A Letter To My Daughter On Her 2nd Birthday
Hi Honey, it’s Daddy. I imagine by the time you are able to read this, you’ll be wondering why, to this point, most of the posts have featured stories about your brother.
I don’t have a clever answer for that other than to say that he is able to talk and joke a lot more than you can and that he is able to do a lot more activities than you are able to at your age.
It definitely has nothing to do with loving one of you more than the other because you are equally loved.
On this, your 2nd birthday, I wanted you to have this letter I wrote for you. I know you won’t be able to read it now but maybe someday you’ll look at it and understand how loved you really are.
Did you know that you were the first girl in our family tree in quite some time. Over 70 years if I’m not mistaken.
From the minute you were born, I was proud to be your Daddy.
I was then and still am petrified at times. I have no idea how to raise a girl and I certainly don’t want to mess it up!
You’re growing up so fast, I feel like I’m missing the whole thing, even though I’m right here the whole time.
Just yesterday, you were learning to stand up in your crib; now you jump from your big girl bed and into my arms.
I’m sorry that I sometimes still cut your food up way too small because I forget that you are not a baby anymore.
I sneak into your room at night sometimes too, while everyone is asleep, just to get a peak at you while you are peacefully at rest. These are some of my favorite moments.
When you run to the door screaming “Daddy, Daddy” when I get home from work, my heart literally melts. I don’t know how much longer you are going to do that for so I am going to savor every minute of it until you stop.
I love that you are charismatic and outgoing, just like your Dad. It took me 20 years to break out of my shell and I’m so glad that you seem to have already smashed through yours.
If you want to wear a Tinkerbell costume to the mall, I’m cool with that.
I even love the fact that you are a bit of a Diva. Not so much when you are yelling at me, but when you copy your Mommy’s disciplinary lines, I can’t help but giggle, even though it gets me in trouble.
I’m so proud of everything you’ve achieved up to this point. You are such a smart girl and I’m not just saying that because I’m your Dad. Okay, maybe I am but that’s just how I feel about that.
I don’t even care that you still want a soother sometimes, even though the doctor disagrees. What does she know, right?
I fear for the day you bring a boy home for the first time. I’m probably going to be skeptical of him. I’m sorry.
However, I promise to always be there for you though when or if one of those boys breaks your heart. That’s what Daddies do.
I also promise that I am going to go out of my way, at times, to embarrass you. Sometimes I’ll be doing it by accident. That’s what you get when your Dad is a goofball. I realize you don’t get to have a say in your Dad’s personality. Sometimes life isn’t fair (Write that one down).
I honestly believe that you can do anything you want to do in your life. I promise to do all I can to help you become everything you aspire to be.
You can’t be the President of the United States, it’s literally not legal. I’m not sorry about this because being Canadian is pretty awesome too. We’re pretty good at hockey you know.
I don’t want you to do drugs or smoke or drink because those things are bad for you. But I tried them once so I’ll be reasonable about it because I don’t want to be a hypocrite. Consider this your first warning young lady. Sometimes life isn’t fair. Remember when I told you to write that down?
I could write to you all day but I think I’ve made my point.
You bring a new aspect to my life that I never dreamed could be so amazing.
You make me smile when I’m in the worst of moods.
Just the thought of you growing up and moving on brings a tear to my eye (like right now). That’s right, Daddies cry. It’s something you should know about now because it may fall into the embarrassing category when you graduate from high school.
On this, your 2nd Birthday, I want you to know that your Daddy Loves You with all his heart and nothing will ever, EVER happen to change that.
Happy Birthday Sweetheart!!!
What a wonderful tribute to your daughter. I love looking back at the letters my hubby has written to our girls (ages 3 & 6).
She’s laugh and love this one day (one day, all TOO soon!)
I hope your right Jody! Hell, I just hope she wants to hang out with me in 5 years from now 🙂
What a beautiful note to your little girl 🙂 It is from the heart and although she cannot read it now. Somewhere down the line she will see how much she truly is loved.
Thanks Denise, I appreciate the kind words!
