"My dearest Danny Boy,
Today you turned 4 years old! Wow, what a milestone for you.
Mummy and I are so proud of you Daniel. You wear your heart on your sleeve much of the time, and do sometimes have difficulty controlling your emotions, but you are a thoughtful and loving little boy. You sometimes get angry with your siblings but we can also see how you truly care for them, and think of their well-being and feelings.
We love that you love your grandma so much too Dan Boy. She is so gentle and patient and is able to bring out the best in you, always. She helped us to see how creative you are, and I must say we were so impressed with the structures you made from the superhero discs and also the blocks at Grandma's house. I love to play Lego with you too and am proud that you like it as much as I do. I really look forward to building a whole Lego city with you when you're a little bigger."
Some things haven't changed all that much since this day in 2017! But then again, many have. My boy is really growing up. Yes he still struggles with his emotions sometimes, but he's learning to control them. I love that he is not afraid to show his feelings, he just needs to remember that he's in charge of them, not the other way around. But for seven years of age, he probably does a far better job of it than I do quite frankly.
Daniel you have come a long way in this past year. We have always known you are a very clever boy, and you have shown it in a big way with your progress at school. I'm very impressed with your reading now, and your basic maths, but most importantly, your application to learning. I know it can still be a drag sometimes, but you get stuck in, and frankly most of the time you complain less than anyone else.
I look forward to lockdown ending so we can get outside more too. I can see the amount of energy you have, and doing stunts around the house just isn't enough to burn it off. You are strong, athletic, imaginative and fun, and I do enjoy watching your games with your siblings, just as long as you're not risking your life too much!
I also love watching you play Zelda and other games online, it really is impressive just how adept you are with them and how good your hand-eye coordination is. One of these days we must teach you how to throw and catch, and maybe take in a game of cricket together, like we did when we had a Dad-Dan day and went to the movies. Our board games are a whole lot of fun too.
Dan-boy, you are truly a very special and wonderful person, and someone I am very, very proud of. I love you with all my heart, and wish you a very special birthday today. I hope you enjoy your present, and I look forward to seeing you use it! Take care my boy, and thank-you for being you.
Love Daddy
