They asked me to get them ready upstairs. They didn’t want Daddy to see them before they were all ready for the dance.
Magoo asked me to straighten her hair. Her hair is always straight. But I spent twenty minutes with a flat iron getting it even straighter than straight. Because every girl deserves to look like a princess.
Goose asked me to make her hair longer. She wanted hers flat ironed as well. But she wanted hers to be curly. I fumbled with a hair brush and a cold flat iron and fawned over how amazing her hair looked. Because a dance to a three year old is every bit as exciting as Cinderella’s ball.
Tonight I got to hear giggles about boys. I heard about the cute ones. And the funny ones.
I ran downstairs and told Daddy that they were ready. He stood at the bottom of the stairs and showed just the amount of wonder and pride as a Daddy should when his dates arrive to meet him.
They are on their way to pick up their corsages. Because a girl learns how she should be treated on a date by her first date, her dad.
And I can’t help but flash forwarding a few years. When Mom with a flat iron and last year’s Christmas dresses won’t be enough. When there will be worries about earrings and updos and the perfect dress.
And I’ll giggle with them and fawn over dresses and get every bit of excited as they will at their foray into teenage dances.
And then they’ll leave, and TJ and I will be left here, hoping we have taught them enough. Hoping the example we have set will set them on their way to happy and healthy times. Hoping the boy who holds their hands is worthy of the honor of holding their hearts.
But for now I rest assured, knowing that their date tonight is the one I chose for myself many years ago. Before they were a twinkle in our eyes.
So dance away my little princesses. Your date is a prince. He’s my prince, and I couldn’t be more honored that he has become yours as well.