10 PM Awakenings

My daughter usually wakes up at around 10 or 11 every night. We don't know why. We think it may be because that's just after we check on her and somehow we might be disturbing her sleep despite our best efforts. Usually she'll stumble out of bed, and if we don't intercept her, she'll turn on every light in the house between her room and ours until she comes creeping in, eyes shaded from the bright light, mumbling something about a dream she was having.

Well, last night, I intercepted her at her bedroom door, quickly turned off her light, and ushered her back to bed. Once there, the following dialogue ensued:

"Daddy ..."

I wait. I know there's more coming. Seconds pass.

"I think ..."

I continue to wait. Maybe she has something to tell me about a dream?

"I need ..."

At this point, I'm expecting her to ask for a drink of water.

"... a little bit ..."

Hmm, so much for the water.

"... of ..."

Then she winds down. Ten seconds go by. Twenty. She's still awake, still struggling to pronounce whatever it was that was on her mind, but I tell her, "It's okay, just go back to sleep."

To which she replies, gratefully, "Okay."

Then she rolled over and went back to sleep. Funny little girl.