Lucy Baehr didn’t see her daughter Reese as the cutest baby, but a mother’s love transcends mere looks. However, the story didn’t stop there; when she playfully posted her daughter in a TikTok challenge, she encountered a storm of criticism, which Lucy defied with her steadfast maternal affection.
Getting pregnant with Reese had its fair share of ups and downs
Lucy Baehr shared an experience that resonated with many mothers who eagerly anticipate the arrival of their newborn babies, expecting them to be undeniably cute. Hailing from Arkansas, her story took an unusual and humorous twist, capturing the online world’s attention.
Lucy’s journey to motherhood was a real rollercoaster. She’d faced the formidable challenge of infertility and experienced heartbreaking losses. But she was a loving mom to her daughter, Harper, and a dedicated stepmom to Cole. In September 2019, they added a third furry member to the family, a dog, hoping to fill that void in their lives.
Then, in February 2020, she dropped a bombshell: Lucy found out she was pregnant with a baby girl. The news left her overjoyed and, well, a little incredulous. When her daughter, Reese, finally arrived, Lucy’s first reaction was a mix of shock and humor.
She recalls the moment, saying, “I’m pretty sure I looked at my husband and was like, ’She’s healthy?’” It was a perfect way to sum up a surprise that life had thrown her way, making Reese’s arrival a bit less unique than they had anticipated.
“Her nose was incredibly swollen, and her eyes were beady.” The new mom also shared how looking back, not a single person, not even the delivery room nurses, tried to sugarcoat that Reese wasn’t exactly a poster baby for cuteness.
“People just didn’t comment on her appearance,” she laughed.
When Harper, Reese’s sister, got to hold her baby sibling for the first time, even she couldn’t help but notice the striking differences between them. While Baehr’s daughter was likely excited about becoming an older sibling, she couldn’t help but steal a glance at her mother and make a candid observation about Reese’s appearance, describing it as “weird.” Lucy, her mother, reassured Harper, telling her there was some truth to her observation.
The “ugly baby” Tiktok challenge
Most people know it’s almost taboo for mothers to admit their children might not be the cutest openly. Still, Lucy Baehr fearlessly ventured into that territory using TikTok. She joined in on a trend where people shared their experiences of expecting an adorable newborn but being surprised by reality. With a good-natured laugh, the mother of three proudly declared that she had taken the crown in that department!
When Baehr caught the trend of folks sharing photos of their “less-than-cute babies” on TikTok, she couldn’t resist jumping on the bandwagon. At one point, her video had been seen by almost 24 million people. It all turned into a big laugh, with some users jokingly suggesting that her daughter looked like Mr. Bean or Harry Potter’s Dobby!
Most of the comments from her TikTok followers were all in good fun. One person even quipped that Reese looked “like a villager.”
Another person playfully guessed that the little girl definitely took after her father. Someone else couldn’t help but sympathize with the idea that women endure nine months of nausea and drama, only for their kids to come out “looking like their dads.” Another added, “Newborns are rarely, if ever, cute. They’re a ‘trust the process’ kinda creature.”
However, while many on social media found Baehr’s post to be light-hearted fun, some didn’t share the sentiment. Some believed poking fun at a child was in bad taste and sharing such a clip on social media wasn’t right.
The new mom got a lot of heat for poking fun at her baby
Baehr opened up about the criticism she faced, with some people labeling her a “terrible mom.” Critics were concerned that her viral post might negatively impact Reese’s self-esteem. However, Baehr stood her ground, explaining that she was simply being honest.
The mother of three clarified that she intended to normalize the reality of how newborns often looked when they entered the world. She reassured everyone that Reese was perfectly fine. Baehr even pledged to share the story with Reese one day.
She also believed that her daughter would inherit her sense of humor. Her primary aim was to remind mothers that not all newborns fit the typical “perfect-looking” image, and that’s perfectly okay. She emphasized that her video wasn’t meant to be mean-spirited, and she knew Reese wasn’t ugly.
