Dear Dad,

We’ve come a long way.

Last year on your birthday, I looked like A BABY (can you imagine?)!

Thank goodness all that is behind us. In case your memory is starting to go, here’s a reminder: Last year around this time I…

• had only been eating food for 3 months (and mom was still pumping – remember that?!)
• had 3.5 teeth – I think I have 17 now, but honestly, I lost count…
• hadn’t even taken ONE step (lazy, right?! what was I waiting for?)
• had only been to the ER once – oh, and Disneyland once (I have a preference, for the record, and there’s no ‘ER’ in it)

On the bright side, I could roll over, sit up AND play with an iPad already. Gimme a break – I was only 9 months old! And now that I’m super smart and all grown up, I’ve come to realize what a great dad you are, and I’d like to say THANKS! So here goes:

• Thank you for preparing yummy food for me AND changing my many many many poopy diapers (I hear these get better)
• Thank you for giving me the BIG chunks of food that mom won’t let me have – how else can I try out all these teeth?!
• Thank you for putting those way-too-small tie-dye leggings on me every time you get to dress me – I’m sure they’re quite fashionable
• Thank you for the hours of Grateful Dead music in the kitchen when we hang out and cook stuff (remember this when I get to college)
• Thank you for using that NoseFrida “snot sucker” thing on me when I was little – that was brave…
• Thank you for reading Dr. Seuss to me – even though you can barely rhyme things and skip over stuff, I like it
• Thank you for teaching me the wrong words to all those songs – keeps people on their toes
• Thank you for mispronouncing all that Spanish to enhance the challenge of learning a new language – I’m sure that will pay off

And most of all, Thank You for being the best dad in the whole world! I am one lucky little girl, and even though you may be the oldest dad on the playground (especially after today), may I always appreciate you for the incredible dad that you are and light up when you walk in a room, just like I do today.

Hugs and besos,

Zoe