Nick Lachey Says Daughter Brooklyn Has 'Gotten So Big and Grown Up' on Her 8th Birthday

nick lachey/instagram

Nick Lachey is a proud girl dad!

The dad of three penned a sweet Instagram tribute to his daughter Brooklyn in honor of her eighth birthday on Thursday, writing in part, "I always knew I wanted to have a little girl, but I am so happy that I got to have THIS little girl."

Nick, 49, shares Brooklyn and sons Camden John, 10, and Phoenix Robert, 6, with his wife Vanessa.

He added in the message to his daughter: "Brooklyn, I am so proud of the person you're growing up to be. Your love for your family, for others, for animals……you have so much to give and trust me, the world needs it!"

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Alongside the sweet words, he includes various snaps of Brooklyn, including an image of them joyfully smiling alongside one another and a picture of him tickling her as she giggles while wearing a red tutu and matching flower-embellished hairpiece.

In others, he highlights her growth during her eight years of life by posting an image of her riding a carousel from when she was a toddler and a more recent snap of her holding a pink, heart-shaped balloon as she stands outside looking at a sunrise.

He continued in the heartfelt post's caption, "You have gotten so big and grown up so much in what seems like the blink of an eye. I couldn't love you more or be more proud of you. No matter how old you get, you will always be my little girl. Please keep being you!!!"

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He closed off the adorable father-daughter post by writing, "Daddy loves you always."

While speaking to PEOPLE in November 2021, Vanessa, 42, said Nick is the "best daddy" to Brooklyn.

"If I could intertwine my finger with my arm and my eyes and my legs, that's what they're like," she told PEOPLE. "They are thick as thieves, and I couldn't be more proud. Her relationship with her dad is going to be the relationship that I believe defines her as a woman."

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She added of her daughter: "She's super intuitive, very smart and very sweet. To see my little girl, I couldn't be more grateful and thankful that I was given her and that I get to be her mommy. They all have these wonderful personality traits, and I love watching them grow and look up to me."