It makes me indescribably happy too see how they have secrets with each other, and have routines that I am not part a of. Jennie is more fearless and daring with Justin than with other people- any one who has seen them horse around has seen this in action! I love that she is willing to try almost anything (as long as its not a new food... haha) when she's with her Daddy.
She'll pick up "dirty" things from the river or from the ground so that Justin can tell her what it is, or laugh with her about how "yucky" it makes her hands feel. If you've ever seen Jennie eat, you know that this is quite daring for her - she ask for a napkin about 50 times per meal because she doesn't like to have her hands dirty. But with Daddy, she'll dig her hands in the sand at the beach and happily bury his feet before remembering that she wants to wash off her fingers in the "rinse bucket" that we have to keep handy for her.
Jennie will sit on top of Daddy's shoulders to get a better view, but she won't do that with anyone else. It is a beautiful thing to see her take risks and explore with her Dad - it is amazing to watch the joy on his face spread over to hers. Jennie trusts him so completely - at this stage in her life, she goes to him when she's mad or sad and knows that he'll make her laugh. She throws her whole body at him when they play and she knows he'll catch her. I know that in the future, he will always be there to protect her and catch her before she falls - physically, emotionally, or however she needs him. She might be a Daddy's girl, but Justin is also wrapped around her little finger and would do anything for her.
Jennie LOVES to ride in her car seat in Justin's truck. She can see more things, have Daddy point out all the tractors, and get a front-seat view of the world going by. Oh, and Daddy won't stop playing her Raffi music over and over and over in the car, even though Mommy has a limit. She knows that when she has a day with Daddy, she gets to have an extra brownie when Mommy usually says no.When Justin is at work, Jennie thinks most of the doors closing or cars pulling up on our street are Daddy. When I tell her it is not, she looks at me with a scrunched up "concerned" face and says, "Not Daddy, neeeeiiiiiighbors. Daddy woooorking. Aaaw-fish." (translate: aaaw-fish = office). And when Daddy does come home, her face lights up like a Christmas tree, she drops all toys or activity, and races to the kitchen to give him a running hug. So sweet!
Jennie loves to watch her Daddy play softball. In fact, for quite a while, if you asked her what Daddy did for work, she would tell you baseball. This is because all day, Daddy would be at work, and then we'd go see him playing baseball with his work team once a week before he came home. Therefore, Daddy working equaled baseball. Justin tried to explain that if he played baseball for a living, we wouldn't be renting an apartment, but Jennie is too young to understand.
She is such a darling cheerleader at his games! The first game we went to, she was actually very sad every time he had to run out to the outfield to play when his team wasn't batting. She would start crying, and yell "DAAAAAAAAAADDDDEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" repeatedly. It was so sweet, and was breaking Justin's heart. But now, she walks up to the team bench, and says, "Hi Boys!" to all the players and yells cheers like "Go Green!" and "Yay Daddy!" when she watches.
Jennie might still look to me for a hug and kiss when she gets hurt, or to sing her Twinkle-Twinkle Little Star before nap and bed time. But Justin will always be the one that Jennie sees as her hero, her partner in crime, and her protector. I am so fortunate to have an incredible, spunky daughter that is supported, loved, encouraged, and cherished by her amazing Daddy. What more could one ask for in life? ...except to see it all blossom again this winter with another baby.... =) Life is GOOD.
