Makenna

I just wanted to write out a couple of things I have been thinking about when it comes to Makenna. I remember when we would get updates on Makenna before we traveled to get her, they always had something about her being loud, stubbourn,and sometimes difficult. Since we have had her we have noticed she is loud, but having a substancial hearing loss will do that to you. As far as being stubbourn, yes we do see that at times but not to the degree I thought we would. When we found out that they put her back in foster care 2 months before we went to get her, my guess was that they couldn't deal with her anymore and wanted her gone from the orphanage to make their life easier. I pictured this little bratty girl that bit, hit, and pitched awful fits to get her way. We have had some of all of those but on such a minor scale. She is such a fun, happy, and smart little girl. She loves to love and be loved on, something I don't think she got much of in China. I keep going back to our gotcha day when we were at the orphanage getting her. We got to take a very short tour of the orphanage after we got Makenna and not one nanny came up to Makenna to tell her goodbye or have their picture taken with her. We would never know which nanny was her "special" nanny. There was other babies there, but they were mostly in their cribs for nap time. It did not dawn on us that no onen came to tell her goodbye until after we were home with us. It breaks my heart to think that this precious child just needed a family to love her and to take care of her. She makes us laugh so much. Last night since she is so sick, she slept with mommy and daddy. She would not go to sleep until midnight and she would stand up and fall back on the pillows and just laugh so hard. She was so slap happy she was hilarious! She cracked herself up. She likes to patty cake on her own and loves to be tickled. She is also learning itsy bitsy spider motions. I can't wait for her to actually hear the song. I am sure she will catch up very quickly when she can finally hear.
This afternoon, Hannah was upstair sleeping and Makenna was not ready for a nap yet so we were in the kitchen and I'd take off running back the hall and hide in my room. She would just squeal with delight and I'd hear those pitter patter little flat feet come plomping down the hall. You could hear her heavy breathing from her pneumonia and she'd peek around the corner into the closet and just laugh the biggest laugh then take off running back down the hall wanting me to chase her!
For almost the entire time we waited for our Travel Approval to go get Makenna, I was afraid of her. Afraid of her cleft palate and if I could handle it. I admit I must be a very vain person deep down. I didn't want to deal with the drool, speech therapy, surgeries, etc. But after getting to know this little jewel of a daughter, I wouldn't trade her for the world! Her cleft is such a small piece of the total package. I would be willing to talk to anyone out there about adopting a cleft child. Of course we have not been through the surgeries yet but it is such a small deal compaired to the love that these children have to offer.
I was showing someone our family picture that we had taken in January when TJ was home and their comments have just stuck in my head. They said, "It looks like a complete family". I think that is how I feel, Makenna Grace Bao Xian does complete our family in a beautiful way.