"Dad!" a small voice cried, "Daddy! Wake up!"

     I turned from my back onto my side, and pulled a pillow over my head.
     "Da-a-ad!" the child whined, poking my back.
     "Dha-a-ni!" I mimicked, sleepily pawing away his prods.
     Dhani grabbed my fingers and shook my arm, "Daddy!"
     "Dhani!"
     He let go of my fingers and I heard something I hadn't in a long, long while: silence. Although I wondered where Dhani had run off to, I couldn't help but savor the sweet lack of noise. I curled into the bed, my mouth opening slightly as the border into sleep came closer and closer...
     "DADDY!!!!!!!"
     My eyes flew open, but the rest of me didn't respond until a certain five-year-old came crashing down on me.
     I felt him bury his face in my hair, "WAKE UP!!!!!" he screamed.
     I picked my head up and put my forehead to his, "OKAY!!!!"
     He giggled and wrapped his arms around my neck. I picked him up off me and laid him down on his back. I leaned over him, laughing, with my hand on his little chest. He grabbed my hand on pulled on my fingers. The way he looked up at me, his eyes twinkling with excitement and his huge grin revealing all his tiny, white teeth, he made my heart melt. My crazy boy would never know just how much his daddy loved him.
     "Daddy?" he began, pulling my fingers this way and that.
     "What, dear?"
     "You sleep lots."
     I laughed and poked his nose, "Yeah, I sleep a lot."
     He focused on my fingers, "Yeah, lots."
     I shook my head with a smile and watched him twist my fingers 'round, "Now," I asked, narrowing my eyes jokingly, "Why'd you wake me up?"
     "Oh yeah!" he exclaimed, forgetting my knotted knuckles and digits, "I'm hungry!"
     I smiled at my crazy boy. He smiled back and watched me untie myself from the covers and stretch, "Let's go get your breakfast, then." I walked towards the door.
     "Daddy!"
     "Dhani!" I copied.
     "Carry me!"
     I sat back down on the bed and let him jump on my back. As I walked across the hallway, I felt him bury his face in my hair again.
     "Daddy?" he whispered.
     "Yes?"
     "Good morning!"
     I laughed and leaned my head back to rest on his, "Good morning, sweetheart."
     "Daddy?"
     "Yes, Dhani?"
     "I love you."
     I turned my head sideways to look at him, "I love you too, Dhani." I smiled, turning my head again so we could go down the stairs, "Very, very much."