Tell me this isn't just gas...

[zeldabee]

Bubeleh will be 4 weeks old tomorrow. I've seen him smile many times, but
as part of a repertoire of expressions that pass over his face, and it
seemed almost random, so I figured they weren't "real."

This morning was different, though...We'd had a good night--he wasn't
fussy, didn't stay awake after feedings, mom got some sleep--and he woke up
calm. I got up as he started to stir, went to the bathroom and so on. I
went to him when I heard his "Ok, I'm really awake now" noise, and talked
to him a little... and he smiled. So I kept on talking, and he kept on
smiling. This went on for about 5 minutes before I picked him up to nurse
him.

Then again this afternoon, I'd had to change his clothes after a blowout
poop. I'd put him on the bed by the window so that he could watch the
leaves blowing in the wind as I finished dressing him. Again, he smiled as
he watched the leaves, and started making little exclamations, noises that
sounded purposeful and voluntary. I nearly cried, it was so sweet.

Am I reading too much into this? It just seems like such a change.

--
z e l d a b e e @ p a n i x . c o m http://NewsReader.Com/

[Phoebe & Allyson]

zeldabee wrote:

> and he smiled. So I kept on talking, and he kept on
> smiling.


Not gas. Isn't it great?

Phoebe oht :)
--
yahoo address is unread - substitute mailbolt

[iphigenia]

zeldabee wrote:
> Bubeleh will be 4 weeks old tomorrow. I've seen him smile many times,
> but as part of a repertoire of expressions that pass over his face,
> and it seemed almost random, so I figured they weren't "real."
>

I've never bought the notion that having gas makes babies smile. I figure
it's just them playing around with their facial muscles. But at almost 4
weeks, it could be a real smile.


--
iphigenia
www.tristyn.net
"i have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
i do not think that they will sing to me."

[Vicki S]

zeldabee > wrote:
> Am I reading too much into this? It just seems like such a change.

All I have is the "expertise" (snort) of rasing my own two, but I would
have to say no, you are not. To me those both sound most emphatically
like intentional behaviors, real smiles, and real exclamations of
delight. Mazal tov! Your cutie pie is aware!
--
-- Vicki
Married DH May 21, 1995
Ima shel DS, born 11/16/99; and DD, born 5/19/02.
"Stay-at-home" Ima since October 2002.
An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy. -Spanish proverb
I may not currently be pregnant, but I look pregnant, does that count?

[Bruce and Jeanne]

zeldabee wrote:

> Bubeleh will be 4 weeks old tomorrow. I've seen him smile many times, but
> as part of a repertoire of expressions that pass over his face, and it
> seemed almost random, so I figured they weren't "real."
>
> This morning was different, though...We'd had a good night--he wasn't
> fussy, didn't stay awake after feedings, mom got some sleep--and he woke up
> calm. I got up as he started to stir, went to the bathroom and so on. I
> went to him when I heard his "Ok, I'm really awake now" noise, and talked
> to him a little... and he smiled. So I kept on talking, and he kept on
> smiling. This went on for about 5 minutes before I picked him up to nurse
> him.
>
> Then again this afternoon, I'd had to change his clothes after a blowout
> poop. I'd put him on the bed by the window so that he could watch the
> leaves blowing in the wind as I finished dressing him. Again, he smiled as
> he watched the leaves, and started making little exclamations, noises that
> sounded purposeful and voluntary. I nearly cried, it was so sweet.
>
> Am I reading too much into this? It just seems like such a change.
>
>

I think it's a real smile :)

When DS was younger, he would "smile" and then 5 minutes later poop. I
called *that* gas.

Jeanne

[Sara]

zeldabee wrote:

> Bubeleh will be 4 weeks old tomorrow. I've seen him smile many times, but
> as part of a repertoire of expressions that pass over his face, and it
> seemed almost random, so I figured they weren't "real."
>
> This morning was different, though...We'd had a good night--he wasn't
> fussy, didn't stay awake after feedings, mom got some sleep--and he woke up
> calm. I got up as he started to stir, went to the bathroom and so on. I
> went to him when I heard his "Ok, I'm really awake now" noise, and talked
> to him a little... and he smiled.

Sounds like a happy smile to me!

--
Sara, accompanied by the baby barnacle

[azure]

"zeldabee" > wrote in message
...
*snip*
>
> Am I reading too much into this? It just seems like such a change.
>
> --


Definitely a smile : ) Audrey did this around 3wo, same age as your bubby
: ) Though I do miss those sleepy newborn grins that appear and disappear
of the face so quickly, even if they aren't "real". She did one the other
day and I realised it has been mostly gone from her repertoire for awhile
now.

