You are beautiful. (#pinspirationthursday)

I pinned the following quote a few weeks ago, knowing it was an F. Scott Fitzgerald quote. And as I sat down to write this post, doing all the research to find the original source of the image, I came to this realization—I have "The Beautiful and The Damned," which is the exact book the words in the pin came from. But try as I might, I can't find the quote in the book (Internet, you are no help to me for the first time ever). The quote:

Pin / Source

I mean...right? Print this post out and hang it right by your mirror, or perhaps the door you walk out of every day, as a friendly reminder that beauty goes far beyond the skin. It's deep, and not at all created by lipstick, crunches or clothes. Beauty is what your soul is made of, and when you let that shine, it shows in your face. Your hair. Your walk. Because if you truly believe in yourself, if you truly believe that you are awesome and unique and (obviously) beautiful, then you will be. It's that simple. I swear.

Lately, I've been struggling a bit with personal image as I walk that shortened path to labor and delivery.

Comments like...

"You're really big."
"Are you full of helium?"
"That baby's gonna fall out."
"Sure there aren't twins in there?"
"Any day now, right?"
"Ha! Woah...you're ready."

 ...make me feel like a whale. I still have, as of today, a month to go until this baby is officially due. I know I'm big, but I'm a small, fit person. So pregnancy consumes me and I'm okay with that. But still, I'd be a liar if I said the "big" comments weren't stinging just a tiny bit lately, even though they weren't meant to. But as quickly as they sting me, I try hard to turn them into compliments. Because truly, I love being pregnant and I know that my body is doing an amazing, wonderful thing. And I know that I am more than this giant belly. I am a mother, carrying a child. And if that's not beautiful, then I don't even know what is.

So, go ahead. Say what you will to me, I'll laugh it off in due time.
Because I am "beautiful, deep down to my soul."

And so are you.

Question: Moms, hear any comments when you were pregnant that absolutely irked you?