Welcome Year 4704!

Gung Hay Fat Choi!! Wishing a prosperous and Happy New Year to all!!

There are certain things that you're supposed to do to prepare for Chinese New Year: you clean the whole house prior to the start of the New Year, you make an offering to the Kitchen God, you pay off debts and settle your accounts, and everyone gets a haircut and new clothes. We did none of this.

I didn't get the house cleaned, we won't be finished paying for Tenley's adoption before she's 7 (unless we win the lottery), Jeff didn't get a haircut, and Tenley wore the traditional clothes we bought for her in China, even though the pants were a tad on the short side. We did, however, follow the traditions of gathering with friends and family and having sumptous meals!

We started yesterday by heading out to the Zimmer Children's Museum in LA where the Families With Children from China were having a little get together and playtime. If you live in the area and haven't taken your kids there yet, you should: it's small (so it's do-able, and you won't lose your kids) but it has an ambulance to climb inside and play with, a water table, a "deli" where kids can play with the food & cash register, a soft room to crawl around in, walls with magnetic poetry and all sorts of other fun things to do. Tenely loved climbing in and out of the ambulance, playing with the plastic food, and toddling everywhere following the older kids around. We wisely did not show her the water table. There was no shortage of adorable little girls running around in traditional Chinese outfits, and I think some of the other museum patrons didn't quite know what to make of us. Most fun was that a group from 3 years ago that adopted their kids from the Sichuan province were having a little reunion, and that included Scott, Gaynor, Lauren & Amanda as well as the Wu's who's darling son came from Sichuan, and beautiful daughter was one of Tenley's Yang Xi "sisters". It was great to see all of them, and to meet their friends from their 1st trip to China, some of whom are waiting to go again this year!

After the Zimmer we headed over to Jerry's Famous Deli where, as usual, Tenley ate her weight in food. Gaynor & I orderd a bowl of Matzo ball soup for our 3 girls (and Scott) to split since the Matzo ball is roughly the size of a regulation softball. I think Tenley may very well have eaten half of it; along with 4 pickles, a potato pancake the size of a tea saucer, several hijacked french fries, some of her dad's ham sandwhich and 1/3 of a strawberry shake!!

We said goodbye to our friends too soon, and headed off to Brea to meet with Karen our Social Worker for our 1st post placement report. It was a brief chat with Karen wanting to know how we were adjusting to parenthood, and talking mostly about Tenley's adjustment to us and how she was developing. Tenley spent her time toddling all over the rec room, going through all the cabinets in the kitchenette, and playing with the TV remotes.

After we left Karen, we drove off to Victoria Gardens for dinner at PF Changs with our extended family. Tenley was fawned over by Aunties Meg, Lisa, Jen & Vikki; she pouted over being denied Grandma Suzie & Daddy's diet cokes, and everyone had great Chinese food!

By the time dinner was over, we were all exausted and headed home to fall into bed. We may, or may not get to attend the FCC Chinese New Year Banquet happening on Feb 11, since we haven't sent in our reservation yet! If not, I call this a fine welcome to the Year of the Dog.