Rumor Rumblings

So the rumor rumblings have begun. Are we in or not in? Some rumors state that LID 10/19 is in, but 10/31 is not. What happened to everyone in between. What is happening to me 10/21? Others are saying 10/29 is in.

Some rumors say referrals this week, some say next week, some say the following week. Which week is it?

UGGH!!! Someone figure it out and let us know, the wait is killing us!

No LadyBug Sightings, But We Have Cardinals

No ladybug sightings yet, but to pass some time, I took this picture of the male cardinal that lives in our backyard.

He was just sitting there quietly, watching the snow fall and I thought to myself wouldn't it be nice to have not a care in the world and just be able to take a minute and enjoy the snow.

Ladybug sightings are usually a good luck sign that referrals are on their way, but I haven't found my lady luck yet!

All Is Quiet....

The CCAA is closed this week celebrating Chinese New Year, therefore all is quiet on the rumor websites. Perhaps next week we will start to get a glimmer of a rumor.

Hope everyone has been paying their debt off and cleaning their houses all week. My debt just keeps adding up, but the nesting has begun (sort of)! I have been cleaning and tossing old toys, organizing paperwork and straightening shelves.

We celebrated Chinese New Year on Sunday by going out to dinner at our favorite chinese food restaurant. I told Olivia to be polite and say Happy New Year to the people at the restaurant. But, as fast as she got out of the car, the people that were leaving the restaurant got greeted with a "Happy Chinese New Year!!". They looked at her kind of strange and just smiled. I thought it was pretty funny. Our waiter was very happy to see her and be wished a Happy New Year.

Gong Hai Fat Choy! - Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Today starts the first day of Chinese New Year and this year is the Year of the Pig!

Chinese New Year is the most important holiday of the year for the Chinese.

If you would like to celebrate Chinese New Year, here are a few things you would need to do.

• Settle all the debts you can
• Buy oranges for good luck and kumquat trees to decorate your homes
• Clean the house
• Host a family feast
• Older family members should give little red packets of lucky money to the children
• Visit a Chinese New Year parade, where you will find lion and dragon dances, stilt walkers, floats and acrobats
• Make some noise with fireworks at midnight, gongs, drums and cymbals
• Put a fresh coat of paint on your doorways
• Decorate your windows with paper cut outs
• Keep every light in the house on
• Go door to door to wish your neighbors and relatives a prosperous new year

Wishing you all a healthy and prosperous new year!

Rumors That Matching Has Started

Straight from the Rumor Queen website, there is one agency reporting that matching has started. Matching is when they take the applicant's dossier and match it to a child, which then becomes your referral.

So, does the CCAA get these referrals out prior to their Chinese New Year break that starts on February 18th. Or, do they just put everything on hold, take their holiday and resume when they get back, with referrals coming Beginning to Middle of March.

Come on CCAA surprise us with a Friday mailing and referrals next week!

Lexi's Crib

Finally the crib is all set up. A few days ago, we got the crib back from my neighbors at the old house and spent a few hours taking down the other twin bed and setting it up.

I was lucky to find a baby princess comforter and blanket at Target to go with Olivia's princess theme.

Olivia christened the crib by spending the first night sleeping in it. But, as you can see I humored her by taking a picture of her in her own bed!

Here are some pictures of the crib as well as Olivia's bed on the other side of the room.

Here's hoping for a referral in March!

A Letter From Big Sister

Dear Baby Lexi,

I am so glad you are going to come, but I think it is going to take a little bit longer. I can't wait to play lots of things together. When we get older we can play big kid things. I think you are going to have brown eyes because all China girls have brown eyes. And, I wonder if your going to have hair and what color. We are going to get my bedroom ready soon.

That's it for now.

Love,
Big Sister Olivia

Shopping 101

Today, my mom and I decided to do just a little shopping. We realized that Alexis will end up with a lot of hand me downs and she should have some new stuff for herself. Here is what we purchased.

• Huffalump stuffed animal to match Olivia's
• A Princess Rocking Horse
• Bottles with disposable liners (yeah! for throw aways)
• Disposable wash cloths
• Photo Album for Baby
• The cutest little lion slippers

Still need to get some baby gates, bath tub for inside the big bath tub, diaper creams, lotions, shampoos, etc, more clothes once we know her size, diapers once we know her size, wipes and I am not sure what else. Funny how you forget how to take care of a baby once your last baby is almost 5! I already have the essentials, crib, pack-n-play, car seats, high chair and stuff. Here's looking to a quick short month of February. My agency says there are actually 4 families waiting with October LID's.

Until next time.... Oh and not to mention the new laptop I am typing these posts on! Already tested downloading pictures and videos from my camera, so we are good to go.

Referrals Through October 13, We Should Be NEXT!

The CCAA has posted that they have finished placement of children for those families whose dossiers were logged in prior to October 13, 2005.

Just to remind everyone my log in date is October 21, 2005. So we should be NEXT!. I am expecting Lexi's picture to be around the beginning of March. Then estimated travel would be 6-8 weeks after that, so I guess some time in April or May.

Keep your fingers crossed as we never know what the CCAA is going to do!

Referrals On Their Way...

Rumor has it that referrals through around October 13 are on their way and should touch down in the US today or tomorrow. Although, I don't think I will be in this batch since my LID is October 21, we should definately be in next month's batch (March).

Still trying to find where I planted that money tree..... Just kidding! I am all set just got to make the deposit and get my taxes done. Another month to get Olivia's room ready for a baby sister and a laundry list of items to buy and things to do around the house.

Congratulations to all the new mommies to be!