"Everybody's Doing It!"

I know that Hollywood is just like anywhere else and trends come and go. The latest buzz around town is that we're "Bringin' Pregnant Back" to la la land. Motherhood is now back in style!

I succumbed not only to my mother's pressure since our honeymoon but the likes of Angelina, Tori Spelling, Britney, and all the other "Hot Mama's" this year. That's right folks I'm 6 months prego! Now Nicole Ritchie has joined our ranks. So I have all these "maternal role models to look up to?" Not really. It seems most of these women are as clueless as I am. The big difference is that for once in their lives they are actually allowed to eat real food. If you read about the pregnancy weight gains for these stars it's pretty high. Tori told me she gained over 60 lbs. Of course when we see their pictures in magazines they are as airbrushed and fresh looking as ever before. They don't show the real pregnancy glow that the rest of us are experiencing in the form of skin blotches and teenage acne! Once again Hollywood refuses to let the public see women, even pregnant women, as they really are.

So there is absolutely no celebrity who a woman can look to for any real representation. All the magazines concentrate on "Jennifer Anniston's supposed baby bump" when she's literally just had a milk shake and is a little bloated. So now, bloated equals pregnant? That's a great message for women across America! And what about all those articles with pictures of new mom's post delivery back in their bikinis in 6 weeks? Heidi Klum was back on the fashion runway in lingerie in 3 weeks after her son's birth. That is the most unrealistic standard I've ever seen! What is she a superhero and can make baby fat disappear in a single instant?

I'm learning more and more how the media is so unforgiving. When Debra Messing came back to work on her show "Will and Grace" after her baby's birth, she was about 120 lbs and they told her she was too fat! I'm not sure what the answer is especially for us Christians trying to live in this culture and building the self-esteem of our young daughters today. My own daughter will be arriving soon and I certainly hope there will be more ways to show her that what she sees on TV and magazines is all a facade and while these images can't be ignored we can see them for what they really are. Images based in some photo shopper's imagination. These pictures don't even have hair on the women's arms! Take a look and see what I mean!

I say "Bravo" to all the women out there that are doing the grandest duty of all by carrying children in their wombs into this world! The ones with stretch marks and swollen feet. It's a badge of honor and God says we are "Highly Favored!" So why don't we get our own calendar? I'd call it "Bringing Pregnant Back! The Real Hot Mamas!" We could all be eating cake and ice cream. What do you think? Ok ok.work in progress but we have to start somewhere! Right? Who's with me? I have to go now. I think my friends Ben and Jerry are calling me from my kitchen. I'm going to eat as much as I want because I'm pregnant and I CAN! You have to take the perks when they come! Now if we could only get special parking spaces...hmmm....