This Magic Moment

Julianne’s and Melody’s bedtime is always a big production around our house. After baths, brushing teeth, and getting pajamas on, Melody “helps” me turn out the lights in her room and then gets into bed on her own. After we get her all tucked in and ensure she has all her “lovies” (stuffed animals/sleep buddies), Marcie and I sing the song “Goodnight” (a charming lullaby written by John Lennon and recorded by The Beatles in 1968). After the song, there are lots of kisses and we say our goodnights. Next, Julianne gets a repeat performance of the song as we get her bundled up in her sleep sack and place her in her crib with her lovies.

The kids are always so sweet as we go through these nightly rituals and there’s something about seeing them all snuggled up and cozy in their beds that gives me so much joy. I suspect most parents feel that way during such times.

Well as enjoyable as our nightly routine already is, something truly magically happened during tonight’s activities.

Normally, after the lullaby and goodnight kisses, Melody is pretty quiet as we leave the room. Some nights she might hum or sing a little after we leave the room (I think she finds singing to be calming), but generally goes to sleep shortly thereafter. But tonight, she very atypically kept talking as Marcie and I closed the door. She then started repeating “Daddy” — not in a sad or panicked way but in a purely playful manner. So from the other side of the door, I started saying things in between each repeated “Daddy” such as “See you in the morning” and “Have a great sleep.” It was a very playful exchange and it was something that hadn’t been part of our bedtime ritual before. This little game only lasted a few moments and when it seemed like Melody was probably headed off to Slumber Land, I started heading away down the hall toward Julianne’s room.

And then it happened. I heard Melody calling out to me these words from behind her closed door:

“I love you Daddy.”

While Marcie and I have occasionally encouraged Melody to say “I love you” to the other or to Julianne, this was the first time she has every said this without gentle goading from one of us. It was a purely unsolicited statement.

Have you ever been so moved by something or so enraptured with someone that your heart feels like it’s going to burst? Well, take that sensation and intensify it about a hundred times over and you start to get close to the impact those four simple words have had on me.