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Big-eared Babies

Should You Play Crib-side Psychic?

By Gwen Kopetzky

I think you can relate. Think back to what you looked and acted like at 14 years old. Have you, like me, buried your high school yearbooks in the garage as far behind the unused camping gear as you could?

Look at preteen boys. Some of them remind me of puppies with those huge, floppy feet they pad around on. Then, all of a sudden, they sprout up and are good-looking, podiatric-balanced young men. At about the same time, that sullen boy-man person that's been skulking around your home takes a hike -- and not a moment too soon.

So save yourself some fretting and put off the Madame Futura act for a decade or so. Your baby's looks and personality will change many times as she grows. The hair color may darken, the face might grow to balance out the ears, and that demanding side may diminish as your baby learns how to use words instead of cries to tell you what she wants.

Our first daughter is almost 6 years old now. This now semi-formed little being doesn't have a huge head (as predicted), she doesn't have red hair (as foretold) and she isn't overly demanding (as anticipated), but she does have my penchant for organization and her dad's long toes.

OK, so she has my husband's sense of humor and natural singing ability, too. I'll give that to his side of the family.