Love Those Baby Smiles

We've often commented on how much we think Darren looks like Adriana did as a baby. They have similar chins, eyes, ears, and facial expressions. It's funny, though, how much Darren definitely looks like a little boy, while Adriana was more feminine. I need to go through and find some pictures where they are in similar positions or making the same type of face, but these are pictures of each of them at 5 weeks.

Darren has started smiling consistently when we smile at him. There was even one time when I swear it sounded like he was laughing. It's so validating when I lean over the bassinet to pick up my very hungry, upset baby and have him look up at me, completely stop his crying, and give me a big beautiful smile. It has only happened a few times, but I love it!

I haven't been able to capture the elusive smile on film yet, though. The semi-smile in that picture above is the closest I've gotten. There have been several times when I've brought out the camera and tried numerous times, unsuccessfully, to coax a smile out of him, only to have him break out in a huge grin right after I turn off the camera. It must be some sort of built-in gene with my kids, because my girls will do that, too. They'll sit quietly and smile until I actually have the camera ready, but then when I try to take the picture they pull faces or run away or just act silly.

Something else I haven't captured with the camera yet is Darren's Superman stretch. This boy loves to stretch. He does multiple, long, luxurious stretches every time he wakes up and when he's done eating, followed by a contented sigh and maybe a little yawn. This pose where he is sleeping is similar to his Superman stretch, where he balls up his fists, brings one arm back to his shoulder, and stretches the other one in front of him like he's ready to take flight. Very cute.

OK, now that I look back at pictures, Darren also looks a bit like Miriam did as a baby, too. Here's a baby picture of Miriam. Same nose, same jaundiced complexion as a newborn, maybe even similar lips?
Who knew that my two-year-old has magic hands? It's often difficult to get a good burp out of Darren, and it's not unusual for me to sit there trying for more than five minutes trying to coax a burp out of him. (Why, you may I ask, don't I just give up and assume he doesn't need to burp? Because every time I do that he tends to spit up or projectile vomit when I set him down. No fun.) Miriam, on the other hand, loves to burp her little brother. She'll run over, pat him once or twice on the back, and almost always he'll reward her with a big belch. That's right--magic hands.
Yes, I realize that writing so much about little baby mannerisms and minor milestones is probably boring to everyone else, but this is a good way to document things. Babies are just so darn cute!