Lucy also shared an Instagram picture of her newborn baby, adding a heartfelt caption explaining the significance of Reese’s name. She deeply loved the little girl, saying, “You were loved long before you got here.”
The glow-up is real
But as a respectable princess, Reese has grown into a beautiful baby. Her mom finally gave her Instagram followers a peek at Reese almost three years after her birth, sharing more photos and even a video clip showcasing how pretty and lively her daughter had become. People in the comments couldn’t help but gush, calling Reese a “beautiful baby girl,” “absolutely precious,” and “a doll.”
Then, on November 4, 2022, Baehr dropped an Instagram video that captured how Reese had changed over the years. She revealed that it took her two years to put the clip together and that it had her feeling a bit emotional. The video showed Reese laughing, smiling, learning to crawl, playing with the family dog, taking her first steps, feeding herself, exploring the world, and transforming into the gorgeous little girl she is now.
Things have been looking up for Reese, who’s now nearly three years old. “Reese is gorgeous,” Baehr proudly said. “She has these huge blue eyes.”
However, Reese’s journey reminds us that beauty truly comes in all shapes and sizes. Her heartwarming transformation and her radiant spirit teach us to embrace our unique selves and appreciate the beauty in every child, no matter how they may look at birth.
Stories like this might sound strange, but they’re pretty common. Just see what other folks shared about their first encounters with their babies.
Preview photo credit lucybaehr / Instagram
12 Curious Finds That Turned People’s Worlds Upside-Down
Have you ever found something that made you very confused? We all know that feeling. Our curiosity keeps pushing us until we understand it. But now, we don’t need to visit a library or ask a professional for answers anymore. The internet has a lot of people who investigate things online, and they’ve uncovered some incredible hidden facts about curious and unique discoveries.
1. ’’Found this thrown at the bottom of a lake in Stockholm. It was overgrown with algae on the outside. Nothing grows on the inside, so the liquid is not water. No markings.’’
Answer: Oh, it’s a storm glass.
2. ’’I found 25 of these things individually wrapped in men’s briefs and socks.’’
Answer: They are fire hose caps.
3. ’’My mother says this cast iron thing is for pouring oil, but my grandmother says she’s wrong and can’t remember what it’s for. Help?’’
Answer: It looks sort of similar to the type of thing used to melt down lead to cast new bullets.
4. ’’What is this pair of scissors I bought years ago on flee market?’’
Answer: It’s a vintage umbilical clamp. That’s why it’s shaped like a stork! Eventually this style did evolve into several types of embroidery scissors that the midwives would use while awaiting labor.
5. ’’What’s this brass or copper like thing in bathroom door handle?’’
Answer: The copper kills bacteria and germs.
6. ’’I found this wooden device. It’s maybe for stretching something or measuring?’’
Answer: It’s a hat stretcher.
7. ’’I found this in a random box of kitchen supplies. Is this just for carving meat or some other food?’’
8. ’’It is made of clay/terra cotta, can fit inside a palm. It came with something I bought but can’t remember what. What is it used for?’’
Answer: You put it on with your brown sugar to keep it from clumping or drying out in storage.
9. ’’Metal, plastic, and canvas-looking fabric clips. They are a few inches long, what are they?’’
Answer: They look a bit like the things attached to a garter belt to hold up stockings.
10. ’’My kids got these for Halloween. They are thin plastic, what are they?’’
Answer 1: They are stencils, popular in the 90s. Got a bunch as a kid!
Answer 2: Yep, this is it, the raised lines are so that when you put a piece of paper over it and rub a crayon over it the raised lines show up darker for detail.
11. ’’What are these blue reflecting markers for? They are mounted on a pole, facing the field.’’
Answer: They are reflecting the headlights of cars to the fields, so that deer avoids crossing the road. So, it’s for safety of cars and animals.
12. ’’What’s this odd-looking glass I found while walking on the beach in Hawaii?’’
Comment: Oh, no! Tell me you didn’t throw it back, please. If it is an older float, it is worth a pretty penny.
If you’d like to uncover more mystery objects that will blow your mind, then check out this article.
Preview photo credit Tio76 / Reddit
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