Daddy's Little Girl

Every night each of our children expects to be "tucked in."  This is a very specific routine in our family, and one that I find great joy in.  Sometimes before they get tucked in, the kids will ask for a "back ride" into bed.  This means I get on my hands and knees, let them climb on my back and crawl them into their bedroom.  Usually I ask them what animal they would like me to be, so I may be mooing or growling or barking as requested:)  Tonight, Lexi and Sophi asked for a back ride.  They were both right by me and they were both going to the same room, so a two-person ride seemed to make sense.  Until you think about the logistics....  Sophi did not want me to lift her on.  She wanted to climb on herself.  I had to get lower than usual and let her slither her way up.  She couldn't exactly hold on, so I just had her lay across my back with her chin kind of grasping my shoulder and her legs hanging over my ribs on the opposite side.  Then I had Lexi climb on but warned her not to sit on Sophi.  She got up the best she could, giggling the whole time.  Let's just say I had to crawl very slowly so as not to upset the delicate balance of the riders:)

Jesi went through a phase where she was a little less excited to show affection for her Daddy.  Fortunately, she seems to be a little less reticent about that at this point.  Tonight I had one of those magical moments with her that makes being a parent worth all of the challenges that can go with the job.  She wanted a back ride, but we were in the cramped hallway and very close to her room.  I suggested a princess carry instead.  The princess carry is when I cradle her in my arms and carry into her room.  Her face lit up and she nodded excitedly.  But instead of just having me pick her up right there and carry her the two steps into her bedroom, she got a mischievous grin on her face, turned around, and ran into the kitchen to the farthest spot she could find from her bedroom.  She wanted the longest princess carry she could get.  And of course, my princess got it!

Being a daddy is the best job in the whole wide world:)