my sweetie and me

It’s dark except for the nightlight on her dresser.

“Put your head on my shoulder and I’ll sing to you.”

“Tinkle tinkle staw?”

“No, something different tonight.”

“The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout.  Down came the rain and washed the spider out.  Out came the sun and dried up all the rain and the itsy bitsy spider when up the spout again.”

“Again!”

“The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout.  Down came the rain and washed the spider out.  Out came the sun and dried up all the rain and the itsy bitsy spider when up the spout again.”

“Now tinkle staw”

“Twinkle twinkle…”

“Tinkle tinkle widda staaaaaaw…”

She throws her head back, her eyes are closed and her mouth opens wide.  She shakes back and forth to enhance the waver in her voice.  One eye opens to gauge my reaction and it sees a laugh forming around the corners of my mouth.  She giggles and starts to sing again only she can’t.  She can’t sing because I’m laughing now and she has become infected and can only laugh instead.

We start to sing together but it dissolves immediately into sputters and giggles and sighs.

“Ok, it’s time for your night night song now” I collect myself and look away from her sparkling eyes before she draws me back into silliness.

“Hannah night night, Hannah night night.  It’s time to sleep, to close your eyes.  Hannah night night, Hannah night night.”

I make it through the song without laughing even though she’s trying to replicate the move which set me off in the first place.

“I love you so much”

“I love you so much too Mom”

“Sweet dreams pumpkin, I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Sweet dreams Mom.”

I tuck her in with her entourage of stuffed animals and brush the fine hair from her forehead.  The door closes with a creak and from behind it I hear “Tinkle staaaawww” followed by a chorus of giggles and laughter.  I smile and turn on my laptop to pour the love out through my fingers.  I want to have it handy should I need it sometime in the future and when I am done I am content.