Cheers,

Leah


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.522 / Virus Database: 320 - Release Date: 29/09/03

[JoFromOz]

zeldabee wrote:
> Bubeleh will be 4 weeks old tomorrow. I've seen him smile many times,
> but as part of a repertoire of expressions that pass over his face,
> and it seemed almost random, so I figured they weren't "real."
(snip)
> Am I reading too much into this? It just seems like such a change.

Personally I believe that since babies feel the feelings to make them cry
(sad, etc), then why don't they have the happy feelings that make them
smile? We know they aren't totally devoid of emotion, it's just that in the
first few weeks there isn't that much to smile about because they are
getting used to a WHOLE new world and way of living.

Just my opinion :)

Your story is really great :)

Jo (RM)

--
Babies are Born... Pizzas are delivered.

[Maryilee]

>Am I reading too much into this? It just seems like such a change.
>
>--

Sounds like real smiles to me. My dd had her first real smiles at only three
weeks. It sure caught me by surprise as my boys didn't have real smiles until
about six weeks of age.

Maryilee

Maggie's Christmas page
http://www.angelfire.com/vi/maggie/christmaspictures.html
Info on hereditary spherocytosis
http://www.angelfire.com/vi/maggie/spherocytosis.html

[zeldabee]

Vicki S > wrote:
> zeldabee > wrote:
> > Am I reading too much into this? It just seems like such a change.
>
> All I have is the "expertise" (snort) of rasing my own two, but I would
> have to say no, you are not. To me those both sound most emphatically
> like intentional behaviors, real smiles, and real exclamations of
> delight. Mazal tov! Your cutie pie is aware!

Ah, good, I'm so glad. I haven't heard much more cooing since, but have
seen a few more smiles. Bloke had yet to be blessed.

--
z e l d a b e e @ p a n i x . c o m http://NewsReader.Com/

[Circe]

"Phoebe & Allyson" > wrote in message
...
> zeldabee wrote:
> > and he smiled. So I kept on talking, and he kept on
> > smiling.
>
> Not gas. Isn't it great?
>
Julian smiled at exactly 4 weeks old. I have it on film. It was *not* gas,
but a real, honest-to-goodness social smile. And it is great, isn't it?
--
Be well, Barbara
(Julian [6], Aurora [4], and Vernon's [19mo] mom)

This week's special at the English Language Butcher Shop:
"She rose her eyebrows at Toby" -- from "O' Artful Death", by Sarah Stewart
Taylor

Daddy: You're up with the chickens this morning.
Aurora: No, I'm up with my dolls!

All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its
other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a
fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman

[A&G&K]

"zeldabee" > wrote in message
...
> Bubeleh will be 4 weeks old tomorrow. I've seen him smile many times, but
> as part of a repertoire of expressions that pass over his face, and it
> seemed almost random, so I figured they weren't "real."
>
> This morning was different, though...We'd had a good night--he wasn't
> fussy, didn't stay awake after feedings, mom got some sleep--and he woke
up
> calm. I got up as he started to stir, went to the bathroom and so on. I
> went to him when I heard his "Ok, I'm really awake now" noise, and talked
> to him a little... and he smiled. So I kept on talking, and he kept on
> smiling. This went on for about 5 minutes before I picked him up to nurse
> him.
>
> Then again this afternoon, I'd had to change his clothes after a blowout
> poop. I'd put him on the bed by the window so that he could watch the
> leaves blowing in the wind as I finished dressing him. Again, he smiled as
> he watched the leaves, and started making little exclamations, noises that
> sounded purposeful and voluntary. I nearly cried, it was so sweet.
>
> Am I reading too much into this? It just seems like such a change.
>
> --
> z e l d a b e e @ p a n i x . c o m http://NewsReader.Com/

Sounds like the real deal to me. I've never bought the "gas"theory though.
I figure that smiling is just another facial expression they "play" with.

(Still wonderful though isn't it?)

Amanda

[Jenrose]

"zeldabee" > wrote in message
...
> Bubeleh will be 4 weeks old tomorrow. I've seen him smile many times, but
> as part of a repertoire of expressions that pass over his face, and it
> seemed almost random, so I figured they weren't "real."
>
> This morning was different, though...

Yep!

4 weeks is exactly "on time" for those first smiles. Some babies do it
earlier or later, and yes, they're very different from "gas" or "random"
smiles.

I love that... My daughter first smiled when she figured out the "mommy
sticks out tongue, baby sticks out tongue, baby sticks out tongue, then
mommy does it" game. She'd done that reflexively, but it was like a ray of
sunshine when she figured out how to do it on purpose.

Jenrose