When Alex and Isaac were little, they would often take forever to calm down in order to go to sleep. They would fight and fuss until finally, after total exhaustion of exuding every possible effort to maintain consciousness, they would collapse into a deep slumber. But often it would take a minute... ok more like an hour.

So at night, there wasn't much I could do. I didn't have the magic juice that Jenny possessed which acted like a sleep drug for the babies. So, I would just sit there and hold them while they fought, squirmed, and cried.

One night, long ago, as I was trying to get Isaac to calm down, I decided to sing "I am a Child of God". I sang it quietly where he could barely hear it. But something happened. Isaac stopped squirming. He stopped crying. He just lied there... motionless. Like he was listening. I am not sure Isaac understood what was going on or maybe he thought I had a goofy voice... but I had stumbled onto something that enabled me to calm a crying baby, and I was very relieved... I sang that song often to him, almost nightly.

When Isaac grew older and just started going to bed, I didn't sing to him anymore. He just didn't need it, right? I doubt he even remembered that I used to perform this task to induce his sleep when he was a baby...

... until today.

I was in the bedroom and I heard Elsie start to fuss. As I approached the bedroom, Isaac had beat me to her. I rounded the corner and the sound coming from the room stopped me in my tracks. A moment later, Jenny approached from the hall where she stopped as she heard the sound as well. Isaac was singing, ever so softly. He normally 'sings' "Enter Sandman" or something from Rush, but today, his song selection was a melody that melted both Jenny's and my heart. He was singing "I am a Child of God." He sang softly. He sang lovingly. And Elsie not only stopped fussing but she drifted off to sleep. Jenny and I stole a quick nod and loving glance at each other, and then we went on doing whatever it was that was occupying our time before this little moment where time stood still.

Maybe they do remember...

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Since the babies were born, I have been noticing that Jenny and I are communicating much more effectively as of late. Fewer brawls... I know this is a strange thing to proclaim to the wide world of web, but it is true nonetheless. I like Jenny more lately. Maybe it is because she just gave me two beautiful children, or maybe because she looks smoking hot after three weeks, or maybe she is making all my favorite dishes which I immensely enjoy. It could be a combination of all those things, but the more I really think about it, it comes down to one thing...

Communication.

I think after 11 years she might actually be getting it. Or maybe something popped in her brain while pushing out those kids... I don't know.

I think she is finally realizing I am a dude and I don't think like her.

Example #1-- When we were in the hospital, I told her over and over that she needed to tell me "EXACTLY" what she wanted. Don't beat around the bush. Don't make me guess. Just tell me how it is, with no pork attached. If she needed water, she would say "I need water", and I happily retrieved a cup of the most delicious water I could find. She didn't smack her lips like she was parched hoping I would figure out how she was feeling about being dehydrated and then get her water. I would fail every one of those tests. She is just telling me exactly what she wants/needs. Our communication is continuing along this path and I think we are both happier.

Example #2-- She doesn't get mad or her feelings hurt when I do the same as she in #1. As a guy, I sometimes blurt out what I am thinking without much thought of repercussion. Many tell me that I am pretty bad at this and she is a saint for putting up with me. But I think she is really figuring it out! When I say things in guy language, she is able to un-emotionally decipher what it is I am communicating, still realizing I love her, and then we get stuff done! It is awesome and, trust me, it hasn't always been this way.

So how did we get to this state of communication bliss?

Who knows... We just say it how it is. We don't play emotional guessing games hoping the other spouse can solve the riddle. We just communicate.

Or maybe she blew an emotional gasket during labor...

Holidays are fantastic!  We love them all at our house.   In fact, we take full advantage of celebrating anything and everything.  If there is even the slightest reason to get a cake for anything, we go for it.  It would come as no surprise if we were to purchase a cake for the sole reason of not having had a cake to celebrate for a while.  We would go buy a cake and the inscription thereon would read "Happy Haven't Had A Cake In A Week Day".  That's how we roll.