GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!!! Happy New Year to you all and welcome to the Year of the Pig! (No, Alaina’s not eating sweet and sour pork to commemorate the occasion.) We have been celebrating Chinese New Year for several years now in anticipation of our daughter. What joy we’re experiencing to finally have Dayna with us so we can celebrate together.

Last weekend Dan and his dad took Dayna to the Chinese New Year celebration put on by our local Families with Children from China chapter. Dayna was thrilled by all the food, but not so enthralled with the Lion Dancers. In fact, this was the first time one of us has ever witnessed fear coming from Dayna. We have no question in our minds that she’s securely attached to us after clinging to her Daddy for all she was worth.

Speaking of Daddy…last Friday he took the day off to take his little girl on a “date” for Valentine’s Day (What toddler isn’t “lovin’ it” when she gets to go to McDonald’s?) Since then, she doesn’t seem to want Mommy much. Quite the Daddy’s girl, and Dan’s not complaining!

We are lamenting the official end of football season. Dayna cheered her hardest with her Daddy for the Bears to win, but once again, Mommy’s team prevailed. ;) Now we introduce her to baseball! Let’s see…Mariners or Cubs?

Dayna’s latest fascination is with a little furry red monster named Elmo. He goes everywhere with us…in the car, in the crib, to daycare, to church. For Christmas, we got tickets to take Dayna to see Sesame Street Live, where the theme was “Elmo Makes Music”. Dayna must have laughed and danced for two hours straight, squealing Elmo’s name at the top of her lungs. Dan & Alaina used to enjoy the symphony and opera, but have found that Sesame Street Live is ever so much more fun.

Dayna continues to love daycare and her weekly appointments with the speech therapist. Her speech is progressing, not as fast as we would hope for, but she has so much to say and babbles nonstop. In fact, the only time she’s not talking and moving is when she’s asleep. She’s about as typical as a toddler comes. As a friend told us, she’s like the Visa Check Card…she's everywhere she wants to be! We can’t imagine life without her sunny disposition and feel so blessed to be together. The past nine months have just flown by.

Thanks for your continued encouragement and prayers. Enjoy the pictures!

Yeah for Elmo!
Kisses for Elmo
DA BEARS
YUM-O!
Daddy's girl
The lion tamer
Scary Lion
Happy New Year!

2/18/2007