For her card...

This is what I want to write in my daughter's birthday card this year. 

Dear C,

Months ago you started talking about your birthday. How you would eat cake and be three! Then you decided you loved ballet.  I think you dress up as a ballerina (aka princess) every single day. You also love kitties right now, and talked about the kitty-fleece-fabric we saw one day at Wal-Mart for three months. Since we're celebrating you today, it's all about the things you love. So we're having a ballet birthday party. You're dressed up as a ballerina. I'll be making your cake this year, and I've made the ballet ribbon wands for your friends to dance with at the party. I bought that fabric and have spent hours making it into a blanket for you. I really wanted it all to be perfect, because I love you so much. I tried really hard to make that blanket perfect. Then I realized something: you'll love this blanket. Right now you'll love it because you're three, it's soft, it's got kitties on it, and it's pink! But later I hope you still love it, when you realize how imperfect it is...because your Mommy made it, thinking of you and trying to make something you'd love. Mommy did her best. When you're older, maybe it will have a message for you about perfection, about love, or about doing your best. I hope it does.