HARMONY — Father's Day will bring a different kind of fun for a first-time father who will enjoy this holiday with a new meaning.

For Ron Walke of Harmony, the recent addition makes Father's Day special.

Ron, 36, celebrated the birth of his daughter, Emma Riley, on April 10 with his wife of five years, Marci.

While nerves set in for the birth, Ron didn't recognize at the time that he would get to celebrate his first Father's Day with his newborn.

“I was nervous, that's for sure,” Ron said. “I was just thinking what didn't I get ready around the house and what still needed to be done. I just wanted to make sure she was safe, comfortable and happy.”

Although raising a daughter who may have different interests and activities than a son would, Ron didn't care about the gender of his child, as long as he or she was happy and healthy.

With the birth coming within weeks of Father's Day, the new dad said he will enjoy this day more than future ones because it is going to be his first.

“We celebrate him every day,” Marci said. “Well, it actually means something now.”

Although Ron does not remember how he celebrated his father on past Father's Days, he recalls how the two spent time together away from his small family.

“We would spend time in the shop,” Ron said. “We would make something. I couldn't tell you what — a wooden toy, something like that — just to spend time together.”

During that time, his father's strength, perseverance and hard work set a good example for Ron to follow. While his parents set a good foundation for him, Marci believes attending church was a big part of learning good morals in Ron's life.

Ron plans to follow his parents' example by introducing Emma to his hobby of golf.

“I would like her to enjoy golf,” Ron said. “I think that's something we could do together.”

Father-daughter time remains an important experience for the two. The time commitment in the future may become more demanding as she involves herself in different activities, Ron said.

Two-month-old Emma has already grown close to her father.

“I know that when she is older, she will be daddy's girl,” Marci said. “As soon as he walks in the door and she hears his voice, her head turns. Because daddy's home, we have to pay attention to daddy.”

Ron, a dispatcher for the ESM Group that makes specialty metal powders and injection equipment, said his career will not interrupt the time he plans to spend with Emma. The company is flexible with his schedule, and he will make it work.

“I'll make time or do what I have to do to spend time with her,” Ron said.

When he returns home from work, he jumps into the housework that still needs to be done, including cleaning and cooking for Marci.

“I took over the cleaning and cooking because she couldn't do it,” Ron said.

Before the pregnancy, the housework was split between the two. After Emma was born, Ron continued to do the housework.

“He is the kind of father anyone would want because he would do anything,” Marci said. “He would lay down in front of a train for Emma. He would do whatever she wants.”

Ron has a few things he wants to pass on to Emma.

“I want to teach her just the basics: to be honest, to be hard working and to be a good person.”

Marci added she wants Ron to teach Emma how to build a deck and put wood floors in.

In the future, the Walkes hope for Emma to be a good person.

“If you are a good person, you're going to be successful in your life no matter what,” Marci said.

In celebration of Father's Day, the Walke family will travel to Buffalo, N.Y., for a family get-together with their newest addition to be introduced.