Lily, my baby girl, my heart swells with so much pride and love for you. I am so very blessed to be your Mommy, and so filled with excitement as I think about the years to come. Happy, Happy Birthday, my love. I adore you.
{A post from Jeff for his little girl}
If I’ve learned anything as a parent to three small children, it’s that you love them all equally, but not the same. With Ben, it’s about his curiosity and his wisdom (seriously–as silly as it sounds–he is a wise, wise boy). With Evan, it’s about his spunk and charisma. If there is such a thing as an “It” factor for a toddler, Evan has it.
And then there is Lily. My darling, precious, perfect Lily.
As the first child and the only girl, Lily has an inherently prime place in our family. That would have been enough, if it were the only thing going for the girl. But lucky for me, it’s not.
Lily has a heart that is warm and full. She doesn’t just love, she LOVES. And I can’t think of anything that makes me feel as good as being loved by her.
Lily hugs like her life depends on it, and she smiles with a sincerity that belies her age.
Lily is deeply, naturally empathetic. Others’ pain hurts her–even though sometimes it’s one of her brothers in pain and she is the cause.
In her six short years, Lily has taught me so much, and she continues to shape who I am. I am thankful we didn’t wait a moment longer to start our family (accident, what accident??), otherwise I’d have lived too long without knowing what it feels like being Lily’s daddy. And that’s a feeling I can’t get enough of.
Happy Birthday, our beautiful baby girl. You are extraordinary.
xoxo
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{ 73 comments… read them below or add one }
Very nice post Jeff.
Happy Birthday Lily!
Seattledad (Luke, I am Your Father)´s last blog ..Naturally, He’s a Whiz Kid
Aw, that was so sweet! Happy Birthday to your girl!
C @ Kid Things´s last blog ..What it Means to Me
Jeff . Your posts always make me cry. Maybe next year we can plan ahead and actually be there for Lily’s birthday. We miss all of you lots even though we only left Sunday.. Lily is all you write about. Her hugs, her accepting and loving all she meets, her sincerity. She is a wonderful young girl showing a bit of who she will be in the years to come. Now if you can harness her ability to go without sleep and share it with all of us sleep deprived souls things will be great.
happy birthday Lily, we love you so much.
love,
Sandy [and of course Papa]
Little Girls ROCK!
Melissa´s last blog ..Paris to Cuba
Ahh, the sweetness! I love the pictures. Happy Birthday to her!
Such a sweet post. Thank you for sharing!
Happy Birthday! Hope your family has a wonderful celebration!
Danielle´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday
Happy Birthday, Lily! Gorgeous post, Jeff.
Marinka´s last blog ..Happy Anniversary!
What a wonderful post! Happy Birthday, Lily!
jen´s last blog ..back in the saddle again
Happy birthday to Lily!
Funny, my son’s birthday is today as well, and he IS fifteen, sometimes going on five or six. haha
Absolutely beautifully written. She sounds like a great kid. Beautiful both inside and out.
Happy Birthday Lily!
Stephanie´s last blog ..Please give me patience
Happy B-Day to Lily. What a sweet post!
Sniff sniff. Jeff, that was beautiful. I loved it. Happy Birthday to the sweetest 6 year old!
*sniff* Beautiful…..Just beautiful!
HaB´s last blog ..George who?
–>Very sweet! I hope she had a great birthday!
WebSavvyMom´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday – Fun in the Snow
That is so sweet!!
Its so true that as parents we love equally but differently.
Happy Birthday to Lily!
Wonderful post, and great tribute to an obviously amazing child! Happy Birthday, Lily!!
Happy Birthday Lily!
Kmama´s last blog ..MEme Monday: License and Registration Please
*sniff*
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILY!
