Another year older! Tom Brady‘s adorable daughter, Vivian, turned 7 years old on Thursday, December 5, and, to mark the momentous occasion, the football player took to Instagram to write a few kind words about his kid on her special day.

“Our sweet Girlie Girl turns 7,” he said next to a photo of Vivian at home. “What a great year it has been. We love you Vivi 😍😍❤️❤️🦄🦄.”

Tom shares Vivian — as well as son Benjamin, 9 — with his beautiful wife, Gisele Bündchen. Although their kids take after their parents in the looks department, Tom admits it took him awhile to understand his son had different interests than him and his oldest son, 12-year-old Jack.

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“When Benny came along, I thought he would be just like Jack,” the athlete told Men’s Health. “So I was like, ‘C’mon, let’s do this.’ And he was like, ‘Nope.’ And I was like, ‘What? No, do this!’”

Tom couldn’t understand why his son didn’t like the same things as him. If it wasn’t for his wife, then he might still be left in the dark.

“Gisele kept saying to me, ‘Would you effing understand that your son is different?’ It was hard for me,” he revealed. “I was like, ‘What do you mean? He’s a boy; he should just do all these things that I do.’” But that wasn’t the case.

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Happy Father’s Day my love. There’s no words to describe how much you mean to us. There’s nothing that we love more than being with you! Besides being the best tickler, pancake maker and hair cuter in the world you are the best dad ! Thank you for always making us feel safe and for loving us the way that you do. We love you so much!❤️❤️❤️❤️ Feliz Dia dos Pais, meu amor. Não há palavras para descrever o quanto você significa para nós. Não há nada que amamos mais do que estar com você! Além de fazer as melhores cócegas, panquecas, e cortes de cabelo, você também é o melhor pai! Obrigada por sempre nos fazer sentir seguros e por nos amar. Nós te amamos muito!

A post shared by Gisele Bündchen (@gisele) on

“The reality is that Benny just likes different things,” he continued. “And it’s great because now I just have to go do what he wants to do. When we do that, we have the best time. He’s like, ‘OMG, Dad, you’re so funny.’ He loves joking, and I joke back.”

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Out of all of Tom’s kids, he has the most in common with Jack, whom he welcomed with his ex, Bridget Moynahan, in 2007.

“Jack is just like me — he holds a lot in. Benny lets it all out. Vivi, she doesn’t care,” he revealed. “They’re going to be their own selves, not who you want them to be.”

Vivian, Benjamin and John are so lucky to have Tom as a dad!