Ok…all together now…AWWWWWW! You are so awesome for doing this. I always planned to write letters to my little guy on his birthday but..yeah..that never really happened & now he’s almost 5. It goes so stinking fast.
Thanks Merry, for some reason I think it means more to a girl than it would for a boy. I’m sure you’re doing just fine without the letters 😉
happy birthday Julia!
Take it from me… a daughter…. this letter will mean more than you will ever know one day. Believe me if you continue to be the Dad you have been being to her she will turn out wonderfully. Remember the song… Father’s be good to your daughters…. that line is so true….you are the first man she will ever love in her life … that’s life shaping 🙂
Thanks honey! It helps that she has an extra caring momma to keep me in line 🙂 xoxoxo
You made me cry again Chris. Julia will love to read this letter when she is older, although she knows now how much you love her. Tuck this away and share will all on her wedding day.
Beautifully written.
Thanks Kathy, that’s not a half bad idea!
I love this line – “You’re growing up so fast, I feel like I’m missing the whole thing, even though I’m right here the whole time.”
I feel the same way, I am a stay at home mom, I am here ALL the time. but I feel like I am missing all of it, I already feel like I can’t remember all the good stuff I want to remember.
What a sweetheart! Happy Birthday, doll!
My 2-year-old girl runs to me too. It’s awesome. And I’m just as confused as you about girls in general. The other day she saw a picture of Mickey and Minnie, and she shouted, “Minnie!!!” I mean, that’s crazy, right?
Seriously man, I got all this wicked Lightning McQueen stuff and now I have to figure out Dora and Tinkerbell….Crazy stuff!!
Happy Birthday!!! Hope your family has a wonderful day celebrating together
I blog a lot about my son, because he’s 3 and can talk and say stuff. My daughter is 18 months old and can hold her own and I don’t mention her so much. When she’s 2 I hope to do the same as you’ve done, write her a special post. But, in a million years of learning how to write I couldn’t write anything like you have.
Happy Birthday. I wish you all a wonderful day.
You’re being far too kind, Thank You though! I am no writer, I only put down the things that were in my mind at the time. I think once you sit down to write it, you’ll find just how easy it is to express.
This has got to be one of THE sweetest posts I have ever read. It’s refreshing to see such an active, involved and great papa. I love reading your perspective. Happy Birthday to your baby!
Thanks Nancy, that means a lot! I do love the little Tinkerbell!!
Such a touching tribute to your daughter on her birthday. I hope your little girl has a fabulous 2nd birthday!
Chris…that was incredible. So many similarities to my daughter, Barbara, that it brought a tear to my eye. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve written a couple letters to my daughter and one to Cerebral Palsy, I think it might be one of my favourite ways to write. 🙂 Happy birthday to your sweet girl!
So beautiful! Love it. I have tears in my eyes. Your daughter will love it. Happy birthday sweet girl!
That is wonderful – I wrote some letters for all of my children some time back and put them in the safety deposit box 🙂 But blogging your letter is a wonderful, thoughtful gift 🙂
What beautiful words for your daughter! One day when she’s all grown up, she’ll read this and cry her eyes out! My Dad died when I was 25 and I would give anything to have words like this, written by him, to read when I’m missing him.
What a great note. So heartfelt. I keep a notebook about each one of my kids and I update it with notes to them and memories and thoughts a about them. Someday I’ll give them their notebooks. Your kids and mine will have permanent records of how we felt about them and what was important to us!
yeah – that’s the kind of letter to tuck away and bring out when they are in their teens and wondering why you hate them. good stuff.
Hi Chris,
Great article. She is lucky to have such a great dad. I love the part about the first guy she brings home. Ha. Being a father of 2 girls myself with one on the way I am totally in the same boat. Great Idea to write letters to them to look back upon.
Great job,
Trevor
Aw. Sweet. FYI… I still cut up my kids’ food too. That one’s a hard habit to break. 🙂
Thanks 😀 We’re almost at the point where I don’t have to do it anymore. Almost.
Wonderful post. Wow – that brings back memories of when my daughter was two years old and it is hard to comprehend that 22 years have passed. Those precious moments don’t come around again. You are on the right path to treasure them!