Kids are great! If you have them then you understand. If you don't then it's hard to explain. When I was single I used to get pissed off when friends with kids used to say to me "you don't understand", like I was incapable of feelings or something. This statement was usually used on me during a conversation where I was trying to get my single parent friend to play a LAN game after putting his daughter to bed, promptly at 8 O'Clock, like flicking off a switch. Or, when I was harassing my single mom girlfriend (Karen) for not wanting to go see Ransom (the movie with Mel Gibson had just come out) with me.

The problem was I really didn't understand. Not that I did not have emotion or feelings, but I didn't have *that* kind of attachment to another human being. You don't have those feelings until the moment your first child is born, then it hits you all at once. POW! I didn't have the same attachment to Karen's daughter like she did, and we were really not that close. Mostly because I didn't want to become a father figure to her; she already had a father and I didn't want to seem like a threat to him. Also because I am a computer geek introvert and I have a hard time expressing myself, especially with kids. Although I'm a lot better at that now.

Karen and I did get married and we now have two children together. I'm an official step-dad to Karen's daughter, I love her, and I think of her as my own. Unfortunately she and I are still not that great at talking to each other (but we're getting better), and hugs or kisses just don't happen. To awkward for her I think. I might have missed my opportunity to get close to her like I am with my other two children (20mos and 3yrs old now), and for that I am truly sorry.

But like I said at the beginning of this post, kids are great! They do things you don't ever expect and you get to watch them grow and form their own little personalities. It's hard work, but it's fun and totally worth it! I highly recommend it.

I have a good friend, Mitch who lives in Kentucky, who is a geek too and recently married. He was up visiting for about a week for a business conference close to where I live, so he was staying with us for the duration. My 3 year old (Sophia) notices everything. One day soon after Mitch had gone home, we were coming home after picking the kids up from day care. As we were pulling in the driveway the following conversation took place:

"Where's Mitch?" asked Sophia noticing his car was not parked in its usual spot in our driveway.

"He went home to Kentucky." said Karen.

"Is Kentucky a princess?" asked Sophia.

Karen and I looked at each other and started to laugh.

"No, Kentucky is where Mitch lives with his wife Leslie." said Karen, trying to keep a straight face, as we were pulling into the garage.

I got out of the van and started taking Sophia out of her car seat, still chuckling, when she stated inquisitively:

"Mitch's car is Red?!"

"Yes"

"It's not orange?"

"Nope" I said as I picked her up. She was looking out of the garage where Mitch's car used to be parked.

"Your favorite color is orange, Daddy?" she asked as she turn back to look at me.

"Yes" I said as I gave her a hug.

M@