12 May 2010 – Mom Arms, originally uploaded by academichic.
Sources:
- Navy dress: Target
- Leaf pendant: mothers’ day gift
- Yellow pointy toed shoes: DSW
End Notes:
There are many ways in which this navy jersey dress flatters my body, but today I’m using its wide, ruched sleeves to call attention to a relatively new favorite body part of mine: my arms.
While I was a prolific chin-upper at one point in my life, I’ve never been good at push-ups. I’ve never been a big fan of lifting weights. As such, I’ve never had particularly toned arms, ala Michelle Obama. But I’ll tell you what. Picking up and toting around a baby day after day has done wonders for my biceps.
Much as S. loved on her legs today for their form and function, I’m giving my arms a gold star for their function-turned-form. I love my that my arms are strong enough to hold baby e. with one while I juggle a book bag, house keys, and a Tupperware of Cheerios with the other. I love that my arms have rocked baby e. to sleep, held him while nursing, and swung him around til he giggled. My arms have mashed baby food, kneaded bread, folded laundry, pushed a stroller, cleaned up spills, changed diapers, and lugged around a carseat.
So thanks, arms, for being up to the challenges of motherhood and looking better and better in the process. While “mom butt” might still be a socially pejorative term, I can think of few things more lovely in form and function than “mom arms.”
12 May 2010 – Mom Arms, originally uploaded by academichic.
P.S. We’ve had more additions to our list of participating bloggers and we continue to be so delighted by all of the wonderful posts from everyone who is dressing their best this week!
I’ve always coveted “mom arms”. :) And now I covet your leaf pendant, your baby’s stiped sleeper, and your adorable baby… ;)
I love the yellow shoes with the navy dress. There is nothing like a colorful shoes to pep-up an outfit.
Your little guy is so cute; he looks like a porcelain doll.
So, the biological clock in me is absolutely cooing over baby e. Dear god he is ADORABLE. And I love this idea of celebrating form and function in your body. That is truly what makes our bodies so special. They’re not just things to look at and adorn, they work HARD to keep up with our lives, and we should totally embrace that.
Your little one is darling and your arms look fantastic! I love the pop of color in your shoes. Such a chic outfit!
Those photos are PRICELESS. And here’s to those strong Mom arms!
I think this is such a great body part to choose! I’ve always admired mom arms (though I’m not even a mother myself!).
Love this look- and what a cutie baby e. is! :) Adorable!
I love yellow with navy…… and I love that dress! Matte jersey dresses are a huge part of my wardrobe.
Such ridiculously cute pictures. I squealed. :)
Hooray for mom arms! As a mommy to a baby just 2 weeks older than baby e. I noticed my arms were one of the few (if only) body parts that snapped back into shape asap! Babies might be little but they are heavy! Lol! I love your outfit! Chic and comfy! Perfect for moms!
Mom arms are the best! They can rival any man’s arms.
But I must say, your outfit is making me want to hunt down the perfect pair of yellow shoes. I only own peep toe wedges and I’m not allowed to wear anything open-toed at work.
Must. Find. Yellow. Shoes. Yours are super cute!
You and Baby E are PRECIOUS! What a great post!
Do you know where your husband found that lovely pendant?
Love it! The first picture is one for the long term, for sure! :)
Also, I so so so need those shoes!!
Ah, yes, the mothering biceps. :)
I always have to express how CUTE baby e. is, especially in stripes! This dress looks wonderful on you (and your arms!) especially with the yellow flats.
Your mom arms are super sexy! I also love the yellow shoes with the navy dress, I totally have to try it!
That first photo is truly precious. :)
LOVE. THIS. Here’s to Mom arms everywhere!
I love that first photo. You’re super-mom!
So true! After years of attempting to tone my arms, becoming a mom snapped them right into shape almost immediately.
this is such an adorable picture! I think you should but it in baby e.’s room :) he’ll realize he has a superhero mama :)
So funny you should mention this! The first time I went to a massage therapist she noted the strength and muscular form of my forearms. I had never really thought about them before.
Taking care of three kids has given me beautiful forearms.
Just found your blog and I’m loving it!!!
Love the “Mom Arms”. It was because of my newly acquired “Swimmers Arms” that I was able to rock (sprawled on it’s back suspended mid air)the screaming baby I was sitting to sleep the other night. My co-sitter and I spent the rest of the night praising my said arms! Haha.
Baby e is adorable. What a sweetie.
I always had skinny underdeveloped arms until I had children. My kids are now 12 and 10, but my arms are still rockin’. I do work them out pretty regularly.
The mom arms thing worked for my husband, too. He was never one for purposely developing upper body strength, but when our son was three years old, he still wanted to be carried everywhere, and my husband unwittingly developed upper body strength! I told him he should start doing pushups and pull-ups to keep the strength, which he did, and lo and behold 10 years later, he is still pretty buff.
What a beautiful post!
First, little e. is just too cute. Look at those eyes!
Second, I think we so often get caught up in physical appearances that it’s easy to forget that our bodies have a purpose beyond looking good–they serve a function, too. Mom arms (and butt–whatever floats your boat) for the win!
Long time lurker, here, commenting for the first time – those photos are beautiful! My ovaries are drooling.
Also, I know exactly what you mean by mom arms – I worked as a nanny last summer for my niece. At seven months, she was (absolutely adorable) and not walking/starting to crawl, so I carried her around all summer – definitely built arm muscles!
Beautiful, beautiful photos, beautiful baby e, beautiful YOU!
So true! I totally hear you on the “mom arms”! My arms are definitely the most toned part of my body which comes from carrying a 10 months old and a 3 year old around all the time. And yes, my 3 year old still wants to be carried around and I do cave in most of the time.
I was just dreaming last night I was doing push ups, which I had never been able to do properly before. I might give it a try again because with a 37 pounder on one side and 22 on the other, I should be able to now!
Love your outfit and your son is ADORABLE!
[...] him. I love that we are celebrating the parts of are bodies that are beautiful, but like S. and E. in their posts yesterday, I want to celebrate my body for its incredible [...]
This is by far the cutest outfit post ever!!! I love it!
Those are the cutest photos ever! Your mom arms are awesome, and that dress looks spectacular on you.
baby e. is SO cute and adorable!
You’re definitely rocking the mom arms. And baby e.–how cute is he?
Thank you, everyone, for your kind, kind words! I am sort of in love with the idea of printing out the top picture and putting it in baby e.’s room. When he’s a teenager I’ll pull it out and show him how awesome I was :)
@kristen – My husband found the leaf pendant at a local boutique, but the brand is Polli. I love a lot of their jewelry!
– E
oh I just LOVE that you’re celebrating the arms you’ve gotten simply from becoming a mom. and Baby E is so freaking adorable!
you go, mom!
Thanks so much for the pendant info! You’re the best. Tell your husband that the blogging world ♥’s your pendant! : )
I’m so sad, I missed the Dress Your Best party. I was sick and behind on blog reading or I would have been all over it this week.
That said, I wanted to say thank you so much for doing this. Just reading all the posts on my favorite blogs has been incredible inspiration. Rock on!
[...] of their body that serve an important function, as S. and I did with our legs, and E. with her mom arms. Others wrote about learning to love something society or shopping has taught them not to, like [...]
OK, I love this post and I love that dress. I wonder if I can still find it.. :)