Milestones

HOW will the New Parents know a genuine first smile from a gas smile, they wondered frequently. They wonder no more. When Mom saw it, she knew it. She could tell. When Dad saw it, he knew it too.

EJ smiled for the first time today. A genuine smile in reaction to the New Parent's interaction with him. There was no doubt, no question, no ambiguity.

So how does it differ?

EJ recently began to notice Mom and Dad's presence. For example, during a recent bout of crying, he ceased as soon as he saw Dad's face, before dad had even offered him the bottle he brought. He remained focused on Dad for several seconds, observing and thinking. Today it happened again, but this time it was accompanied by the smile, a broad, deliberate, genuine reaction to seeing Dad. His eyes were locked on Dad. His cheeks curled his lips back as far as they would go. His tongue popped out between them.

Then, with the emotion of pride swelling in Dad, it was gone.

A gas smile is half-hearted, sometimes with only one side of the mouth retracting. The gas smile happens when baby's attention is focused on anything but the Parent's face. Or if baby is looking at Mom and Dad, their gaze is unfocused, just by happenstance is it toward the Parent. Moreover, it is not nearly as broad.