Gift of a Daddy

My mom sewed a nightgown for Little One.  It's light and cool and soft, blue and white, lacey at the top.  I'm cuddling Miss while J gives Little One Her bath and gets Her all ready for bed.  I hear them talking when they make their way down the hall to kiss Miss and I goodnight.

LO: "Oooh, look Dada! I have on my so pretty dress!"
J: "It is  pretty!  Actually.  You make it pretty, because you're in it, and you are pretty." 

They come through the door and Little One reaches out for me, Her fingers are wiggly with anticipation- She has something to tell me.

"Mommy! I'm pretty!"

She says it with the wide, grinning joy of having just discovered something amazing.  Like the first time She said "look, a real rainbow!" Like being told the package in the mail is for Her, like the first time She tried a somersault and it came out perfect.
She giggles and kisses me.  She hugs Her sister and nuzzles into Her.

"You pretty too, Miss." 

Little Miss wiggles.  Little One skips off for story time, swishing the nightgown.  She doesn't just look pretty. She IS pretty.  She goes to bed with that treasure shining in Her mind.

I work hard for my children.  I do everything I can to give everything I can to them.  But I am utterly convinced that the best thing I have ever, ever done for my babies, is give them J for a Daddy.