hello, little ones.

eliza, you turned three this week. three years of being your father, your dad, and you my lovely, strong, hurricane-force daughter with the golden giggles and angelic voice. we celebrated in fine style for days on end, starting with your favorite foods to your favorite things, and your favorite people.

these days you’re really into dinosaurs and sharks. not just baby shark, but sharks. and i couldnt be more smitten. your love of science, biology, nature, and the world around you in general is so refreshing and intriguing. youre so curious and daring in many ways, and such a shy little girl in others.

for the first time in your life, we went to the zoo. with the ongoing pandemic it’s been far too risky but we wagered it wouldnt be too crowded and given your love of animals large and small, it was worth the risk. you got the opportunity to meet some of your all time favorite animals – elephants, giraffes, rhinos, lions, tigers (zebra cats?), gorillas, monkeys, fish, sharks, and butterflies.

watching you experience so many new things in one day gave me such a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stale world of monotony; the routines weve fallen into, the precautions we’ve become accustomed to observing, all to keep you safe; but inadvertently keeps you secluded. seeing you be a kid and openly do what you wanted with a little direction and caution reminded me of exactly what parenthood and childhood were meant to be – exploration and experience.

your eyes glowed when we saw the first elephant, your words coming out like fireworks primed and wishing for their chance to fly. the lions and their resemblance to Simba left you awestruck with excitement, but the sharks- those evolutionary killing machines that elicit fear from all who encounter them, you absolutely adored. at times quietly singing Baby Shark to yourself, others reciting lines from the Little Mermaid, you soaked it all in and watched it cut through the water above you. your amazement at being so close to this creature was immediately apparent, with just a hint of daring; daring the creature to come after you the same way it came after Flounder and Ariel.

after, you and your brother took a well earned nap before the next stage of celebrations – cake and pizza from the pizza oven outside. the cake, adorned with fondant stars and a large crescent moon hit its mark dead on, bringing forth a chorus of your favorite song ‘ twinkle twinkle little star’ and wild amazement at the edible art being presented to you. I never could imagine so much love and excitement being contained within one little body, but eliza you truly redefined expectations.

right along side you every step of the way was the robin to your batman, the thunder to your lightning, the buzz to your woody, Ben. every moment of these days was reflected in his eyes and every sentiment shared and reiterated. the love you two share in pretty much everything is inspiring. every moment we celebrate you, eliza, ben is right there celebrating with you and wanting ever more to see you happy.

we’ve loved celebrating your special day, eliza, and having the opportunity to give you some reprieve from all these restrictions even as short as it might have been. this next year has so much promise and so many changes on the horizon for you – with my entire heart hoping and wishing you never lose that same wonderment for exploration and curiosity for the world around you. i hope and wish you never feel the weight of this world, any danger around you, and always always always show no fear in the presence of sharks.