captain_slinky | Best Present 2010

For as long as I can remember, it's gone like this.

Molly will say "Mommy! I have a secret for you!" and then whisper "I love you" in her ear. Then she'll say "Daddy! I have a secret for you!" and then whisper "You're silly" or "You stink" or "Tickle me" in my ear.

Most of the time I take it in stride because I realize that I'm her *pal*. I'm her constant companion and side-kick. I'm her bestest playmate. We're buddies, and she knows that 90% of the time we're teasing. Teasing is a way to show affection, I get it... but sometimes it just really hurts.

The only time she'll say otherwise in when Crystal will point it out. "Molly, why don't you ever say you love Daddy? You should tell Daddy that you love him, too" and then she'll say it. IOt feels good, but kind of empty... like an apology from the bully who just got beaten by his dad. Even if he means it and sees how wrong he was, he's still only did it because somebody told him to do it.

But starting Christmas Day, Molly has gone a new direction. She came up to me and said "Daddy I have a secret for you..." and I asked her what the secret is, expecting a request for tickles or a comment on how much I stink.

She paused for a second, got right up in my ear and whispered "I love you" before giving me a kiss "...And you stink".

Since then, with no prodding or suggestions from anyone other than her own mind, she has told me about 27 different times that she loves me now.

It's the best Christmas present I ever got :)