Happy birthday Sproglet!

To my favourite niece,

It's hard to believe that you are already 9.

I remember like it was yesterday waiting at the hospital to see you. You were the cutest wee thing, even though you only had one eye open for weeks! That made me laugh. 

So did the way you 'walked' on your knees for ages; when asked as a toddler who you liked better Spike or Angel, replied "Spike, because he's a bad boy"; and more recently sent me this photo with message saying that my cat was jealous of me posing with a dressed up alpaca. 

I love how much you love your food and cooking - just like me. I remember when you'd just turned three helping me to make Japanese dumplings, folding them and pressing around the edges with a fork like a professional. We make a good team in the kitchen. 

I was so proud of you when you won that cake competition and the feijoa loaf you made this year was so darn tasty! 

It's cool that now we can order two plates at a restaurant and halve each because we like the same things. How many other kids your age would go to a restaurant and split the wild rabbit hotpot and cheese souffle? Probably just as many as 3 year olds that get excited over having goat casserole for dinner...

I have so many memories of us just mucking around being silly together. 

I think this was when you were only 5. We drew on our whiskers and then danced to High School Musical for an hour. I still haven't replaced the eye liner we ruined that day. 

Even though we are silly most of the time, I like that you'll do as I tell you to as well- but only if I ask in spanish! Por favor, senorita. 

I love it when you come to visit me in Wellington. I don't know anyone else who gets as excited about going to Te Papa or the zoo as we do. I even forgive you for telling mum that my house was really messy the time you visited on your own :)

Happy birthday S-Catt. Have a fantastic day. I hope both you and Rococoko like the present. Lots of love, hugs and butterfly kisses, J-Dogg. 

P.S. This time next year we can both jump off a bridge with a bungy cord tied around our ankles if you're still game. My shout.