Daddy Do My Socks Match?

I've been going through pictures and I've discovered something. We have hundreds of pictures of our oldest daughter, including many multiples of the same pose, but not so many of our youngest.

I have tried avoid the trap so many parents fall into. I mean, we don't love our youngest less, it's just that...

For example, when our oldest daughter had even the smallest accomplishments, we were there, snapping pictures like crazy. With our youngest, we realized that we would have to build another room on our house if we kept taking pictures like we were. It wasn't like we continued to take photos of our oldest and neglected our youngest, we became more selective. We took photos of monumental occasions and school functions. We went digital to save space. We even began video taping more.

I've never wanted my youngest to feel like she was less important or exciting to us because she wasn't a new experience. So many kids feel less loved than their siblings, I don't want either of my kids to feel that.

In the same way, I don't want my oldest to feel like we're performing some sort of parental experiment on her. I remember an episode of the Brady Bunch where Greg and Marsha complained because they felt their parents weren't as strict on their younger brothers and sisters. It made for funny television, but in real life, it's not a laughing matter!

Inevitably, there will be some times of learning. We're not perfect as parents. I make mistakes and when I do I apologize. Our kids fight enough as it is without adding fuel to the fire.

And I'm completely outnumbered. The only man in a house full of women, it can be a scary place to be. I don't need anybody thinking I like them more, except my wife. I'm surrounded by more drama than the cast of the latest soap opera. How I long for a little more testosterone. Hey wait, I do have a male beta, but that's little comfort. At least I can escape to the shed when it's too tough. Thank God for a shed!