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To start things off, I will let you know that I had my husband Bob take some posed pictures of me while I was pregnant. I did want some professional pictures taken by a photographer but everywhere we looked was far too expensive. So I had asked Bob to try taking some pictures of me, then I would edit them in Photoshop and we would see if we could get some good ones with out paying tons of money to someone else. So we did, and I have posted some on this blog (that is dedicated to my pregnancy and my soon to be little girl) and in a photo album clearly labeled ‘belly pictures’.

Yesterday someone informed me that the sister I no longer keep contact with was spread things on the internet. Apparently she saw the belly picture Bob took of me and that is on a previous post here on my blog (I’m assuming it is the brown toned photo she is talking about: http://babyrisch.blogspot.com/2009/03/37wks.html ) and thought it was a horrid picture. Of course she can’t keep things to herself; instead she proceeded to get on Geni.com (a family tree website which we have over 250+ relatives on) and say the following:

“Family and extended relations who have seen the nude pictures that my youngest sibling took of herself and posted a link to. Please know that she does not come from a family that agrees with this behavior!”

Unfortunately this sister’s view on anything means nothing to me, so it doesn’t bother me whether she cares for the picture or not, but to spread that I ‘post and link nude pictures of myself on the internet’ does bother me. 99.9% of the people that will read her comment haven’t and most likely will never see this picture, and will never know that she is talking about a pregnancy belly shot. They will, I assume, think as I would if I read that comment, that I am just out there trying to show off my ‘nude’ body (and shows God knows what) and doesn’t really care who sees it.

I personally see nothing wrong with this picture. Pregnancy is a beautiful thing to me and I have seen a lot more revealing pregnancy images on the internet then this one and I’m not offended (nor would be offended if my husband saw them) because it is focusing on the life growing inside you. God’s creation of the way a woman bares a child is an awesome thing to me. I love my pregnant belly and don’t see anything vulgar in it.

To make sure this wasn’t just my opinion I posted a message on a message board of wives and mothers and asked them their true opinion on the picture… if it was to revealing and something that they thought should be kept private. 100% of the replies said there was nothing wrong with picture, that it was a beautiful display of a pregnant belly and that they even wouldn’t be offended if their husbands saw it. That there was nothing pornographic in it and that it was obvious that the attention was on the belly.

If someone had a problem with it other then this one sister of mine, that would actually mean something to me.

I do have more revealing pregnancy pictures that my husband took and even though all the private areas are most definitely covered, I do feel they are a little to revealing to display in public, therefore I have not posted them for everyone to see.

In short I find it funny how petty and troublesome some people can be. If they want to cause trouble or try and ruin someone’s name they will go to all lengths to do so. It is sad really. In myself I would like to defend myself and write some sort of comment back, on the site, telling the truth of the matter and try to defend my honor, but why get into an arguing match with her? What good will it really do?

If you want to get down to it, technically it is a nude picture (oh my gosh!) but it shows nothing and I don’t feel sinful over the image at all. She can say what she wishes and she can try all she wants, to make me look like a bad, terrible, sinful person… it really doesn’t mean a thing to me (sad to say)

If someone that reads this, has an opinion on the subject or thinks my pictures is bad then I invite them to speak up and tell me what they really think… I actually would really like to hear it.