getting there....gratitude day #10

Hello friends! A few weeks ago, I was in my element, shooting photos of dear friends with their sweet little babies, in a gorgeous, sunny, park setting. I just wanted to do a little something to serve as keepsakes for them and their daughters because they have extended so much kindness to Stella and I. One of my friends grabbed my camera, and offered to snap a few photos of me since I am always behind the lens. When I was editing all of their photos, I came across the ones that had been snapped of me, and the tears rolled down my cheeks.  I always feel radiantly happy with my little girl, beautiful on the inside, but when I saw the photos - I was saddened that my outward appearance didn't reflect how I felt- I looked bloated and tired. Becoming a mom, I had viewed my body as more utilitarian - (breastfeeding attempts, carrying my baby everywhere, pushing strollers, scarfing down quick meals between caring for others, sleepless nights) - my focus was so outward, that I had stopped taking stock of the toll it was taking on me. (It's kind of like that SNL parody ad for "Mom Jeans" - "I'm not a woman anymore, I'm a mom!")
When relaying my photo reaction to one of my friends recently, she said, "Don't be silly the camera adds 10 pounds!" My response: "Well then, there must have been two cameras on me."
Don't get me wrong - I've never put appearance high up on any parameter - give me smart/funny/interesting any day. But I was sad that my appearance no longer reflected how I felt - and I wanted to take charge of that.
So, I'm only two weeks in, but have made some big changes - ramping up my exercise regimens to almost daily (even half hour stints when she is napping) - to boost my energy levels and get the endorphins flowing. I save the sips of vino for special nights out and have embraced seafood and salads (as much as one can get amped over lettuce). I haven't hopped on a scale yet to see if anything has shifted, because it's too early to expect much and I don't want numbers to deflate my progress.
I posted the photo above, because for the first time in a year, I got dressed up for a night out and felt like I was seeing my happy self coming through again.
Today's top three on my gratitude list are:

• Being able to cook at a leisurely pace - with delicious results
• running to a great song list and feeling the rain on my face
• watching my hubby try to teach my little girl how to dance - so awesome/endearing, but his dance moves couldn't be whiter