Missing the gene?

We (or I should say, they, the students, but I like to keep everything equal...) answer journal questions every day in my class. On Tuesday, the journal question was, "What is your favorite word/phrase and why?"
Well, the responses were many and expected. Money, because I want some. Spinners, because they're tight. Peace, because it should be all over the world. And the ever-expected, "Are you sure we can only pick school-appropriate words?" Yes, my dear, I am. I shall not deal with 34 students answering this question with myriad swear words and javing to treat them all as if their answers are worthwhile and they're not just being jackasses. Ahh, eighth graders. I love them...I really do.
HOWEVER, after all of these expected responses came three girls in my 5th hour who absolutely blew me away. By how strange their answers seemed to me. Oh, never fear, dear reader, I kept my composure and nodded while smiling and said, "That's a well thought out answer, KeAndra. How interesting. How unique!" Three girls all responded thusly: "My favorite word is daddy."
Now, without knowing any more information, isn't that a little odd? I didn't know quite how to respond. So I let them continue.
"My favorite word is daddy because I love my daddy and he gives me everything in the world that I want and he loves my momma and he's so sweet and I want to meet a boy just like him someday."
Wow.
Well, at least it's not the worst case scenario. I felt a little sheepish at what I had thought they meant. But that's what spending too much time with the fantastical eighth grader will do to you. It corrupts the brain and steals the soul...not really -- actually, quite the opposite.
But here's the real question: is it normal to be a daddy's girl? I feel like if it is I am completely missing this gene. I used to have an okay relationship with my dad, and then it started to turn sour like aged Hellmann's Mayonnaise when I was in 8th grade or thereabouts. There's no question that it's nice to like your father, but do you have to be like a second wife to him? Cause if that's the case, I would point out that Utah's right here. It just strikes me as so gross. Yuck! "I want to meet a boy just like him someday." Sounds a little too Freudian to me. Good morning Electra.
Perhaps I am just too cynical about fathers because of my own misfortune in that category. I am completely willing to bow to that point. But come on. Gross. I mean, I've had great father figures in my life, who really filled any problems holes created by the actual father. But I can't say that my step-dad ever gave me "everything in the world I ever wanted," and that seems to me to be a good thing. Because, as a lovely lady, if your father gives you everything you want in life, then you expect it. Watch out, future husband. And watch out, any individualism you ever had. If someone else gets everything for you, what are you ever going to get for yourself?
I hope if I have a daughter, she's genetically deficient in this area too. Gross.