The joys of fatherhood

poor, poor Aaron. He never really had a chance. The minute we found out we were having a girl - he was a lost cause, Reagan had him wrapped around her finger the minute she was born.



It's actually been a lot of fun watching him this second time around. (he was pretty nervous with Noah when he was born. So was i, but i could never admit that - i was the mom and moms can't be nervous, right? i remember bringing him home from the hospital and we sat him down in the living room, still in his car seat, and both of us just looking at him wondering...'so now what do we do'. and then later that night, when he was crying and wouldn't stop, it hit me that i couldn't just take him back to his mother - i was the mother... that was the first time i ever wished Noah good luck.) Anyway - back to Aaron - last Sunday he took Reagan to change her diaper and a few minutes later called for me. i went in the room to see that she had wet through her diaper and onto her outfit. I told him to keep changing her while i found clean clothes. i was gone about 40 seconds and came back to find Reagan had spit up all over her little naked body (may i use the word 'projectile') and i look up at Aaron to find the whole front of his shirt totally wet. evidently he picked her up naked (he was just asking for trouble) and so of course she peed all over him and in his haste to put her down she spit up everywhere. it was all i could do to not laugh out loud. rookie mistakes my boy, rookie mistakes. Reagan looked quite pleased with herself.



It was later that night i read a book called "Father to Daughter" which is a small book compiled of different advice given from fathers to other fathers about raising a daughter. Here are some of my favorite pages....

#7 - Accept the fact that she will melt your heart anytime she chooses.

#35 - Relish the moments when she toddles up and for no reason at all throws her arms around your neck. Resist the urge to buy her the world.

#44 - When you take her to the movies, be ready for her to bring along five or six of her favorite stuffed animals. When fathers of boys look at you strangely, act as if her behavior makes perfect sense.

#53 - Have tea parties with her. Nibble on whatever she puts in front of you. Tell her it's delicious.

#63 Remember, if little girls don't get a nap, they can resemble something from a Stephen King novel.

#75 - Write this down: Girls cry. A lot.

#135 - Remember, teenage girls spend hours in their room doing something. No man has ever really figured out what that something is.

#148 - Remember, when you're dealing with a 13-year-old girl, for all intents and purposes you're dealing with a fruitcake.

#162 - Teach her that there's nothing she can't accomplish.

#171 - There will be days when you think you've raised an alien. Those are the same days she feels she's being raised by one.

#216 - Her first soccer team may be called the Pansies. You may have to wear a T-shirt with pansies all over it. There are worse things.

#229 - Be prepared to be amazed by her accomplishments.

#233 - You may feel the urge to paint your stomach and face with her team's colors. Resist it.

#291 - Remember, it's a good thing if the boys in her life think you are slightly unstable.

#295 - Ask her and her date what their plans for the night are. If you don't like the plans, help them make new ones. Your daughter will hate this. It doesn't matter.

#300 - Remember, every girl's heart gets broken. There's nothing you can do to fix it. Hunting down the boy won't help. On the other hand, she will also break a few hearts herself.

#314 - You have no power over how much makeup, shampoo, suntan lotion, skin creams, hair color treatment, mascara, eyeliner, perfume, cologne, body wash, and bath lotion she will buy. Accept this and move on.

#339 - She will decide you need a complete, head-to-toe, fashion makeover. Beware! This will not make you look cool.

#357 - Prepare for the day when you're not the most important man in her life.

#375 - Remember, she will break your heart when she leaves for college. But you will survive.

#376 - Tell her she is the daughter you always dreamed about.

#377 - In the end,

#378 - Let her go.