Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Smile; the universal language


Smiles are amazing; each so different from the next, and yet, cross culturally meaning the same thing. Happiness. Amusement. Pleasure. Delight. A universal language we don't need to speak to understand. Smiles are beautiful...missing teeth and all. A smile can turn someone's bad day around, at least this mommy's bad day. 


I was looking through pictures of my kids the other day and realized that the majority of the ones that my youngest son is in, he looks expressionless. This is my happy, laughing child. And yet, I have been so unsuccessful in capturing it on camera lately. Until this past weekend.
I love this picture...it's more tongue than smile but you can still see his happy expression and adorable dimples. 
True delight. Oh how I love them.
As parents, witnessing a baby's first smile is such a magical, momentous occasion. To see your baby's lips curl with delight is something you will then repeatedly try to to achieve. We do the silliest things over and over just to experience that moment again and again. And I'll be the first to admit, I still do it even after the infant years have come and gone. But I cherish the moments they smile all on their own.
Yes, that's me (I can't believe I"m posting this for the blogging world to see. Thanks Rachele!) trying to get my kids and their cousins to smile for the photographer; jumping up and down, making silly faces, and all. 
I know we can't expect our kids to smile all the time, but boy it fills my heart when they do. It saddens me to think of the times in their lives they will hurt; the times I won't be able to run over and give them hugs and kisses to make it better. So I'll hold on to these fleeting moments, and enjoy them to the fullest extent.

Smile on boys.

Readers: fess up...what have you done to make your kids smile? We've all done some pretty silly things. Do you remember where you were when your baby smiled for the first time? 
Posted by Greta at 7:02 AM
Labels: ,

7 comments:

  1. Megan BackmanOctober 13, 2010 at 7:51 AM

    I tried to take the Rachel and Ross approach from "Friends" and started rapping to my little girl to see if she'd smile... "I like big butts and I cannot lie..." Apparently my little girl doesn't like rap as much as Emma from the show. What did finally get her to first smile, at 8 weeks old, was the sound of the dog's squeaky toy.

    ReplyDelete
  2. the lenkesOctober 13, 2010 at 9:55 AM

    My kid is such a cheeseball, she usually poses for the camera.

    ReplyDelete
  3. RacheleOctober 13, 2010 at 10:53 AM

    I'd be happy to give you a larger version of that photo if you want. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. GretaOctober 13, 2010 at 8:40 PM

    @Megan--that's hilarious. Still laughing about it actually.

    @Lenkes--My son will pose if someone else is taking the picture. If it's me, he usually avoids looking at the camera or makes some weird face.

    @Rachele--No. Thank you ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnnetteOctober 14, 2010 at 6:55 PM

    Yes, we do everything around our house to get some smiles and laughter--chasing, farting, snorting, funny faces, weird voices. Yes, we're not too discerning in this area. Whatever works is fine with us! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. kittenOctober 18, 2010 at 12:10 AM

    my daughter is only 5 months and she laughs when i talk funny and do silly things like jump up and down while making faces. haha.

    ReplyDelete
  7. GretaOctober 18, 2010 at 6:02 PM

    @kitten--don't you love baby laughs? Thanks for stopping by :)

    @Annette--totally agree...whatever works :) Thank you too for stopping by!

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)