"Ode" to Sara

Today I bought two new bras. It was time, I have lost my pregnancy weight (for the second time) and have finished nursing my daughter (breasts are considerably smaller). What does bra shopping have to do with being a mom? Everything. My breasts have nursed two children and have fluctuated in size for the past several years due to pregnancies (gaining and losing weight)..

I went to Nordstrom to get fitted - and thank goodness I did. I was wearing a 38C and went to a 34DD (and as I explained to Dan who got excited "no, I did not get bigger breasts, the extra cup size offsets the number a little bit", but I think I lost him at DD). Apparently 8 out of 10 women are wearing the wrong bra size. For those who know me, you would not look at me and say "Double D", but that was what fit perfectly.

Let me just say that I love my Nordstrom lingerie salesperson - Sara. She spent at least a half hour finding the perfect bra for me (after measuring and double checking size) and she brought in bra after bra until we were satisfied. If you have never been fitted for a bra - YOU MUST GO! Please note that you cannot be embarrassed to have another person examine and contemplate your breasts (that you know about) and actually help you put on a bra. The way I figured it, this is nothing compared to the embarrassing moments associated with childbirth.

Once Sara's search was over, and I was happy, I realized that I didn't wear the right shirt to see if the bra passed the ultimate test - the fitted white t-shirt. No problem. Sara had the perfect shirt for this test. I put the shirt on, and OH MY GOODNESS - I looked great (if I do say so myself). It was like the Miracle Suit - lose 10 pounds in 10 seconds (a correct fitting bra can do that for you) and the t-shirt was so great that I bought that too. I was so pleased with the bra that I asked if I could wear it out of the store (like a little kid with new shoes). Sara said she got a lot of that and yes, I could. I wore the white t-shirt out too.

When I returned home I was still so happy about my purchase (I am embarrassed to say that each bra was about the cost of a good pair of shoes - but they will last) that I told my cousin Laura (who was babysitting) all about them. "Ooh, are they pretty?!" she asked. Uh no. They are that "nude" color without lace. But they were exactly what I wanted and needed: comfortable, wearable under t-shirts (including white) and durable with the added bonus of making me look better. I was not saddened by any means when Laura brought up aesthetics, of course she would want them to be pretty. She's 19. All bras are pretty at 19 (why would you wear one that isn't pretty at 19?). At 19, your breasts have lift all on their own.

I thanked Sara profusely after our time together. She was so helpful and kind. Then she informed me that the t-shirt I was wearing was a SMALL. I reached for her, hugged her tight and said, "I love you."