Secret pal revealed -- thank you Corrie L!!

Thank you so much Corrie L. for being such an amazing secret pal to us! Your packages really kept us going each month! This month's gift (above) was perfect -- we just started refreshing our sign language, need to learn all the kids' songs and can take the panda beach ball to China with us!

I hope that you get your TA soon and are able to travel in June! Please stay in touch! We would love to see your baby!!

Next-to-last Secret Pal gift

I am truly sad to see the last of our secret pal exchanges coming to a close next month. The good news is that we are getting so close to our referral that it makes sense to wrap up the exchange, but I'm really going to miss our secret pal -- hopefully we'll be able to stay in touch after the swap ends next month. I'm also excited to finally get to find out who has been sending us so many wonderful, thoughtful gifts over all these months!

This month's next-to-last gift was (almost) all about hair -- our SP sent a comb and brush set, teeny tiny baby barrettes (perfect for someone with not much hair) and adorable curly ribbon pony tail holders.

She also sent the cutest board book, All About My Day, that is a "baby's first scrapbook" . It is so cool! It has places for us to slip in photos of Nora doing all the things described in the book - eating dinner, playing with her favorite toy, etc. She is going to love reading about herself!!

I also want to send BIG THANKS to Manette for organizing this swap - you've been an awesome hostess!!

March SP - a panda pack for Nora!

Thank you SP for the adorable panda bear backpack and Little Einsteins book for Nora. I actually had a dream that we took the backpack to China with us so that Nora could carry some of her own stuff (!).

I think the family rule of not bringing anything you can't carry yourself has been thoroughly drilled in. We'll probably help Nora with her bags this time, though.

Care package challenge!

Once we get our referral, we'll be able to send a care package to Nora at the orphanage (or foster home). Since it's packing-related, the care package is this month's packing list challenge. This was a very fun challenge - WAY more fun than the paperwork challenge that I still haven't finished.

Here's our care package so far:

Pictured are:

• camera 2-pack
• baby's family photo album (Nora's referral photo will go in the window on the front)
• labels for photos (they are ready, but not stuck in yet because we are missing photos of a couple of family members. You know who you are -- if we don't get photos, we'll draw you. You've been warned!)
• 2 bags of Jelly Bellys for the nannies or foster mom
• 4 small boxes of Frango chocolates, also for nannies or foster mom
• "taggie" blanket that I bought on Etsy (sooo cute!)
• fleece blanket that we got from one of our secret pals
• a bunny lovey
• two sleepers
• 4 pairs of baby socks
• rattle

Missing from photo:

• letter to orphanage director (not finished)
• baby questions book (ordered from Sharp books, but not here yet)

All of this stuff has to fit in a shoebox-sized box. I've had some trouble finding a box like that (I don't save shoeboxes and Pack and Mail didn't have the size I needed), so I haven't had a chance to do a test-pack yet and don't know how much of this won't fit. If there is a space problem, I'll pull out the fleece blanket and the "taggie" blanket.

Spring preview 2008

What all the stylish babies are wearing this Spring - a ladybug bucket hat with matching bag and shades!

I'm also excited about our first bathtub book! It's so cute!

Thank you Secret Pal for sending such a cheerful, happy package. We love it!

Making your own luck

If it should turn out that ladybugs really are lucky, we'll be in good shape! Our secret pal sent us a whole package of ladybug luck this month - Shaoey and Dot (the quintessential China adoption storybook), a ladybug necklace and the cutest ever ladybug footy pjs. I'm not sure I have ever seen jammies so cute and I do love jammies.

Thank you very much secret pal!

Christmas goodies!

Today we got a great Christmas present from our Jan DTC Secret Pal. She sent a Biscuit Christmas board book (it's a texture book that will be perfect for Nora next year), a Christmas card record book, a tree-trimming music cd (haven't listened to it, but I'll put it on the car tomorrow for sure), a really cute resin picture frame and a My First Christmas photo album which I absolutely love. It brought tears to my eyes.

Thank you very much - we love everything. Merry Christmas!
I'd also like to take a moment to wish my wonderful hubby a very HAPPY 16th ANNIVERSARY. I love you!

Ornament Swap - Thank you Michelle!

Thank you, Michelle, for the beautiful cloisonne Christmas ornament and candle snuffer! We didn't have any cloissnne and I actually didn't even know until I read the card with the snuffer that cloisonne was a Chinese art. Both the ornament and the snuffer are really pretty - the snuffer you can see looks perfect on our sideboard. Hmm, probably I should get some candles!

Thanks again -- and Merry Christmas to you and your family!!

Thank you secret pal!

