Friday, April 11, 2008

Cutest Baby?

So, here is the thing. When I was growing up I would say things like, "I hope I have a cute baby some day." And "If I have an ugly baby I will still love him/her, but I will know deep down that they are ugly". I know. The things that went through my mind.

Since I have had children, I have come to this realization: No matter what your baby looks like, they are the "Cutest Baby in the Whole Wide World. Ever." Is it because love is blind? You spend so much time with your babies, that they just are cute to you? I know this same phenomena happens when you fall in love with someone, or get a crush. It may be one of those relationships that start out as a friendship, but as you get to know the person, spend more time with them, their physical appearance seems to be enhanced and you find yourself attracted to them, even if everyone around you
does not see what you see.

Going back to babies, I have stretched the truth from time to time with a"Aww, she/he is so cute!" (because it is what is expected), and the mother smiles, looks adoringly at their little one, and sighs,"I know", or more modestly,"Thank you." I just think it is impossible for a mother to think her baby is NOT cute, no matter what they look like.


Although I did had a brief period of about 3 hours when I thought K was NOT cute, and even disagreed with the delivery nurse when she said,"Oh what a cute baby!" and I said,"Thank you for saying that, but I know she isn't". Don't worry, after she stopped being so blue and swollen, I did think she was cute, and she just got better from there.

I know that I have felt that each of my kids were TCBITW, but looking back at pictures, with some emotional distance from their babyhood, as well as clarity that comes from a little time, I can see they weren't TCBITW. Take for example, the two pictures below of E and N. When I first took these pictures I couldn't get over how cute they were, and looking at them now, I still think they are pretty cute, but I can also see that not everyone would feel the same.

Still,
when they are yours, they are TCBITW.



And so, without further ado, I introduce you to the current CBITW:



Or at least, the cutest baby in our family. (And as E likes to add, "Born in April", since she doesn't want to exclude herself)

7 comments:

Amy from Occupation: Mommy said...

Maybe the cutest born in April, but I will have to say that I think TCBITW lives at our house :)

I don't know, though, there are some truly homely babies whose mothers must know that they aren't cute. Don't you think? But really, I hope their mothers don't know. Every baby should be TCBITW.

chaps said...

I think that sometimes, when you gaze at your child, and they gaze back... in that "eye lock" moment, you can't capture it with words, so you resort to "you are the cutest baby in the world"....
I just get such a thrill when Sam and I have those "eye lock" moments, when we're exchanging that moment of "I adore you and love you and I know it's mutual"......but as lazy Americans we grasp for easy, cliche phrases, instead of reaching into the depth of expressions the english language offers.

Boy I am a dork.

chaps said...

and I think those little faces are adorable.

EEEEMommy said...

I often wonder when I think my daughter's are so beautiful, what other people really think of when they see them. There was a woman who sent out an e-mail and included a picture that was kinda blurry, but she just had to include it because it her daughter was so beautiful in it, and really, she wasn't. So then I think, maybe my daughters aren't all that pretty either. Yikes! LOL
Actually, my poor youngest daughter is not the prettiest, and I feel horrible that I think that, but it is the truth. I'm hoping when her hair grows out and she grows up a little bit, she'll look less like her dad and more like a pretty little girl. She has moments of beauty.
Well, I'm supposed to be packing. BTW, I completely agreed with your comment on my last post. Completely!
Kiss that CBITW (I can say that honestly since I don't have one of my own! ;)) for me. I can't wait to kiss those round cheeks myself!

partlycloudypilgrim said...

i commented yesterday - but it's not here.

My babies were not so cute - I thought they were at the time - but knew deep inside they were not so much.
The pictures confirm this.
Now? Let's just say we have a serious vanity problem brewing in these parts.

K is , objectively, very cute.

words and streets said...

so true. i've had those moments with my kids. one hour they are adorable, then the next i'm like, woooahhh, who is this?? esp during those rashy phases.

ed said...

She really did say that to the nurse. It was a little awkward.