"Goodnight, sleep tight –"

"Don't a bed bu' bi'!"

"Right," Arizona smiled.

She stood in the doorway to their apartment while the almost-two-year-old stood in the doorway to Daddy's. When Callie had first gotten pregnant, Arizona hadn't liked the fact that Mark lived so close by at all. Now, after two years of parenting together, she loved it. They had most certainly had to set some boundaries – more for the sake of Callie and Arizona's alone time than for anything having to do with Sofia – but their unconventional family worked well for all of its members.

"Blow a kiss," Mark said.

Instead, Sofia ran back across the hall and Mommy and Madre stole goodnight kisses number five and six of the night. Bedtime was always like this with their energetic little one, but they didn't mind it one bit. She made even the most routine things so much more enjoyable.

"How old are you gonna be tomorrow?" Mommy asked.

"Two!" she exclaimed probably a little too loudly for the sake of the neighbours.

"Okay, okay, okay," Callie finally said after a laugh she couldn't hold back. "Go brush those teeth and go to sleep, Big Girl." Madre gave her one more kiss. "We love you."

"C'mon, Sof," Mark said.

"Dada…" she replied as she walked back to his door.

"Yes?"

"Eat 'nack?"

"You just had a snack," he chuckled. "Remember the fishy crackers?"

"More? Pease, Dada?"

"All done," he said.

"Time for bed, Sofia," Callie added.

"Otay, otay," she replied.


Once Mark and Sofia disappeared into the apartment, Callie and her wife went back into theirs as well. Arizona saw the pad and paper still sitting out on the table and realized that it wasn't quite bedtime for her just yet.

"I still need to write her letter," she said.

"Yep," Callie nodded.

Sofia's collection of letters had begun the day she was born. Callie had still been in surgery and Sofia was in the NICU with her team still working on her. They had forbidden Mommy and Daddy from being around for that part. Mark had gone back up to the OR gallery to watch over the remainder of Callie's operation, but Mommy had grabbed a piece of paper and started writing.

She had loved to write since high school, but it was a fact few people really knew about her. Writing helped her to express her deepest, darkest, most sacred thoughts. Sometimes she still wrote letters to her brother. There was nowhere to send them and he wasn't able to read them, but the feelings were all over the pages. It made her feel better on the tough days when he seemed so far away. She figured that maybe writing a letter to that precious baby girl would help somehow, too.

From there, it became tradition. For every major event in Sofia Robbin Sloan Torres' life, there were corresponding letters from her parents. They figured she'd love having them when she got older. She already thought having them read to her was pretty cool, even if she was confused by some of the big words.

Mark and Callie had already scribbled their messages down this afternoon while Sofia napped, but Arizona had been at work. Plus, she had wanted to really think about the words to put in this letter to the birthday girl. Time had flown by so fast and this birthday was a big one.

Dear Sofia,

As I sit here writing this, you're probably jumping on your new "big girl" bed over at Daddy's and giving him a hard time about settling down to sleep. Such a typical two-year-old! As much as it frustrates us in the moment, we love it!

When you were born, we didn't know for sure what life with you would be like. You were one sick little baby. That was pretty much all we could be sure of. Yet, just two years later, nothing can slow you down. Aside from the cute pair of tiny purple glasses we just had to pick out because of your eyesight issues, you managed to escape the NICU unharmed. It's amazing, really.

I love being your mommy, Sofia. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I can't get enough of hearing you say "Yeah, Mama," in the sweet little way you do as you nod your head at me. I love your larger than life laugh. Your innocent, loving view of the world is beyond words.

Don't think I don't see your other side, though. You are one feisty latina, just like your madre. You've got her stubbornness for sure. There is no changing your mind. When you want something, you better get it (which doesn't mean we're always going to cave, my dear), and when you don't want to do something, you just aren't going to do it. Again, as frustrating as that is, never change. Stand up for yourself and for what you want. My only hope is that one day when you're bigger, you'll understand what "pick your battles" means.

Your favourite word right now is "pity." You think everything is the prettiest thing you've ever seen. Madre and I are the prettiest mommies (okay, so you're right there), Daddy is the "pitiest" daddy, and even your dinner was "pity" last night. You got your madre's stubbornness, but your daddy's ego!

From me, I think you're learning how to share your love. We could sit for hours just exchanging kisses and hugs and you'd be perfectly content. It warms my heart to know that someone has so much love for me.

Sofia, you're not really a baby anymore. You've becoming this little lady right before our very eyes and if how you've been is any indication of who you're bound to become, I can't wait to see it all unfold. I might be a little biased, but I think the three of us have done a pretty great job with you so far.

Happy birthday!

Love, hugs, and kisses, forever and ever,

Your Mommy


"You know what?" Arizona asked as she curled up on the couch with her wife once the letter was finished.

"What?"

"She's pretty awesome."

"Sofia?" Callie smiled. "I know."

"We're the luckiest family ever."

"You've got that right."

There was a knock on the door and Mark came in. "Sorry," he said. "She's insisting she needs the blanket with the rainbows on it."

"It's in the laundry," Callie said. "She spilled milk all over it this morning."

"Fantastic."

The toddler walked in, already clutching one of her other blankets. "'Fia 'wuv babow."

"You love the rainbows?" Callie asked. "I know, but the rainbows are all dirty right now."

"Oh, no," her sweet little voice said.

"How about this?" Arizona asked. "If you go to sleep with that blanket, Mommy'll wash up the rainbows for your birthday tomorrow."

"Oh."

"Sound good?" she asked, picking her up and placing her on her lap.

"Babow?"

"Rainbows tomorrow," she said. "Tonight…puppies?"

She yawned. "Puppy?" she asked.

"Are you just gonna fall asleep in Mama's lap?" Callie asked, stroking the little girl's cheek.

"Lap," she answered.