She is such a cuti-patootie!

Way back in October at Halloween my cutie-patootie Neve and I had a two or three minute discussion on candy preferences. I told her that Rockets are my absolute favourite candy! Fast forward to January 2009. The Bamboo Group is a group of Forever Families. A Forever Family is a family that has an adopted child. In the Bamboo Bunch the majority of children are adopted from China. The BB get together during the year for Chinese festivals and other various celebrations, picnics, parties, holidays and outings. They are a wonderful group of families and we are lucky to be invited along to most of their outings. Last weekend, Hubby John and I along with my cutie-patootie Neve, her daddy John Vincent and her other grandmother Carolyn aka Nitty attended a dinner celebrating the Chinese New Year. Sarah, Neve's mommy was down sick with the flu and could not join us. This year (2009) is the Year Of The Ox. At the celebration there were all sorts of things to do. There was a silent auction, a raffle and a craft table. There was a yummy Chinese food buffet for dinner. I think that most, if not all of the children attending received lucky red envelopes from their family and friends. The envelopes contained money, small trinkets or gold wrapped chocolate coins which, in most cases, were quickly eaten. Entertainment was provided by some of the Bamboo Bunch's' lovely little girls who performed Chinese fan and scarf dances. Too cute! A local Kung-Fu club came in and did a wonderful display of what it is that they do so well. Nunchuck's , hands, feet, swords, poles and all sorts of weapons were used in the demonstrations. They also had displays of breaking cement blocks with their hands and feet. Ouch! It was all very entertaining, but to me the highlight of the evening was the dragon dance. There were 2 dragons who moved around the hall to the very loud noise of drums and sticks, gongs and cymbals. During the dance the dragons threw candy out to the children, most of whom were sitting on the floor in front row. The candy symbolizes good luck for the new year and the kids all scrambled to get a piece. Neve was one of the lucky ones and was able to score a single piece of candy. When it comes to sweets and candy we monitor Neve with what and how much she is allowed to have. She had already eaten gold chocolate coins from her lucky red envelopes that she had been given earlier. She was clutching her prize tightly and absolutely refused to give it up when her dad went over to her at the end of the demonstrations. Neve told daddy that she had to keep the candy and then quickly ran to the back of the hall where I was sitting. Standing in front of me she held out her single piece of candy and said, "Grams, this is for you because I know it's your favourite!" It was a roll of Rockets.

If I didn't already love that little girl I would have fallen in love with her at that very minute. It blows my mind that a little girl who is turning four in February would remember a two minute conversation from October . What a generous and considerate thing for her to do. No wonder I think she is such a cutie-patootie!