PAPA BEAR

This afternoon, as I was cleaning the bedroom, Gaby suddenly turned to me and said "These are my ladies! Take a picture!" and proceeded to scoop up his crazy-haired daughter in one arm and his wild-spirited dog in the other, much to their surprise, and plop down on the bed for a picture. As I snapped away I couldn't help thinking that here was my little family- of bears: Papa bear, baby bear, and sister bear. Gaby, with his powerful and stern way of handling his baby daughter, is just the perfect Papa bear. As a newborn, Biet was a bit overwhelmed by her Papa's loud voice and heavy hands. But she has grown used to his ways (and may have inherited them too, for she is no gentle little thing herself!) and now loves his super-strong baby-wrangling skills. Nico loves to wrestle him, Biet loves to dance with him (he flies her around like a little feather), and I just love him. Papa Bear.