Dear Sophia,
You're a lucky girl. I say this because I knew your daddy before he became your daddy, and I thought I'd hit the jackpot then. Then you came into the picture and he's shown me time and time again what an amazing father he is to you and supportive partner he is to me.
In the evenings when he gets home from a long day's work, the first thing he does is look for his girls. Usually you're in the chair with me nursing and you'll stop when you hear his voice and give him your trademark smile. If we're downstairs already, he'll get down on the floor and play with you -- whether it's crawl races or a tickle fest -- and does it even before he's changed out of his work clothes.
He sings to you constantly since you were a newborn, sometimes making up melodies or words in moments of desperation when you stubbornly won't go to sleep. He likes to play you music from all different genres and often requests that I play piano so he can sit beside me with you in his lap for us to play duets.
On weekend mornings, he gives me a break by feeding you your bottle and breakfast so I can catch a few more minutes of shut-eye. Often times when I'm up to join you, I find you both giggling as if you have a shared secret.
He loves to take you outside, whether it's in our own yard or the auction and beyond, and he'll let you touch flowers and trees and explore the sights, smells, and textures. He'll tell you about the animals or the plants he's patiently nurtured, much in the same way he's nurturing you.
He has full conversations with you and will respond like he knows what you're saying -- and in a way he does. He's always done this, since you were still in my belly, and you've always reacted in turn to his voice and had much to chat about with your daddy. He'll read anything to you from books to magazines to whatever's on hand, and you're at full attention when you hear him talking.
Your daddy thinks of you often. I know this because he still wakes up in the middle of the night sometimes afraid you're in bed with us (even though you've never slept with us). He writes to you. He rearranges his schedule to take you to appointments and calls the doctor when he's worried. He dreams about you, and has dreamed about you for long before you were ours.
And what's extra special about your daddy is that he has a big heart. He's generous and thoughtful, collects memories and stories, and doesn't forget important dates. He walks you down to see your older sister and brother, and tells you about them, even though they were only with us for a short while. The thing is, baby, we've often said that if we hadn't had and lost them, we may not have had you -- and of course, we can't imagine life without you!
So you see why you're a lucky girl? Some day you'll realize how much, but until then I'll tell him for you.
Love,
Mommy
