Ok so this is one of my “regrets” from this party. If I just had a little bit more time. I would have posted a sign that said “Photo Booth”. I don’t think everyone knew. This however is something I’m so glad I did for the party. Photo props I ordered from Paper Source for just under $15. Backdrop was Ikea wrapping paper (they give you so much!). I bought the feather boa at AC Moore for less than $10. Picture frame also from Ikea for under $10 and then I just spray painted it blue. The propellor beanie we had. My sister gave it to Zoe when she was just a wee tot. We like nerdy things. I SOOOOO wish I had a Darth Vader Mask! I didn’t have enough time. That and a storm trooper mask would have been awesome.

{ 11.05.11 } Photo Booth photos from Kayden’s Party



                                                     
         



         




         

And I saved the best for last. This is by far my FAVORITE photo from Kayden’s party:
 

So the doljabi is basically to determine your child’s future. So we had a stethescope (medicine), a mic (singer or talent of some sort), a gavel (law), money (wealth), yarn (health/longevity), a baseball (athleticism), a pencil (academics), and a bowl of rice (to never go hungry). It’s all in good fun. I remember when Zoe picked up crayons (arts) for hers the husband was like “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Kinda like when I made that first phone call and said “hun, it’s a girl!” “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Now he like dotes on her like no tomorrow.

{ 11.05.11 } Kayden’s birthday continued…
Note: Don’t laugh at his Korean name. Hahahaha…. it’s not a joke.
         


A lot of people were hootin and hollerin trying to get him to pick an item of their choice so he was really aprehensive about picking anything at all. Everyone finally hushed up and he made the decision all on his own. I knew he was going to pick the ball. If the whoopee cushion was a choice he would have picked that.



       
                                                  

         

So I have been waiting impatiently for our photographer to send me the photos from Kayden’s dohl (1st birthday party in Korean). The wait is over. I thought Zoe’s party was pretty nice and I was pretty proud of myself for baking that number 3 cake on her 3rd birthday but I think I outdid myself with Kayden’s. Thank God we’re not planning on going for a third child cause God only knows what I’d do for that one! I mean really. I can get a little crazy when it comes to things like this. It’s the psycho mommy in me.

There are a lot of photos so I’m dividing them up in 3 posts. Here are the photos for the 1st one. I hope you enjoy.

Happy Belated Kayden. Mommy loves you! You are my favorite son.

{ 11.05.11 } Kayden’s A Big Boy Now

                                                 



         
         




         

         


           
         
         
         

         

Zoe’s Daily Funny:
This is related to the post below. So I noticed one of the things that the teacher didn’t check off was point out 18 body parts and can name 15 body parts. So I’m thinking “I’m pretty sure Zoe can name 15 body parts.” So that evening while Zoe and I are lying in bed playing our “Monster Petshop” app on the iPad like we do every night I brought it up…

Me: Zoe.
Zoe: Huh? (not even looking at me cause she’s so busy gliding her finger around)
Me: Can you name your body parts?
Zoe: (still not looking up) Carrots and and food…
Me: No like eyes and things on your body.
Zoe: Eyes
Me: Uh huh what else?
Zoe: Nose
Me: What else?
Zoe: Mouth
Me: What else?
Zoe: and ears
Me: Mmmhmm and what else?
Zoe: and my head
Me: Mmmmhmm and what else?
Zoe: and those things on top of your eyes
Me: Huh? HAHAHAHAHAHA Eyebrows Zoe.
Zoe: Eyebrows
Me: Hahaha ok what about this? (pointing to an area on my face)
Zoe: Chin!
Me: Good. what else?
Zoe: I don’t know.
Me: Ok what’s this? (pointing to her belly)
Zoe: My belly button.
Me: Good what else.
Zoe: Carrots and…
Me: Zoe there’s no carrots on your body you weirdo. What about this? (pointing to another area)
Zoe: Haha cheeks!
Me: What about this? (pointing to another spot)
Zoe: Mmmmm horefed.

I was pointing to my forehead.

So I had my first parent-teacher conference wednesday morning since Zoe has moved into the pre-school classes.

So Miss Kathy says that her academic skills are super as well as her verbal. Socially she plays well with everyone. Her only thing that she suggested I work on is that…. Zoe doesn’t understand that the other children may not be at her level so she’s impatient. Like for example “You don’t know how to count to 20 yet?!” “ No! C comes after B!”  You get the picture right? So she suggested that I teach Zoe some things that she doesn’t know and put myself in her shoes and explain that I am teaching her/showing her and now she knows and can understand what I’m showing. I asked if I should talk to her about maybe talking to some of her classmates like how she talks to Kayden. “Kayden look at how noona’s doing this. Okay?” And the teacher suggested that I didn’t because “they’re not babies.” True. She said sometimes she has Zoe play “teacher” during playtime so that she can show some of the other kids how to do things so that she does it in a positive way instead of reprimanding them for not knowing. I just got off the phone with the hubs and when I told him what Zoe needed to work on he was cracking up.

