Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Happy New Year and Year of the Ox! Chinese New Year begins on January 26th. Meanwhile, we'll be attending the local Chinese association's celebration, the library, and possibly more. Emily's excited to be wearing her Chongsam (Chinese dress). David could care less, as long as he gets to run around.

Find your Chinese Zodiac sign here.

Mommy = Ox
Daddy = Dog
Emily = Monkey
David = Chicken

Last of the Holiday Photos

I just found these photos. Emily was positively dying for a Mulan dress, so a note to all you moms of girls...shop Disney.com right after Halloween for HALF PRICE COSTUMES!!! We did our Chinese Christmas tree from ornaments purchased in China. You'll see Emily's gingerbread man, made out of cinnamon and glue! And the Disney princesses, of course. The kids discovered the taste of candy canes and life hasn't been the same since! "Can I have a candy cane for beckfest, please? It's good for us!", says Emily. Argh!

Don't miss the photos of David doing his sensory excercise, this one with shaving cream.

Em's Hair

So Emily keeps coming home from preschool with her hair braided, lovely
ponytails, etc. I didn't do them! Then one day, Emily asked Mrs. Hogan to do her hair as Kevin dropped her off. Mrs. Hogan replied, "why do you want me to do your hair? Your mommy does it so nicely and you always take it out after you get here." To which Emily replied, "Mommy doesn't know how to anything fancy!"

So what did Mommy do? I took every hair book out of the library (8 of them), studied them, and mastered the Ballet bun, Ponytail veil, and more! The previous photo is from the night I made 6 braids in Em's wet hair, and the next morning she had curly hair "just like Mommy's!", she exclaims excitedly. Hah! Take that, Vidal Sassoon!

Welcome to Our World

Zofia (Zosia) Angeline Mecca, born 1/8/09, 6.5 pounds.

Parents: Good friends Dave (Kevin's best man) and Beata Mecca.
Isn't she just beautiful?.

Hey, where are my eyes??!! Here are more photos.

Dave and Beata, Emily and David say thanks for our great shirts for Christmas, guys!

Welcome Chester Fischer, adopted "son" of Amy Fischer, my best friend and college roommate. Chester's previous owners banished him to their backyard for several years, and when Chester injured his eye, his family dropped him off at the pound rather than take him to a vet. Chester lost his eye to a bad infection, but entered canine rescue, where Amy found him right before Christmas!

We do miss Clarence, Amy's elderly teacup poodle, who succumbed to heart disease in November. But Chester is a great little guy, and so happy to have a wonderful home!

That's all that's new for now! Take care, everyone!

Caroline