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Thursday, October 23, 2014

Being a dad

Earlier this week I found myself in the backyard with my daughter.  We have a toddler slide on the grass that she loves.  She climbs up, slides down, climbs up, slides down and I never get sick of watching.  I picked her up and threw her in the air several times while she screamed and laughed.  It felt like I was in one of those slow-motion, dramatic videos of a father and daughter playing with each other.  Those videos are no longer cheesy to me.

I cannot get enough of watching her discover things, even when that thing is dirt and she is dumping it on her head.

She discovered dancing.  One day I peek over the couch and watch her spin, arms flailing, around and around like no one was watching.  That will brighten my life no matter what else has happened that day.

One of the things I love most about my daughter is her total innocence.  She's not out to impress anyone.  When she smiles I know she's happy.  When she cries I know she's upset.  She'll even stare at me straight in the eyes while she's messing her diaper without feeling ashamed.  I get the whole package: the raw, real personality.  And she's got a personality.  She's one of the loudest babies I've ever heard.

She knows Patty Cake, Itsy Bitsy Spider, what a dog says and what a cat says.  We're working on what a cow says, but she can point one out in a book every time.  She loves the outdoors.  She doesn't hesitate to go downstairs one step per step.  She loves bathes, and loved being naked.  Pictures of herself are among her favorite things.  She can talk, just not in English yet.

Above all, she loves her mom.

Funny how I'm discovering the joy of being a parent while watching my daughter discover life.

There is nothing quite like being a father.

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