Yup. I’m 31 years old and I still call him Daddy.

• My Daddy is my best friend and my greatest political foe.
• He taught me how to ride a bike and I don’t know how he didn’t lose his mind when I screamed for *hours* after skinning both hands and knees in his apartment parking lot.
• He taught me how to swim – with swimmies and without, in the ocean and the pool.
• When I was little, he would let me float on his arms in the pool and doze off as he would repeatedly say “Princess of Power… floating on her royal barge…” Only now do I remember the sarcastic tone and eye-rolling that accompanied it.
• He built sandcastles with me and played Barbi and *literally* spent days searching for Punky Brewster High Top shoes for me in 1st grade.
• I put ketchup on my scrambled eggs because of him, and so does my Uncle Dan.
• I tell people my sense of humor developed when I was 12 years old. That’s the summer my Dad said “you’re old enough now” and sat me down in front of the VCR with Spaceballs, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and The Three Amigos.
• He took me to my first casino and when we sat down at the bar to order a drink we discovered we have the exact. same. tastes. (and judgement) in beer.
• We saw Star Wars Episode II together in New Jersey and were in complete agreement on all that sucked, yet that the Yoda fight scene at the end was worth it.
• It’s his fault I am so sarcastic and such a smartass.
• I know that no matter how many times I call him and totally lose my shit about life, he’ll keep answering the phone.
• He’s the reason I turned out okay, because he never gave up on me even though I gave him countless reasons to do just that.
• He is the best guy I’ve ever known and I am so fortunate to have him as my Daddy.

He is, without question, THE reason I am The Luckiest Girl Ever.

Ali and Daddy