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Happy 3rd Birthday Gwendolyn

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 smile, 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! smile

Love,

Daddy

First Birthday letter from Daddy, Second Birthday letter from Daddy