Evolution of a Daddy

Over the past couple of months, I've noticed a distinct change in how my girls talk about and interact with their Daddy.  They've fallen head over heels in love with him.  Don't get me wrong, they've always loved him, but it's beyond that now.  The connection is so strong it's palpable.
For a long time, I would say my girls were "Mommy's girls".  They were.  I was the one who fed them, nurtured them, who cared for them for the majority of their day.  Daddy was definitely involved, because that's the kind of man he is (and with twins, there is no option...caring for two infants is a two person job).  But because I was off of work for one year, the majority of their needs were met by me,  so it's no surprise I was the one they called for in the night, or the one they ran to when they needed consoling.
Now, things have shifted.  I've always said that one of the best things I've done is to return to work.  It was extremely difficult at the time, but the benefits quickly became apparent.  Not only did it give me a break that I needed (which I believe makes me a better parent), it also forced me to hand over some responsibility to my husband.  To let him do things his way, not the way I think is best.  I work weekends once a month, and my husband has an uncanny ability to find kid-friendly events in our city.  For the first year of their lives, I don't know if my husband ever took both girls out by himself.  I don't blame him, it wasn't easy packing two infants around, and I was always with them.  Now, he doesn't hesitate to load two toddlers into the car and head off on any adventure, be it Home Depot or the Zoo.  It's still not easy, but his level of ease and comfort in his Daddy role would make you believe it is.
Now, when I'm working late and Daddy is home, it's 'Date Night with Daddy'. When I'm home, all day long I hear "Where's Daddy?" or "What's Daddy doing?".  When we pull into the garage and my husband's car is there the girls simultaneously cheer "Daddy's home!".  The three of them have their special games, their books, their inside jokes.  I've tried to join in, and sometimes I'm welcome, but other times it's an exclusive club.  It's a bit strange and sad to be on the outside, but I know better than to mess with the father-daughter bonds.  I know we have our own unique bonds too.
As I watch my girls fall deeper in love with their Daddy, I fall deeper in love with him too.  My husband is neat and orderly by nature.  The invasion of toys isn't easy for a lot of people, but especially for people like that.  He's definitely relaxed over the past two years, because he sees beyond the mess of toys to see the life and love our house is full of.  Now I love to see him fall asleep with diapers on his night table and a My Little Pony beside his pillow.  I love to see him putting the girls toy kitchen back in order, only for them to come along and discover it all over again the next day.  I love to see this grown man blow drying his little girl's hair, and fixing their pony tails and hair clips.  I love to see how he dresses them up and takes them out on the town.  I love that my husband's bedtime reading material, formerly GQ magazine, is now a parenting book for dads.  I love to hear him teaching them Spanish, and to see their minds soaking it up.  I love to hear squeals and laughter from the three of them echoing down the stairs while I cook dinner.  I love how they look at him with complete trust in their eyes.  And I love how before anything else, he thinks of them. 
I could go on and on.  We became parents at the same time, but not in the same way.  With time, my husband has evolved into such a wonderful father, and I'm so proud of him.  Becoming a father made an amazing  person that much better.
We love you!