The Great Tickle Fight!!!!

We got home, had dinner and I was doing some work on my laptop when Danny crawled under the table.  The next thing I knew, he was pulling on my legs.  I asked him what he was doing and he said in a sly little voice, "Nevermind".  I continued on with my work and the next thing I knew Joey was under the table grabbing at my ankles.  I said, "What are you two doing????"  They both giggled back at me.  Then, without notice, they yanked my socks off and started tickling my feet.  My feet are the most ticklish spot on my body.  I started to laugh.  The next thing I knew, they were ganging up on my tickling my feet, my armpits, under my neck and I was tickling back.  The three of us were in HYSTERICS.  I tried to calm them down and tell them it was bed time, but I had no luck.  So, I did what any mom would do...  I riled them up more.  I ran around the house and they started to chase me.  Then...   I ran straight up to their bedroom.  (I'm a SMART mom.)

They took the bait and ran after me.  I jumped up on Joey's bed and they jumped up with me giggling and tickling.  We tickled each other for another 5 minutes and then to my shock and amazement, they both got in their PJ's, brushed their teeth and got into their bed.  As I was putting them to bed tonight, Joey said, "Mom, can we do this every night when we're good.  It put so much joy in my heart."  (Yes, he really DOES talk like that.  I love the way he sees life.)

I told him that he doesn't have to be good for us to do things like that.  We really should be doing something like that every day.

Okay,  here's my confession...  When they started to get under the table and tickle my feet, I got grumpy in my heart.  I really wanted to get my work done and not to be distracted by my children's silliness.  I thought in my mind, "I don't have TIME for this."

I'm so GLAD that I didn't give in to my push to get my work done.  I'm glad I let myself be silly with my kids.  I would have missed a sweet moment with my boys if I had told them to get lost which is what I wanted to do.  I probably also would have battled them to go to bed if I had been grumpy with them.

Lesson learned:  Take the time to have fun and laugh every day.  Live your life to put joy in the hearts of others and in return you will have much joy!!