Have I lost my touch?

I'm afraid I've become one of those frumpy moms who used to be attractive until she had a baby and let herself go. My hair is rarely not tied back in a ponytail, I hardly wear makeup and, when I do, I've rubbed it off by the middle of the day and my clothes, besides being three sizes bigger than I'd like them to be, seem to have the affect of making me feel the complete opposite of sexy.

Please, no comments reassuring me that I really do look great for just having had a baby. I'm really not fishing for compliments here. I just feel like I have no time or energy to devote to myself and my appearance. Yesterday, I had to take Isaac to the doctor at 10 a.m., so I had three hours to get ready in the morning when I usually have about 30 minutes. I ended up feeling pretty good about myself yesterday because I actually had the time to take a shower AND fix my hair. Usually, it's one or the other. And then I look back at pictures of myself pre-Isaac and think, "Wow. I wish I still looked like that." I wish I still had the time to look like that. I wish I weighed what I did then. Or maybe I just wish I still had the confidence I did back then.

I would say that perhaps I'm thinking about this now because I'm concerned that, someday, when I'm ready to attract another man, I won't be able to. But I think I was worried about it even when I was with John. I remember one night, toward the end of my pregnancy, I half-casually, half-jokingly, half-desperate for reassurance, asked John if he would still think I was sexy even after I had his baby. Instead of the "Yes, I'll always think you're sexy and beautiful no matter what" I had hoped for, he replied, "If you lose all the weight."

I was heartbroken. And I probably should have dumped him then. But I really did think that I would care enough about myself to keep up with my appearance even after I had Isaac. I didn't want to become the frumpy mother who never recovered from infancy. It's hard, though, to find time for myself when my whole life revolves around I-Man. It was hard when I was with John, and it's even harder now that I'm doing this alone. I thought cutting my hair would make daily beauty maintenance easier, but now I find that I just miss my long hair and it was one more thing that used to make me feel beautiful that I no longer have.

I'm not really sure how to resolve this. Maybe to attempt, in any way possible, to do things that make me feel good about me?? To get a pedicure once in a while, even though they are ridiculously expensive and not very good for the environment? To actually use the elliptical machine that is taking up so much space in my living room? Or, better yet, does anyone have a miracle pill or cream that would solve all of my problems?