A very happy Chinese New Year to all! This is the year of the Boar. We went to Chinatown today to participate in the celebrations. As we were browsing around the shops we picked up a ‘Talisman for the Year of the Dog’ (Chinese Horoscope) for our baby. We also picked up a stamp with ‘Ava’ translated in Chinese. As the English language cannot be literally translated into Chinese, I have no idea what the Chinese translation means!

One interesting fact about us is that we were both born in the year of the Rat. We also got married in the year of the Rat. Aren’t we glad to have at least one dog in a family of rats! *smile*

Our baby’s horoscope reads like this “Born in the year of the Dog you are a True friend a seeker of justice and a truth protector. These fortunate characters are yours: Helflness, Supporting the community, Naturalist lover, Devoted worker, Champion of the under dog, Selfless partner, Useful initiator”. Hmmm…Now if only this was true!

We convinced our agency to send a second care package to Ava. We really wanted to send a photo album with our photos. We also wanted to send a blanket since word is that the nursery in Taiwan will embroider our baby’s name on the blanket and return it to us. These are the contents of the care package that we will put in a 1 gallon ziplock back and mail to our agency.

• 1 cute and cuddly and ultra soft pink blanket
• 1 photo album with our photos
• 2 teethers
• 1 wearable sleep blanket
• 1 plastic bib