Jaden´s last blog ..Your First Movie Theater Experience
Honestly brought tears to my eyes. Beautiful, beautiful tribute to Lily (and her brothers). Happy Birthday to your perfect daughter!
angie´s last blog ..Wordful Wednesday-Privacy:At Long Last
momma! you always make me cry girl. I wish I had a mom like you–you are the best woman.
dawn´s last blog ..greek nachos
Happy Birthday to your beautiful Lily :)
Belle´s last blog ..More dish towels for the collection – Wordless Wednesday #21
Happy Birthday Lily!! Great post, Dad!!!
Suzy Voices´s last blog ..Training Montage
What a beautiful post! Happy Birthday to Lily and congratulations to you guys for doing such a wonderful job.
What a sweet sweet post!
Happy Birthday Lily!
NYC Girl´s last blog ..Please Stop…Does Anyone Else Feel This Way?
That is so sweet. If my husband could put his feelings into words I bet that is the same thing he would say about our Baby Girl.
Jennifer´s last blog ..My family is accident prone
That was beautiful! I wish my hubs could say something like that! I am sure that he thinks it…but he is not so good with words!
jayme´s last blog ..JoBros FAIL
She really is spectacular. Not only are we blessed to know her, but she is blessed to have you two as parents.
Soooooo sweet…really! Happy B-day Lilly…PS: I love your name! :o)
that’s sooooo sweet!
makes me wanna cry my li’l girl dont have a dad like you =(
remember me? it’s been a while friend. hope you’ll visit again ;)
jenie=)´s last blog ..I MISS THE DAYS…
Such a sweet post – and now I want a daughter!
MamaOtwins+1´s last blog ..We got our SNOW!!!
Very Sweet. Happy birthday.
Happy Birthday, beautiful, big-hearted Lily.
TheKitchenWitch´s last blog ..Guest Post: TKW’s Dad Attempts a Recipe
She is so going to treasure this someday. I would kill for a letter like this from my Dad.
Happy Birthday, Lily. You are so loved.
Jen @ buried with children´s last blog ..Got Oatmeal?
Beautiful post. Happy Birthday to the beautiful Lily.
amber´s last blog ..Top Ten Ways to Procrastinate.
Happy Birthday Lily! What a beautiful post for her today!
Cybil´s last blog ..Manic Monday
Happy Birthday Princess!
Aw Happy Birthday Lily!
(I LOVE to read Daddies gushing about their baby girls!)
Sara´s last blog ..Just Keep Swimming
Awwww….what a sweet letter. I’m sure she will love looking back on it one day.
Krystyn´s last blog ..Community Coffee Review and Giveaway-Valentine’s Gift Guide
Way to make me cry…no seriously that was a beautiful post…i just loved her Daddy said about her.
Happy Birthday Lily!!
Stephaine @ Geezees´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday, You Capture Theme " FACES"
That was the most wonderful tribute to a daughter by a daddy! So well done, Jeff.
Happy Birthday, Lily! (a day late, sorry!)
Cara´s last blog ..Running Man*
Wow, this was absolutely beautiful! Happy Birthday Lily!
Live.Love.Eat´s last blog ..Soup’s On: Asian Seafood Soup
What a sweet letter. And a beautiful little girl!
Allison´s last blog ..Pomegranate BBQ Sauce (Featuring POM Wonderful)
Happy Birthday to your beautiful girl, Lily! Both of these pictures are simply gorgeous, Jill, and I loved reading your husband’s post to her. Happy celebrating!
Loukia´s last blog ..Three: An anniversary, of sorts
Hapy birthday to Lily! This letter from her daddy is such an awesome gift. She will cherish these words forever.
Stunning post. (wiping tears)
Peaches´s last blog ..The Big Give.
Hold the mother freaking phone. Jeff wrote this? Jeff who answers the phone with, “Dominoes Pizza”, when I call? I know I’ve said it before, but his talent is totally wasted on his day job.
This post is so, so lovely. (Kinda like seeing the softer side of Sears for the first time.)
You made seriously made me tear up with your words. Know that my birthday is March 19 and I will be expecting nothing short of poetry.
