Jade

When she was a baby, she had no personality. Seriously. She would eat, scream, sleep then repeat. For months on end this was her life. That all changed when she turned one. We had a baby girl- finally!! She giggled, played, cuddled, and danced.
Now at the tender age of 3 1/2, she is a walking tornado. Destroying anything or anyone who gets in her path. She has reverted back to the eat, scream, sleep stage of life (short on the eating and sleeping, so mainly she screams).
She tries my patience to the extreme every day, and I am a patient person. She throws things at me, kicks me, whines incessantly (I really don't think she has a normal voice), sneaks away to do naughty things behind my back, hits her brother...... and on and on.
I couldn't love her more. She is my favorite little girl in the whole world. Every day, she takes a break from wrecking havoc to give me a big hug and kiss on the cheek. She apologizes to me by reminding me that "I still love you mommy". Some of her favorite things are: meekup (make up), dancing, cuddling with whoever has a minute, AYEN (yes, that's how she says it), and her family (Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles, cousins, etc).
She is the most spirited, determined, stubborn (some of her tantrums have lasted for more than 3 hours), lovable little kid. If I can find a way to harness these traits for the good, can you imagine the wonderful things she will accomplish?
Someone asked me recently why I think Jade was meant to be part of our family. I didn't hesitate for one minute, her lesson to me is unconditional love, her lesson to Steve is patience! She is right where she belongs (even if 1/2 of her day is spent in time out!).