Dear Sophie on your fifth birthday….

Posted by Joe Cianciotto

Dear Sophie,

So as I write this, today is your official fifth birthday. I say official because yesterday we had your actual family party and later in the week you are taking your nursery school crew to Build-A-Bear in the mall for a kid’s party there as well (yes back in 2019 people were duped into paying like five times more than they should for a stuffed animal just because you got to jam the stuffing in it yourself).

I just went back and read Hannah’s birthday note from a few months back to make sure that I wasn’t being redundant. One thing I did touch on in my letter to her was that for the last six months I have gone from working on the road to working from home every day. I mentioned that being home with you and mommy and her has been some of the happiest days of my life. What is extra special though is I have gotten the opportunity to get up with you in the morning, make your breakfast, get you dressed and take you to nursery school. And even though we have a babysitter who picks you up and watches you all afternoon, because I’m usually home, we get to spend a lot of the day together. Being away for the last couple of years and working ridiculous hours before that, I don’t feel like I ever got a moment to really have you to myself.

In this time I have learned so much about you as a person. You never miss a trick, you have a dry and ironic sense of humor yet you remain the sweetest soul…although you can be bought. As long as I promise to get you Chuckles, you’ll get dressed by yourself, ignore the fact that I take daytime naps on the couch (these are after the morning naps) and not tell your mother that I forgot to make you wear your glasses. In our time together, some of our rituals include hanging out at Stop & Shop, playing hide and seek at Hannah’a bus stop and making fun of Fozzy Bear for all of his stupid and needy jokes on Muppet Babies.

Your sister remains your best friend in the world and your true partner in crime in and out of the house. You have always been number one to each other but this past year I have only watched that bond grow stronger. Even though you and her have your own rooms you sleep in the same bed together every night, share the same encyclopedic knowledge of Kidz Bop and every day you insist on being there when we pick Hannah up at the bus stop. In the past week alone you brought all of your dolls in the bathroom while Hannah pooped just so she could still get to play and after your party you asked Mommy if you could buy a gift for Hannah as well with your birthday money. The alliance has given you both the slight upper hand on your mother, which by default makes your slightly anarchist daddy a little proud if I’m being honest.

I think the greatest thing about this past year has been watching you grow from our little baby to this proud and incredibly inquisitive and independent person all her own. And while your adorable child-like features have given way to those of a beautiful young girl with big brown eyes and a smile that can light up a room, the person you are on the inside is just as beautiful. I can’t wait to see all the amazing things you do this year and I just thank God every day that we get to live our lives with you.

Here’s to first grade, bikes without training wheels and another year of mayhem with your sister. Hannah, Mommy and I love you more than anything in this world….oh and happy birthday!!!

Love,
Dad

Ah and it wouldn’t be a Daddy post without an embarrassing video…

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