There's something really special about being a daddy's girl. I have so many memories of my dad. My dad was with me in the morning before school and I used to make him put barrettes in my hair. He didn't mind when I made him put them in and out several times until they were perfectly lined up on each side.
My father especially enjoyed being the father of a teenage girl. I have so many memories of him wanting to embarrass me and all of them turned into me just laughing at him. When he would drive me to the bus stop he'd like to shout out the window – "Here she comes"! At the time, I thought I would die, but I looked back now and see just how funny and sweet he was trying to be.
One of my favorite memories is when I had a sleepover. There were about six of us teenage girls laying on the floor in the living room in sleeping bags. At the time we had a washing machine right next to the living room. It was very loud and was making a very loud swishing noise. My dad came downstairs, stood proudly in front of all of us, put his hands on his hips and twisted side to side and yelled – "Good morning girls! Can you guess what I am?" of course he was imitating the washing machine, and I was of course mortified. But my friends thought he was hilarious and burst into a fit of giggles and my friends brought up that memory all the time. My dad had so many nicknames for me – he called me, Lily, Skizzy, Lily Sputz, Puddin, Puddin Pot and Puddin Pot Pie.
He was always so silly and I swear his mission was to make me laugh, especially when I hit my moody teenage years.
There's one other memory that really sticks out that was so special to me. When I was pregnant with my first son, I was feeling especially fat and ugly, and I was telling my mom that nothing fit me and nothing made me feel pretty. I didn't realize that my dad was listening on the conversation. I went outside a day or two later and there was a gift bag on my steps.
Inside the gift bag was the most beautiful light pink, soft, very feminine maternity sweater with a matching necklace. Immediately I started to cry – and I can't remember if my dad put a note in there or if my mom just told me later on that it was his idea but either way it was one of the most thoughtful gifts I've ever received from my dad. Thank you Dad for always making me laugh and for making me feel beautiful. I love you and I will miss you more than I have words to express.
