Is my one year old a tanorexic?

The other day a stranger in a store felt the need to share with me that she thought I wasn't putting enough sunscreen on my kids and that, prepare yourself, the sun causes cancer. I would like to now respond to that random woman in Super Target by saying the following: You Are Just Jealous!



I have always tanned easily and apparently my children are following my genetic suit. When Connor was a baby, I slathered him in sunscreen and basted him more regularly than a Thanksgiving turkey and that kid still crisped up to a golden brown by Memorial Day. I wondered while pregnant with Hudson, if he would have the same complexion as his older brother. He doesn't. Hudson has the complexion of a Hispanic child. He came out of the womb with a tan a la George Hamilton. But still, because I believe that a sunburned baby would earn me a place in the mommy hall of shame, I SPF'd the daylights out of that kid and yet he still spent all of last summer with skin the color of a dry roasted almond. We just can't help it.



So now summer is within reach and Hudson is attracting the comments and thinly veiled criticisms from the pasty white public. Listen up people, we can't help it! Hudson started getting tan lines around spring break and now has a full on farmers tan. He has white lines from the folds of his neck fat and white bands on his feet from the straps of his sandles. I know what you are thinking and yes, the overall look is pretty hillbilly but it will all even out once we start hitting the pool.



Ahhhh, the pool. Summer is so glorious for my two little boys and I. By June 5th, I expect us all to be glowing with health, vigor and of course, golden tans. There is one notable exception to this summer postcard, however, and his name is Matt Hill. Granted, he doesn't get as much quality pool time as the rest of us since he is burdened with a job that doesn't respect school holidays, but still Matt just doesn't have that innate ability (some might call it a gift) to tan easily. Bless his heart though, he really does try. He is always that guy walking around where you can see exactly where he missed with the sunscreen by the angry red burn staring at you. I teased him last summer by saying that when the four of us went out together we looked like a segment from Sesame Street. You know, the one where they ask what in the group doesn't belong.....three brown people and one bright white :)



Before you alert the skin cancer police, let me just be clear that I will still be suncreening both of my kids this summer. What kind of mother do you think I am after all? Heaven forbid Hudson get premature wrinkles or have old lady hands in kindergarten. Good grief, we have our pride :)