So that same day I was talking to my coworker while standing in line for lunch and I said…

Me: Ann do you know what Kate’s Paperie is?
Ann: Yeah.
Me: Ok well they’re having a warehouse sale in Englewood and I mentioned it to Sun and Michelle and they didn’t know what it was and I was like “You don’t know what Kate’s Paperie is?!”

And then I started laughing because THIS is what Miss Kathy wanted me to work on with Zoe and then Ann started cracking up because I told her about Zoe’s evaluation just before. She really is me.

So here is a check off list of skills for kids 36-48 months that she gave me. (I typed this all out. Appreciate me mothers of 36-48 month olds)
Everything in red are things that Zoe can do.

FINE MOTOR
:: Strings small beads
:: Unscrews and screws a three-inch (7.5cm) lid
:: Makes first designs or spontaneous forms
:: Puts tiny objects into small container
:: Folds paper in half without a model
:: Grasps pencil between thumb and forefinger (tripod grasp)
:: Places six pegs in a pegboard
:: Cuts dough/soft clay with a cookie cutter
:: Imitates drawing a diagonal line
:: Imitates drawing a cross
:: Cuts 5” (13cm) paper in two
:: Beginning to show hand preference
:: Puts together a six to eight piece puzzle
:: Winds up a wind-up toy

GROSS MOTOR
:: Walks upstairs alternating feet without holding railing
:: Broad jumps over string or object two inches (5cm) high
:: Hops on one foot one time
:: Kicks a large ball that is rolling
:: Kicks a stationary ball
:: Walks on tiptoes 10ft
:: Throws a playground ball underhand to an adult
:: Rides tricycles independently around corners
:: Jumps forward a distance of 10 inches
:: Avoids obstacles in path while running
:: Runs on toes
:: Gallops forward 10 ft
:: Pushes and pulls a wagon

LANGUAGE-RECEPTIVE
:: Demonstrates an understanding of basic categories (eg. Food, animals, family)
:: Demonstrates an understanding of yes/no questions

:: Demonstrates an understanding of when questions
:: Understands pronouns

:: Begins to understand time concepts (eg. Now and today)

:: Demonstrates an increased understanding of adjectives

:: Understands basic functions (eg. What people eat and wear)
:: Carries out requests involving prepositions
:: Points to pictures depicting adjective qualities

:: Points to or places objects up and down

:: Carries out a series of two unrelated commands

:: Points to 18 body parts

:: Understand an increased number of pronouns

:: Describes what will happen next

LANGUAGE-EXPRESSIVE

:: Uses some classification names (eg. Food, toys)

:: Says can and will occasionally
:: Begins to show conceptual understanding of the future

:: Answers how questions

:: Use of the verb to be expands

:: Uses the word why as an all-purpose question

:: Tells about immediate experiences
:: Talks on the telephone, waiting for his/her turn to respond

:: Uses verbs with nouns

:: Combines three words to make a three-word noun phrase

:: Carries on a conversation

:: Uses contractions

:: Uses conjunctions in sentences

:: Uses plurals

:: Asks why, what, and where questions

:: Tells how common objects are used uses four  to five word sentences

COGNITION
:: Points to 18 body parts

:: Names 15 body parts

:: Matches 11 colors

:: Points to seven colors

:: Names three colors

:: Matches circles, squares, and triangles

:: Points to two shapes

:: Counts three objects

:: Counts to 10 in imitation

:: Matches on to one correspondence (three or more objects)

:: Understand the concept of one more

:: Points to long and short objects

:: Identifies objects as hard and soft

:: Sorts by length, shape (3 shapes), and size

:: Identifies objects as square or round

:: Puts together two parts to make a whole

:: Understands up and down

:: Matches sequence or pattern of blocks or beads (three to six)

:: Understands top and bottom

:: Sequences a three part story correctly

:: Understands over and under

:: Identifies boy and girl on request

:: Understands next to and beside

:: Tells if an object is heavy or light

:: Understands slow and fast

:: Understands empty and full

:: Tells which objects go together (eg  sock and shoe nail and hammer)

:: Understands in front and in back

:: Understands tall and short

:: Understands more and less

:: Names pictures as same and different

:: Sorts pictures by classification (eg animals, toys, vehicles)

:: Adds two parts to drawing of incomplete person

:: Can answer comprehension question such as what should you do when you are hungry?” or “what should you do when you are sleepy?”

