Tickle fights

He lays on his bed and looks at me with begging eyes
"One more time, mommy, please"

The anticipation is half the fun so I wait a little longer and then start counting solemnly
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The laughing scream already escapes before I touch him.  I tickle his belly, his neck, his leg while he wriggles and stamps on the bed in laughter. There's no greater sound than their loud full laughter.


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4 years ago he was just a tiny baby , a few weeks old.  Our country had just been touched by horrible terror attacks and the world outside seemed unsafe. I retreated to my home with my little baby and my toddler.  Hiding away from the tv images, we camped an afternoon on the big bed in our bedroom.  I tickled the older brother until we both were out of breath. It was the best medicine against the world.

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After finally last night the youngest got quiet again and curled up under his blanket, still breathing deeper from the laughing, I switched rooms to say goodnight to his older brother.
"Mom, can you please also tickle me, please????"
I looked at his gorgeous face, his toothless grin. 
"You betcha"
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