My dearest Gwendolyn,
You are my darling buttercup
my little miss sparkle
my sunshine
my breath
my light
You are goodness and grace
courage and resilience
laughter and love
You are all that is right in the world
and all that is rare
the glittering sun rising
a special rainbow glimpse
the dew drop on a deserted landscape
You are my baby
my first born child
my big girl growing more every day
You are my special butterfly girl
Happy, happy 3rd birthday my darling sweetheart
I love you as high as the sky, as deep as the sea, to the moon and back…and even still farther!
Love,
Mommy
First Birthday letter from Mommy, Second Birthday letter from Mommy
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Dearest Gwendolyn,
This past year has been incredible…and I've cherished and savored every single second of continuing to learn the truly important lessons of life from you.
Over the past year, I've watched my baby girl mature and sprout into a beautiful little girl. And I mean sprout!
I've watched our picture books turn to storybooks.
I've watched you loving to learn your colors and numbers and start to learn your ABCs.
I've watched Elmo give way to princesses. Tons and tons and buckets full of princesses!
I've watched short videos turn to full-length big girl movies. Princess movies!
I've watched you conquer power chairs, sledding hills, iPads, swings, swimming pools, twisty slides, bounce houses, pony rides, standers, carousels, sailboats…
I've watched you go from needing me to pat your cute little bottom to go to sleep every night to requesting I leave the room so you can put yourself down. [gulp.]
I've watched you teach me how we can communicate volumes without ever saying a single word and I love every conversation we have together. I also love watching the ones you have with others.
I've watched you get excited about pre-school and I can't wait to see the joy you get from that experience.
I've watched you smile and giggle and cry and be shy and be firm and be stubborn and be happy and be sad and be challenging and be an angel…and, while a few of those I could live with a little less of
, I'm so glad that I get to be part of all of those things.
I've watched you continue to teach me what you want most out of your life, experiences and adventures and interactions, and I've pushed myself to provide you as many of those as humanly possible. I promise my push will never end.
I've watched you continue to fight valiantly every single day and demand that we focus on what we can control, not what we can't.
I'm so proud of the little girl you are, I cherish our unbelievably special bond, I admire your fighting spirit and unending zest for living life, I savor every second we have together, and I am so, so, so, so, so proud to be your daddy.
Happy birthday my little princess! Let's go light up Disneyland!
Love,
Daddy
First Birthday letter from Daddy, Second Birthday letter from Daddy