The reason why is still a mystery but in Bahasa Indonesia, the verb “to kiss” is also the same for “to smell”.
Cium (prounounced ‘CHI-oom’).
Maybe it’s because Indonesians don’t greet with a kiss.
Instead they do this bump cheeks thing and validate it with a sniff.
Yup. Sniff both cheeks.
As weird as it sounds, I prefer it to pretentious air kisses.
And it’s not just a greeting for random run-ins with acquaintances or an excuse not to get to close to that aunty with bad breath.
Even the closest of family members will just, well, smell you.
My mum never kissed me. Not even on the forehead, let alone the cheek.
It would be easy to judge that she lacks as a mum in the PDA department. I know I begrudgingly thought that for ages.
Anyway, you know how Facebook has this annoyingly adorable way of popping nostalgic photos into your feed?
This one sent such a surge of nostalgia through me, I had to catch my breath.
It captures the love drunk early days of being a mum. A photo of those days would not have been complete with that iconic twins breastfeeding pillow. I can’t look at the shade of blue ever the same again.
All that euphoria helped me forget the toe-curling pain of nipple thrush.
One thing Apple is missing from its forefront technology, is a smell application. I want to be able to sniff in my babies’ pheromones again, especially the ones from this photo.
Sure, my boys still climb all over me.
But when I grab them for those snuggles and kiss their sweet lips, I can’t help but sniff them too.
I want to soak it all in but I’m also in search for that smell; that delightful combination of sweet and bitter fragrance of newborn and milk.
Instead I get a whiff of vegemite, musky classroom and sweat.
Still doesn’t stop me sniffing them like a mother dog with her puppies.
Maybe a smell is as good as a kiss.
Do you soak in smells? What aroma takes you back? What odours send you crazy?
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Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit says
Nothing like the smell of a newborn baby
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Sammie @ The Annoyed Thyroid says
Maybe I’m part Indonesian, because I’m a big sniffer. I try to do it surreptitiously but it drives my husband crazy! My visual memory is pretty poor but my scent memory is spot on! I think smells can totally take you back and remember a person or a place. I think kiss ‘n’ sniff is the best of both worlds!
Natalie @ Our parallel connection says
I was with a baby yesterday and I could have eaten his fat chubby cheeks. babies have a way of making everyone smile. (except when they poop). Gorgeous picture
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Desire Empire says
It’s all about the pheromones. Kissing and smelling that is.
Carolyn
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Ingrid @ fabulous and fun life says
My twin feeding pillow was covered in a teddy bear print. I had some of this material left over which my daughter used as a blanket for her dolls and she has now passed this down to her cousin. Every time I see it it brings back those twin feeding memories with that big brick of a pillow! Not the most portable to baby accessories!
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Ingrid @ fabulous and fun life says
I love your photos of you with your twins!
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Amy @ handbagmafia says
I did an aromatherapy course years ago and lots of it was talking about scent memory and how it can take us back more powerfully than any other type of memory. If only we could bottle that newborn scent- there’d be clucky mamas everywhere!
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Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me says
YES – there’s something about one of my children that I just want to smell ALL DAY – it’s only one of them though, weird I know! I hope the new job is going well, I’ve had a bit of a blogging breakthrough and after being away I’ve decided to make a comeback! See you around the interwebs a bit more now my lovely xx
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JodY At Six Little Hearts says
I am a big kisser, sniffer and hugger and I probably drive my kids nuts with it. Makes me stupidly happy though.
Oh those babies Grace. Still wish I scored twins.
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Denyse whelan blogs says
I do like the ‘sniffing’ of babies but I am not such a big one on smells (except the revolting ones and then I run!). However, the pic is such a delight and memory for you of those BIG boys now. I am much more visual memory oriented and pics do that to me all the time. For some stupid reason FB won’t let me have the memories thing in my feed but maybe that is for the best so I am not nostalgic every day! Almost end of your first term as a school MUM! How’s it going? Denyse xx
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Vanessa says
Smell is so powerful – that’s probably why they haven’t managed to capture it in technology!
Raych aka Mystery Case says
Nothing like the smell of your own baby. There’s a certain smell, I can’t really pinpoint it, possibly a mixture of smells but it reminds me of my great grandmother’s kitchen. I haven’t smelt it in a long time now.
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Sally@Toddlers on Tour says
I am so with you Grace, cuddling my young man is the best.
Ever, I morning we have a huggle (a cross between a hug and cuddle) I love wrapping my arms around him and feeling the soft smooth skin on his face..
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ai sakura says
Oh yes I still love smelling Lil Pumpkin!! Although she sometimes has that after-school musk haha.. but yeah it just makes me feel happy to smell her and remember the days when she was a wee, yummy smelling baby.
Food smells make me happy too, for sure 😛
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Beth | AlmostPosh.com says
Bit random but two scents are strongly associated with overseas travels; watermelon bodywash (which I took on my first ever overseas trip to Europe) and the original DKNY perfume that my sister bought duty-free on our way over to the UK and wore continously the whole time. It’s like instant transportation, I still feel a little buzz of excitement when I smell either one!
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Toni {Finding Myself Young} says
Newborn babies smell Devine, I used to sniff my daughter all the time as weird as that sounds.
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Sarah @sarahdipity says
They say smell is the sense most closely linked to memory and I have to agree. Certain smells can take me right back to a place and time. Indonesia itself has a certain smell- like incense and spices mixed together.
Deborah says
When I used to travel o/s for work I used to not take perfume and buy some duty free as I left the country. It means that certain smells reminds me of certain countries – Fiji, East Timor etc…
Which is lovely!
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Di from Max The Unicorn says
YSL Paris perfume takes me straight back to my early Uni days and I even remember how I was feeling back then. It’s amazing what a smell can do!
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Tash @ Home of Marble and Mint says
I can still remember that newborn baby smell, that’s my favourite! Love how smells can remind you of a certain time or place, it’s a very special sense 🙂
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Sanch @ Living my Imperfect Life says
I am big on smells but not necessarily babies. Maybe my brain is missing that part? A smell that always gets me is that of mangoes — reminds me of days with my grandfather. The only other one which I don’t smell much now, is that of south Indian filter coffee…I still love the smell of coffee here but the filter coffee reminds me of home and childhood days.
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Emily says
Smell is so important to me. I think that’s why I’m a chocoholic! I love that newborn smell, but also love when my kids are fresh out of the bubble-bath and we have wrapped-up-in-towel cuddles. x
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Erika @ Ever-changing Life of a Mum says
So interesting to hear about your customs like this. I totally agree that there is nothing like the smell of a newborn baby. I love the smell of Miss 1 straight after she has had a bath and is cosy and cuddly in her winter PJs.
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sarah@tomfo says
Oh I just love this custom, so gorgeous.
And it brings you really closer to that person. I’m going to start sniffing my guys too.
I love the smell of coffee, I don’t drink it, but there’s something about it that I love.
Have a great week. x
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