Almost Father’s Day!

I miss you beauty.

I love spending time with you, Ekko.  You are getting to be quiteindependent though.  You like to play on your own, but you like toshare your experiences too!  When we're in the car, you will be inyour car seat chatting away, making up stories about something orother.  And you're growing up so fast.  I'm still shocked athow well you are on the computer.  I can't wait until you can goto the bathroom by yourself, though.

But you are growing up fast, you will be going to school thisfall.  You love to make friends and play with people, so it willbe great for you.  But the protective father in me wants to holdon.  We were at the park one day, and you were having the time ofyour life following these older kids around.  You were having fun,playing whatever game they were playing, and the older kids were kindamaking fun of you.  But you had no idea, you just wanted to playwith them!  You were laughing and running and having a funtime.  Fortunately, you had no idea that the girls were teasingyou, but you know, it breaks my heart just to think of my happy littlegirl being slammed into the bitter reality of cruelty.  All youwant to do is laugh and play, you have no idea about being cruel ormaking fun of people.

But, I'm being over protective, I can't shelter you from theworld.  I just love to watch you enjoy yourself.  You make upstories, you pretend play, you drag little Spot around and involve himin everything you do.  And you have so much fun with otherpeople.  I love hearing you laugh.

You were so cute last night.  I was in mushy daddy phase, and Iwas holding you and whispering "I love you, beauty", and you wouldwhisper back to me, "I love you, daddy".  After a few repetitionsof this, I switched to, "I love you, Ekko", and you switched to, "Ilove you, Errol".  You've made me mushy, my dear Ekko.  Ialmost have tears in my eyes anytime any sweet daddy/daughter storycomes around.  When your cousin Ellen got married, your uncle Daveplayed a song for her at the rehearsel.  It was a song about adaddy and a daughter.  I had to make sure no one was looking at mebecause I'm getting too emotional as I get older.  

I love hearing, "I want to be with my Daddy".  And rest assured, Iwant to be with you beauty.  Even if it's when I'm trying to go tothe bathroom, and you wish to give me privacy by closing the door whileyou're still in there with me.  But then you like to tell me aboutyour day, and everything that you did.

I can't believe how beautiful you two girls are.  And I don't onlymean physically.  Beauty as in the amount of joy you bring to mylife, to your mom's life, and to those around you.  Even thoughI'm only away from you for the day when I'm at work, I miss you,Ekko.  I miss you and your laughs, your smiles, your personality,how you like to talk.  I adore you so much, my little girl. Remember what daddy always wants you to remember.