Little faces with large eyes...always clear and bright. An innocence that words can't properly describe. Their faces are open and honest and their expressions are so fragile...like they might break if the breeze should blow too hard. A tiny delicate neck, almost too small to support her head. Little girls are tougher then they look. My four year old little band-aid equipped daughter knows the pain of bumps and bruises and the magic of little plastic dressings. All of her favorite stuffed animals wear an assortment of band-aids like medals. Barbie band-aids, Spiderman band-aids, band-aids with balloons...the list goes on. My favorite band-aids are the Transformer band-aids. If I get a scratch, I am told in very adult tones that these are boy band-aids and it will make Daddy feel much better when she puts it on my wound. The look on her face as she fixes Daddy up is priceless. Nothing but simple love and caring in the only way she knows how to care. A giving back of what Daddy has done for her on many occasions.

My little girl is beautiful, and I am sure you would be hard pressed to find a Daddy who doesn't think their little girl is beautiful. No matter, when I watch her play, I experience a kind of wonder and peace that compels me to tell every male friend I know that they must go out and get one of their own. Before her, I could not imagine the effects of having a little girl in my life. Now, I can't imagine how I ever felt whole when she was not here. This little four year old girl has effortlessly changed me into a man a hundred times more so then before. Pound for pound, she is more then my match when it comes to getting her way. How can I, through her tears or worse...her smiles, resist her will? The hardest thing in the world for me is saying no to this tiny queen of my life. At four she is all too aware of her leverage over me. What is even more heart swelling to me is when she senses she has been difficult with me, takes my face in both of her tiny hands, looks at me straight in my eyes, and asks me....she.. asks.. me, "Daddy are you okay? Do you need a hug?" My God! I love her when she does that.

Whether we are walking in the woods 'hunting' wolves and dragons... Or balancing along fallen trees that we imagine are very high over deep pits on our way to save lost puppies... Or playing in the park.. Or painting clay piggy banks to give as gifts to others... Or just sitting against a tree while she eats a popsicle. Ya, that is one of my most favorite times. She leans against me with one little arm wrapped around my arm and weaves imaginary stories of fairies that are in need of her help. She only needs the comfort of my presence and the warmth of my body and doesn't even know how much more it is I that needs the comfort of her...the comfort of my amazing and beautiful little girl. She is all the best parts of me.

My little girl won't always be little. This is something I know. She is going to grow into a beautiful woman and will not need her Daddy the same ways she needs me now. Oh I know she will always be my little girl and that can never change. What will change is the 'how' she needs me. But it is these moments now, while she is being newly shaped by the world, that I don't have to share her with anyone else. When its just her and I, there is nothing else and that is golden. She is and always will be my greatest treasure. My little girl...she is the breath of life for me and the world is reborn in wonderment through her. I am armed with many boxes of her favorite band-aids to help dry the tears of what ever makes her hurt. I have strong arms that are always at the ready to give her hugs when she wants them. I will never be so far from her that she can't lean against me for comfort when she needs that. I will never be anything less then Daddy for my little girl no matter how old she is. That little girl has my heart forever more and I am made so very happy for it. My little girl...my daughter...how I thank God for you...I love you little one.