What do you tell your child???

One thing I have asked myself countless times is what am I going to tell my daughter when she gets older and starts asking why she doesn't have a father. Really though what do you tell you kid. I can't be like well your father abandoned us and didn't want to have anything to do with you. Ya no I can't tell my kid that. I also don't want to lie to her even though it would be easier to just say he's dead. There are no pictures of them together he's only ever seen her 6 times which accumulates to about 8 hrs in almost 2 years. He honestly knows nothing about her and has no idea how amazing and smart she is. I hate him so much not for what he did to me but what he has done to my little girl. The greatest thing I have in my life. She is honestly the greatest gift he ever gave me and I thank him for that. as much as I love that he isn't apart of our lives it's really hard knowing that he's out there spending time with his other kid he had while cheating on me and could care less about our child the one he actually planned and then turned his back on. I guess as time goes on I will figure it out. right now she calls me mommy and daddy. In this day in age I guess it's normal not to have 2 parents or to have a broken home. I honestly never imagined this life for my child I always thought my child would grow up like I did with my parents happily married for years with full blood siblings and not a bunch of half siblings some of which she will never know. Hopefully I have and will be able to give her enough love to make up for everything.