Mei Li is...

a drama queen. This morning, Steve fed the kids while I showered and dressed. I heard Mei Li crying downstairs, "I'm going to ask my Mama." Then I heard her little feet walking up the stairs to me. She asked, "Mama, can Papa not go to work anymore?" I responded by telling her that Papa works so that we can have a nice house to live in, good food to eat, and pretty dresses to wear (I thought that last part in particular would speak to her soul). And then with all of the feeling and emotion she was capable of, she cried out through her tears, "But Mama, I need him!"

a ballerina. Janine gave me her daughter's old ballet shoes recently. Mei Li saw them for the first time today and she fell in love. She has been wearing them around the house and twirling about with her arms above her head.

a Disney princess? Let me explain to you this ritual that Mei Li insists on at bed time. She lies down on the floor, tells either Steve or me to put her baby blanket over her, and then we're supposed to lift her from that position and sing her a song while we cradle her. It's bizarre. Is that from a Disney movie? I can't think of where she got the idea.

a lover of dresses. Mei Li on average has three costume changes a day. It is a lot of work! "Can I wear a dress?" is the first request of the day, everyday. Skirts will not do, just dresses.

a proud big sister. She likes to introduce Stephen to everybody, including Steve and me. Yesterday at church, she introduced him to a member of our congregation saying, "This is my baby guy. He's little."

a joy. She is our "joyful beauty." I didn't know it at the time we named her, but Mei Li turned out to be the perfect fit for her beautiful spirit.