:: Demonstrates an understanding that different activities occur at different times of day

:: Matches letter of the alphabet (uppercase to uppercase)

SELF-HELP
:: Feeds self entire meal when food is cut up

:: Eats while holding fork in fist, some spilling

:: Uses spoon without spilling

:: Swallows food in mouth before taking another bite

:: Cleans up spills

:: Stay dry during naps

:: Stays dry at night

:: Males can urinate in toilet by standing

:: Snaps front of clothing

:: Can find own clothing and put it on

:: Puts on own coat, jacket, or sweater

:: Puts on underpants

:: Unbuttons front buttons

:: Pulls off front-opening clothing completely

:: Pulls off pull-over clothes completely

:: Puts on dress or shirt

:: Unlaces shoes

:: Completes total hand washing procedure

:: Dries face independently

:: Washes hands and face with soap when adult regulates water

:: Brushes teeth with verbal instruction

:: Puts comb/brush in hair

SOCIAL

:: Follows rules in group games led by adult

:: Identifies self in mirror by name

:: Attends to music or stories 10-15 minutes

:: Says please and thank you without reminders 50 percent of the time

:: Attempts to help and adult with tasks by doing part of the chore

:: Will share with others if a trade is involved

:: Plays for 15-20 minutes with an activity of choice

:: Separates easily from mother in familiar surroundings

:: Answers telephone, calls to adult, or talks to familiar person

:: Takes pride in own achievement

:: Works in a small group at least 10 minutes

:: Begins to play well with one or two children

:: Takes turns with assistance

:: Cooperative play begins to replace parallel play

:: Uses blocks or other objects to build complex structures

:: Plays dress up in adult clothes

:: Puts toys away neatly when asked

:: Stays in outdoor play area

:: Adapts to new tasks

:: Show increasing control over emotional reactions

Zoe’s Daily Funny:
I was trying to get the kids ready for bedtime a few days ago. I put Kayden down and then I was tidying up and told Zoe to wait for me in her bedroom. I asked the hubs to go downstairs and shut off the kitchen light. About 5 minutes pass and as I’m heading to Zoe’s room LOW & BEHOLD the light is still on. I just went down and shut it off and then hopped into bed to read to Zoe. Zoe and I are lying in her bed, side-by-side, and I think a minute or two passed and the hubs comes into the room and says….

C: Hun, I was going to shut it off.
Me: Mmmmhmm it’s ok.
C: Zoe, mommy has zero patience.
Me: Zoe, I’ve got LOTS of patience.
Zoe: Yeah. You got 91.
Me: That’s right! I got 91 patiences!
Zoe: And you got a lot of gas and you got a lot of money.

Yea… huh what? I don’t have a lot of either of those by the way.

Zoe’s Daily Funny:
Zoe this morning comes over to me in the kitchen while I’m cooking her breakfast….

Zoe: Mommy I want to pray to God and thank him for making me.
Me: Oh. Okay.

So this was unusual because ONE we don’t go to church anymore and TWO because we never pray. So I get down on both of my knees while she’s standing so we’re face to face and we both clasp our hands shut and I said ….

Me: Ok Zoe, start then, say “Dear God…”
Zoe: Dear God, Thank you for making me and I will send you a piece of paper and thank you for making me. Amen.

The paper part, me no know.

So Kayden’s first birthday came and went. He turned 1 last friday. My sister, Esther, came down with her family that day and after dinner we celebrated with a birthday cake we picked out at the Korean Bakery. We started singing Happy Birthday and I know he knows that song now because Zoe and I sang it to him the night before and we sang it to him as soon as he woke up that morning. Not in unison. That would be boring. Plus I sang off key (really easy for me to do btw) and Zoe was like singing in this pitchy-deafening tone to give it a nice touch. Poor Kayden. You don’t get to choose your family boy.

I look at him and see how much he’s grown since we first brought him home, this tiny little hairy back furball. I remember thinking “Wow. A year seems so far away.” My mom asked me what we got him for his birthday and I said “The best present ever! We turned his car seat around.” He loves it. The first time I put him in he was looking all around him like “What the HECK is different?! I just can’t seem to put my finger on what that might be.” The only problem with this is now he can see me going into the house ahead of him unloading all their crap before getting the kids out so he cries because he thinks I’m leaving him. Cry baby.

