"Ahhhhh," my baby's voice permeates the darkness, filling it with a rich current of love.
Sarah giggles laying beside me forcing the slumber away from my lips too and I smile.
Che sits in her crib, anxious and happy to start her day and is flapping her arms wildly as I stumble towards her.
"I'll do it," Sarah mumbles falling back asleep.
My wife deserves her sleep and I'm an early riser any way so it's not a big deal ... besides last time she was in charge of getting up in the middle of the night we paid for it all day ... because I love her so and she functions best on ten or more hours of slumber each day.
After feeding and changing Che, we wake her clueless 15 year sister who knows everything and drive Maddie to work at The Breakfast Club.
Che's passed around by our extended family as I slurp coffee and chat before grabbing her ... mouthing a jelly container ... drive home and put her in the stroller.
Che coos as I hook my phone to the speakers and stream "The Boat Drunks" radio, and we leave her Mom and sisters to sleep and make our way to the Marsh and the Lighthouse in the distance.
The sky's painted in purples, the faintest of pinks and the bright white dot blazing from the Guidepost.
Her tiny tanned feet dance while she sticks the lid to my coffee cup in her mouth.
Hugging the Back River we pause at Ally 3, the Kayak lauch and preferred beach of locals, Pot smokers and dog lovers ... Frank Shuman would be proud ... and some mornings I strip naked, take our 8 month old's diaper off and we swim as the sun rises on the other side of the island.
Back in the stroller, "The Boat Drunks" sing, "I want to take your boat as far as it goes; feel Jamaican sand between my toes" while Che props her feet up over the side and sucks on her bottle.
Locals call her by name, tourists pause to admire her tan and the fishermen on the Pier rub her sun bleached hair for good luck.
Strolling through Tybee's "combat zone" Todd and Bobby waive as they speed by in Golf carts to blow the sand off the Pier, sleepy cops stare at their phones as they keep watch over the nonexistent criminal element, and tourists lug cameras back from watching the sunrise over the Ocean.
Che turns to make certain it's still me pushing the stroller, flashing both bottom teeth when she sees it is.
On this hot summer morning, the rain falls and I wish Sarah was with us.
My wife loves to dance in the rain and is sensuality personified when she does ... well, honestly even when she doesn't ... and I want her to see the moment so I snap a picture and text it to her.
Breezing into the Tybee Market to pick up bread, milk, Cinnamon Rolls and formula, the entire staff stop working to wish Che a "Good morning" and admire her diaper tan, causing the already long lines to back up further.
I'm glad Mike Hosti is doing his morning tour of the island and trusting his employees to handle things while he does.
Turning the corner back to our house, Che's feet dance again because she knows Mommy's inside waiting for her in bed.
Sarah takes our baby as I pour lime into Seltzer water and start breakfast.
"How was it?" Sarah asks.
Looking at beauty holding beauty ... in spite of so many things ... I know how blessed I am.
After playing with her Mom and sisters, a nap and picking out the bathing suit of the day, Che and I are going to take another walk.
I can't wait!
Damn we have fun!
And each one simply seems to get better than the last.
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