When You're Smiling

April 18th, 2011

Oh the horror! Just when things couldn't get any better. I have heard stories, but never thought it would happen to my baby. Please take my advice and do not go anywhere near my boy! Somehow I got it and now Ang has it -this is some serious stuff. I am about to contact the government to see if we need a quarantine, martial law or a special alert level needs to be announced. If you have been around Ryan anytime during the past 3 months I think you should go see your family physician and have some test run to see if you have caught this infectious...virus or disease. In case you can not get into the doctor's office for a bit, maybe you can do a self examination and check for these symptoms. One symptom  is if you are looking in the mirror and each end on your mouth is curved up towards your ears and the middle part of your lips stay still. Another is a warm tingle in your heart - this is how I found out Ryan gave it to me.  The one symptom that is the hardest to distinguish is a spontaneous outburst of vocal noises (similar to a machine gun or a long run of "a" sounds). It is the hardest to distinguish because some people confuse it with Tourette Syndrome. I assure you, you can try and control it or act like it doesn't affect you, but it will.  So you are probably wondering if I am going to tell you what Ryan has and I think I owe it to you, but once I tell you - do not underestimate its power. Ryan suffers from Vultus Contangere or Contagious Smile....although he doesn't seem to be suffering. If you feel like relieving your stress, having perma-grin, lowering your blood pressure, constantly being in a good mood, sudden urge to squeeze a baby, uncontrollable love and/or a warm tingly heart, by all means go ahead hang out with Ryan and catch his infectious smile. No time is a bad time. Day or night, come on over and get your fix.  Don't say I didn't warn you though. Don't come crying to me when your face hurts so bad from smiling all day you need a pain pill to mask the pain. What is a dad to do? Should I sew on a warning label on him somewhere?

Your best offense is a good defense. Soooo, with that in mind and you absolutely have to go around Ryan, I will brief you on how I got it and you can try to figure the best approach. One morning in February I was getting up to start the day and routinely went over to the bassinet to get Ryan up. I tickled him on his chin, "good morning Mr. Dude!"  He then sweetly opened up his eyes (Don't look, that is how he lures you in, it is a trick) and then he spreads the biggest smile across his face. Talk about a warm tingly heart. It just makes you melt. From then on I have had perma-grin and a warm heart. I haven't been able to shake it since. What's worse, this kid smiles and laughs ALL the time. I am doomed! The only time he fusses is to eat or change a diaper and even then the fusses are more like loud laughs. Even when I know his tummy is uncomfortable from unreleased toots or has a full diaper he still trys to smile through his frown - it is the funniest thing. As I often mention, Ang and I will just sit and watch him no matter what he is doing. He is our favorite sitcom. We get the biggest kick that this kid just smiles in his sleep. Sometimes, like his Mom, he will be in a deep sleep, sigh and let out the loudest laugh/coo followed by the smile. He smiles in the bath tub, smiles in through his pacifier, smiles during a Pampers change, he even smiles during Yo Gabba, Gabba....okay, so do we. The dude is absolutely funny.  

Seriously, why are smiles contagious? I don't know for sure, but something about Ryan will absolutely fill your heart. Maybe it is God just giving us simple joy. It says in Numbers 6:24-26, "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace." Maybe that is the simple answer. What ever it is, I am glad. Amazing how something so simple can bring so much happiness. Ryan is our world and we are glad that it is smiling....at least until the next dirty diaper.


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WHEN YOU'RE SMILING
by Louis Armstrong


When you're smiling
When you're smiling
The whole world smiles with you

When you're laughing
When you're laughing
The sun comes shining through

But when you're crying
You bring on the rain
So stop your sighing
Be happy again

Keep on smiling
Cause when you're smiling
The whole world smiles with you