The cutest baby in Moldova.

On a recent trip to Ialoveni Nic and I stopped in to visit his former host family and our now one-year-old goddaughter Viviana. He had been told by locals that the first birthday is a big one and that it is expected that godparents will provide some sort of substantial gift to commemorate the day. (They also assured him that our to date costly commitment to the baby would decline after this birthday, thank god. I'm a broke volunteer, for heaven's sake!) Not knowing what to get her, we popped into a jewelery store in the capital and picked out a pair of sparkly sapphire (or sapphire-looking) stud earrings, then had the salesgirl put them into an apple-shaped little box.

Well, Viviana was absolutely thrilled by the apple box, and did her best to attempt to eat it between grabs at my hair (see bottom photo:turns out there's a reason moms wear ponytails). Finally as the night came to a close, we asked Rodica, Viviana's mom, to open the box.

"What? That's not the gift?" Everyone gathered around as she opened the box.

"No, Nic, Bridgett, we can't take this! Oh, it is too much, you shouldn't have, no no no!"

They totally loved it.