Kissing Practice

For the past few weeks, Norah has been a bit obsessed with kissing. Pretty regularly, if we're sitting on the floor or she's up on our lap, she'll turn to us and start leaning in, signifying it's time for a slobbery smacker. She usually wants a hug, too.

This, I have to assume, is a normal part of the development process. Gabe went through a similar phase. The difference is that Gabe's started about six months ago and is still sort of going on ("Can I have a hug and a kiss, Daddy?" he will ask, usually after he's done something to raise my ire). Gabe still hasn't figured kissing out. With his freshly wettened lips held loosely together, he leans in and presses them against us--sometimes on our lips, sometimes our noses, sometimes our chins, he doesn't really care where he lands it). He doesn't pucker his lips, he doesn't make the traditional smacking noise, he just presses his mouth parts against something and calls it good. Cute, but slobbery and kind of gross. Hopefully he will get his technique worked out before high school or he's not going to be very popular in the dating community.

Norah, on the other hand, might be TOO popular considering how quickly she's catching on. Worryingly popular.

Last night, she was sitting on Libby's lap and she wanted a kiss. Libby puckered up and Norah opened her mouth and leaned in. She proceeded to envelope Libby's mouth with her own, creating a seal--kind of like she was giving mouth to mouth. Funny as hell from my perspective, but clearly unsettling and a little gross for Libby.

"You try it," Libby said.

"K. But get the camera," I replied. So Libby did. Then Norah started kissing me while Libby got the camera. By the time Libby got back with it and started recording, Norah had actually more or less figured out how to kiss normally, puckering her lips a little and adding the smacking noise. With about two minutes of practice, she came closer to mastering the technique than Gabe has managed in the past six months!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, she's going to need some monitoring once she hits puberty.

Here's the video. It's not nearly as entertaining as it would have been if she'd kept doing the mouth-to-mouth method, but it's still kind of cute. Especially the part where I'm in it.

Actually, after watching it again, I realized that she DID give Libby an open-mouthed one the first time. So enjoy that.