The Year of the Rat

A few days late of course but a happy Chinese New Year to everyone out there. A few days late for Chinese New Year is still okay since they celebrate this holiday for 15 days in China.
On Thursday, we had a quiet New Years Day dinner at home with take out from Bamboo Garden. Maya still loves Chinese food and so do we. It's on the menu about once a week.


I never knew just how fast a 21 month old child could climb up into a chair. This is where we find Maya most anytime we turn our back on her and we are in the kitchen. And it's never to sit in the chair, oh no. Only standing will do.

Then on Saturday we got Maya all gussied up in one of her cute little dresses that we bought in China. I can't believe it still fits and actually has a little room to grow.

We went outside to try to get some good pics but there is nothing pretty about brown and muddy. (Or a deck with a ladder sitting on it). But our girly just looked so pretty in her dress that the background didn't matter.

We got together with our local China adoption group for our annual Chinese New Year celebration. Last year we were leaving for China the week following the party. It is hard to imagine just how much things have changed in a year. We went to 2 CNY parties with our group before we had Maya. It was so much different being there as a parent than as a waiting family.

Maya could not have had a better time at the party. She ate like a champ and then ran and played with all of the other kids. She can be a little shy sometimes but not today. She was the life of the party.

I thought this picture was so cute. I love the little blondie in the sea of dark hair. And our girl is smack in the middle of it all!

Maya and Darrah.

Maya loves dragons. I thought we might have to buy this one and take it home with us. It was just the perfect size for a kiss from the princess.

It's all fun and games until someone falls into the drum.