Ladies and Gentlemen — Introducing my first ever guest blogger…
“Daddy…. will you marry me someday?”
A phrase I’ve heard many times. Most often I come back with a truthful and loving answer. “I’d love to be in your wedding someday, Sweetheart.” But today that just wouldn’t do. I had to get creative and think quickly, because brutal honesty is certainly not acceptable to a 5 year old.
I’m also just not quite ready to have her let go of whatever wonderful childhood idea she has in her head about her wedding day. No need for her to realize anytime soon that wedding days are anything more than just a day where she’ll get to wear a pretty dress and be a princess.
Thankfully, I was able to think quickly today (something I’m not generally good at midway through a Saturday flying solo with the two monkeys). I came back with, “I’d love to walk you down the aisle some day, Sweetheart.” And that was acceptable to her. All she wanted to hear. A hug and kiss, and she was running off to swing some more.
I got lucky with my answer. No need to shatter innocence today and no need for me to think any further about the someday when I will walk her down the aisle. With any luck at all that’ll be another 15 or 20 years away. Plenty of more wonderful moments between now and then.
That will be a wonderful moment too, but for now, I think I’ll just enjoy the sweet kisses of my 5-year-old little girl.
Anyway, by now I’m sure you’ve all figured out that this isn’t Michelle writing this one. It’s Ken — the Dad to two wonderful little monkeys.
(Editor’s Note: Ken and I have been joking about his threats to hi-jack my blog and I recently told him if he wanted to write a post I would put it up — uncensored. He read me this one out loud Saturday night after I got off work and I must admit, I was expecting something much more comical. Not a post that would send me into hyper-ventilating-teary-eyed mode. As soon as I could breathe again, I joked that it wasn’t quite his typical tongue-in-cheek comedy that I am so much more used to.
He gave me a comical grin and responded, “Well, I did have to end the day with the phrase, “Stop licking the cat!”"
Ah, now that’s the Ken and Jacqui I know!)
parenting children fatherhood kids wedding day
“Stop licking the cat!”
Ha, ha. What an interesting thing to have to say.
September 15th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
What a sweet post, and a great answer :).
I recently had a “guest blogger” too but I have yet to decipher his post (it was Bitty, lol).
September 16th, 2008 at 12:33 am
Please ask Jacqui where she gets her fabulous footwear. I NEED a pair of rainboots like those! And how did she know that the tutu was the only thing to match them?
I wish I could dress like a 6 year old. Life would be so much more fun!
September 16th, 2008 at 4:22 am
You did good, Ken!
Peace - D
September 16th, 2008 at 5:06 am
ROFL to that last line!
I loved this sweet post. My boys have both told me they will marry me someday.
September 16th, 2008 at 6:40 am
Tears and laughter here, too.
So sweet.
September 16th, 2008 at 7:13 am
That was so sweet!
I remember one of the boys I used to nanny for said he’d marry me-no, he didn’t mind the 19 year age difference-to keep me in his family. It’s nearly 12 or 13 years later and I’ve since married another, but that boy is still part of my family.
I tend to end the day with “will you keep your finger out of your nose, please?” a lot these days!
September 16th, 2008 at 7:21 am
What a sweet, sweet post! I’ll have to have Ron read it - I know he’d really enjoy it.
“Stop licking the cat” - made me LOL!
September 16th, 2008 at 7:54 am
Love this photo, love the post, love the truthful,yet protective of innocence answer. I always wanted to protect my childrens childhood, making it last as long as possible. I realized after they all to quickly were grown, ways I could have done a better job. The struggle between honesty, and innocence can be hard ,especially when in the daily crunch of life, way to go Jacqui’s Dad, no wonder she wants to marry you.
September 16th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
awwwwwwwwwww….what a sweet man you have.
I love this post….cat licking and all.
September 16th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
That was so sweet!
Noah tells me he is my boyfriend some days…
September 16th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
that’s just about the sweetest thing I’ve ever read.
September 17th, 2008 at 9:34 am
HI. My name is Brandi. I read your article awhile back on 5 minutes about the ouch free G-tube. My son just had surgery yesterday to get a G-tube. I asked the doctor today about writing me a script for the cholestyramine ointment. He said that he’s hasn’t heard of using that before but he wouldn’t mind writing for it at all. He just needs to know what percent to write for the cholestyramine to be compounded with the ointment.
Sorry to invade your blog here for this question, but I was totally pumped to read that you had an ouch free G-tube. You can email me at rbjsjmm@yahoo.com with the info if you have it. I would really appreciate it.
September 17th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Warm fuzzies all over after reading that one. I remember when I wanted to marry my daddy. I love it when my children tell me they are going to live with us the rest of their lives. I tell them that’ll be just fine. ha!
September 18th, 2008 at 6:40 am
I’ll have to make sure Jeff reads this…the bar has been set…
September 18th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
I read this post a few days ago on my cell phone since I was without power for 5 days! I have been dying to comment on it! So good to see Daddy blogging! I think it’s adorable when a girl dreams of marrying her daddy!
September 18th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Beautiful. I remember when I wanted to marry my Dad when I was Jacqui’s age. A wonderful compliment for you as her Dad.
September 19th, 2008 at 4:14 am
awww I wonder if her future husband will be as amused by the *stop licking the cat* part as we all are….
September 19th, 2008 at 9:49 am
How very sweet! and I love that you included the line about licking the cat.
September 22nd, 2008 at 7:27 am
Fantastic “guest” blogger. You know I’m all for a shared blog. I love hearing how the “other half” processes and writes about life.
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Precious. Thank you for a beautiful post from a Father’s perspective. Everything your wife writes is so moving; I guess it only makes sense you would be the same way:)
We have two little girls and I hear this exchange between my husband and my girls often. I love your response to your daughter!
September 26th, 2008 at 7:52 am