My toddler said this to me the other day and it felt even better than 'I love you'.
She said this right when we got into the bathroom and were about to brush teeth before bed. I had just spent the entire day with her, as I took her to a museum in the city-- a rare treat and one to remember.
The way she said it was unanticipated and matter-of-fact, as if it were any other statement. She had a great day and it sounded as she was both thankful for that and aware I facilitate that happening.
Sometimes we say 'I love you' to the people we love so often that the phrase becomes more meaningless the more we say it, even if we are more inclined to say it because we do.
Changing the way you say 'I love you' somehow makes it more meaningful because you think more deeply (or at all) why you feel the way you do.
This all might very well be philosophical garbage but the love was there and it was certainly felt and no one even had to say it. xo