I’m not going to mince words here: the last day of my 34th year on Earth (yes, Saturday is my birthday) was one of the worst. Thankfully, my baby girl was waiting for me when I got back to the ranch tonight.

Her “welcome home” smile made me grin. Her fountain of drool turned the grin to a smile. And when she busted into one of the longest giggling fits in recent memory, an afternoon of bummers disappeared into laughter of my own.

It’s truly amazing how these little things can turn a day around.

For most us grown-ups, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by a crappy day or the prospect of another year. Thankfully, my new life as a parent forces me to put most of these feelings into perspective. I’m far too much of a skeptic to say everything suddenly has become lollipops and teddy bears. What I am saying is that after a day to forget, there’s nothing like a little one to make you realize what’s most important.