Silent Night

I have to hand it to Riley - he was a trooper. His schedule around Christmas would have given Barack Obama a run. Going on only one nap, he made the 30 minute trip to and from our church for Christmas eve service (being sure to entertain and amuse the nursery workers in his "Lamb's" class in the meantime). He then worked a MARATHON (for him) Christmas eve party at our friend's parents house until after 9:30. His normal bedtime is 8:00. He then spent the night at my parents house, Christmas morning with my family and the afternoon and evening with my grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins - stopping only to nap in the bathroom. All the while smiling, laughing, crawling and smacking TV screens. He was amazing.

With this crazy 36 hours, his sleep schedule was thrown WAY off. He went to bed Christmas eve around 10:00. He woke up at 3:00 and didn't fall back asleep until an hour of Missy rocking him had gone by.

He then woke up at 6:00. And it was my turn. I quietly sat with him in the dark (except for the radiant blue light from the Vick's medicine vaporizer/nightlight thing) and rocked him. I usually sing "Jesus Loves Me" 100 times in a row but this being Christmas morning, I thought it appropriate to sing Christmas songs. Every once in a while, he would look up at me. Not to smile. Not to play. But, I think, to just look at his dad and know that everything was ok.

It was at this moment that I realized that life had come full circle. I was sitting in my old room - the place I slept for nearly 20 years of my life - rocking my son to sleep. Though, this being his first Christmas morning, he somehow knew to wake up early and not go back to sleep. He must have picked that up from his friends. It was a very surreal moment for me to once again realize that I am a father. It has been 9 months and still it strikes me with amazement and awe that I'm a dad.

And I couldn't ask for a better son. Or a better mom for my son.

Thanks for being the best Christmas gift I could ever ask for.