Dear Angela,
First… HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Three years ago today we welcomed
you into the world with wide eyes and many tears… Most of the tears were from
your Mom and me and were completely filled with joy. Yours were probably filled with “HOLY ****
WHAT THE **** JUST HAPPENED?!?!” Shortly
thereafter all the tears had dried, the doctors/nurses left the room, and we
all stared at each other soaking in the new family structure. Someday when you have children you will
understand the simultaneous feelings of joy and terror. You were a beautiful little girl and every
time you looked at me my heart would melt.
Your mother and I are so blessed to have you.
Your birthday is today, but we had a small celebration on
Saturday. After your first dance recital
(you were adorable in your costume!), you had three solid hours of hugs and
kisses from family and friends, coupled with non-stop play time with Samantha
and Cole. When they finally left you
almost collapsed from exhaustion. It isn’t
often you ask to go to bed… this was one of those days.
Watching you grow this past year has been amazing. Besides your growth, the changes in your
personality are the most remarkable. I
keep forgetting how smart you are… Quite often you figure something out that
surprises me. As you learn my patterns
for doing things, you figure out the best way to beat me to the punch. One of my favorite examples of this happened
about 6 months ago.
Every day when I would pick you up from school, you would
have saved your candy from lunch time.
It would still be in your lunch box.
When you were in the truck, you would demand to hold your lunch box
(because you knew about the candy). You
would eat your candy and then not want to eat dinner. Monika “encouraged” me to not let this
happen. The next time I picked you up
from school, I took the candy out of your lunchbox. On the drive home, you realized what had happened
and yelled “DADDY! THAT’S NOT NICE!” I was proud of you for figuring it out, so I
handed you your candy; much to the
chagrin of your mother. I could handle
the heat from Mom (this time). The next
day, when I came to pick you up… as soon as you saw me, you grabbed your lunch
box so I wouldn't have an opportunity to “steal” your candy. It was funny watching you work out how to put
your jacket on while always keeping a hand on the lunch box. You were too smart for me and the expression
on your face said “I have my eye on you Dad”.
There are too many new things you have done this year for me
to list here. I won’t even try to write
them all down. Instead I will hit a few
of the highlights:
·
The first time you said “I love you daddy”. One of the top three moments of my life. (You say “I love you mommy” as well… )
·
The first time you said “Daddy, you’re so silly”.
·
(Ok… there are a lot of “first time you said…”
things… I will stop.)
·
You have completed your first year of
school. The drop-offs the first month
were rough, but now you love it. Every
time we drive into the parking lot you yell “YAY SCHOOL!”. I hope you feel the same way after homework
starts.
·
You know your ABCs.
·
You love to sing. Unfortunately you seem to have inherited your
singing ability from me and not your mother.
·
You and Buffy (the boxer) are still best
friends. You even know how to tell her
to go to her bed when she is bad.
·
You started swim lessons. Again… after the first
couple, you learned to love it.
·
You started dance class. You love to dance anytime you hear
music.
·
After watching Mom do it a few times, you
figured out how to unlock the iPad, navigate to the app with your cartoons, and
start the cartoons playing.
·
Sometimes you need a hug and you aren’t shy
about asking for one. I hope you are
always like that!
·
You don’t eat a lot… unless it is candy… or
pizza.
·
I would like to take a moment to say I am sorry
about your hair. On the mornings I take
you to school it is generally a disaster.
I lack the skills to do anything more than a sloppy pony tail. Fortunately, the teachers always take pity
and fix your hair the moment I am out the door.
·
I see you love shoes. I think you get that from me. Although your mother’s collection is
constantly growing.
Watching
you grow up is a privilege I will never grow tired of. You are an intelligent, precocious, beautiful
little girl. Please just don’t grow up
too fast. I don’t think I can handle
that.
Love,
Dad
Comments
Also, you're not alone in the hair department.