Well, it finally happened. My first baby, my little girl, the one that made me a daddy and know what unconditional love was just turned 10. I know it’s just a number, but it’s a number with two digits in it, not one. I know it’s a cliche, and I have a poor memory, but some things leave an indelible mark on your brain. This was, of course, one of them. It seems like yesterday when we saw that little face for the first time. It’s a real game changer. You’re freaking out, you don’t know what to do, how to act. It’s a mind-blower, an explosion of joy, worry, madness. It’s unlike anything you’ll ever feel. When Liam came, it was just joy…the uncertainty and worry was not really the same. That was it, man, a real, true, heart stopping moment in time.
She can be a handful, she can be sassy, she can be a forgetful and completely care-free mess. But she is the best, sweetest, most loving thing I can imagine. She has a heart of gold, a truly free and fun loving sprit. She’s a joy to be around and she makes the whole house better.
I can see the growing up in acceleration mode, that whole made up tween thing seems to be taking hold, and she’s growing up. It’s jarring, it’s scary, it’s sad. I don’t really know what to expect, to be honest. Kids seem to grow up too quickly, and I will do my damnedest to slow it down. I don’t care if that’s not cool or with the times…screw the times. I don’t care about all of that crap. She’s a kid, and she’s my little girl, and she can stay that way as long as I can make it happen and as long as she can stand it.
So I have to just deal with it because, well, there’s no choice, right?
At least she still wants piggy backs and to be tucking in at night. So I have that. And handcuffs.