my abdomen and a haircut

It has been over two months since I had Ti.

I have been inside all winter (which feels perpetual!) except for grocery shopping and a couple of other trips like going to church.  On those Sundays when the weather and our health permitted us to leave the house for church, I have had a battle.

No, it's not with my husband or Ti, not even with my toddler--it's with my pants.  It sounds silly but not to me at the time.  The first time I tried on my non maternity pants, I was a little shocked but thought 'oh just a couple more weeks...I went back to my normal size eventually after having had Ari...'  Then a month passed and I would try on those pants again thinking 'this time they should fit no problem!'  And then I wonder what on earth has happened to my body especially on my belly and waist!  One Sunday I literally sat down on the floor and cried like a toddler (frustrated) after having tried to squeeze my belly into those pants for what felt like about half an hour.  I don't know if it's because we live in Seoul, Korea (skinny, model looking Asian women are everywhere) or it's because it's my second baby but this postpartum figure seems to have claimed my abdomen and waist forever.  A lot of it is probably due to my lack of exercise...
Today a worker we got to know a little bit at a restaurant down the hill from us said something like the following: "How come your belly still looks pregnant?  It's been long enough, hasn't it?"  I know he didn't mean to be rude and actually it probably will never occur to him that it might have been rude of him to say such things but he's the first person who acknowledged this fact to me beside myself and my husband.  It confirmed my suspicions and now I know for sure I need to do something about it....like start exercising again.


Perhaps a haircut?  (nothing to do with my abdomen but it's gotta start somewhere...)  After putting the kids down, leaving them with my poor sick husband, I ventured out to get something (anything!) done with my hair this evening.  It has been over half a year since I got a haircut.  I walked into a salon and waited for about ten minutes.  A stylist approached me while I was reading a friend's birth story on her blog drinking a nice hot cup of green tea the salon provided for me.  I took off my huge long jumper that hid mostly everything about my body and was escorted to get my hair shampooed and conditioned.  On my way there a couple of women sitting at the waiting bench turned their heads their eyes fixed on my belly.  I tried to keep tensed and breathed in but that didn't help much.  I tried to examine their faces to quickly decide what they were thinking... they were thinking, 'oh my goodness, what on earth has happened to her belly?!'

I quickly sat down feeling ashamed and humiliated.  The worker reclined my seat, covered my eyes with a piece of paper towel and started shampooing.  I was thankful to have gotten my eyes covered.  I enjoyed the pampering for a few minutes.  It was simply marvelous.

The stylist came and asked what I wanted done with my hair.  I said, "I don't know... something different!"  She smiled and we discussed a bit about the whole range of possibilities.  (I always love this part.)  I like what she did although I was thinking a bit more drastic... I wonder if she would've done something more exciting if I hadn't told her that I was a full time nursing mom.  

after a not so drastic haircut

Of course it's so nice looking right after a haircut because they do the blow drying and the finishing touches... I'm not washing my hair tomorrow for sure.  No more ponytail! (well, probably for about two days...)


I've lost enough hair, I wanted to get a glamorous perm and a few highlights but being a full time nursing mommy of a not even three month old baby, we decided to wait on a perm and highlights.  I was happy to pay only about $18 for the cut and even gave her a good tip (tips are not expected here.).  My belly still looking pregnant, I left the salon feeling a bit prettier...at least above my belly.


I'm sitting at a coffee shop now typing this.  I better get home to nurse Ti soon and get to bed myself.


Sorry, no picture of my abdomen but I'm sure you get the picture...
No too sympathetic comments please...