So pretty much everyone knows that I have crazy baby fever, and pretty soon Jason and I are going to start trying to have one. I’m so excited! When my sister got pregnant last year, it put me in overdrive and I’ve been thinking and planning since then. There’s a few things in my life I’ve decided to change:
My sister, brother-in-law, and the baby niece Briley who gave me this baby fever!
One, keep a clean house every day. We’ve been living like college kids, creating havoc throughout the week and then cleaning up everything on the weekends. Well no more! We straighten up before bed every night now, and it’s wonderful! Nothing piles up, and the house feels great.
Two, eat home cooked meals more often. Since I cook four days a week for the people I nanny for, this has been easy! I just bring home half the food. Check! I wanted to get away from eating out all the time or eating junk. This is a habit I want to maintain for the rest of our lives, and teach our kids about healthy eating and the cathartic and rewarding skill of cooking.
Three, create a healthy lifestyle, live more actively, and live on purpose.
Lastly, grow up a little. I mean, do I really need to change my hair color every other month? I’m not 16 anymore, so I think the answer is no. Do I really need to spend an hour getting ready in the morning? When I have a child, that certainly won’t happen, so I’ve simplified my routine, and I even wear a little less makeup now.
Now I’ve updated my eating habits, lifestyle and healthy habits, I’ve become more practical in how I get ready for the day. Check check check and check. Now what? Well, that’s the last thing. I’ve decided I need to ditch my bikinis.
Growing up, my parents taught me modesty. It was never a question, no ifs, ands, or buts. I didn’t get my ears pierced until I was 12, wear makeup until I was 16, never owned a miniskirt, and I didn’t even use hair products besides a hair dryer and occasional hairspray until I was like 22. Every outfit had to be approved by the parents, and that never was really an issue, because we just knew better. My three sisters and I were taught that inside beauty is what mattered most, and that what you wear says a lot about what kind of person you were. I’m not going to pretend that there weren’t times in my teens where I wished I could wear something more attractive to that boy I liked, but ultimately I had self respect and I’m grateful for the rules my parents put into place. I do remember, though, that one of the toughest things to abide by was bathing suits! It seemed like you had two choices: 1) Wear a cute bikini or 2) Be a prude in a boring black one-piece. There just weren’t cute options for one pieces, and I think that had a lot to do with why I eventually switched to bikinis once I left the nest. Maybe a little bit of rebellion, a tiny bit of wanting to show off, but mostly we just wanted something cute to wear in the water! Well, time goes by, and now I’m a nanny, and it just feels weird wearing a bikini to the pool with a tiny kid. I feel so immodest. I’m not letting my (future) little girl wear a bikini in front of other people, so why am I doing it now? Also, with a kid clinging to you in the water, accidental tugging happens a lot, and that’s just asking for trouble! These past few weeks I’ve had all these thoughts, in addition to the uncomfortable feeling I get when I get out of the water and I feel the gazes of every male in the vicinity. Not fun. Really uncomfortable, and not what I’m trying to put out there. So then it all came to a head when I watched this video online:
I’m not sure if you watched the whole thing, so I’ll recap. Basically it’s the history of the bikini, and the effect it has on society. A couple of things stood out to me.
1) The article in the Modern Girl Magazine in 1957 that stated of the new bikini “It was hardly necessary to waste words on the so-called bikini because no girl with tact or decency would ever wear such a thing.” (3:03) Ouch.
2) The study done by Princeton University that showed that men who were viewing women in a bikini would only use the part of their brain used to look at tools. They wouldn’t even use the part of brain that registered that they were viewing a human being. Not only that, but when showed a modestly dressed woman, the results were completely different. (4:20-5:53) I know I don’t want to be looked at in that manner.
It made a pretty big impact on me. If you didn’t just watch that video, you should. Go ahead, I’ll wait…
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Okay, so now you get the picture! I have lots of reasons to ditch my bikini. I want to dress my age, go back to my roots, get ready to show an excellent example to my kids, and most of all, I want to show a little self respect. I know I am beautiful no matter what I wear (just ask my husband), but I think I can be just a little more beautiful if I cover up. Maybe those little girls who see me at the pool will love my new one-piece and realize that they don’t have to show skin to be pretty. Maybe I can be a better witness if I make sure I act it out all the time. Maybe I can draw attention to my smile and not my tummy. Maybe, just maybe, this little change will make a big difference.
It’s worth a try to me…
Here's the cute suit I just bought! It's from www.albionfit.com
Here’s a couple links to blog posts that showcase super cute and trendy modest swimsuits:
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