Mom tried to raise a pink-loving, tap dancing little girl. Daddy won, though—he raised a girl that's tougher than nails who doesn't take crap from anyone. Most girls grew up playing house, but I grew up playing outside and learning what poison ivy was the hard way.
While other girls were learning to do their makeup and curl their hair, I was learning to shoot a rifle. When girls were learning cheers and stunts to perform at Friday's football game, I was throwing weights around in the field house and running plays on the basketball court. When other girls were fixing their hair every day for class, mine was thrown in a ponytail with a cap on. Here's what it's like growing up as daddy's little tomboy.
1. Seeing the look of disappointment in your mom when you cut the hair off the Barbie dolls she grew up playing with.
2. Smiling mischievously after tying said Barbie up with string all over your bedroom.
3. Playing Cops and Robbers during recess with all the boys and being the only girl that could keep up.
4. Your mom never being able to send you to school in a cute outfit because it would come back grass-stained and dirty.
5. You learned how to fish before some little boys learned how to themselves.
6. You played more outside than you spent time inside.
7. You weren't scared of going into the woods and playing in there all day long.
8. When your mom tried to teach you about makeup, the only thing that really stuck was putting on some moisturizer and a bit of mascara.
9. You never really learned how to curl your hair.
Trying to just ends up with you burning your fingers and putting creases in your hair that make you look like you've had it in a ponytail all day long.
10. You died when you were given a car and not a four-wheel drive when you were of driving age.
11. You honestly considered hitting an eight-point buck standing on the side of the road with said car.
12. You could probably ride a horse better than you can drive that tiny clown car.
13. You still can't properly walk in heels.
14. Dresses were the bane of your existence.
So you wore compression shorts under all of them.
15. You just ended up scraping off any nail polish that found its way on your nails.
16. You didn't enjoy Friday night football just for the cute boys; you actually knew the plays and understood the logistics of the game.
You were the coach's daughter, after all.
17. Basketball and cross country were your extracurricular activities, not pageants, cheer or dance.
18. You loved lifting weights.
You knew it wouldn't make you bulky and masculine. You understood it would make you harder to take down and tougher to beat.
19. You wore athletic shorts and a T-shirt with a hole in the armpit to freshman orientation when all the other girls wore ruffled shorts and wedges.
20.You have shamelessly worn your Muck boots to class with pajama pants tucked into them.
21. You wear your hair down maybe four times a month.
Most girls are always fixing their hair. You've learned to embrace the natural look.
22. When your man suggests playing video games, your competitive nature comes out.
You don't groan, roll your eyes and beg to do something else.
23. You take your own fish off the hook when you reel that bad boy in.
24. The thought of killing a deer doesn't make you tear up and think of poor Bambi.
You know good and well that the younger the deer, the more tender the meat.
25. The only times you've ever willingly worn a dress, heels, makeup and a manicure was prom and formal.
26. It's not uncommon for you to end up with a mild farmer's tan at some point in the summer.
27. Your daddy couldn't be prouder and wouldn't trade you for anything in the world.
And neither would your momma.