Thank you very much to our secret pal for the Mulan doll for Nora. We've never seen Mulan, but I saw some movie clips here (click on the word here). It looks like a pretty good movie - we'll have to rent it. Disney princesses are another area in which we need to educate ourselves!

I also found lots of information on the story of Mulan online. This site (click on site) has a nice summary. It sounds like Disney took a bit of creative license, but you've gotta like a story where the "princess" is the hero! I'm looking forward to learning more!

Mega Mail Monday is BACK!!

It's been a while, I think, since I've had really good mail on a Monday. When I got home today, though, there was a package waiting for me -- the first from our brand new January DTC Secret Pal!

Thank you so much for the darling Halloween baby socks and Good Night, Sleep Tight storybook. The book is so sweet - it comes with a little blanket that Nora can use to tuck all the little animals into bed. It will be a great, interactive bedtime story to read with Nora.

We love it (you must know I love books!). Thank you so much.

Jan SP - Thank you Michelle!!!

Today we received the September gift and "reveal" from our incredible secret pal, Michelle M. ILLINI Wear for Rob, me and Nora - Oskee wow wow! PLUS a miniature globe for Nora's room and a "Mother's Love" cd. Michelle has also been super-thoughtful in sending gifts for Abby and Maddie every month as well - treats, toys, all kinds of cool stuff!

Thank you so much, Michelle. You have made the past 6 months a lot more fun! I hope that we can meet in person someday!

BTW ... You know that the wait has been long when you have had 6 different secret pals and decide to go ahead and sign up for #7.

The diaper bag challenge!

Well, it's the end of the month and time to post this month's Packing List Challenge. This is a cross-post of my entry over there. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know!!

Wow - no where near ready and already I need a Sherpa!

Here's what I've got so far:
* Backpack. I'll probably also bring a smaller packable bag or tote for use on short outings while we're there
* Thermos, Playtex nursers, extra nipples, formula bags, formula (formula not pictured)
* Change of clothes for Nora
* Hat for Nora
* Lovey or blanket
* Bib for Nora, snacks (including some for Rob and me, not pictured), bottle of water (not pictured)
* Changing pad/clutch, wipes, diapers (diapers not pictured/purchased)
* Diaper rash cream, Teething gel, other meds for Nora (tbd), probably also a small first aid kit and meds for us as well
* Soft rattle, teething toy, rings. I'll probably also toss in a small book.
* Pacifiers, probably a couple of kinds
* Tide pen, Purell
* Map/travel guide (tbd when we know where we're going), China language reference, Baby care reference -- probably not the whole books, our agency suggests tearing out selected pages of travel guide in particular once the itinerary is set.
* Camera (not pictured - it was taking the picture since I'm still trying to get used to the little camera)
* Cell phone/Panda(?) phone (not pictured)
* My little Coach wristlet with cash, credit cards, lip balm and Altoids minis

Thanks, Stephe, for creating some motivation to get this done -- I really appreciate it, cuz I would have waited til the last minute for sure. Can't wait to see everyone else's post so I can figure out what I've forgotten!

I've got mail!

Actually, Nora's got mail, but I got to open it! Our Jan DTC secret pal sent the coolest activity books and picture frames for photos of the pets. I can hardly wait until Nora is ready to color. There is nothing in the world like the smell of a fresh box of Crayolas - heaven!

Thank you so much, SP! I'm going to have to get cracking on the coloring tote I've been meaning to make - especially now that we've got stuff to put in it!

Lots of ladybugs... so where the heck is Nora??

Thank you SP for the great box of ladybug stuff! It's a ladybug board book, a plush ladybug book, a duck in ladybug rain gear, a ladybug sun catcher ... that's a bunch of ladybugs. Ladybugs are supposed to bring referrals, so what gives?? ;) SP, I agree with what you said in your note. I don't think that ladybugs have any special power either, but they do make me think of Nora. You know I love books and that sun catcher is going to look awesome in my kitchen window. I would put it in Nora's room, but she's got shutters.

On another ladybug note, today we received the new Young Explorers catalog (what can I say, I buy a lot of educational gifts for our nieces and nephews) and it had this:


Apparently I can now grow my own lucky ladybugs. Heh, heh, heh!

P.S. SP, thank you also for the pet treats. Maddie could use some zen. If our pet store had those, I'd have absolutely bought them just for the box. She (Maddie), btw, loves those little cat treats. We had the bottle on the counter and she keeps looking at it. Cat treats must smell really good to her. Poor Abby is going to have to keep an eye on them.

