I am a first time Dad. By that, I mean that I’m experiencing all the stages of being a parent for the first time. I am slowly learning all the “tricks of the trade” in preparation for my little boy who is scheduled to make an appearance in July; however, this week I have experienced a new one - the realization that my baby girl is starting to grow up.

I don’t know what caused me to realize this. Maybe the fact that we pulled her hair up for the first time (yes, the curls CAN be managed) and she just “looked” older. Maybe its the fact that she has been so good this week. Maybe it was the fact that she started drinking coffee with me in the morning (just kidding). Whatever it was, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I immediately started to think about what kind of teenager she will be. Who will she date? Who will be her friends? Who will be her enemies? Who will hurt her for the first time? When will she realize I’m not the coolest/hippest/best Dad in the world? When will she scream “I HATE YOU” for the first time? When will she say, with complete understanding of the meaning, “I love you” for the first time? When will she decide if Christ is to be a part of her life? How good of a student will she be? How good of an athlete will she be? How good of a musician will she be? Will she be a leader? Will she be a follower? How will she handle peer pressure? How will she dress? How much will she love me and her mother? Will she find someone who loves her as much as I do? Will she marry someone good enough? Will she ever know how proud I am of her? Will she ever appreciate how hard her mother and I work to provide the best life possible for her? Will she ever appreciate how great of a mom she has? Will she ever understand how deeply I love her?

These are only a few of the questions that I have thought about since she came into this world. This week they all became a little more real. But in the midst of all those questions, I know that she has an incredible mother who is raising her wonderfully. I know that she is one of the most polite little kids I have ever seen. I know that she is surrounded by parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends who love and care for her deeply. I know she is loved.

I know I will go through this same realization with my little boy, but I will be a little more prepared for it. This is why I love being a parent. These tough questions really put life in perspective. They make you drop what you are doing, sit back, and watch your kid grow up in front of your very eyes.

I love you, Jadyn.