The Elusive Smile

Finally! Owen has been smiling for over a week now (real smiles – not just gas!) and we finally captured a photo of his grin.

So far, his smile has definitely been my favorite milestone in his development. He just looks so cute when he sees me and his face lights up with a smile from ear to ear. Or when he smirks and lets out a gurgle of laughter. I didn’t think it was possible, but his cheeks look even bigger!

Now that I know he can socially smile, I probably spend at least an hour each day acting like a goofy idiot, making weird faces and noises to get him to grin at me.

Owen’s face is a constant source of entertainment, even when he’s sleeping and especially when he’s pooping. His facial expressions change in an instant. One minute he looks happy, eyes sparkling with dimples in his cheeks, and the next second he looks extremely pissed off with a bright red face and an angry scowl. It’s like he’s bipolar and I live with a mini Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde.

But I love his many faces. They’re hilarious; particularly since he’s fat…it’s impossible to take a fat baby seriously!

And, yes, I am finally admitting it. Owen is fat.

He now weighs well over 13 pounds with no sign of his appetite abating. In my breastfeeding support group, Owen is by far the largest 7-week-old. He weighs one pound less than the six- month-old that sits next to us.

The doctor reassured us that his size is completely normal. He’s in the 90th percentile for his weight and the 95th percentile for his height, which, in his defense, means he’s very proportionate and just big-boned. It also means that 10% of babies his age are fatter than him. I just haven’t encountered any yet. But I don’t mind him being bigger than average – I’m just glad he’s not off the charts and I’ve already accepted that my son will probably be as tall as me by his fourth birthday.

Here’s a look at Owen’s smile and his many funny faces.

My happy fat boy!

The Joey Tribbiani “How You Doin’?” Face

“I just pooped…hehe.”

The skeptical face.

In awe of dad face…”Why is dad singing so loudly when I’m right here??”

Serious old man face.

This isn’t funny anymore face.

Shy, tongue out face.

Sheepish, surprised face.

“You don’t say?”