*Husband/Daddy Footnote*

Hello again! 

Clearly mummyhood is more time consuming than a full time job - I've found time to write another entry!

As much as I want to make my son happy throughout his life I have to admit that me pulling faces, making strange noises and creating games is not totally selfless. As every parent knows; to hear the chuckle of a little one is easily the most smile inducing activity ever founded. This is of course the opposite when your child is upset: The heart sinks and forehead drops.

I have been experimenting with our happy little Hunter and am always trying to find new ways that make him laugh, take away the tears and sometimes reduce him to joyful, breathless squealing.

Here’s what I have found...

· Dropping the baby – A classic: Just pretend to drop your child whilst making sure you don’t drop the child. I have witnessed this going wrong with another family member at the helm and the child in question DID NOT laugh. Hunter is not allowed to take part in this game with this adult!

· Superman – Again a classic that Hunter loves. He likes to be swooped around the room at pace and with a jolty movements. This is not to be performed straight after dinner! Last week my arm looked like it was sponsored by Ambrosia! (In fact I now avoid most ‘throwing baby around’ games after Hunters eaten.) We now read a fair amount ;-)

· Idiot face – To get his attention and the odd smile (Especially if he’s crying or eating) we roll our ‘R’s’ for a Chewbacca type sound which he loves but daddy has taken it a step further. I wiggle the tongue outside my mouth like a 12 year old practicing French kissing on their hand (We all did that… right?). This is accompanied by the standard wiggling tongue noise. I also wobble my cheeks with a different sound and do horse impressions. I look mental! The other week whilst at a family christening the priest pointed out that “I was going to raise an idiot if I carried on that way.” A priest! Parenting fail.

· Horror Movie tickles – Hunter is the most ticklish person I have ever met. There is only one thing that makes him chuckle and squeal more: The anticipation of said tickle. I approach slowly with low humming ‘Ahhhhhhhh’ (A la Psycho) and he cracks up with the tension of the attack.

· Untitled idiocy – Yesterday, my good lady wife, Sarah, showed me a new discovery which has dwarfed all my attempts at being number one baby comedian. Just before I went to work she sat The Boy down and enthusiastically repeated the Word(?) ‘Woohoo!’ That's all! There's an example below...

He laughed uncontrollably, bent doubled, rocking from excitement and glee. I thought his sides were going to be split. I’ve been outdone by a ‘Woohoo’. Blasted Woohoo!!!! Tonight I’m going to experiment with variations I can claim as my own laugh creator. Weehee? Poowee?

Anyway, I’m off to practise.

All the best,

Andy

Wowway!