Happy Birthday Madison Lynette Cornelius!!!

You started out as a little bean. A blip on a black and white screen. A print-out. And today, my dear... Today is your day. Madison. Oh what a great day it was, too. Full of the moments and mishaps and meanderings that make up our little circle of people that you joined today. And I'll write a whole lot more about that tomorrow. But just for today, let me say a few things... Your Dad has a great smile. He smiled all day. Smiles for you. And when he came out of the room in which you were born - he was the biggest man in the world. The strongest, the tallest the world was in his back pocket. He was walking on air. There is no one in the world as beautiful as your Mom. Even in a hospital gown, fighting contractions and turning over as she said, "like a turkey", you'll soon see that she's the most beautiful woman you'll ever see up close. Especially when she's holding you. And you, Madison. Are perfect. Perfect fingers, perfect toes, perfect eyes, hair and what I hear is your Daddy's nose. Perfectly wrapped up in baby blankets. I got to see you at first - for just a moment...in your Mom's arms with what looked like a tear running from the corner of your eye. Like you were just as happy to be with everyone as everyone was to have you. Then I came back and the nurse was wheeling you out for a bath. She asked me if I wanted to sneak a peek at you. You were wrapped up, all snug, just like a little bean. Bean. With your little hat on. And you just looked around. And you were quiet and almost as if you were just ready. Ready to go, ready for whatever lies ahead. Ready to inhale the ways of the world. And that might sound like a bit much...but it was quiet and it was just me and you and... that is my take on you. You. Are. Perfect. The perfect sum of the story of your mother and your father. And you know what? There really are no words for you. Beautiful doesn't really cut it. Not at all. They should invent a new word, really. That's what they should do. I don't know what it's like for a parent. A new one at that. But that's the best thing about babies... You don't have to be the parent to love them so much - that nothing else matters. Happy Birthday. Madison Lynette Cornelius.