I first started noticing the pattern around her first birthday. My daughter Lauren seems normal. She looks normal -- usually, that is. Yet for some reason, whenever we take out a camera, Lauren smiles and closes one eye. In all her baby pictures, right up to those of her current 2½-year-old self, her toothy smile is joined by a sort of prolonged wink.
It looks downright weird.
Goodness knows we've tried everything to get her to keep that eye open.
"Look over here!" I'll holler merrily, sticking my head around the side of my carefully-poised camera. "Now, open your eyes wiiiiiiiiide."
But there it is, captured on film for all generations to see. The one-eyed grin.
Then just three days ago, I was given one of those rare moments mothers cherish (and repeat over coffee for years to come): a true glimpse into the inner workings of a child's mind and child social development. No amount of child development research on child development stages could have illustrated this better.
I had dressed my two little darlings with special care. Having fallen in love with my own handiwork, I once again whipped out the camera and called them into action.
"OK, girls, now stand next to each other...that's right...no, wait. A little closer. Now put your arm around your sister...OK now, everybody smile!"
I stopped and frowned, pulling my head from behind the camera.
Lauren, two eyes open! Open your eyes wide."
Then it happened. Lauren looked at me, a little puzzled, and spoke. "But Mommy," she squeaked. "Your eye is closed!"
My head started spinning and I nearly dissolved in laughter. Could it be that all this time -- before she could even walk or say her first sentence -- she was paying such close attention that she was actually, knowingly, being my own mirror image?
Because that's just how I stood, at every photo-taking session: scrunched behind that camera, with one eye squeezed shut. At every photo session, there she was, reflecting what she saw before her and closing the very same eye.
I thought long and hard about what this meant for me as a mother. One thing I'll say for sure: from now on, I'll be a lot more careful about the things I say -- and the things I do.