I was in a bookstore this past week and I came across a little paperback called "Father to Daughter: Life Lessons on Raising a Girl."
As I thumbed through the pages of the book, something dawned on me ... I'm going to be a dad.
I can hear some of you now: "You didn't realize this until six and a half months in?"
The thing is when you're having a baby, you're focused on the pregnancy. You focus on that nine-ish month sojourn from conception to birth and beyond that is nothing. It's the future. It's like when you're getting married. You plan and plan for that big day. You get your flowers ordered, your guest list completed and so on. And then the big day comes, the reception ends, the last gift envelope is opened. Now what?
As I thumbed through the pages of the book, something dawned on me ... I'm going to be a dad.
I can hear some of you now: "You didn't realize this until six and a half months in?"
The thing is when you're having a baby, you're focused on the pregnancy. You focus on that nine-ish month sojourn from conception to birth and beyond that is nothing. It's the future. It's like when you're getting married. You plan and plan for that big day. You get your flowers ordered, your guest list completed and so on. And then the big day comes, the reception ends, the last gift envelope is opened. Now what?
Most of us focus so much on the event that we forget about the
aftermath. And guess what? The aftermath is the best part. It's not
about getting married. It's about being married. It's not about
learning you're going to be a father. It's about being a dad.
Looking through the book, I came across several nuggets that really got to me. And slowly I began to get it...
Page 35 ..."Be prepared to watch Walt Disney movies with her some 200 times. Each."
This adventure doesn't end when Kayla gives birth. That's truly just the beginning. The little girl growing inside Kayla is here for the long haul. She's not part of our life for nine months. She's part of our life for whatever is left of our future.
Page 60 ... "Encourage her to go barefoot."
And as I stood entranced in the aisle of the Borders, I watched the potential of that future flash by on the pages like a movie screen. I saw her first steps, her first words and her first Christmas. I saw her grow up and her first day of school. I imagined the talk I would give to her boyfriends and the day she told me she would be getting married.
Page 87 ... "Play catch with her. Even if the ball is pink and covered with glitter."
As Father's Day approaches the only thing I can think about is how a year from now, I won't just be a father-in-waiting. I'll be a daddy to a 9-month-old little girl who will be the center of my world, wrapped around her tiny little finger.
For years, I thought that all the dumb little gifts we give our dads were just silly. A tie ... a wallet ... a "World's Best Dad" mug. Just trinkets meant to say "Yeah, yeah. We know. You're here too."
But the fact is that it doesn't matter what we get on Father's Day, because it's not the gift that counts. It's the look in the child's eye as they hand you a poorly wrapped box and say "Here Daddy, I got this for you."
Page 7 ... "Accept the fact that she will melt your heart anytime she chooses."
I think back to my own childhood and remember days in the park playing baseball with my own father. I think about the music that reminds me of him and realize that someday someone is going to think about me the way I think about him.
I look forward to being a hero in my child's life and am proud to give thanks to one of the heroes in mine.
Happy Father's Day, Dad.
Looking through the book, I came across several nuggets that really got to me. And slowly I began to get it...
Page 35 ..."Be prepared to watch Walt Disney movies with her some 200 times. Each."
This adventure doesn't end when Kayla gives birth. That's truly just the beginning. The little girl growing inside Kayla is here for the long haul. She's not part of our life for nine months. She's part of our life for whatever is left of our future.
Page 60 ... "Encourage her to go barefoot."
And as I stood entranced in the aisle of the Borders, I watched the potential of that future flash by on the pages like a movie screen. I saw her first steps, her first words and her first Christmas. I saw her grow up and her first day of school. I imagined the talk I would give to her boyfriends and the day she told me she would be getting married.
Page 87 ... "Play catch with her. Even if the ball is pink and covered with glitter."
As Father's Day approaches the only thing I can think about is how a year from now, I won't just be a father-in-waiting. I'll be a daddy to a 9-month-old little girl who will be the center of my world, wrapped around her tiny little finger.
For years, I thought that all the dumb little gifts we give our dads were just silly. A tie ... a wallet ... a "World's Best Dad" mug. Just trinkets meant to say "Yeah, yeah. We know. You're here too."
But the fact is that it doesn't matter what we get on Father's Day, because it's not the gift that counts. It's the look in the child's eye as they hand you a poorly wrapped box and say "Here Daddy, I got this for you."
Page 7 ... "Accept the fact that she will melt your heart anytime she chooses."
I think back to my own childhood and remember days in the park playing baseball with my own father. I think about the music that reminds me of him and realize that someday someone is going to think about me the way I think about him.
I look forward to being a hero in my child's life and am proud to give thanks to one of the heroes in mine.
Happy Father's Day, Dad.
oh that is a good one!!! Made me tear. This has been a great experience seeing you progress, but you are right you have not seen anything yet.