Celebrating Three

(Daddy blogs)

Dear Ale,

You did it. Even though I explicitly told you not to.

You turn three years old today. THREE!

This is also known as 1,095 days, or 26,280 hours, or 1,576,800 minutes. And I remember every one of them. Uhm okay, so I don't really remember all of them, just mostly the good ones. Which to be honest, comprise most of those days, hours and minutes.

Memory is a funny thing. I so vividly remember that day three years ago when I first met you and just looking back on all those sweet moments with you since then inadvertently brings a smile to my face. But then again, all those minutes also seems to have gone by so quickly. Far far too quickly..

It seemed like just fifteen minutes ago you were my bright-eyed one year old. You loved Pocoyo and Barney, sucking on your tiny fingers and playing with your two older brothers.

And now, fifteen minutes later, you are three. You still love playing with your two brothers, but Pocoyo is "for babies" and you have traded in your teething toy for my iPad. And I find myself looking at you often and thinking to myself - oh my word. It is happening. You are growing up.

Even though I am a bit reluctant to see you grow further away from being a little toddler girl, I am excited to continue to see you grow into the incredible person you are becoming. That's the great thing about parenting isn't it? You are still the sweetest little person imaginable. You love singing and it clearly shows when you take every chance you have to work those vocal chords. But no, wailing at the top of your lungs doesn't count.

I could go on and on about you Ale but I'll save the rest for when you turn four. Which I know will sneak up on me altogether too quickly just like age three did.  But I'm so incredibly grateful. Grateful for your smile and your laughter and your love. Grateful that such an amazing little person is my daughter. Grateful for all the years (and counting) I get to spend with you - my sunshine.

Happy 3rd Birthday Ale! I love you to bits!


Always a die-hard fan of yours,

Daddy