152 insights into my soul

Do you remember that quote from You've Got Mail? It popped into my head this afternoon as I was opening the fabulous July gift from our Jan DTC Secret Pal. SP, I have no idea who you are, but I do know that you "get" me.

Our SP chose "Father's Day" as her theme for the month and sent two books (one an adorable board book by Garrison Keillor (NPR - Rob's favorite!)) a photo paperweight and a so-sweet "I Love Daddy" bib for Rob.

She also, as usual, remembered our furkids with treats for both Abby and Maddie. Maddie's were "Fortune Snookies" by the makers of the tasty Snausages (no, I've never tried a Snausage, but every dog we've ever known is wild about them). Anyway, "Fortune Snookies" are like fortune cookies, or conversation hearts, for dogs. Maddie is still checking around the table where she got her first snookie, which said "The Bark Stops Here" (inset in the photo of Maddie lurking by the table).

Thank you so much SP. It was a wonderful, thoughtful gift. I bought Rob "Daddy" books last year for Father's Day also, thinking for sure that would be our last Father's Day without a baby (shows what I know, right?) - but the ones you've found are new to us! Who knew that there were so many great books for Daddies to read with their little ones!

P.S. SP, I didn't think your clip art was cheesy at all. It's a fine line between cheesy and sweet isn't it? I dance along that line all the time, frequently falling over into cheesy!

Thank you Secret Pal!

Thank you very much to our Jan DTC Secret Pal! It was Mother's Day in May, so this month's gift was all about me (mostly). She sent bath beads, facial masks, candles, a bib that says "I Love My Mommy" and treats for Abby and Maddie. Thank you SP!!

Maddie will be bringing her new bone on our weekend road trip. It should keep her busy for a while in the car, so really it's a gift for all of us!

Fun in the sun

Thank you new Jan DTC Secret Pal - we love our "Fun in the Sun" gift for Nora!

Our new SP has decided to make her own themes (yay - I love a theme!) and this month is "Fun in the Sun". Hmm, beachtime fun where we live in April - that's highly unusual! This is an unusual year though - we actually did take a walk to the beach on Sunday a full two months before our usual first beach trip.

SP sent Nora the coolest stuff - inflatable beach toys, swim floaties, a frisbee, a pail, a sand shovel and rake, two baseball caps (one pink and one denim with ladybugs - Nora's first ball caps! How long do you think it will be before she has a pony tail to pull through the back?), and *my favorite* sidewalk chalk!

Rob's right - I am a cheap date. All this great stuff and what do I like best? Chalk. Figures.

Jan DTC Secret Pal - Revealed!!

HUGE thanks to Kim R for being our Jan DTC secret pal! I think that Kim must be channeling my thoughts because she sends exactly the kind of stuff that I would buy myself. The pig plate was especially weird, because I came very close to buying the same plate myself about three days before it came in the mail.

This month's theme was bath time for baby (or something like that) - Kim sent a very cute hooded towel and wash cloth set, farm animal bath squirters, baby bath products (including California Baby calming bath wash!) and a swimming stingray and lobster. The lobster, by the way, is a HOOT.

There were also marshmallow peeps (claimed by Rob, of course) and Panda bookmarks (claimed by me, of course).

... and a chewy bone for Maddie! The picture is of Kim's pugs, Caesar and Louie. They are Maddie's new best friends. She's never met them, but anybody who'd get you a bone and not eat it themself first has got to be special!

Thank you so much, Kim!!

*** Update ***

Maddie LOVED her bone - it lasted about 5 minutes, including time spent deciding where to eat it! Isn't she cute??

Dec Secret Pal - Revealed!

...it's Kim B! Thank you so much for all the cool gifts and kind words of encouragement. We have really looked forward to opening the box each month - Rob tries to be stoic, but I know he secretly loves all the baby things.

This month's gift was typically wonderful -- a bright rattle, bath squirters and a V-tech ball that will be great for Nora when she's crawling and learning her animals, shapes and colors. Thank you again for everything - you've been a terrific secret pal!

Thank you secret pals!!

Rob made a little discovery this week. I came home one evening and the first thing he said to me was "Jenn, I went into Nora's room. Have you seen it?! She's got a lot of stuff!"

We've had some great new additions this week too, with packages from both secret pals. First on Wednesday we received a shopping cart/stroller bar cover (a genius idea!), plush caterpillar rattle and pretty pink bibs from our December secret pal.

Then yesterday we received a quartet of pink photo items from our January secret pal. This month's theme was "Pretty as a Picture" and we received a painted wood frame, a soft magnetic bunny frame, a baby brag book and a little flower frame.

Thank you very much to both our secret pals!