Madeleine is my sweet and imaginative 3 year old girly-girl. I remember when she was a newborn baby and I was terrified something was wrong with her. You see, this baby did NOT cry. She was pretty much constantly content, unfazed by any of the stresses of her new environment. She even slept 8-10 hours at night (once I got over the waking her every 3 hours to eat rule). With trepidation, I told my Doctor that I was worried something was wrong. He assured me that she perfectly normal, and it was probably just her personality.
She remains to this day my even-tempered girl. What she lacks in drama, she makes up for in stubbornness, however. Once she has her mind set, she will not bend or break. Often, I think I have bent her will, but she embodies the phrase "it is better to ask forgiveness than permission".
We have a strict rule in our family that unless we are staying the night somewhere else, the kids' bedtime lovies stay home. Madeleine always sleeps with her precious stuffed cow appropriately named, Moo Cow. A few Sundays ago, I was getting the three kids ready all by myself and Paul was already at the church. My other two were filling the family drama quota while I tried to rush to get to our meeting on time. I still have no idea how it happened, but during the service I glanced at Madeleine, and there was Moo Cow sitting reverently beside her.
She prefers to be called Madeleine instead of Maddie. She says it "embarrasses her" when I call her Maddie. Three years old, and I already embarrass her. I can't wait until 13. She aspires to be a Grandma when she grows up. Today she told me she wants a grandbaby named "Baby Alive" and a grandbaby named "Lugarella" (Not sure if that is the proper spelling). I love this girl, she makes me laugh several times every day.
