All it took was a quick cruise though my photo album to remind me of what a good dad Chad is. Cutting down Christmas trees, performing alongside Olivia at her dance recital, videoing her first laugh, teaching her everything in life that is important like how to work a video game controller and what a double play is. Today when I asked him if we should have Olivia's portrait taken since most of our candid photos involve terrific fashion trainwrecks, his response? "Without the those outfits it just wouldn't seem like her." He is Olivia's hero, best friend, man of her dreams, co-conspirator and greatest advocate against her evil, over-programming mother. He is the savior of a carefree childhood and provider of all illicit treats. His only admonition is to be good for Mommy.

I maintain to this day and will tell anyone who asks that my greatest life accomplishment is finding the man who would be an unbelievable father to my child. The man who carried around the ultrasound picture of his child the approximate size of a kidney bean and showed it to people unsolicited and at random. The man who blew off his friends because his daughter was more fun to take to the game. The man who knows his most important job as a father is to tell his wife what a good mother she is, every day. I feel sad every year at Father's Day that the only way to tell my husband that he is my dream come true is to grill red meat and go to a baseball game. Soon Olivia will take over the mantle and shower her father with delightful gifts and appreciation. And probably all the treats I refuse to let him eat.