Shaving

Along with big, medium and small kisses, there are rough kisses and soft kisses. Rough kisses are due to Daddy not shaving. Often times, after a day or two of not shaving, if I attempt to give more than two kisses I am greeted with a small hand harshly pushing my face away and the statement: "No Daddy, too rough!" These words aren't malicious. They are factual. My kisses are too rough.

When she was younger and unable to protest, the only way that we would realize that I was too rough was because of the raspberry colored patches on her cheeks or belly. Those days are over for her, although just beginning for Asher.

Now, regularly, Tahlia will let me know that I need to shave.

"Daddy, you're too rough. You need to shave."

Often times, I attempt to be cognizant of this and only give small kisses. Just the other day when she was in the car, I gave her a very little kiss on her forehead. She then asked for a medium kiss, and I let her know that I couldn't.

"Why Daddy?"

"I'm too rough."

"Daddy needs to shave."

On the very next day, while she was still asleep, I began readying myself for the administrative internship I am currently doing. I woke early and shaved. After my shower, I heard that Tahlia was awake, so I went in to see her. Still in bed, she was very sleepy. I went over to give her a kiss and was met with protest; not surprising since I was so rough the night before

"No, no, no," I pleaded. "Let me give you one kiss."

She conceded and then said, "Daddy shaved. You're soft like fruit."

Not only was a taken aback by her use of a simile, but also by how accurate her description was. I'm not bragging here about my shaving talent, for, anyone who knows me knows that the need for me to shave is like the need for a person to put effort into playing fetch with a lab. A Walt Whitman look alike I am not. One day I hope to have a beard, but for now, if I attempted one, I would have a patchwork of hair springing from various areas on the lower portion of my face. Therefore, whenever I shave, my skin is surprisingly smooth. In addition to this, Tahlia recently has discovered nectarines, which have smooth and silky feeling.

I can take being compared to a nectarine. I don't think I'd be as happy if she'd used a metaphor and said, "Daddy, you're a fruit."