a flat-ie, really?

11.19.2010
Posted by Shannon Marie
Growing up girls seem to go through all sorts of ups and downs when it comes to their looks and how they feel about themselves and how they compare to others. I'll spare you the PSA, but it's funny to think back about all the little things that you didn't like at one point or another and for most of us (I hope), those insecurities waned as we grew more comfortable with the women we were becoming.

Not the least of which is the bellybutton. One of the things that (unless you live in Hollywood, I suppose) just really isn't goin' to change. I can remember at some point realizing that I should be happy that I don't have (gasp) an outie! I can't remember ever being self-conscious about the particular part myself, but can certainly sympathize, especially when it comes to the 18 year (at least for me) right of passage: the belly button ring. Let's be honest, some people just don't have the button to be flaunting with all sorts of (tacky, I mean really, what were we thinking) jewelry. I certainly touted myself as one of those that could and (even though it was pierced crooked, yes, crooked!) wore my (tacky) jewelry proudly -- probably for longer than I should have...


You see, I'm sure at some point I thought about (or my Mom warned me about) the implications of what things would look like if (ok, when) I decided to take out the ring and I'm sure I ignored the thought (and my Mom). Oh, to be 18 again...


Flash forward 8 (plus) years and I found myself faced with the staggering (ok, total exaggeration) decision of when to remove said ring from said growing belly. I took it out much earlier than "necessary" -- i.e. what would have been recommended by the doc -- and decided that it probably wasn't going back in, well, ever. I actually can't remember the last time I bought any jewelry for it, anyway, and well, I just have this idea in my head that once I'm a Mama it just looks wrong! It's actually one of the only post-child changes I think that about. I will not be: wearing Mom jeans, flats for the rest of my life, cutting my hair short becuase it's more "manageable" or "letting myself go" anywhere but right back to the treadmill as soon as I can post-baby. Children change your life, sure, and I'm not naive to the fact that I will have less time and be spending money on other (and more important) things, but I'm still going to wear my heels and dress like a human being. No sweatpants at the grocery for me -- Stacy and Clinton would be so proud.


30 weeks in and I'm well, a little perplexed about my (now ring-less) bellybutton. Every woman complains about it and most likely dreads it and worries that it will stay that way, but it's another right of passage -- a pregnancy right of passage -- the bellybutton popping out. And, well, mine just hasn't. It certainly doesn't look anything like it used to but it's still very much not out. It's not an innie, it's not an outie, it's not an in-betweenie, it's a flatie? I still have time, but I'm just not sure it's planning on poppin'!


In the meantime, I'm just waiting (sometimes patiently, sometimes anxiously, sometimes nervously, always excitedly) for my little guy to come into the world -- and to see what this flatie has planned for the future!
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