As promised, here is my list of 10 moments that I am looking forward to with the upcoming birth of my daughter. There are so many moments that I can think of, so I have relegated this list to the early years of her childhood. I guess you can say I have a strong paternal instinct, which will only grow stronger throughout the years. And so without further rambling, here you go.

• Yes, I have reluctantly come to terms with the reality that my eardrums will soon be assaulted by the tender wailing of a newborn at 3:13 in the morning. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to being that calming (hopefully) presence that rocks, bounces, or sings her to sleep. The idea of her curled up and laying peacefully on my chest will be well worth the impending, relentless sobs that will emanate from her tiny lips.

• Now, you probably did not know that singing was included in my gentlemanly repertoire. Allow me to clarify, I can sing – just not all that great. But to the ears of a newborn, she won’t know the difference between Luther Vandross and an American Idol reject. So, she won’t mind. At least I don’t think she will mind. Nevertheless, with a cracking voice and all, I am fully prepared to belt out Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder.

• As long as I can remember, the distinct presence of music has always been around my family. Seriously, music was always playing in my household. My mother would have small house parties where friends would gather for dancing and fun. Even the children (myself and my brother) got to join in the festivities; the music was far cleaner back then, as popular dance music wasn’t raunchy and hip hop hadn’t been pimped into the vulgar monstrosity you are accustomed to today. That is all to state: I love good music. So, I cannot wait for the occasion to arrive when I can come home from work, scoop my daughter up in my arms, turn on some fine tunes – Stevie Wonder will work just fine again – and dance a little jig with her around the living room. Hey, I used to recreate Michael Jackson’s Thriller in my grandmother’s living room, so this gentleman can cut a rug.

• And speaking of dancing a little jig around the house, here is a little known fact about me: I have a silly side. If you follow me on Twitter or you are a Facebook friend, you would know that I am no stranger to posting something silly or crazy. Don’t allow the seriousness of some of my posts, or my affinity for neckties and pocket squares fool you. I am not as stuffy as my posts may appear. Not at all. However, sometimes a gentleman cannot be as silly as he may want to be, well, not without receiving some form of unwanted judgement. With my daughter, I can lower my guard a little and grant a certain level of self-deprecation to elicit her tiny giggles and smiles. I guess I better start practicing my goofy faces in the mirror.

• Leaping small (emphasis on small) coffee tables in a single bound, I will decimate any and all bugs that may put a fright into my Little Ms. Palmer. Insects…beware of my size 12 wingtip that will come barreling down upon your soon-to-be-ended existence. Yes, I get to play a superhero. And the same warning applies for the boogeyman, animals small or big, things that go bump in the night, thunder & lightening, and even some people. Please don’t make me go Wolverine berserker on you. You’ve been warned.

• I fully understand that for the first few years of my daughter’s life, food will be primarily provided by my wife. And shortly thereafter, her meals will consist of baby food. However, when it is time to sufficiently break her into adult food, I am ready to get my Rachael Ray on in the kitchen with a specialty in breakfast. Yes, my blueberry waffles are something serious. So, asking Little Ms. Palmer how many sausage links she wants or how much syrup her waffles will take is something I am definitely looking forward to. Oh, my omelette skills are pretty wicked too.

• With the arrival of my daughter, the moments that require instruction and education will surely be some of the most cherished. Imparting the wisdom and knowledge that I have acquired over the course of my lifetime to my little one is really going to be something special. Watching her little face as she soaks up all the information that all her little maturing brain can handle, and looking at her wide eyes as she learns something new every day – yes, that is going to be special.

• I am looking forward to those quiet moments with my daughter. Those moments where we both sit silently on the sofa, perhaps watching a cartoon and just enjoying each other’s company. Her nestled securely under my arm as we just sit. Or, those quiet moments when I am reading softly to her as she drifts off into sleep.

• Holiday celebrations in my family were always intimately connected with my late  grandmother; everything centered around massive family gatherings at her home. More than the food, more than the gifts exchanged – the entire holiday experience was about the love of family. Unfortunately, after my grandmother passed away in 2007, our family tradition slowly faded away. Holidays are still enjoyable, as I now gather at my mother’s house with my two brothers. Nevertheless, my holiday spirit has not been the same. With over two decades of family tradition hardwired into my psyche, the abrupt cessation of our customary gatherings has been very difficult in terms of personal adjustment. However, with the birth of my daughter on the horizon, I am feeling much better about holidays now. A bundle of joy will now fill a void of varying sadness that has been meandering around inside me for 7 years now. Now my holidays will be a little more special with my little one in my arms.

• Lastly, and this could be a little simplified, but I look forward to being a role model. No – a real role model. I won’t launch into a lengthy tirade against your favorite celebrity, but too many of them slyly prop their brand up to profit off starry-eyed children, all the while eschewing any standard value system we desire our children to learn from. But I digress – no worries here. I will be highest standard for my daughter by which all others will be measured against. And in terms of values and principles, that bar is going to be pretty damn high. Dignified. Love. Educated. Cultured. Polite. Hardworking. That is going to be her daddy – the one she looks up to.