As we have seen, the tasks of parenthood are many, and every achievement is an evolution of your child’s early years. Still, some of such moments would be quite iconic and joyful, such as the first time that your baby smiles. It is an experience which cannot be described in words, that feeling which is as close to happiness as possible and love with the person you share it with. This I recently underwent as a parent and it was something I will always cherish and it is magical.
The feelings that most parents and other caregivers have before and while waiting for the first baby’s smile can be described in two words – excitement and curiosity. Right from the start, everyone would talk about how that first smile of the day – no matter how many hours one has been awake – is all it takes to turn things around. As most men and women know the first few months of a baby are heavily occupied with feedings, diapering, and calming of the infant. In all of this we keep ourselves busy, and in doing so we lay ourselves open to the first glimmer of personality and communication. The first smile is one of the initial gestures that come under the category of those significant moments.
The day my baby smiled for the first time was like any other day to be honest. The day was fine and sunny, and the rays of sunshine filtered through the curtain of the nursery. My baby was lying on the changing table, but with her little arms waving in the air as she gurgled happily. As it always happens, I wandered around babbling, singing, and making various gestures in the hope of getting a reaction. I was almost as usual of doing these assignments repetitively, but there was something that changed in the morning.
I recall experiencing a little bit of optimism or at least some feeling that this had a possibility of becoming something good, some sort of skepticism as well. Could this be the day when its usefulness will actually dawn? I had learned that ‘smiling’ at this age could be somewhat related to primitive reflexes and could be elicited by internal feelings and not sweet benign happiness. But then, as I leaned in closer and made yet another goofy face, I saw it happen again. That, ladies and gentlemen, is truly a sight to behold: my baby let out the most adorable beaming look you could ever imagine. It was as in the miniature face the glimmer of a small light had been turned on inside their minuscule head. It was not just a mere smile but rather a wide beaming smile indicating that the light of the person’s face has been switched on.
At that instance, there can only be a space that is not defined in the universe of time. Every other thing disappeared – the clothes that needed to be ironed, the utensils which were to be washed, the non-existent time. The only thing that was real was the happiness in the world when my baby smiled. In particular, there was the smile – friendly and familiar, which said ‘Hello, I see you, I know you and I’m happy to see you’. It was as if the baby, my baby, was offering those few words of comfort in the most basic and yet meaningful way of ‘I know you’re there and I’m content.’
To the little cheerer it is exciting and rewarding to make the first smile; equally the smile is a symbol of a lot more than its ability to make people happy at that very moment. For parents, this is possibly the start of a new chapter in their interaction with the child. It may be an indication of social smiling, perhaps a sign that your baby wants to start interacting with the world, see faces and people, and respond to feelings too. It was a simple event, but this may change the lives of a parent and a child, it emphasized the relationship of both. It was an impulse not easy to resist because this is exactly the moment of catching the right mood and ambience. I tried to screen at least this shooting star while attempting to snap a picture, to save this fleeting joy, and, as often, I understood that no picture can capture this warmth and desire that filled this room. The smile itself was the wealth which would always be close to my heart, which I would always remember when my baby started showing his/her persona.
In the days that followed it became a symbol of hope. Every time that I found myself troubled or confused, I would remember that and get my vigour from that experience. The smile was proof that my baby was getting bigger and was not just a sack of potatoes, but was actually learning and beginning to feel and give happiness. It turned into an anthem of sorts and a positive message of the incredible process of parents.
Eventually, it no longer is the first, but just an additional smile which the couple gathers during a year. It’s like they’re telling you – life is unpredictable and fleeting, so don’t waste any of it. Though there will be so many other successes – the first time she crawls, speaks her first words, laughs and countless more – the first smile will always be unforgettable. It was the first tiny indication of the character of the little one and a foretaste of all the fun which is still to come. Looking back at that day I realized how important is an innocence and purity of happiness such as the one given by the first baby’s smile. They offer to tell the success and joy of youthful life, a gentle humor, but also the powerful affection only parents are capable of. While going through the trials involved in child rearing , I still have that memory of the first smile and having that in mind makes the whole process worth it as it is a life to full of joy, love, and happiness that comes with every moment in the future.
