1 a.m.

It's late and I'm finally getting to bed a couple nights ago.  I'm finishing up my own bedtime routine.  As I head back into the bedroom from the master bath, I hear the door to the twin Fries' room open.

A peek down the hallway tells me that it's Medium who's up and about.

She sleepily bumbles into my room, her duck mini pillow pet clutched in one hand, her "shaky duckie" (as she's now started describing Duckie, given that she's acquired quite a collection) held in the same grip.

"Mommy?"

I tugged on my own jammies.  "What, honey?"

"I can't sleep."

"Why not?"

"I'm alone.  I can't sleep when I'm alone."

"But you're not alone," I said.  "Small is there with you."

Medium whimpered.  "But not next to me.  I can't sleep wiffout someone next to me."

My heart melted, and with it the desire to send her back to her own bed.  "Okay, go ahead and get into my bed."  I smiled gently as she clambered up into our bed.  There's been several times in the last few weeks that we've both still been up when Medium has awakened and needed someone, and so Hubby has gone back upstairs with her, laying next to her in her bed until they both fall asleep.

I went back into the bathroom for a few minutes, and heard, "Mommy?"

"Yes, honey?"

"Whewre awre you?"

"The bathroom.  I'll be right there."

She was mostly asleep when I got into bed next to her.

And she was still there in the morning.

I love that.