Daddy's Little Princess

Princess Alyssa... and Lamby

I have always said that Dennis is my rock. And he is. He is calm, while I can be argumentative. He is cool, while I frequently blow hot. He is mellow, while I am loathe to sit still. He is strong, while I frequently feel vulnerable. So every time I see him with Alyssa I feel so lucky and relieved that he is her rock now too.

It's so important to have good role models as you grow up. And it's so important that the first, and ideally, best ones to have are your parents. I recognize that this is our job. It's my job to be the best Mom I can be. And it's Dennis' job to be the best Dad he can be. And I know he is trying... and trying successfully.

I still remember the first night in the hospital. I was exhausted (for lack of a better word), and Dennis was bleary-eyed and tired too... emotionally and physically, I know. And we were alone. My Mom couldn't stay with us and had to go home; and all the friends were gone too. And it was unnerving. The first time Dennis had to change Alyssa's diaper was his first time to change any diaper! And I couldn't help; all I could do was describe what he needed to do. It was a rough night, but here we are 15 months later...

Alyssa usually goes to bed around 8 or 8:30pm. Sometimes, like tonight, we hear a little whimper from her room and one of us will go to her and rock her back to sleep. So Dennis went to check on her and a few minutes later I peeked in the room ever so quietly. There he was holding Alyssa who was fast asleep with her thumb in her mouth. She's so big now that all you see is the swaying of her pink nightgown and arms and legs spilling out of her Daddy's arms. He looked at me through the crack in the door, shook his head silently to shoo me away, all the while still rocking her back and forth - not missing a beat. I just love that.

When he looks at her, I can see his eyes soften. And when she runs to him giggling, my heart melts. In the mornings after she gets ready for daycare, she runs out of her room straight to Daddy to show him her outfit (or shoes, after all she is obsessed with shoes). She is his little princess; Daddy's little princess. In my life, I've never seen anything more wonderful... Dennis and Alyssa: my rock and my light.