"Smile, Ethan."

This is “the smile” my son does when I ask him to smile.

I say, “Ethan, smile for Mommy!”

…and this is happens.

There are a few different versions. The above version I call “the angry squirrel.”

Some versions don’t even involve his teeth.

Smile, Ethan.”

“Okay, great.”

To get his below real smile in any photo requires more than a little.

Basically I have to hire a professional or do an inverted aerial.“Mommy, I can’t believe you just did an inverted aerial. I guess I’ll real smile.”

Luckily, his real smile is never hidden when the camera is off.