Please do it again...

Life with a 4 month old is fun. They change so quickly and even the littlest things are momentous occassions. This was how I felt the first time my son laughed. He had been smiling and cooing for a couple of months. And let me tell you how good it feels when your child smiles (intentionally, not gas-induced) for the first time. That in itself is reward for labor and delivery.

One day I was at my computer. I don't typically hold my son while I am working but on this day I had to get something done and he was being especially cuddly. So there were were in front of the monitor. He seemed to follow what was on the screen but eventually became bored. I could tell by his body language that he was done being patient. My dogs had been in and out of the room. He was very familiar with the dogs by now and they were familiar with him. They are huge lickers though so I had my hands full keeping them from licking him like a human ice cream cone. But on this occassion I wasn't really paying attention to them. I knew they couldn't get to his face or his hands so I just ignored them.

All of a sudden I heard this noise coming from my son. At first I thought he was crying and I panicked. Within a couple of seconds I realized that he wasn't crying. He was laughing. And this was an intense belly laugh that shook his whole body. I don't think I have ever laughed so hard. It was the best sound I had ever heard. And it wouldn't stop. He just kept laughing and laughing and laughing. One of the dogs had been licking at his little toes and either it tickled or felt funny or was just amusing. When the dog became distracted and left the room, he stopped laughing.

Do you think I could get him to do it again? I tried getting the dog to lick his toes again. That wasn't a problem. But now it wasn't so ticklish and wasn't so funny so I couldn't get the same reaction out of him. I must have tried everything. I think I hurt myself in the process, just trying to make silly movements and motions. Nothing.

I tried everyday but I never got that same laugh out of him. Not again for a couple of months. He continued to smile and coo but he made me work for that laugh. Maybe he was just messing with my head - let's see what mommy will do and how far she will go. But I don't think so. He was just waiting for the perfect reason to laugh again.