1
Holding Baby Alex
Alex Drummond
Before there were wedding toasts, college drop-offs, and children taller than their parents, there was Ladd holding newborn Alex in 1997. Ree has said he was especially new to the world of baby girls, but Alex helped him fall head over boots for fatherhood.
2
When Todd Needed His Dad
Ree Drummond
When Todd was little, a morning of working cattle ended with a burned hand, a trip to the ER, and a bandage that was nearly as big as his arm. It wasn’t funny in the moment, of course; ranch life can go from ordinary to scary in about half a second. But once Todd was home, Ladd was right there beside him, giving him the comfort only a dad can give.
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3
Dancing with Alex at Her Wedding
Ashley Alexander
Ladd’s dance with Alex at her wedding was already going to be emotional, and then they went ahead and danced to “Cowgirls Don’t Cry.” That was pretty much all it took! Between the song, the ranch-girl history, and the fact that Ladd had recovered enough from his accident to be there, it was a lot for everyone’s tear ducts.
4
Cheering on Bryce
Ree Drummond / Instagram
Ladd logged a lot of miles cheering on Bryce during his college football years, from North Texas to Oklahoma State. At one OSU game, he and Ree were in full orange for a double-overtime nail-biter that lasted nearly five hours, which is a lot of football even for people who love football. But that’s what dads do: they show up, wear the team colors, and survive the blood pressure spikes.
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5
Dropping Todd Off at College
Ree Drummond
When Ree and Ladd dropped Todd off at college, it marked the end of having kids at home full-time. There was dorm shopping, goodbye hugging, and the general emotional condition of realizing your youngest child is suddenly not so little. Ladd was right there for the whole thing, including the part where everyone had to actually leave.
6
Ladd’s Second Father-Daughter Dance
Caroline Lima Photography
Paige’s wedding was full of flowers, twinkle lights, and plenty of personal touches. But her dance with Ladd to “That Girl Is a Cowboy” deserves its own little spot in the family scrapbook. It was one of those father-daughter moments that felt especially fitting for the two of them—a cowboy dad dancing with his cowgirl daughter to a song that could have been written with them in mind.
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7
Playing with Sofia
Ree Drummond
Ladd’s grandpa era is already off to a very strong start. In one recent photo, Sofia was crawling all over him in her pink pajamas while he sat on the floor and let her use him as a jungle gym. For a guy who spends his days dealing with cowboys, he seems perfectly content to be bossed around by one tiny girl!
8
Taking Care of Bessie Lou
Ree Drummond / Instagram
Ladd is a dad to five kids, a Pa-Pa to Sofia, and apparently, a part-time father figure to baby calves in need. When he found Bessie Lou weak and freezing during a winter storm, he brought her into the feed truck to warm up, then helped nurse her through those first rough days. He even built a special pen for her outside the house so he could keep a close eye on her.
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9
Wearing the Christmas Pajamas
Ree Drummond
Ladd may not seem like the type to plan a coordinated Christmas pajama moment, but he does seem like the type to go along with it for the people he loves. Ree has gotten him into matching family pajamas for years—and now Sofia is part of the tradition, too. At a certain point, once your sweatshirt says “Pa-Pa,” resistance is probably futile.
10
Being a Dog Dad
Ree Drummond
The ranch dogs have Ladd wrapped around their muddy little paws, but he doesn’t seem to mind much! He’ll give them rides in the truck, wrestle with them on the ground, and let the bassets climb all over him like this is a perfectly normal workplace arrangement.
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