10/16/06--My daughter's first big dance

Well, young Kellie Poe-Bowdren had her first big high school dance the other night.
Funny thing about those high school dances.  When I went to a high school dance, they had it in the cafeteria--Kellie's high school has it at the Broward County Convention Center for $60 a ticket.

That's right....$60.  And its not even the prom.  Yeesh.

So she went out that day, did the whole hair thing (got it straightened), various insundry.....ya know....other beautification things, tried on the dress that her Mom helped her pick out (reportedly the only one of the 3 she liked that her Mom thought I would let her out of the house wearing---what a reputation I have), walked somewhat awkwardly in her high heel shoes while complaining just a little too loud about how bad they hurt her feet (IS ANYONE NOTICING ME???  HELLO????) and generally, ya know.......

Looked like some young woman that I had never met before.

And I remembered stuff like tickle-time, like how I could always rely on getting her a stuffed animal, about how she liked to be tucked into bed (well, okay, she still sorta likes that), about how on one of our first dates she screamed at her mother that she
"WANTED A DADDY!".  I remembered all those things.  And I remembered all those songs about stuff like "Daddy's little girl" and all that and how I never could really understand why some people felt that way.....

And how, looking at her as the young woman she's becoming....

I now totally understand.

Kellie was my 2nd chance at being a Dad.  She told me once that she didn't think I would blow it....I'd like to think I haven't.  She looks a lot like her Mom.  Lucky girl.

Later,
Jeff