Monster baby

[NoTimeLikeThePresent82]

My baby has always affectionately been called a monster, by almost everyone who's met him. Even my husband calls him "Monster Munch." I think I see why, but it's bothering me as he gets a bit older (he's 19 months now.) I think I'm just worried that they might all be right - he looks just like a monster.

He's got the most chilled, happy character in the world, but he's fat, he eats a lot, and he's got a shock of ginger, curly hair. He laughs and smiles all the time, and because he's a pudding, he loves his cuddles. Strangers stop to talk to him in the supermarket and the street - he has this humorous ability to attract people, because he is a funny, sunny baby. People laugh at him in surprise. He doesn't look anything like me. Or my DH.

But he's impossible to keep clean. He acts a bit like a monster in that he's always a state to look at. He's always got mud or dribble, or some muck on him. He's motivated by food, and his HAIR, it's just so wild and well, ORANGE!

I thought he'd be a bit more presentable when his teeth came through but there's big gaps in between the front ones, so if anything, it's made him look even more monstery than before. He's such a happy chappy, I don't want him to be teased but I know people are saying it from a place of love and affection.

AIBU to ask people to stop calling him a monster? It's literally the first thing people say when they see him. He was a big baby when he came out, so he's always been cuddly.

At least your family are calling him a monster in an affectionate way, you've just highlighted every imperfection he has to 1000s of strangers!

He sounds adorable.

Is it in reference to the Honey monster? Big, Red haired and cute?

It wouldn't bother me, I'd see it as affectionate.

Since when is ginger, curly hair an imperfection?

He sounds adorable! Some babies are just magnetic, but I do understand why you might get a bit irked with hearing him described as a monster all the time! You could try a very lighthearted "aaaw he's not a monster, he's [insert cutesy alternative here]". It's obviously meant in an affectionate way, but I think it would start to grate on me too. Enjoy your lovely, sunny boy!

He laughs and smiles all the time, and because he's a pudding, he loves his cuddles.

He was a big baby when he came out, so he's always been cuddly

He doesn't like cuddles because he's chunky

You sound embarrassed of your child to be honest.

I think I'm just worried that they might all be right - he looks just like a monster.

Are you actually saying you think your child might literally be a monster? I mean, you are aware there are no such things as actual monsters right?

@NeverEnoughTea sorry that's not what I meant and I don't think it is. OP seems to think he'll be teased for it though.

All of my siblings were collectively known as they monsters' when we were little. We were polite well behaved children, and it had nothing to do with the way we looked. Just an affectionate nickname🥴

Aw he sounds adorable

He sounds gorgeous but you sound embarrassed about the way he looks

I don’t think anyone means he actually looks like a monster, it just sounds like an affectionate family nickname

He sounds gorgeous! And my extremely skinny 17 year old was fat at 18 months...I think that's normal!

I know what you mean a bit. I was born a massive baby and been fat ever since, and I've never heard a story about my childhood that didn't begin with describing how I was massive - very tiresone. Now I have a baby dd, she's also massive (from birth before anyone says I'm overfeeding her) and her size is all anyone can talk about on meeting her. I wish they'd just pretend think she's cute or just say nothing about her appearance!

He sounds fantastic! Your description reminds me a lot of my little brother when he was a baby - he was HUGE, fat, ruddy and smiley with an enormous head and tiny little sparkly eyes. Not the prettiest baby if I'm honest but such a character and everyone adored him. He has since turned into a good looking 24 year old who fancies himself rotten though he still has the gift of charisma and making people laugh 😂 DW - pretty babies don't always stay pretty and vice versa. He sounds happy, healthy and full of joy which is the best thing ever.

Are you serious? You literally listed all negative things about your child? HE IS GOING TO HAVE GAPS IN HIS TEETH HE HASN'T GOT THEM ALL YET!

Your child sounds perfect and you need to get over yourself. You've actually made me angry. So sorry your child didn't come out with lots of blonde hair and super model looking IN YOUR EYES.
He isn't fat is he. He's a bloody baby!

My Ds looked like a little Phil Mitchell until he was about 3 he's 15 now and makes a whippet look fat!

He sounds utterly adorable! I think red curly hair is a beautiful trait to have, I’d love to hair naturally red hair!
All babies and toddlers are hard to keep clean, they want to explore and have fun, they all dribble because of teething, it doesn’t mean they look like monsters!
My two are always referred to as little monsters/ hooligans/terrors but its an affectionate term as they can be so cheeky but lovely!
I think you are overthinking this all too much and have gotten yourself in a bit of a muddle, have you tried to respond to anyone who calls him a monster with your own affectionate term for him? E.g “Oh no his is my little cheeky monkey”?

My LG is a chunk and from the first day I called her piggy. She breastfed perfectly and never lost any birth weight. She has always been chubby and loved food. Pig stuck.

She's 17 months now and a few months ago my husband asked me to stop calling her piggy. It's taken effort but I'm doing it. He's right, calling her piggy isn't nice really no matter how much love is behind it.

I think it's fine to ask people to change the nickname

"He looks like a monster". Seriously? Toddlers can be funny looking as they transition bw baby and small child but monstrous? That's a bleak assessment.

If you are slightly concerned about the way he looks, just relax, he will grow into his looks and he sounds adorable now. But if you worry about this a lot and struggle to feel bonded w him then you might want to consider whether you have a little bit of pnd, which can manifest in strange ways.
(If you just fundamentally dislike red hair and are one of those people who look at curly hair and think messy, you may need to readjust your thinking, and quickly).

Aww he sounds gorgeous, I haven't seen him and I want to munch him!

Ginger hair, chunk and gappy teeth are nothing to be worried about, he sounds like he'll be a very likable happy child as he grows tbh.

My 6 month old keeps rubbing the front bits of hair off so looks a dead ringer for the "inconsevable" dude from princess bride when he whinges, he also becomes the most handsome thing when he smiles and his nick name is mister stink!

Please don't obsesss over your babies "flaws" he's a baby he doesn't have any yet!

He sounds like a real characterful little boy! And absolutely gorgeous.

Honestly OP, just enjoy him! He sounds lovely.

You're not unreasonable to not want people to call him "monster", but just be careful that he doesn't pick up that you perceive it as a negative thing.

This has made me sad, not because of the affectionate nickname but because of how you talk about him.

My first born was a chubby baby with bright ginger hair, I absolutely loved the way he looked. To me he was the most beautiful little thing in the world.

and because he's a pudding, he loves his cuddles

That's an odd statement. I don't think there is a correlation between size and loving cuddles.

He sounds absolutely delicious. I understand why you don’t want people to call him monster, even from a place of love. I would start gently pushing back on it so people break the habit!

and gaps between baby teeth are fine, it means there's more room for the adult teeth to go. Or often the gap closes as more teeth come in.

He sounds utterly gorgeous. You’re very lucky to have him.