Ladd Drummond probably won’t be the one suggesting everyone sit down and scroll through old family photos this Father’s Day. He has cattle to check, dogs to load into the truck, a grill that may or may not need his attention, and a general cowboy aversion to too much fuss. But Ree Drummond has never been afraid of a little fuss, especially when it involves her husband and the kids and a photo from 1997 that can knock the wind right out of a person.
The photo in question is of Ladd holding baby Alex, back when he and Ree were still new to the whole parenting business. Ladd didn’t grow up with sisters, so the baby-girl years were uncharted waters, but he found his footing quickly. “Alex made it easy for him to fall in love with fatherhood, and Paige after that,” Ree says. “When the boys came along, they were just the icing on the cake.”
Since then, the Drummond family memories have piled up in all the best ways: wedding dances, football games, college drop-offs, ranch mishaps, dogs riding shotgun, and now baby Sofia stealing her Pa-Pa’s heart. So in honor of all of it—and in honor of Ladd—here are some favorite Drummond family memories to look back on this Father’s Day.
Alex Drummond1
Holding Baby Alex
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.
Ree Drummond2
When Todd Needed His Dad
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.
Ashley Alexander3
Dancing with Alex at Her Wedding
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.
Ree Drummond / Instagram4
Cheering on Bryce
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.
Ree Drummond5
Dropping Todd Off at College
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.
