For the Dads

June 14, 2012

It can’t be easy, being a dad.  I think it’s probably especially hard to be the dad of daughters, because everyone knows that daughters are mysterious and mercurial creatures, sprung from moonbeams and seafoam and a sprinkling of fairy dust.  They are hard to hold and even harder to understand, these girls, who operate on a completely different scale than yourself.  You’re pretty sure–and a little afraid–that they harbor many secrets that you’ll never be privy to.

Sometimes you watch them out of the corner of your eye as you scan the evening paper, drink in the bouncy curls, the frothy skirts twirling around tender knees, the easy and loose way they have of owning a room.  How do girls do that, you wonder?  Enter a room and claim it as theirs, whether by beauty or wit or temperament or a squeal of delight? No matter the method, they manage it, and you are irritated and charmed at the same time.

You hold them softly, like butterflies, even on days they are tiger-ish, because to you they will always be butterflies. You think that if you were to grasp them right now, these girls who have grown far too big for your hands, you would still feel the fluttery pulse, the cadence of creatures yearning to fly.

This is for you.

Today, I am lucky enough to spend a day out at the ballgame with two of my favorite men. And the minxes, and Mama, and Awesome Stepkid Ro, and our Paola.  Many Chicago dogs will be eaten, a few craft beers will sluice down gullets, and many, many, sugary snacks will fill Minx tummies. It will be Heaven.  I am so grateful and so very, very lucky.

{ 43 comments… read them below or add one }

Tinne from Tantrums and Tomatoes June 14, 2012 at 7:24 am

Ah fathers and daughters…
Have great day!

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Jenna June 14, 2012 at 8:12 am

Your artistry with these words–and more than that, the precious and mysterious dad/daughter relationship that you describe–leaves me breathless this morning.

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Arnebya June 14, 2012 at 8:19 am

You’re right; it can’t be easy. I like to think I know the girls much better, understand them more, expect and am not surprised by All The Things. But in reality, it’s only half an iota of a smidgeon of more knowledge/understanding than he has. I like to watch him try to figure them out, though (especially amid fighting the realization that he will never figure them out). Such a boy.

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Miss Annie V. June 14, 2012 at 11:57 am

*sigh* Love. I just finished penning a letter to my own father so the tears are fresh, but with so many extraordinary memories, my heart is full. I adore your words and always follow your posts, even though mostly too shy to speak up. I wish you all a magical day!

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TKW June 15, 2012 at 6:52 am

Miss Annie V.,

I’m glad to meet you and happy that you spoke up! We did have a great day, although our baseball team is *not* good!

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Katybeth June 14, 2012 at 4:01 pm

Sounds like the perfect Father/Daughters Day. My dad has never understood me but his love is undeniable. Joe wanted a daughter but later admitted that God knew what he was doing when he sent a boy across that rainbow bridge.

We are lucky ducks aren’t we?

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TKW June 15, 2012 at 7:39 pm

Katybeth,

Yes, we are lucky. Even if misunderstood, we knew that there was love behind it.

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Alexandra June 14, 2012 at 4:14 pm

I can’t think of anything more beautiful than a grateful woman.

God bless you for knowing what you have, what you’ve had.

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Sherri June 14, 2012 at 5:30 pm

I love it – and love your photos. I miss my Dad and think of our relationship often now that he’s gone.

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suzicate June 14, 2012 at 5:47 pm

Happy Father’s Day to those tow wonderful men in your life!

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Katrina Kenison June 14, 2012 at 5:55 pm

Just beautiful. I can only imagine this father-daughter alchemy, as there are just boys in my house. But you evoke it so well I can almost feel those fluttery pulses myself.

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TKW June 15, 2012 at 9:59 am

Katrina,

Of course you can feel them–those fluttery pulses were once your own, and your father was trying to survive them. :)

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BigLittleWolf June 14, 2012 at 7:35 pm

Love the pictures – and love the love! And how fortunate for the dads as well as the daughters! (Have a wonderful weekend.)

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Wendi @ Bon Appetit Hon June 15, 2012 at 5:22 am

You got me all teary reading this Kitch. Damn you and your way of tugging at even the most hardened of hearts ; )

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TKW June 15, 2012 at 8:07 am

Wendi,

Ha! You’re not foolin’ me!

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Mary Lee June 15, 2012 at 6:39 am

For an authentic Chicago hot dog, my Dearly Beloved would join you in a heartbeat! As it is, his Father’s Day wish is to watch the US Open on television without hearing any griping from the peanut gallery. That’s why gawd invented earplugs, so I won’t have to listen to hours of men whispering about little white balls and some idiot yelling, “IN DA HOLE!” after every shot.

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TKW June 15, 2012 at 6:54 am

Mary Lee,

I’m sure Daddy-o will be doing the same thing!

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Jane June 15, 2012 at 9:04 am

Awwww. Such a sweet post from my favorite sister of snark. What’s got into you? ;)

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TKW June 15, 2012 at 10:00 am

Jane,

I’m pretty sure my snark is still in Mexico, searching for “Sexytime.” ;)

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ayala June 15, 2012 at 12:26 pm

A beautiful post!

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Naptimewriting June 15, 2012 at 9:52 pm

Yay for family outings and sugary treats and dads who actually show up for the game of parenting.

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Dawn June 16, 2012 at 4:00 pm

Darn. I promised myself that THIS year I would not cry on Father’s Day. But your writing is so beautiful…I’ll blame it on that.

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TKW June 17, 2012 at 1:43 pm

Dawn,

I am sorry for the tears–did you lose your dad? Thinking of you today.

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Dawn June 17, 2012 at 2:04 pm

Yes, 8 years ago next Dec. And though I now I’m not alone, lots of people are without their dad, it’s still hard. Thanks for the kind thoughts. His picture is over on the blog.

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idiosyncratic eye June 17, 2012 at 1:45 pm

Beautiful. :)

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Tiffany June 17, 2012 at 4:50 pm

Beautiful…just like your family.

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Barbara June 18, 2012 at 6:52 am

Yes, treasure the times together. I miss my dad so much!

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Heather June 18, 2012 at 7:37 pm

What a lovely way to spend a day with the special men in your life! I’m so glad I don’t have daughters ;)

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Gale @ TDT June 21, 2012 at 8:18 am

Coming to this one late, but I just wanted to say that I love it! Hope you all had a wonderful Father’s Day!

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Paula June 21, 2012 at 10:06 am

Love the picture of you and your dad. Even better is the one of your husband and daughter. What a handsome guy!

This post made me think about my own dad. I miss him so much.

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bryan June 23, 2012 at 3:52 am

Www so sweet thanks for posting

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Rudri Bhatt Patel @ Being Rudri July 2, 2012 at 2:48 pm

I heart this post. I know I am coming here late, but I love the way you write about Moms and Dads. Hope you and the gang had a wonderful and restful Father’s Day.

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TKW July 2, 2012 at 3:20 pm

rudri,

Nothing restful about it. It was mayhem, as usual. But beautiful mayhem, at that. Thinking of you.

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