The one where Glen gets sappy

Gabrielle reached Version 1.0 last Saturday and it really got me thinking about a lot of things that have happened with her in the last few weeks and months.

Just a week or so ago she began standing unsupported and, in the last few days, she's started taking her first few small steps. Watching her change from, what was essentially, a lump to an infant that has the ability to think and move on her own has been nothing short of amazing.

Last night, Sarah and I went out to dinner with Gaby. When we got to the restaurant, there was no one there to seat us, so we waited in the entryway until someone would be there to help us.

This particular Italian restaurant was playing some music over it's intercom. I was holding Gaby, so I grabbed her right hand with my left hand and began swaying with her to the music, dancing about the only way that someone could with a 1 year old child. Almost immediately, she began to smile as I rocked her back and forth to the music. It took me a few moments to realize that I was having my first "dance" with my daughter and it nearly made me cry.

The entire time we were "dancing" she never broke out of that smile and it made me feel so wonderful that something as simple as that brought so much joy to my daughter. The moments like that make me realize that I'm never going to want to let this little girl of mine go.

I know that in time, hopefully 20 years or more, someone is going to come to us and tell us that they want to marry our daughter. All I know is that it's going to take someone pretty damn special at this point, or else I'm bringing out the shotgun. Hopefully I'll have enough warning that something like this will be coming up... because I'll need to buy the shotgun. Right now all I could threaten them with is the gun that came with my NES.... and even the dog in Duck Hunt laughed at that.