Chinese New Year 2011 (1 of 3)

I have to preface this post a bit. We've been talking a lot about Chinese New Year at home with Hannah over the past two weeks. I got out her Chinese New Year books and we've been reading them. This one titled "Lucky New Year" by Mary-Man Kong is the best of them all because it's a pop up book with all sorts of fun things to play with inside. You get to sweep the house, eat with the family and peek inside their pots to see what's for dinner, and there's a big dragon pop up. Fun fun! We also tried on Hannah's Chinese outfits to see what fits. We're attending three parties again this year, and Hannah has three outfits that fit. Perfect! While in Florida after Christmas we bought some Chinese New Year candies and brought them back home to bring to our special events.

Hannah has quite a sweet tooth, and has been looking at the Chinese New Year candy longingly. She knows that we couldn't open it until we go to a Chinese New Year party. She started pointing at the golden rabbit candy container and remarking, "That's Chinese." "Yes, Hannah. That is Chinese. Isn't that a pretty shiny golden rabbit?" A few days later while playing play-doh with Grandma, Hannah remarked, "I Chinese." Grandma called us in to come talk to her about that. Hannah and I had a little conversation about that. I told her that "You're Chinese Taiwanese Hakka American and beautiful on the inside and the outside." I don't know much of this she understands now... but we'll keep having this conversation and see where it goes.

Tonight was our first of three Chinese New Year parties. This party is with a group of Taiwan and China adoptive families. The families all have littles that are all around Hannah's age, and they are all fantastic people. I just wish we lived a little closer so we could see them more frequently.




Of course, Hannah was very pleased to break out the Chinese New Year candies. The photo below is my favorite one from the evening. Those little three year old beauties were very excited about the candy in the golden rabbit!



The kids made dragon masks and had Chinese New Year coloring pages. Families brought toys such as a little kitchen, play food, mega blocks, and some cars to play with as well.

I got to hold a three week old preemie baby girl that only weighted about five and a half pounds. I don't think I've ever held a baby that small before. It's so hard for me to imagine Hannah being that little. Her eyes were open the whole time I held her and talked to her.

If you're looking for recipes to take to Chinese New Year parties, here's links to what I made. I made almond jelly with fruit cocktail and mandarin orange broccoli salad. The almond jelly tastes just like the ingredients: gelatin, whole milk, sugar, and almond flavoring. It's very cool and smooth and would be good with any kind of fruit. I used twice as much almond flavoring, a little less sugar, and one cup less water to make the gelatin a thicker consistency so I could cube it more easily. The comments on the recipe suggested the alternations I made. The mandarin orange broccoli salad went over really well and I didn't come back home with many leftovers.