Dear Daddy

Daddy,

Do you see the way I look at you?

Do you know I breathe in your attention like air?

Every day, I try to make you proud in my own little ways.

By being nicer.
Learning quicker.
Jumping higher.
Laughing bigger.
Running faster.
Playing harder.
Roaring louder.
Getting stronger.
Growing taller.

I’m proud of you, too, Daddy. I just don’t know how to say it yet. But you absolutely amaze me.

When you leave in the mornings, I know you’re going off somewhere to work hard for me.

When you’re home, I see you doing sweet things for Mama.

I pay attention to how kind you are to other people.

I soak up all your words.

You’re my favorite person to play with.

You’re the best fort builder I know!

You make me laugh all day long.

You always share your ice cream. Even when I sneak out to the living room when I’m supposed to be in bed.

You teach me all the things you know. I think you must know everything.

You’re my hero, Daddy.

But it’s so much fun that it all goes by too fast. Every day, I wake up so thankful for more time with you. I hope it will stay this way for always. As long as there is always a new morning for me to be little and for you to be my everything, it will all be okay.

So will it be this way for always, Daddy?

Will you always carry me around on your shoulders?

Will we always get to battle dinosaurs and make frog houses?

Will we always face the world together?

Will I stop growing taller, Daddy?

I will. I promise. I’ll always stay your little one.

I promise, I’ll never grow big enough to want to spend my time with anybody else.

I promise, you’ll always be my everything.

Right, Daddy?

I guess I don’t know enough about all that.

But I do know you’ll always be my hero.

I’ll always want to make you proud.

And we’ll always be together, you and me.

Always, Daddy.