La Bambina Just Smiled

Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it’s breaking
When there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You’ll see the sun come shining through for you

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what’s the use of crying?
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what’s the use of crying?
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile....

Smile by Nat King Cole, 1954

Well Samantha turned seven weeks old yesterday. I'm sure it's not such a big deal in the overall scheme of her life but the changes in her over this time are pretty amazing.
Our daughter is smiling, not the smile of a baby with gas or a baby who is pooping. She is smiling in reaction to things that are making her happy, the sound of her mom's voice, being held, or being sung too. From my perspective this really is, along with focusing her eyes, the beginning of her becoming a little person. The interactive nature of this little change in facial gestures certainly makes her seem more human, more like a little person rather than a tiny little noise machine.
This is probaby one of those milestones that doesn't really stay with you as long as some of the really big moments in a baby's life. First steps, first words, first time on the potty...those are the milestones that people always talk about, the ones they really remember.
For us, our baby smiling allows us to begin to discover what she likes and what she doesn't llike. What makes her happy and what makes her sad. It is also the first bit of commuincation, other than crying, that we have been able to share with her. When she smiles, we smile and most of the time now when we smile at her she smiles back. Communication between people takes so many forms, most communication is not verbal.
It seems like a waste to try to rush her along the path towards adulthood. Everyday she is becoming a little smarter, a little easier to commuincate with. It makes me wonder how much of her communication cues we miss because we just don't understand them. I guess it really does boil down to what my dad always told me, to listen to someone requires more than just hearing their words. In this case we need to focus on Samantha's face, her hand motions and her body language to try to ascertain what she is saying. Smiling is a very big indicator towards how she feels and not one that we should be ignoring.
As parents we should be able to pause those moments in our kids lives that mean something. The really important moments so that there is no chance we miss them. This would be one of the moments that I would pause....even if just for a few days because I don't want to miss it and I sure don't want to forget it.