Mybodydef i ni t el ydi dn’ tunder goaney epoppi ng t r ans f or mat i on,butIdi dl oos eaf ewi nc hesi nal lt he maj orwei ghtgai nar eas ,ac qui r eds omephenomenal c or es t r engt h,dev el opedas i gni f i c antamountof s t ami na,andhav ebegunt ol ookatv eget abl esand l owc ar bmeal si namor epos i t i v el i ght . ThoughIwi l lnev erbea5f t .10i n.Br az i l i anmodelwi t h oogl ewor t hyboobs ,Inowhav eaheal t hi erbodyt hat al l owsmet odoi nc r edi bl et hi ngsandt hati senoughf or me!So,t henex tt i mey ouf i ndy our s el fs t ar i ngy our s wi ms ui tdownwi t ht heev i ley e,t ak eas t epbac kand r emembert hati fweal ll ook edt hes ame,t hewor l d woul dbeabor i ngpl ac e.Ser i ous l y !And,t opr ov emy poi nt ,Ias k edf i v ei nc r edi bl ewomenandf r ont r unni ng i nf l uenc er si nt hes oc i almedi awor l dt os har ewhyt hey l ov et hei rbodyj us tt hewayi ti s . Tos um i tal lup,It hi nki t ’ ss af et os ayt hati fy out ak e c ar eoft hebodyy ouhav eandl ov ei t ,y ouwon’ tc ar e whatt heot herwomenar oundy oul ookl i k e.Bec aus e l et sbehones ther e,y ou’ l lbet oobus yt hi nk i ngabout howgoody oul ookandhowgr eaty ouf eel !
Cec i l i a Ri ghtnowI ' mf i ni s hi ngupabul k( aper i odoft i mewher eIf oc usons t r engt h,l es sc ar di o, andas ur pl usofc al or i es ) .Dur i ngt hi sbul ki t ' sbeenhar dt oappr ec i at eandl ov emybody bei ngabi theav i ert hanus ual .Howev er ,s omet hi ngIl ov ei ss eei nghows t r ongI ' m get t i ng ands eei ngmus c l esI ' v enev ers eenbef or e.Myf av or i t epar tofmybodyi seas i l ymybac k . Is eem t ogai nmus c l et her et hef as t es tandhav i ngawi derupperbac kgi v est hei l l us i onof as mal l erwai s t .
Br i dget t e Pi c k i ngs omet hi ngIl ov eaboutmybodyi spr obabl yoneoft hehar des tt hi ngs .If eell i k eas agi r lIam s uppos et oni t pi c katmybodyandnot hi ngc anbeper f ec t ,whi c hmos toft he t i meIdof eelt hatway .Howev er ,mor et i mest hannot ,Iam pr et t yc onf i dentaboutmy bodyandmyf l aws ,bec aus et hat ' swhatmak emewhoIam.Myf av or i t epar tofmybody ar emyc al v es .Il ov et hewayt heyl ookwhenIwears uperhi ghheel sandt hes t r engt ht hey hav epr ov i dedmet or unmar at honsandbeonmyf eetal lday .
Br i ana Cal l i ngal ly oupr egnantl adi esoutt her e!Hey O!I t ss ummerj us tar oundt hec or ner ,whi c hasa womant her ei senoughi nt i mi dat i oni nv ol v edi nj us tt hi nki ngaboutenj oy i ngs omet i meatt hepoolor t hebeac h,butbei ngapr egowomant her ei sanaddedmeas ur eofwant i ngt ohi dei ndoor s .Butt hi s mamahasmadeaf r eei ngdi s c ov er y . Yesmybodyi sc hangi ngwi t hmygr owi ngbabyt hr i v i ngi ns i de, s oIam j us tembr ac i ngi t .I ’ m embr ac i ngt hos enewc ur v esass y mbol soft hel ov eands ac r i f i c eIam maki ngt obr i ngnewl i f ei nt ot hi swor l d.Thi sout war dc hangei nmyappear anc es er v esasar emi nder oft hebeaut i f ulpr oc es s eshappeni ngi ns i de,t hegr owt hofmybabyaswel last heenl ar gi ngofmy hear tasIpr epar et owel c omenewl i f ei nt omi ne.Byl ov i ngmybody ,i twi l lpouri nt ot hel ov eofmy J ac que
baby .Somamas ,embr ac eandl ov e,embr ac eandl ov e!
“Onet hi ngIl ov eaboutmybodyar emy l egs .Theyar el ong-andev ent houghIhav eapr et t ynot i c eabl es c aronmyl ef tone,ori si tmyr i ght ,any way s Ic an' tt hi nkofwhi c honer i ghtatt hi smoment ,Iam gr at ef ulf ort hi sf eat ur e.Thi sl i k i ngs omet hi ngaboutmy bodybus i nes st ookmeal ongt i met oc omet oaf t ery ear sofc ompar i s onands t r uggl i ngwi t haneat i ngdi s or der .ButonedayIdec i dedenoughwasenoughandt hatIwasgoi ngt oac c eptmybodyanddr es smys hape i nt hemos tf l at t er i ngwaypos s i bl enomat t erwhats i z eIwasorwas n' t .Ihav ebeens omuc hhappi ers i nc eI dec i dedt omak et hatc hoi c e.Compar i s onr eal l yi st het hi efofj oyandmyadv i c ewoul dbet opi c konet hi ng y oul ov e,f oc usont hatandy ou' l lbes ur pr i s edhowt hel ov ef ort hatonef eat ur ewi l laf f ec ty ourot her t hought sandf eel i ngsabouty ourbody ,y ours el fwor t handappr ec i at i ngt hebeaut yi not her sar oundy ou. ”
Sandy Il ov et hatmybodyhasc ur v es .Thec ur v esmak emywai s tl ooks k i nni erwhenIwearmor e f i t t eds k i r t sanddr es s es .Mybi r t hi nghi psal s omadet hi ngsal i t t l eeas i erf orhav i ng babi es ,Ihav et wonow!Iam as t r ongbel i ev ert hatwhenl i f egi v esy ouc ur v es ,f l aunt t hem!
SPECIAL TH ANK S TO
O UR CO NTRIBUTO RS:
PU REZA SPA H AIR AN D M AKEU P JO YFO LIE FLO RD ELU Z SH O P BRO W N EYED Q U ILTS M U S BAG S CH AN KKLAS BELLE EVE KO RTN I JEAN E LBH CREATIO N S
SW AN KARO O RAD SW IM W EAR LITTLE W AN D ERERS O ATS AN D IVY TH E LITTLE SPO O N S KAN D ELPH Y LE PETIT O RG AN IC LEM O N S AN D LACE 3 SO U TH ERN SW EETIES W ILLO W AN D FIG
SYD N EY N M ILA BO U TIQ U E LITTLE M AYZ SH O P BO N BO N SITO D AIN TY CH EEKS BEIG E BO IS G O LD EN TO T SH O P FRAN CIE AN D CO LILLA BARN ARCH N O LLIE
PH O TO GRAPH Y: D IAN A PU TN AM PH O TO G RAPH Y