the game

so lately beth and i have this game. she likes to call it "nigh, nigh". the routine goes something like this:

we get home from work/daycare and go to my room so that i can change into some comfy clothes for the night. beth plays on the bed, running from the foot of the bed to the head of it, throwing herself into the pillows and cracking herself up.

i finish changing. she notices.

then she lays her head on one of the pillows and calls me, patting the space next to her with her tiny little hand, and says "nigh, nigh".




i lay down next to her and she is already starting to giggle.

i then say "night, night", close my eyes and pretend to be asleep. she giggles some more, waits a few seconds, then puts her hand on my face which is my cue to "wake up" and scare her with a tickle to the neck and a the roaring sound you make when you're telling a kid what a lion sounds like.

she laughs and laughs.

repeat.

repeat again.

and again.

and again.

and if i fail to take the initiative of falling alseep, she will nudge me by saying "nigh, nigh" and impatiently wait for me to close my eyes and do the whole thing all over again.

we could probably do this for hours. rarely does it feel like we do. i welcome the new routine and this little bit of time to play together before daddy gets home and before we rush in to the kitchen to throw some dinner together (not nearly as quality time). i love to hear her laugh. it's a part of my day i can't stand to not have. that, and her bedtime hugs.

and now, it's time for me to go "nigh, nigh". i am wrecked.