Mayhem and Moxie´s last blog ..ASK A DAD
Aww, that was so sweet. Happy Birthday Lily!!
I love reading love letters from a Dad to his child. There’s something extra sweet it.
Marilyn´s last blog ..No One Told Me How to Handle This
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! That is a super sweet post!
Jayde´s last blog ..Giveaway Winners
Happy Birthday to your beautiful little girl. :)
Kel – rewritingkel´s last blog ..Happy Birthday Alex!
*cue tears* daddy/daughter relationships are priceless and beautiful gifts. thank you for sharing this jill, and thank your hub-bub as well. absolutely gorgeous.
nic @mybottlesup´s last blog ..Old Rasputin XII Russian Imperial Stout
Happy Birthday!
Pres. Kathy´s last blog ..My Little Comedian
What a sweet post! Happy Birthday!
Michaela´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday – Keeping busy
Lily is seriously cute!
And Jeff made me cry. Damn you, Jeff!
Happy Birthday Lily!
Sophia’s Mom´s last blog ..My Ikea Dream Home
Beautiful. Photos and the letter!
Tickled Pink Twice´s last blog ..Date Night Recap: Photo Style
What a sweet message from Dad to daughter! Happy Birthday to your little girl!
She’s beautiful.
When my daughter’s taunt each other and call each other accidents, I remind them that they weren’t accidents so much as surprises. ;)
Jennifer June´s last blog ..Minus the drug lords and the death threats that is…
What a beautiful post. And a lovely girl. Happy Birthday, Lily!
MommyTime´s last blog ..How to Drive Your Mama Crazy in One Easy Step
Ahhhh, Happy Birthday, Lily.
What a beautiful little girl!
how beautifully written :) happy birthday lily!
Becky @TheRealBecks´s last blog ..Twitter advice
Okay and so now I love Jeff.
Seriously! Any man who can write like that about his little girl will send me into a swooning mess of a mini van driving mama. That was SO nice…and of course I can really relate because Maile turned six earlier this year and as the leader of my little pack she shares many of those same qualities! This was really sweet.
Mama Kat´s last blog ..Writer’s Workshop: Open Letter To Grumpy Bear
What beautiful pictures! And happy birthday to your sweetheart!
The Wifey´s last blog ..It’s Funny Until Somebody Gets Hurt…
happy birthday lily! what a gorgeous girl
scrappysue´s last blog ..wordful wednesday: first day
I hope Lily had a great birthday!
And me? Am totally tearing up from Jeff’s post.
Shannon´s last blog ..Is it March yet?
What a beautiful post! I love that you had Jeff write about Lily. There is something so special about the relationship between little girls and their daddys.
Lolli´s last blog ..Give Me Your Best Shot – PRC
Something about daddy bloggers posting makes me uber happy. I loved this. (And I utterly understand.)
Loralee´s last blog ..
Um. Yeah. Sorry about that comment luv thing.
BLUSH.
Gorgeous! Happy birthday to your beautiful girl!
Karen MEG´s last blog ..Postcards from the minivan and other fragments
Happy Birthday Lily! What a gorgeous little girl. Hope you all had a lovely day together.
Kathleen´s last blog ..Homemade Valentines: An Artistic Collaboration with a Toddler
Happy Birthday to your baby girl!
I always thought I would have a girl but that wasn’t in the cards for me. I love having boys but there is a part of me that becomes sad when I read beautiful posts like yours.
Anastasia´s last blog ..Her Morning Elegance/Oran Lavie
A gorgeous tribute from daddy to daughter. Stuffed with affection and admiration. I have a feeling that your sweet girl and your man – all of you – will look back on these words many times going forward. Thank you for sharing this.
Lily is beautiful! Thanks to those beautiful words, I am crying before I’ve even had a cup of coffee! Happy Birthday!
Sara — The Football Wife´s last blog ..Just Call Me Mary Moon