My daughter is eleven years old and I knew it had to happen sometime. I did think that it wouldn't happen for another year or two. It happened yesterday. That change that pre-adolescent girls go through happened to my little girl yesterday at school. She jumped in the car yesterday afternoon and said, "Dad, I started". Oh boy.

We headed to the drugstore to get the necessary...err....supplies. Please understand that this is an area where I'm not the most knowledgeable person in the world. As she and I stood there and looked at row after row of feminine products, I felt like a fish out of water. Do they really need that many brands and sizes? I mean, c'mon now. How many different adjectives do you really need to put in front of "Maxi"?

We stood there and looked at each other, with her saying, "Dad, what should I get?" Ummm....I don't know. I don't think the super, heavy duty, mega, hyper maxi thing is for you though. I saw a nice looking lady standing down the aisle and said, "let me go ask her." Aubree grabbed my arm and said, "noooooooooo dad. Thats embarassing!" I'll tell you what is embarassing young lady....standing in the femine products aisle looking like a doofus! After due consideration we made our selection and dropped it in the shopping basket. I think we did just fine, all things considered. It could've been worse.

Then she said, "what happens if I want to go swimming this summer?" You had to ask that, didn't you? I said that there were certainly products that would work in that situation and that we would figure that out as time grew closer to actually going swimming. Are you sure you don't need some help with math or something? Its time for mystery girl, my mom, niece, and sisters-in-law to step up to the plate on things like this. Dad does the best he can, but his knowledge in certain areas is somewhat limited.

This is just another reminder that she is growing up, becoming a young lady, and not the little girl that has been with me so long. I know that many changes are coming in her life and I look forward to helping her deal with the ups and downs of growing up and maturing. She's at that age where she is part little girl with dolls and stuffed animals and part adolescent who likes rap and music videos. I see the changes coming on a regular basis. In spite of any limitations I might have, I'm honored to be her daddy and will learn what I need to know to be up to the task.

But did it really have to happen right now?
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