It’s a moment I will always remember…. The doctor held up my little girl as she began to cry. He gave her to the nurse and she began to wipe her down. That was the moment I met my daughter up close and personal for the first time. I said her name, “Allie” and she immediately stopped crying. With her eyes closed she moved her head in my direction. She knew her daddy’s voice. A few moments later, I got to hold Allie in my arms for the very first time. She was so little. She could almost fit inside my hands. That was the happiest/scariest moment in my life. It was real to me that now I would be responsible for this beautiful child I was holding.
Life is a vapor. I blinked and now my baby girl is about to be 5 years old in a few weeks. Where has the time gone? Where is my little girl who was dependent on daddy for everything? There are days where I promise you that it seems like she grew up overnight. Those moments stop me in my track. I’m overcome with emotions as I begin to look back over how much she has grown. I remember sometime last year that I was getting Allie ready for church. We picked out a dress for her to wear. It was one I hadn’t seen before. Once she put it on, I realized that she was no longer a baby. Allie was walking away to get her shoes and I told her that she was growing up on me. She immediately turned around and ran back to me. She threw her arms around me and said something I will never forget, “Daddy I’ll always be your little girl.” She went back to get her shoes and my allergies all of a sudden started to act up. From time to time I’ll go back and watch videos of her when she was a baby. She was so little and could only cry and laugh. Now she is very articulate and will have debates with me. The next time I blink, she may be graduating high school. I’m not ready for that.
I cherish these moments with her. She won’t be little forever. One day she will grow up and become a phenomenal woman. But that day isn’t today. For now she is still my baby girl who still wants daddy to snuggle with her before she goes to bed at night. Her eyes still light up and she screams with excitement when she sees me in the afternoons. She still wants me to carry her from time to time. My little girl loves to go where I’m going and enjoys doing the things I like to do. Allie still thinks that her daddy can do anything. Now it is my job as her father to show her that she is capable of anything as well. Allie is my why. She is a huge part of the reason of why I pursue greatness. That little girl is my heartbeat. There were times that I would put my ear to her chest to listen to her heart. Of course, she would turn around and do the exact same thing to me. I still cannot believe that I have the responsibility of raising a daughter.Being a dad has it’s challenges at times, but it’s something I wouldn’t change for anything.
Shawn's Blog 