>Thanks to Elmo, Katy can now count to 10 on her own!!!
>

Isn't it terrific? We are all knocked senseless by our first child, and you have been head over heels for Katy from the start. It really does get better as they develop -- talking, comprehending, starting to show their own personality. I vividly remember one moment when Allie was 2 that made me realize we were off to the races. One of her favorite things to do when she was an infant was go to the park. It didn't matter what the weather was; inclement weather didn't bother her at all. Tricia and I would spell out p-a-r-k if we weren't sure we wanted to take her. Once she heard the word there was no turning back. So this particular day I said, "Allie, do you want to go to the park?" Wild enthusiasm. I said OK, go get your coat. It was still winter, right around her birthday. Off she went to the closet by the front door, opened it, and got her coat.

It's an ongoing treat, it really is. I am at the other end of child raising. Allie will turn 21 next month and is off at college (home at the moment). Emily will graduate from high school this spring and then off to college as well. Of course they will still be in my life but it won't be the same. Nothing can ever replicate that time when they are small and dependent. Parenting doesn't pay anything -- actually it costs quite a lot -- but I have never done anything as rewarding in my life.

Now we just have to get you to realize you are not going to shape her to the extent you seem to envision ;-) She's going to like this, she's not going to like that -- KG, seriously, forget about it. She will develop her own tastes and preferences and the harder you try to press yours on her the more she will resist. You will always see signs of yourself in her -- half of her comes from you, after all -- but she is her own person, not your Mini Me. And that's cool.

Besides, speaking from experience, daughters reach a certain point where their dads seem hopelessly clueless about the things that are important to them. Later on we become less dumb but be prepared for some eyerolls. I know what you're thinking, LOL -- that has been my experience but won't be yours. Trust me, it will. Just try to provide guidance without being controlling and you'll be fine. After all, our goal as parents is to help get them to the point that they don't need us any more.

Oh, one more thing -- be prepared to be a referee between her and your wife ;-) Mothers and daughters, that's a category of its own. They both know exactly where to stick the knife.