Every time my father saw a newborn, be it his own or someone else’s, he pronounced that it looked like “a cross between a Tibetan monk and a Himalayan gorilla.” Of course we always argued with him, saying that our newest little brother or sister was actually very attractive in his or her squished, red, hairless phase…but dad would never relent. Nope, he’d say, newborns are not cute. Within a few months we’d all forgiven him because by then he would agree that said sibling had outgrown the ugly stage and was now cute like the rest of his older kids. Unfortunately, some children do not become cute.
Every so often someone posts some pictures of her kids on her blog, or emails them out to all the family. I know I’m supposed to leave comments about how cute the kids are…but sometimes I just can’t, because some kids are not cute. There’s no other way to say it. Some kids are funny looking and some kids are plain, while a few are even downright ugly; but some kids are definitely not cute. This is only logical; after all, not all adults are cute either, so it stands to reason that those not-cute adults probably came from not-cute kids. It also stands to reason that those not-cute adults would produce additional not-cute kids.
The problem is not so much that the kids themselves are not cute; after all, more than one ugly duckling has grown into a lovely swan. No, the real problem is that, inevitably, their parents think they ARE cute. Parents, somehow, are blinded to reality when it comes to their own offspring.
In case you were wondering, none of this applies to me: MY kids are cute.
(why yes, this is what we do for entertainment in Pelican--and yes, that is our general store)
Yes - a brave soul willing to admit that not all kids are great looking!! I, too, look at kids sometimes and think, gosh I hope they grow out of that look.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're right, your children don't have that problem.
Wow, are people actually allowed to say what you just said? LOL! I know what you mean, though. Although, generally, most kids I've seen are pretty cute, there's been a couple on various "due date club" boards that make me stumble on the compliments a little bit.
ReplyDeleteBut never my kids. Oh, no. Mine are the most gorgeous in the world. ;)
Although, my boys definitely do get that really scary "old man" look during their first week or so.
What is it that your kids are riding on in the store?
Yes, your kids are cute :)
ReplyDeletehaha! Oh, I totally agree! My brother-in-law thinks I'm horrible, because I will sometimes talk out loud about which kids are cute and which kids aren't so cute (not around the kids or their parents though! lol) My kid is cute-no denying that! hehe
ReplyDeleteLOL one of my biggest fears while pg is that I'd have an ugly baby. One of my second-biggest fears was that I wouldn't know it.
ReplyDeleteI heartily agree with your dad. I always thought, and still do, that newborn babies are quite hideous and scary. I think the fact that everyone coos over them so much makes them more hideous to me because I'm expecting so much more than just an off-color raisin with little claws for hands.
ReplyDeleteThe only newborn I ever thought was cute was my first niece. It was the first time I'd ever developed a relationship with a bump in the tummy and then got to meet the bump and lo and behold, it had a unique personality! But the subsequent niece and nephews went back to being kind of scary for a month or so.
And yes, your kiddos are cute.
LOL Good - a place where you were already rude so I can be too!!!! there was a family in our ward that had a ton of kids and each got more beautiful than the last. The parents were NOT nice to look at. We used to say, "2 uglies make a pretty". It seems to be true a lot of the time ;) (and if i was being really honest i would admit i was thinking your same thoughts during primary the other day while i was looking at all the kids)
ReplyDeleteI so totally agree- most newborns are red wrinkly and fat...how is that cute?!
ReplyDeleteI miss being able to do that! People here would have me arrested if I tried to ride on the cart down the aisle at Freddies. Rightly so but still!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree that not all kids are cute, but I think many times those not-cute kids grow into their looks and have the potential of actually turning out to be decent-looking adults! Occasionally you will even see not-cute parents bring up a beautiful child. DNA can do the darndest things!
ReplyDeleteYour kids are cute!
ReplyDeleteMy brother was absolutely ugly... my Mom knew it. People though he was mentally challenged.
He turned out cute starting around 4 or so.
Yup, that's me, snarky, opinionated, and entirely politically INcorrect. LOL!
ReplyDeleteBecky--in the store there that's some kind of cart that they use for unloading stuff from the barge I think. i'm not entirely sure...it was there with the shopping carts. :p
Looks like they are having a blast!
ReplyDeleteYou know, I always hated the way I looked growing up and thought my babies would be ugly.
ReplyDeleteI had my first and he was adorable. The subsequent children got smaller, in weight, and I remember thinking they were cute but a few months later I looked back on the pictures and couldn't see the same baby I saw when they were born. That baby fat sure does a lot for these wrinkly things. My first was 9lbs, second 8lbs, third 7lbs. It really makes a huge difference!
They are cute now though :) everyone says so!