Baby's first...

...Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, celebration.

And it all was by accident.

The family and I went over to Grandma's house, then we joined her boyfriend for some dinner at Heaven Dragon in Arvada. (Its sister store in Thornton is the one President Bush orders from anytime Air Force One stops in the area. He's even honored with his own special on the menu. Lest you worry, it's not what C. and I ordered.)

We weren't expecting festivities bringing in the Year of the Rat, but while we munched on kung pao chicken, lemon chicken, a Happy Family combo, rice and egg rolls, a loud crackling of fireworks outside the front door caught our attention. Teen-age boys in dragon and lion costumes began snaking through the tables. Drum beats echoed through the dining room. Then a pair of young boys came through in their costume, stopping long enough at my side to pose for a photo. The boy in front was busy maneuvering the mouth, ears and eyes on his bright costume.

I heard crying, but knew it wasn't B. I looked over at him in his carseat, and he was sleeping soundly. The noise came from the table next to ours. A little blond-haired girl was crouched underneath by her mom's legs, plugging her ears. The tears left tiny wet tracks down her cheeks.

The fireworks didn't wake or startle B., but later some of the other commotion did. Either that or he just had to see what was going on.

I promise pictures later.