Getting Married with a 5 year old as a step daughter

by Joseph
(Louisiana)

My problem is small in comparison to the others posted, but I fear that it'll become a much larger one if I don't address it now.

I'm getting married to the love of my life who inspires me on a daily basis with her parenting abilities and general outlook on life.

She has an amazing 5 year old, who has never known her biological father. She is much better off because of it, and it allows me to step into the father role much easier. I'm all she has ever known as a father, and she even calls me "dada" at times.

My problem lies in myself. I find myself thinking about how she isn't my child, and I treat her with the utmost care, and love. I do everything in my power to help her in any situation, and I hurt when she hurts.

I just for some reason cannot get past the fact that she isn't my child biologically, and I don't want to feel that way. I don't want to feel that way, because she will more than likely never look to me as someone who isn't her parent, because of me being all that she knows.

I really love the girl and want to be her "dada", but in order to move to that state of mind, I could use some constructive criticism/advice.