A perfect morning?

It was a dark and snowy night(with apologies to Charles M. Schulz and Snoopy).  It was 0641 and my slumber was suddenly broken by the sound of the slow approach of the inchworm(the inchworm is Samuel's bedtime toy and two of its many attachments are a rattle and a bell).  As I rub the sawdust out of my eyes I realize that Samuel is standing outside the door to the room.  I can hear him breathing.  I hear him sucking on his pacifier(ala Maggie Simpson).  Okay, I promise no more pop culture references.

As I am contemplating whether to get up or let a standing Samuel stand, the door is quietly and slowly pushed open.  Revealing Samuel in the light from the downstairs hallway.  Samuel is wary to enter the room.  This is the first time he has opened the door but he has entered and destroyed the room on many previous occasions.  I slowly raise up on my left elbow.  Samuel sees this and begins to suck harder and faster on his pacifier.  I hold out my arms to Samuel and beckon him forward. "Good morning Samuel.  Do you want a hug?"  He walks to the edge of the bed and places his head on my hip and stretches his arms out wide to encircle my stomach.   I give him a kiss on the top of his fuzzy blonde head.

I then tell him that it is time to go back to bed.  He frowns and lowers the inchworm, without dropping it.  He slowly turns and begins the long trek to his room at the other end of the hall.  When he enters his room he stops, turns and begins to cry.  I get up and go to him.  When I enter his room he is standing with his arms outstretched above his head.  I offer him my right index finger which he tightly grasps in his left hand.  We  begin the short walk to his crib.  He crawls into the crib and I lift his legs and little behind into the crib and stroke his back.

I return to bed wondering why I waited so long to have a child.

-Dave