Four hundred twenty-one plus one

Maisie was placed in our arms when she was 421 days old and as of today, she's been with us 422 days, one day longer than she lived her life without us.

Four-hundred twenty-two days a family

When I think about it, I hardly remember our lives before she was with us and though we did miss over a year of her life, I can't explain it but in some ways I feel like she's been with us from the beginning. Sadly though I know that Maisie wasn't with us for her first 14 months of life and with that we missed her first birthday, the first time she crawled, her first tooth and the first time she stood up on her own. Over the past 422 day we've experienced many Maisie firsts and for that, we are so thankful.

When we first met Maisie, even though she was 14 months old, she had only had a bottle so we were there when she ate her first food. We witnessed her first steps and of course her first words. We have seen Maisie go from being a scared, timid, cautious baby to a little girl who is full of life, smiles, gets herself silly and loves giving and receiving hugs, kisses and snuggles all the time. Maisie is such a perfect fit to our family and just the best little girl we could have ever hoped to have in our lives. Here's to our first 422 days together and to a lifetime of days to come.

December 2006December 11, 2006, Family/Gotcha Day

First nap

First bath

On the Great Wall

First play date

January 2007First Cheerio

Attending her first party

First steps

February 2007Meeting the Grandparents

Race walking through the house

Valentine’s Day

Chinese New Year

Playtime   

A girl on the go

Meeting new friends    

March 2007 Little angel

Fun on the play ground

Peek-a-boo play dates

First painting

Maisie & the Tramp 

First Easter picture

April 2007 First Watford kit

First night in her own room and crib

May 2007Pool time

First Mother’s Day

Laughing with Baba

June 2007Little Boston Red Sox girl 

Enjoying life

Keeping busy with friends

Six months a family

Father’s Day 

July 2007Days at the park

Fourth of July

Partying with bloggy pals 

August 2007Welcoming new friends

Loving life

First day of Wee School

September 2007First beach vacation & pina colada

First pony tails

October 2007Maisie turns two 

Birthday party girl

November 2007Playing in her first kitchen

First hay ride

First hair cut

First Thanksgiving

December 2007One year a family

Modeling her Gotcha outfit

Three generations on the beach in Aruba

Christmas

Dressing up

January 2008Happy New Year!

Party girl

A gymnast in the making

Loving Thomas

Dress-up play

First time baking cookies

Tiara girl 

Princess in training

Pink Fairy Princess

Celebrations with friends

Beautiful private moments

Giraffe girl 

First experience with snow

Tiara girls

February 2008Pizza parties

Early mornings with friends

Chinese New Year

My love, the amazing Maisie Miao Miao.