I Heart My Mom Jeans

Confession: I have committed one of the biggest sins a mother can commit. I own a pair of mom jeans. I know. Please suppress your gasps and judgmental stares while I plead my case. Over the past 3 months I have gained 25 pounds. This is due to poor eating choices, lack of exercise, and falling off the Diet Coke wagon. The last reason is a doozy. Did you know that the caramel coloring in Diet Coke is made my treating sugar with ammonia? Gross, right? I also have a gnarly ammonia allergy, so that just isn't helping.



Because of my growing waste line I was forced to up size my jeans. While browsing through the women's section at Walmart I happened on a pair of denim wide-leg capris with an elastic waistband on the clearance rack. They were my size and super-cheap so I tried them on. I knew it was wrong, but the elastic waistband was just so comfortable that I bought them. The women in my family all gain the most weight in our midsection, so I guess you could say my mom genes were the cause of my mom jeans. I fiddled with my phone at the checkout trying to avoid eye contact with the cashier. It was only 3 years ago that I was buying super-cute size 4s with pride. I felt almost ashamed. It was less embarrassing buying tampons or condoms, though my first time buying condoms the cashier was my ex-boyfriend. Awkward...

I got home and stripped off my restricting khakis, replacing them with my new mom jeans. Heaven. After wearing them around all day they only got more comfortable. My mom jeans are now like an old friend, supportive, yet forgiving of that second portion of mooshi pork. They are also something I can rely on as we try for another baby. They will be useful during those first few months of pregnancy and I know they will be there to help me adjust after the baby is born.

Yes, I have grown to love my mom jeans. Though I know I will lose weight and outgrown (ingrow?)  them (hopefully sooner rather than later), they will never outgrow their usefulness. The wide legs can one day be repurposed into a nice fabric basket, or maybe a denim apron, and I'm sure I will find a use for the kind and stretchy waistband. For now I take comfort in knowing that they will be hanging in my closet, or more realistically, lying in the pile of clothes to be hung up, waiting to be of use. Thank you mom jeans. Thank you.