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Dear Appa,
Who do we love more, Appa or mommy?
It’s a question you love to ask, while holding us tightly with a “you-better-say-Appa-not-mommy” grip.

Who do we love more?
We quickly learned to safely answer that question by saying “Appa.”
Then when you’re not looking, we’d quickly shift our eyes to mommy with a “don’t-tell-Appa-we-love-mommy- too” grin.

Who do we love more?
From day one, your love showed up.
It wrapped each one of us, nice and tight in what you were proud to call a baby burrito bundle.

Even when our school shut down, your love showed up Monday to Friday, even some Saturdays and Sundays, as our homeschool teacher.
We wouldn’t say you’re our favourite teacher, but in our eyes, there’s no better substitute.

To this day, we can count on your love to always show up and never slow down.
Like when you run alongside us, teaching us how to ride a bicycle.
Even when your back gives out, it’s not enough for you to give up.
All because you stubbornly believe we can do something we believe we’re not ready to do.
Finally, with a little push and perseverance, the training wheels have come off.

It’s not easy, but it’s in us to keep on peddling.
We have to be willing and ready to fall, believing that getting back up will only make us stronger.
And when the time comes for you to fully let go, it will be because of your push that will keep us going.

Your love doesn’t care about who has the best academic, artistic or athletic ability.
Instead it sees our unique capabilities.
Gently pushing us to do more all because you believe we can be more.

As different as each one of us are.
Your love doesn’t compare.
Your love is fair.
And your love continues to care.

From day one, you’ve been there to watch us grow taller and louder.
To the very same beat, we’ve been there to witness your heart grow wider and softer.
To this day, your love relentlessly shows up and shows us that it never stops, even when we want to.
Running alongside us, pushing us more and more and believing we can be more than more.

Who do we love more?
More like “Who do we love more and more?”

The answer is standing right in front of us and has always been there for us, since day one.

Happy Birthday to our professional baby burrito wrapper, homeschool teacher, bicycle trainer extraordinaire.
But in our hearts, there’s no better substitute than our Appa we’ve grown to know and love.
More and more, you mean more than more to us.

We know there are times when you feel it less and less from us.
But if your love has taught us anything, it has taught us that we must be willing to show up and push through for the ones who push us to be our strongest.
And there’s nothing that will stop us from showing you, just as your love has always showed us.

Yesterday, today and forevermore,
Zoey, Emma, Romy