Daddy’s and Daughters

So, of course as usual I’m a day late and a dollar short, but our Father’s Day yesterday was filled with spending time with our Daddy of the house. I made all his favorite meals, and tried to make him feel as special as possible.

Daddy’s, especially ours, works so hard and I wanted him to have an extra special day.

Dads and sons always have a special bond…you know, they throw balls, go fishing, talk sports, have sword fights…all that rough and tumble boy stuff.

But, I have to say there’s something extra special about Daddy’s and their daughters.

I remember when my husband and I got married and I told him I always wanted to have a boy and a girl. I know you take what the good Lord gives you, but I was kind of putting my order in to the man who helps create us all.

Eric kind of looked at me like I had two heads… “A girl? What on earth would we do with a girl? I don’t know anything about girls.”

Well, I have to give him credit, because coming from a family who mostly produces boys, he was right. He grew up with girl cousins, but never had experience with baby girls. So, I could see how he would feel this way.

When Dallas was born, I will never forget the look on his face when he told me she was a girl. See, we didn’t find out her sex, and boy was she a surprise.

He was holding her and looks at me and says, “Boy she already has me wrapped.” She was only minutes old, but that bond was already formed.

They have this bond like no other…just like my daddy and me.

My daddy was always the one who knew how to calm me down. When I was having a bad teenage moment and ranting through the house yelling, arms a swinging, and no one seemed to understand what I was feeling, he would stop me in the hallway, wrap his arms around me and whisper, “Let it go, Baby.”

It was something about those arms and that warmth that I would just let it all go. Funny thing is, to this day he still does the same. If I’m having some kind of bad mommy day and I’m ranting and yelling, arms a swinging, just the sound of his voice can calm me down. He may be 8 hours away and can’t wrap his arms around me, he can calm me down.

It’s that Daddy/Daughter bond…

I see the same similarities with Eric and Dallas. She can be having some kind of 6 year old tantrum or she and I could be arguing. He seems to know how to calm her down…always. {To be honest this sometimes drives me a bit batty, but I know it’s just that bond thing again.}

None-the-less, he calms her down and that’s what daddy’s are for…to make everything better; to make all the hurt go away; to make the world right again.

One of my favorite things as a kid was at bedtime my daddy would carry me on his back down the hall and let me drop onto my bed. It was the greatest thrill. I think it’s so funny that Eric and Dallas do the same thing most nights. He carries her up on his back and lets her drop onto her bed. Hearing her squeal and giggle brings back so many memories of my childhood, I love watching them do this little ritual. It’s that special bond.

I am such a lucky girl to have a daddy who shares that extra special bond with me. He’s not perfect, but none of us are. However, I do know that there are arms that will wrap around me and make the world better, and even though I’m 33 there will always be a lap for me to curl up in…it’s that special bond. And I am so thankful that my daughter and her daddy share that same bond…

So, to all you daddy’s out there, Happy Father’s Day {a day late}!!