"Wake me up at midnight, Sam-Daddy," she ordered, her thumb sneaking up to her mouth. She'd picked up Frodo's habit of nail biting, the half-shells on the ends of her pink fingers chewed ragged.
Sam sat, his little El breathing in warm puffs against his arm, the lights of Bywater strewn about like fairy lanterns down the hill. There was a candle burning in the window of Bag End, despite the late hour, because Rosie could never fall asleep until all her darlings were home safe.
"Elly, El, wake up," Sam whispered after a little while. "It's midnight, dear."
"Really?" Elanor looked down at herself. "I think I'm bigger, don't you?"
"Yes, duck, I do. You're bigger and beautifuller with every single day. Now up we go, to nice soft beds and sweet dreams." He pig-a-backed her up to the front door of the smial, gave her five kisses as a birthday blessing, and gratefully fell into bed with a contented sigh.
~