When I was pregnant with my son, I envisioned a little olive-skinned babe with deep, dark eyes and wispy brown hair. A mini of my husband, if you will. And because genetics claim the grandfathers’ genes are predominate, and because both biological Pap-Paps boast those physical attributes, it just made sense for me to picture my boy that way.
And then this:
And a year later, this:
Do you have any idea what that kind of paleness does to a mother’s ERP: Electromagnetic Radiation Paranoia?
Summer months had always been vacations, lounging by the pool, and enjoying the small window of gorgeous western Pennsylvania generously bestowed upon us. Enter Whitey McWhiterson and summer became buying sunblock in bulk.
Trouble with sunblock is that it washes and sweats off way too easily, so I needed reinforcements. And I found them in adorable wetsuits for my main man. His pasty skin is sheathed in an almost full-body bathing suit, protected from the sun and rashes. The latter was a huge draw for me because since his sister’s increasing affinity for creating homemade body scrubs out of sand and rocks, my son needs all the protection he can get.
Because he is almost four and I monitor his iPad obsession like a good mother (your six hours are up–let’s play!), we’re outside an awful lot. I can only keep a 4-year-old boy under an umbrella for so long (6.5 seconds, to be exact), so he wears his wetsuits even when putzing around the yard with Dad or swinging at the park. One could say I’m bit psychotic about the sun. One would be correct.
The beach is a completely different story. The sunlight reflections off of the water are almost enough to send me into palpitations, but I feel so much better knowing that he’s covered from his neck to his knees in these things. Now if we can just get a wetsuit mask, that would be fantastic.
This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own and my son legit wears a nearly full-body swimsuit/wetsuit.
My oldest has dark, olive toned skin and I didn’t realize how lucky I was on sunny days with him. My younger 3 are progressively paler. It is hard to keep pasty white skin from turning red without covering up as much as possible!
Four kids. you have four kids. MY HERO!
I was the exact same way with Mason. Blond, blue eyed and whiter than a slice of Wonder Bread. The fact that I didn’t suffer a heart attack is not lost on me. Your little man is super adorable!!
Wonder Bread! I’m going to start calling my boy that. (and he is a cutie, right?! Thanks! *wink)
Whitey McWhiterson! I’m totally stealing that to describe my son.
It’s all yours! Sharing is caring.
Cutie pie! I very much appreciate this, as a fellow super-white person. I hated sun block until they finally started making a good spray-on mist one. Of course, it costs more and half of it gets wasted during application, but it’s worth it.
I’ll buy you a wetsuit to wear during the bocce shoots. 😉
HA HA HA! But he is such a cutie! I would imagine though that you are having to practically turn him into a mime to get the sunblock to work! ;)-Ashley
Fortunately, Whitey is my patient child; he’s willing to allow us to bathe him in sunblock before setting foot outside. My daughter, on the other hand, is meant to have the olive skin because girl is CRAY and there is no way she has the patience for a second skin of sunblock.
You made me cry. With snot and everything. Whitey McWhiterson – perfect.
Tee hee! Tissue?
Yup. I feel your pain. My daughter is basically see-through, just like I was as a kid. I look around at how easy-going other parents are with their kids in the sun – no sun block, no cover on the stroller, no clock-watching to see how long they’ve been exposed – and I wonder how much easier their lives must be??
I’m now off to order her a wet suit. Thanks for the idea!!!!
xo
I seriously keep my kid in one for the majority of the summer. Such peace of mind!
This is me. I’m the super pale, freckled ginger type, and my poor mother bought ungodly amounts of sun block for me. I’m hoping and praying my future children get their father’s complexion or else I’m buying stock in Coppertone and Banana Boat.
The wet suit idea is genius though. I may have to steal it. 🙂
Awwww future children. Not the point of your comment, but the part I’ve opted to hold on to 🙂
Yep. I’m still not a momma yet. Maybe another year or two. We will see. Lol.
Girl, you do you and take your time. It’s just that my uterus is lonely and wants one more go ’round. I tend to make people uncomfortable with that kind of talk…
My uterus reminds me that it’s empty often, especially when I see cute chubby baby cheeks and smell that newborn baby smell. I’m trying to get that baby fever under control by getting a pet, but we’re a bit too poor even for that right now. So I read blogs and tell myself to enjoy this part while it lasts. 🙂 Those uteruses don’t always listen though, do they? Lol.
Since I am covered in freckles, I shouldn’t be shocked my kids have them too. However, every new freckle they get is a knife in my heart like I am failing as a mother because I didn’t put enough sunblock in them.
I’m the mole-iest person ever and I shite in my pants every time I see anything on my kids’ beautiful, perfect, baby soft skin. Wow. We’re way too hard on ourselves!
I think he is just the cutest thing! It’s better that he is paler-skinned, many moms ignore the sun’s harsh rays because their kids don’t burn!
Nikki
Thanks so much, Nikki!
He’s adorable!!
Don’t laugh but my brother might give you kid a run for his money- and his wife and kids? Don’t even get me started. They burn under a lightbulb. Throw in the fact that they are ridiculously paranoid about it and you know what you have? And entire family of 4 that came up Vitamin D deficient at their physicals. Their doctor actually said, “You know it’s ok to be in the sum sometimes, right?” I remember my first born having to sit in his bouncy seat at the back door to get a little Vitamin D when he was jaundice after birth. Think they make a bouncy seat big enough for two 42 year olds, a 16 and 11 year old? Like a family bouncy seat?
V
If they do, my MIL could use one 😉
HA I immediately had to read this when I saw the title, my husband and daughters father is Puerto Rican, and she came out with blond hair and blue eyes, her eyes have since turned hazel but she is still blond, and somehow she is paler than I am and that is hard to achieve!
I seriously spit water out with this line: I monitor his iPad obsession like a good mother (your six hours are up–let’s play!) That was great!
So funny how these little ones throw us for a loop the second they’re born and then ever stop!
Yeah, the iPad usage is a little outta hand over here!
My favorite thing about rash guards and swim shirts for boys is that I don’t have to explain to my four year old daughter why it’s okay for her brother to show his nipples at the pool and not her. Everyone’s nips are covered, AND less sunscreen to apply!