Eric Stromer on Parenting Girls vs. Boys

My first two kids are boys, and I only have an older brother, so I had NO reference whatsoever to little girls when my daughter came along. And the thought of raising a girl kinda scared me. And, in truth, raising MY girl is a little like chasing dark storm clouds. There's just so much moodiness! She's a Gemini, and so is my wife, so it's like I have four women in the house. I never know who's in my house when I wake up in the morning!

And where I'm really clueless is the putting on of little clothes. I don't know where the bow is supposed to go. Is it the front or the back? Seriously, is there a Bow University I can go to? Boys don't have all these accessories and extra steps that girls do in getting dressed and put together. Willow has hair, of course, and I have to do the pigtails, which is even worse. They're never symmetrical. And the part? Forget it. I just grab clumps of hair and try to make them stick up. She ends up looking like a sprouting vegetable. Whenever my wife goes out of town, I have to dress my daughter and take her to school. And I see the teachers snicker, 'cause my little girl looks, well, a little jacked up.

But you know what? I love it all. I am so smitten by this little girl, it's not even funny.

And here's the thing: While I was so busy worrying about how I'd parent a daughter, I never really took the time to realize that it actually took me a while to fall in love with my sons. With the first one, I was just so awkward and clueless. And with the second boy, I sorta felt like I was just getting the hang of this daddy thing. Then my daughter came along and, despite all my concerns about raising a girl, she got right into my heart from the minute she was born. And it was just pure unbridled love from then on.

So, sure, it was easier learning how to dress my sons, but as it turned out, it was actually easier to learn to love my daughter.

Besides being a dad, Eric Stromer is best known as the host of Over Your Head on HGTV, and the AOL host of "Do It Yourself with Eric Stromer."

What else is on Eric's mind?

Being the oldest child

Getting some peace and quiet

Decorating kid's rooms

DIY construction

Eric's Cowboy Crepes recipe