The Girl Who Wouldn't Smile

This is a picture of the girl who has a grin as wide as the Nile. What? You can't see it? Oh, well, that's because she refused to show it for the hour that we were at the portrait studio trying to capture just that.

We took her for her 9 month photos a little while ago. She woke up in her crib fashioning said grin. She laughed as she bathed. She coo'd in the car on the way. She clapped her hands at strangers passing by as we waited for our turn in front of the camera. Then, when placed before the backdrop, my baby turned as inanimate as a box of hair. Even so, had it been Panteen hair, it may have been more lively than my daugher. She refused to smile. She refused to even turn up just the corners of her mouth in an almost smile. We employed every stuffed animal, squeaky duck, flying brother and the like, things that, until that point, were tested, tried and true ways to make her smile. We even pulled out an Otter Pop wrapper in an attempt to put that newly-elusive smile upon her face. Nothing. Pretty soon she was just as frustrated as we were and began to fuss a little. Giving up, I smashed my head on the platform in front of her.

Giggle, giggle.

Again...SMASH!...laughter. Yes, it was working! Just a few more times...SMASH! SMASH! SMASH! Fits of laughter. Only, she was looking at me, not the camera. Oh well...it would have to do; Mom doesn't have that many brain cells left to spare.