Chinese New Year

It's been a tough week around here.

Both kids have had fevers. But of course, not at the same time! Last night The Girl finally perked up a bit after three days of lying on the couch with what I am certain is the flu. The Mister and I decided she was finally feeling better because at the dinner table she was talking a mile a minute. Most nights at dinner we have to tell her to "Eat First, Talk Second" because she doesn't like to eat cold food but she doesn't like to stop talking either. This is difficult for us as well because, quite frankly, she says the most hilarious things at the dinner table. We had missed her since she hadn't joined us at the dinner table since Thursday.

Last night it all started when she said that last week in school she had learned how to say Happy Chinese New Year...in Spanish.

Yes. Spanish.

We had a good laugh but The Girl was insistent that she had learned how to say Happy Chinese New Year. And she proved it by saying: Gung huy fat choy.

We did explain that what she had learned was Chinese.

Amazingly enough I had just attended a baby shower for a friend whom adopted a sweet 11 month old from China last month. She had received a book on the Chinese New Year and on the back those four words were printed across the back, Gung huy fat choy. Which means, May you be prosperous.

This conversation led The Boy to tell us about how his class had looked up their birth years to find out which animal their year represented on the Chinese calendar.

The Boy was born in the year of the Ox. I remembered this because he was born the same month and year that our sweet Chinese niece came home from China. They are only 10 days apart in age.

The Girl was born in the year of the Dragon.

The Mister was born in the year of the Monkey (which totally makes me giggle.)

I was a little disappointed with my animal. Not knowing what the other animals were, or even why the Chinese do this, I was hoping for a gazelle, or a giraffe. Perhaps a cute little panda or something soft and cozy. But no.......

Rat.

I was born in the year of the Rat. I can think of absolutely nothing redeeming about a rat. They aren't strong and useful like an Ox. Nor are they beautiful and mysterious like the dragon. Even Monkeys lend, at the very least, humor to the world. But a Rat? They are scary, dirty, creatures.

So I think I will change my animal to the Chinchilla. It's mouse-like, but they are still very, very soft and cuddly. I am not sure what they are useful for, except maybe a good fur coat...which makes me happy because y'all know how I like to keep warm.

OK. There. I feel much better now.

So, Feliz Chino Año Nuevo!

La Vida Dulce