:: He’s got 6 teeth now (4 top, 2 bottom)
:: He can say umma, ahpah, and mama.
:: We just switched him over to regular milk yesterday
:: He loves goldfish crackers
:: He can wave bye (we are currently working on the “high five”)
:: He loves his big sister and if she’s lying on the floor he will crawl over to her and rest his head on her chest or tummy.
:: He’s a big stinkin crybaby (way more so than Zoe EVER was)
:: He loves his cousin Hannah and won’t go to her mother, only Hannah. My sil is very bitter about this.
:: He sleeps from 8-6 in his crib in his OWN bedroom unlike his BIG SISTER, ahem.
:: He drinks anywhere from 24-30 oz of milk a day (4-5 6oz bottles)
:: He crawls super fast
:: He’s a professional cruiser
:: He’s starting to stand on his own without support
:: If you say ”tongue” he will stick out his tongue
:: If you say ”wink” followed by a wink he will SOMETIMES wink
:: If you say “yay” he will clap his hands
:: Sometimes if you hand him something it sounds like he’s thanking you cause he always says “dah” 
:: He likes Sesame Street (Especially Play With Me), Yo Gabba Gabba, and Olivia (Don’t ask me why, Zoe doesn’t even watch this)
:: I think his favorite toy is the whoopie cushion
:: He weighs about 22-23 lbs
:: He’s super ticklelish
: When Zoe’s jumping, Kayden likes me to hold him up and he jumps with her. They crack up together while my arms are about to rip out of their sockets. Joy.
:: Kayden will be playing nicely but as soon as he sees me he starts crying and starts crawling to me so that I can pick him up.
:: He cries if he thinks you’re leaving him in a room by himself.
:: He has a fat juicy booty
  
We threw him a big party on saturday. I shall post photos once my photog sends them to me. I can’t wait to see them!

:: 11.04.11 :: Kayden is ONE.

Zoe’s Daily Funny:
The same saturday that we went to see the Statue of “Liverty”, Zoe kept getting in trouble that morning. C and I were yelling at her all morning it seemed. When we finally we’re getting ready to leave I had to ask her 4 times to get over to the car door. I picked her up and as I was buckling her into her car seat I said…

Me: Zoe, you’re starting to get into big trouble with mommy right now I hope you know. Mommy’s getting mad.
Zoe: Ok mommy…but you look so pretty.
Me: (trying not to smile I muttered) Ok. Thank you…………….I know.

Clever little geej.

My sister, Vietnam (that’s what we call my sister who’s living in Vietnam) told me recently that a friend of hers had like a 6-8 month old baby girl. She recently died of SIDS during a nap. To lose a child that you’ve already known, and met, and loved, and cared for…. I couldn’t even imagine what this mother was going through. I’d feel so…broken. My heart hurt and felt so heavy for this woman, whom I’ve never met, living on the other side of the world. To be a parent comes with so much burden don’t you think. It’s so easy to blame yourself in a situation like that. The “what if’s” and “I should have’s”. I remember shortly after having Zoe (I’m talking days) I was so scared that she was going to die of SIDS I kept hopping out of bed every few seconds. It was like “Omigod! Did she cough?! MAYBE SHE CAN’T BREATHE!” I was up. Then I’d lie back down and then 2 seconds later “DID I JUST HEAR HER GAG?! MOMMY’S COMING!” I was up. Then I’d lie back down and then 5 seconds later “I could hear her breathing before but I can’t hear…OMIGOD SHE STOPPED!” I was up. Like I was driving myself F-R-I-G-G-I-N  I-N-S-A-N-E!

So after my sister told me about her friend I never wrote about it till now. This morning I opened my gmail and I noticed an email from my friend Julie. She emailed me an article that was sent to her. I read this and the tears just kept coming. My heart broke for this mother and also made me think about my sister’s friend. To be a mother and just feeling so helpless… There are no words. Just go home and hug your kids a little bit longer and a little bit tighter today.

NY Times Article: Notes From A Dragon Mom

I just fowarded this article to my husband. I wrote:

Me: It makes me feel like maybe i shouldn’t have yelled at Zoe so much this morning about her pajamas
Hubs: Nahhhhhhhh she deserved it.

I will save the “Pajama story” for another daily funny.

Zoe’s Daily Funny:
Zoe’s been obsessed lately with the Statue of Liberty. She will notice it on ANYTHING. If an ant had a Statue of Liberty tatoo, SHE’D notice it. If she sees it on a tour bus she’ll let out a big gasp and start yelling “IT’S THE STATUE OF LIVERTY! LOOK! LOOK!” If they happen to show it on tv she starts yelling “LOOK, LOOK! IT’S THE STATUE OF LIVERTY!! SEE!?” Two saturdays ago we drove to Brooklyn cause our friends, Will & Tracy, were having a BBQ. I told Zoe that maybe we could see statue that day maybe on our way there or on our way back. So we decided while driving on the streets of lower Manhattan that it would be on our way there. While C was driving I asked Miss Zoe…

Me: Zoe why do you want to see the Statue of Liberty so much?
Zoe: (shrugging her shoulders) I don’t know…because it’s cool.
Me: What’s so cool about it though?
Zoe: Because she’s wearing a tiara.

How time passes so quickly…. I was telling the hubs the other day that I didn’t realize how precious time was till I had kids.

Zoe just 4 days shy of turning a month | Kayden at about a month and a week old.