I'm gonna ger you, Papa!

Hadley can make me laugh like nobody else can. Real, gut-busting, teary-eyed, raw throat laughing. These are the kinds of guffaws that have come not often enough in life: with buddies in my teenage years, some childhood friends, mostly with my mom when I was a young 'un.

For a while now, we've known that Hadley is hella ticklish. Under her neck, on her legs, wherever. We can make her scream with glee and she keeps coming back for more. But it's when she turns on me that I totally lose it. Not always, mind you. But once in a while she corners me and attacks all my tickle spots at the same time. Then I erupt into squeals, which makes her want to keep doing it more and more.

Last night she figured the best way to get back at me was to lick my face until I pissed myself laughing. My neck, my forehead, none of it was off-limits. I laughed so hard my belly hurt, which got her laughing, in turn causing me to laugh more, etc.

It's in these moments I feel this real connection of visceral understanding between us. Sound corny? What I mean is that we can provoke a very deep response in the other person without using words. We know eachother's "buttons". This is a parent-child thing, I'm convinced. I remember this feeling with my parents when I was small, and Hadley will probably remember these moments later on, in vague and thick ways.

To sum up, my daughter is awesome.

Wynken, Blynken and Nod

I just got a CD for Hadley that I had as a kid in record form.

It's called In Harmony, a Sesame Street compilation from the late 70s with James Taylor, the Doobie Brothers, Bette Midler, Dr. John and a bunch of other corny music. Thing is, I love it!

And because I've told Hadley that it's hers, she likes it too. She calls it her 'sharing music' because there's a song with Ernie & Cookie Monster about sharing. Kind of an 80s reggae thing.

Anyhow, awesome. Anyone who wants a copy just let me know and I'll burn it.

I'm trying to find the sequel - with Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen - but it hasn't been re-released.