APRIL 28, 2008 – MOMMY and ME BLOG # 010 – TO MAKE MOMMY LAUGH

I have always loved to hear Mommy laugh. I could remember when I was a little boy stalking around trying to hear what Mommy, Daddy and their friends where saying. When they had company or when we visited, Mommy seemed to be the one that had the best time, judging from the number of times she laughed. When she was laughing, I knew that she was happy . . . and I got use to that. On the phone talking to friends was always an interesting time to set and listen. When I was a teenager, I remember her sitting for hours on the telephone having those knee slapping, good ole hardy laughs that made me know everything was alright. If it was anything that I didn’t like, it was to see Mommy disturbed or sad about something. I could always tell, because I have those same three wrinkles on my brow that she had. When she was sad, they became much more prevalent. When I was in my teens, I remember her telling a long time friend of hers (Mrs. Gaines) that when I was about four years old, I would climb up into her lap and try to smooth them out with my fingers. The irony of it is, I remember doing that.

Most recently though, I would walk into Mommy’s front door and she and Mary would either be watching TV in the living room or Mommy would be having breakfast lunch or dinner in the kitchen. Either place, I’d take one look at Mommy and I could tell if she was in the mood to play and laugh. The test was to go play with her . . . maybe to ask for a bite of her food or get a fork and eat from her plate with her or tickle her ears, or one of my favorites, put my finger on her nose. If she was in the mood, she’d good right on eating with my finger on her nose just to signify that she was ignoring me. It wouldn’t take long . . . she’ll eventually “get tickled” and the laughing will start. But my real favorite was the foot tickling. Mommy would be all comfy in her chair and I would lift up the cover from her feet, remove her shoes and start to tickle them. She would just kick and giggle and laugh and we would have a good ole time.

Mommy’s laughter has always been something that I loved to hear. It was a sure fire way to tell how she felt and to know that everything was alright. TO MAKE MOMMY LAUGH was to make her happy.