06 April 2009

Picking a Winner

It was 3:12am when he woke up. He was fussing for some reason, and wouldn't go back to sleep. He probably couldn't breathe very well, he was fighting a cold and was a bit stuffed up.

He was wide awake, we were not. I brought him out to the couch, where we could hopefully both fall back asleep for a while, but he did not. He lay there, on my chest, all calm and relaxed. He was breathing deep, as if he were sleeping.

But when I shifted ever so slightly, he picked his head up and looked at me. He then leaned his forehead in to be kissed, which I dutifully did. I then got up and walked him around the house. As little as two months ago, the walking would have put him clean out in a matter of seconds.

But not tonight. Instead, as I attempted to stumble around in my fatigue without dropping him, he stared at every little light from outside, every little twinkling reflection that caught his eye. He reached for the magnets as we walked by the fridge. He craned his neck to see over my shoulder as we walked by the sink, looking to see if his bottle was ready for him yet. No, buddy, not yet. It's still sleepy time.

He finally calmed down to the point where I wanted him. He was ready to go back to his bed.

As I put him down, he grabbed the collar of my shirt and would not let go. Bad sign. He began to pout, and then whimper as I laid him on his pillow. As I turned for the door, he stood up at the railing and began to cry.

I turned around and picked him back up. I know I shouldn't, but I had to be to work early, and my only goal was to get him quiet enough so that I could sleep. I picked him back up, and walked with him into our room, where our nursery rocking chair was. I began to rock him, another thing that usually puts him right out. But he saw Mommy move to look at us, and wanted to go see her.

So it was just after 3:30am that my wife and I ended up with a one year old in between us.

He seemed to calm down and drift off, and so we did too.

But then he flopped over to me.

Then back over to Shan.

Then back to me, where I held him in a bear hug so he couldn't move. He stopped squirming and lay still.

I felt his hand wrap around my thumb, and he wiggled as close as he could to me.

It didn't matter that I had to be up in an hour, everything was just as it should be. My wife was sleeping next to me, and my child was cuddled up in my arms. I sighed and closed my eyes in peace.

Then I felt a finger on my chin.

The finger stroked my chin, and became a hand which touched my lips. It lingered there for a brief moment, and I was smiling for the touch between father and son.

Then a one year old index finger climbed my upper lip, felt around there for a bit, and plunged itself deep into my left nostril.

Yeah....I love you too, buddy!


wingnut

2 comments:

Jason Jasperse said...

AAUUUUUUGGH!!!

I accidentally deleted two comments today...Sorry Aunt Kathy! It made me giggle, though!

wingnut

Ted M. Gossard said...

Cute. Something you'll always remember and documented here for him, as well.