Daddy's Little Girl

It happened. The day I have been dreading for a long time. (Well, not the only one, but one of them.) I got home from work the other day and when I greeted the daughter, I noticed something I had not ever seen before. (No, not those) She was wearing makeup!! I reacted as every father of a 12-year-old daughter would the first time he sees his little girl with makeup on...I yelled "What is that crap on your face?!?!? Go take it off, NOW!!!" She stomped up the stairs, crying of course, and I felt as if I had done my fatherly duty. I had saved her from making herself look like a floozy tramp and I had made sure that my little girl did not grow up too fast!! I grabbed some tea and sat down, feeling quite proud of myself.

I heard the wife coming down the stairs before I saw her, but as soon as I saw her, I knew there was something wrong. Here I was waiting for the "thank you for doing that and backing me up" and I got the "May I talk to you upstairs, please!" Uh-oh.

I don't remember everything about the conversation. Well, not really a conversation. A conversation means both people are talking, having a discourse. I was just listening. I do remember certain parts of it, like..."you have to let her grow up sometime." "...it is going to happen, whether you want it to or not." "...it's not that much, just a little around her eyes." "...she is smart and has a good head on her shoulders." "...she is not going to go overboard. I check it everyday before she leaves." And here is the killer..."You are her Daddy and she wants approval from you more than anything, and if you are always criticizing and being negative, you will not only hurt her confidence, you will push her away." Why did I have to marry a woman that is so rational and reasonable, all the time?!?!?!? (Well, on most things.)

It is amazing how much your attitude about women changes when you have a daughter. Being the father of a daughter in today's world is scary. I was in Miami a few years ago, driving along South Beach, and instead of thinking "WOW!", I found myself saying, out loud, mind you "My daughter is NEVER coming down here!" It is definitely one of those 'Parental Paybacks.'

So, my little girl is wearing a little bit of make-up now. I have to admit, it is not a whole lot and it, along with the new contacts, really makes her big blue eyes stand out even more. As hard as it is for me to accept, I do have to realize that she is going to grow up, whether I like it or not. She IS a beautiful, vibrant girl. She is smart, confident and loving. She is polite, respectful, and funny. Now, don't get me wrong. She knows how to push every button I have and then some. (She IS like her mom) But I have to admit, she has a lot going for her and I think she is going places.

I know that the next few years there will be a lot of changes in my little girl. I also know that some of them will be easier for me to accept or put up with than others. (I have a feeling I am going to have to extend my prayer time in the morning) All I can do is to continue to guide her, protect her, and watch over her, while at the same time doing the most important thing...loving her. She is going to grow up, move on, and have a successful life. And she will still be my little girl.