The Carsons

Daddy's Girl

"So, are you ready?"

Barbie smiled, putting in her earrings. She glanced at the mirror, studying her face donned with make-up. She shrugged.

"As ready as I'll ever be. Stacie and the rest should be here any minute. How do I look?"

He walked up behind his wife's gorgeous figure all dolled up in a low V-cut green t-shirt, light denim jeans, and wedge heels. Blushing hard, Ken reached over and put his arms around her waist, leaning his chin on her shoulder. Staring at the woman in the mirror, Ken gave a soft smile.

"I think you look stunningly beautiful..."

"Aww, hun...", Barbie whispered happily, holding on to his hands that were wrapped up around her waist.

Ken smirked, "But then again, I'd love you in nothing at all, soooo..."

That earned him a playful smack over the head. Barbie scoffed and chuckled,causing him to join in the laughter.

"Mama!"

The parents turned around to the visitor in the doorway, smiling lovingly down at the small little form.

16-month-old Elizabeth Juliette.

Ken leaned back from his wife with one final squeeze of her shoulders. His faux-serious face glared sneakily down towards his daughter as he placed his hands to his hips.

"And who said you could come in here, little missy?"

Libby spit into her giggle and turned her little body to run away, causing Ken to call after her teasingly.

"Oh no you don't! You get back here!"

As he playfully darted after her, Barbie laughed after them, watching her husband and her daughter on the chase.

Leaning out the doorway, she watched Ken 'attack' her, claiming that she was in big trouble. While he was 'tackling' her, she gained the upper ground by climbing on top of him. Ken let out a gasp of shock and laid on his belly.

"Oh no! The Libbasaurus got me! Help! Help!", he yelled out playfully, putting on his best victim act as the tiniest black-haired monster sat perched on his back. While she was hopping up and down gleefully, causing Ken to grunt with each downward force, Libby played a bit too hard when she indeed yanked on his hair.

"Eeeeesh!", Ken yiped, grabbing at the back of his head as it was thrust backwards and seethed in through his teeth in pain, "Ok! Ok! Let go of Daddy's hair!"

Barbie laughed harder, covering her mouth in the doorway as she observed the most adorable spectacle known to man. Libby did eventually let go, prompting another round of childish giggles as she took off down the hallway. Ken rubbed at the back of his head and chuckled, standing up. When he looked back and saw the affectionate gaze of his wife staring back at him, he offered a crooked grin and a shy shrug.

"What can I say? She's tough!"

His wife lowered her hand from her mouth and sighed contentedly, happy to see her little family with such joy. It truly did fill her heart with elation and fulfilment each time she watched them interact.

"Better you than me", she dryly pointed out, gesturing to her own updo with her hair.

Ken was a natural dad... Fun, loving, playful, dedicated, handy, competent... He knew exactly what to do in any given moment. Granted, there were times where he needed a bit of reassurance that he was doing a good job, but Barbie also required that, too. Ken helped her out in that department, making her fully aware and confident that she was the best mom on the planet.