Dear Daughter

Dear daughter,

You don't know it, but you went on your first camping trip this past weekend. 

You should be proud, we hiked about 5 km in to Algonquin park to set up our camp in the rain. 

And your mom only cried once. 

*Your mom has never cried while camping before. She blames the hormones, being somewhat out of shape, and how uncomfortable backpacks are when you can't do up the waist strap and the weight is fully on your shoulders. 

What I thought about a lot while my body worked out the aches was this: why did I ever give my body a hard time for not being "perfect"?

Why was I ever hung up on how flat my stomach was?

Now my belly is round and full and and I catch myself smiling at my profile in mirrors.

It has never felt more perfect to me - and that's because I know you're warm and safe in there. 

Why did I ever size up my hips and wish them to be smaller?

They are as wide as they need to be to make your entry into the world as easy as possible (hopefully!). 

Why did I ever wish for my body to be anything but what it is?

It is 50% responsible for creating your tiny heartbeat and is 100% responsible for making sure you grow healthy and strong until we get to meet you.

I hope that, throughout your long, healthy, and happy life, I am able to instil in you a sense of respect for your body and that you never look in a mirror and hate what you see. 

I hope you feel beautiful everyday for all the things that you are, inside and out. 

And while I hope I can teach you these things, I hope that you remember that you taught me this as well. 

How could I ever think ill of the body that is giving me you?

I hope I can remember to always look past the sags, wrinkles, and extra weight here and there and remember that my body did what I wanted it to perfectly: created you.

So, thank you, body,

You're perfect.

And thank you, dear daughter, for teaching me this.