Has it been a half decade already? Today we marked yet another extra special St. Patrick’s Day with Sloan’s 5th birthday. Although it seemed like just yesterday when Sidney gave birth to our daughter after a grueling induction process that lasted nearly three days, our pot of gold is still shining as brightly as she did on March 17, 2017.

The greatest day of my life.

When I commemorated Sloan’s 4th birthday a year ago, I highlighted her sassiness. Trust me, it didn’t wear off over the past year. Quite the contrary, in fact. Our little girl has her own special attitude and it is expressed by over the top expressions, witty one-liners, and multiple wardrobe changes per day. You never know what she will do or say next other than that it will probably be extra. I guess you could say she takes after her mom.

This picture doesn’t really show it, but his little girl is sassy…and I love her for it.

But if you remember correctly, in that same blog post from a year ago I also pointed out Sloan’s empathy. I can confidently say that her empathetic spirit has not just kept up with her sassiness but has actually outpaced it. To listen to her pray for others reveals a window into her kind soul. To watch her look out for her friends is heartwarming. To observe how she tried to comfort others when her great aunt passed away showed wisdom beyond her years.

This girl is empathetic to the core

With all that said, there is one other thing that must be said about Sloan: She could probably be a little more patient with her brother. Ha! But in all fairness, she is his biggest protector too 😉.

Like with any sibling dynamic, there can sometimes be a love-hate relationship…but it is mostly love.

I am so blessed to have Sloan. She is at an age where she still thinks I am cool which allows us to do a lot together. If I need to run the most minute errand, she will jump off the couch to come with me. If I am going outside to bring the garbage container in, she wants to help. If I am making dinner, she wants to operate the salad spinner. I never knew five years ago that our daddy-daughter relationship would be so special.

I can’t put words to how much I value the relationship between Sloan and I (photo courtesy of Nicole Lynn).

Today is Sloan’s day. She is mildly obsessed with her birthday and wasn’t even completely finished with celebrating her fourth birthday before starting the countdown to this one. But what little kid isn’t? For all of her eccentricities, Sloan is also your typical 5-year-old girl. She loves to have fun, play with dolls, and eat ice cream. By her request, tonight we are celebrating at Red Robin. This weekend she will have her long-awaited Chuck E. Cheese birthday party.

Sid took this photo of Sloan after school yesterday. Her St. Mary Pre-K4 class celebrated her a day before her actual birthday.

Sloan, you are a beautiful individual who brings an indescribable amount of joy to your mom and dad. Your pure heart and accepting demeanor are traits that make you the special girl that you are. We love you so much. Happy Birthday! Don’t Blink.