And we see her true colors...that's why we love her!

As 2008 ends in about 2-1/2 hours, I can't help but think how lucky we have been with Maile.

Maile is a very easy going girl that is easy to take out in public because of her ability to adapt to her environment, her excitement with new places and new faces, and her friendliness towards other people. Mindy had a doctor's appointment today so Maile and I hung out in the waiting room where she was playing with other kids. Not only was she greeting other kids, saying hello, and sharing cookies, but she also wouldn't leave until after she pushed all of the kid chairs in. There were at least six chairs and on two different occasions she walked around the tables pushing the chairs in.

For those who don't know, Mindy's organizing and tidy behavior is quite common and is not limited to chairs. She is known for picking up things off the ground and walking it straight to the trash can, closing any and all doors that are open, among many others.

It also should be mentioned that when her diaper is getting changed, her favorite thing to do now is grab the arm of whoever is changing her diaper (at least with me and Mindy), hug our arm, kiss our arm or elbow, and then say either "my mommy" or "my daddy". There is no sweeter sound than to hear Maile say our name, especially when it is preceded by the word "my".

Don't get me wrong, Maile will show some sass and a little temper. She has thrown things on the ground, throws herself on the ground, scream, or anything else she feels like doing. However, she responds well to consequences and generally acts more appropriately after the fact. In fact, yesterday she ended up in timeout after throwing her vacuum to the ground while throwing a fit. She cried while in timeout so when it was over, she gave Mindy a hug and sincerely said "sowwy". She was great the rest of the night.

2008 was a great year that showed us the tremendous growth and potential of a child. It showed us the innocence of a child and the glow in a child's eyes after learning something new. What a great year and we are excited to see what the new year might bring for her!