Womanhood Versus Motherhood

Today I did a boudoir shoot with a photographer friend of mine, Holly. There in nothing like being up close and half naked with your friends, hey?! Haha!

A group of local mums and I are doing a charity calender, and Holly is behind the camera. The idea all came about after a conversation on our Facebook group, and Holly asked if anyone would be up for a boudoir shoot. I volunteered, so long as I could have a picture for Dave's birthday which is next week. Kill two birds with one stone as such.

Well there is a Facebook group for the calender, we've been in the local paper and are planning on a radio interview to boost our publicity. The more people that know about us, the more money we make!! :) Its for a good cause! We've had some feedback from other mums, saying it's fab, how much it would boost their confidence, etc. It got me thinking about 'Womanhood V Motherhood'.

Sometimes I find it hard, being a full-time mum, often I have so much going on, I barely get chance to go for a wee in peace, let alone the faffing and palaver of make-up and a fancy hair-do. I get my hair cut when I just cant cope anymore. I get my nails done for a super-special occasion. Most days include a smudge of mascara applied with one hand whilst breastfeeding a child in the other arm!

But today, I palmed of my children! (LOL) Will was at his dads anyways, and Amber went out with Dave's mum, and off I went to Ruthin to met with Holly. Having never done anything like this before, I was really nervous, but excited at the same time. I had packed a bag with loads of difference changes of underwear, and one of Dave's work shirts ;) and some heels of course!

Like I said before, I'm not overly bothered about a lot of make-up etc, nor am I particularly body conscious and quickly got into it, wandering round in my undies! :O

Driving home though, I reflected on the shoot, and how I felt about it. Holly didn't let me see any of the pictures she'd taken, and in fairness, I only asked once! I'm really quite proud of my body, including the stretch marks! I have had 2 children, breastfed one and still breastfeeding the other, so no perfect model physique here! I'm glad I did the shoot. I may be a mummy , but I am a woman too. It's made me think that perhaps I ought to put more effort in to ME, as Michaela, not just 'mummy'. Sometimes the importance of motherhood, blurs out the importance of womanhood.

It all made sense in my head, I was gonna become this glamorous mummy overnight, who walked out of magazine and onto the school playground. And then it and went wrong when my Mother in Law brought Amber back home, my heart melted and I realised why I don't bother with all that stuff...because I'd much rather be rolling round the floor with the kids, covered in paint and smelling of baby sick. Sort of. And I wouldn't have it any other way. My kids love me, and Dave does too. Exactly how I am. :)