Happy Birthday, Maddox Ren!

Three years ago today, our baby girl was born.

As we celebrate her special day, I am reminded that in her three short years of life, she has lived away from us longer than she has lived with us though I can't remember a day without her.

I am currently holding on to my baby, our youngest child, wishing she would always stay little.  She, however, runs around saying, "I baby in China.  I big girl now, not baby.  I sit in Mei-Mei's seat?!"  She wants so badly to be big, yet she is our petite little miss.  At 22 lbs, she is full of spunk, spice and spirit.  

She has the sweetest little face that I cannot resist kissing over and over when she is in my arms.  And those lips so round and pouty yet when she smiles, she lights up the world around her.

Adoption has changed us - her story has changed us, her life has changed us.  Though she is our baby through and through, we are reminded on this day that a special lady on the other side of the world gave her life; she gave us our daughter.  I often forget that I wasn't a part of her arrival in this world, a phenomenon that can sound odd but is so true.

At the age of three, Maddox is showing us a bit of her sassy side.  Some days she chooses more to obey than not to obey, sometimes not; she is silly and she knows it; she is our little monkey and even scales  our refrigerator when we have our backs turned - true story; she loves to play with her baby dolls; coloring is a favorite pastime and she believes one can color paper and/or skin:)....

she LOVES to sing, her favorite song to date is Tomorrow from the movie Annie;  she is obsessed with her pink flip flops; she will come to our bed in the middle of the night with her pillow pet in hand and ask to "sleep with mommy?" - I love that she comes prepared! - she will climb in and search for my hand to hold as she drifts off to sleep; food is not her love language but offer her some "chocate milk" and you are golden in her book.

Maddox Ren, we are blessed by you, your smile and your happy little spirit!  Happy birthday, little one!