Eli's Favorite Parent

So the fun is over and I'll be heading back to work this week. Fortunately, I'll be starting out part-time from home. And since the hardest part of going back to work has always been leaving my kids, this is an answered prayer.

And although he doesn't know it, it is also an answered prayer for Eli whom I'd like to refer to these days as "my third leg". The past two weeks have been a bit difficult because while Eli likes Audrey, he's not too fond of sharing me with her. Wants me to carry him all the time now. Poor guy. So when I am holding Audrey, I tell him to hold my pantleg. We're quite a sight walking around the house, the three of us. But sometimes, holding my pantleg won't suffice and he'll let me know this by using a technique called Falling Apart. At these times I have to put Audrey down and carry him, because apparently nothing says "I love you" to Eli more than the deliberate neglect of my wailing newborn.

Speaking of my Audrey, here she is laughing in her sleep:

And my girlie girl in her "puffed sleeves" as Anne Shirley would say:

(thanks onyxlox!)
  

Jude's Favorite Parent

Last but not least, today is Kwang's birthday. What can I say, I love the man to death. But I'll stop there, because I can already hear my sisters' eyes rolling as they read this 1732 miles away. But these pics explain just one of the many, many reasons why I feel lucky to be with Kwang:

(Only I would be backwards enough to post a gun-fighting scene to show what a great dad I think he is. BTW, they're water guns.)

All I ever wanted was a husband who would love me, and look! I got one who's also great with kids! I know he likes me, because he's willing to patiently put up with all my wierdiosities and trust me, folks, I have many. For example, I'm not the cleanest person, but I have a need to keep the home somewhat tidy. I'll find myself putting toys away several times a day knowing full well the boys are just going to take them out again an hour later. I'm annoying, I know. And while I would say I keep things clean because my mother-in-law comes over every day, Kwang might say it's because I have borderline obsessive compulsive tendencies. Sure, people may call me crazy, but they cannot ever say my family room is a mess.

Happy Birthday, Kwang!

 

"Floatin' Like A Cadillac, Stingin' like a Beamer" Says Birthday Boy Jude

Continuing along in our month-long celebration of birthdays, our boy Jude turned four years old today. Being our oldest, he's already embraced his role as the older brother. To keep her company the other day while her diaper was being changed, he said to Audrey in his sweetest voice appropriately raised an octave higher, "Ohhhh, you have a stinky butt. And you have no gochu..." As if that was the cutest thing to him.

Of course, Jude is an entirely different person at school. Each morning, he is warmly greeted by his teachers and classmates to whom he responds with... a blank stare. Without fail. Every school day. His teacher says he is "such a kind soul", but I'm thinking the kids just think he's a mute because I've yet to hear him talk to them. That's why it was difficult coming up with an invitation list for the birthday party we had for Jude & Eli over the weekend. He wouldn't give us any names except two from church. But it didn't matter, because I get the feeling that one of his favorite friends is actually one of mine, his Auntie Jean:

Our baby is definitely a little boy now. Part of me is sad that I now have to buy clothes that don't have "T" after a size number or that he no longer needs a stool to reach the bathroom faucet. My little baby now asks for kimchee with his meals and even tries to use chopsticks:

He's always been fairly proactive in the learning department. He actually likes to study which sometimes makes me wonder if he really is my son. But then I just have to look at his ridiculously ginormous ears to see the undeniable proof that he was definitely born from my egg.

Happy Birthday, Buddy!

The picture above was from our own little family celebration tonight, Jude's actual birthday. We had a similar one for Eli even though we threw a big party for them together. For Eli's mini-family party, we had cupcakes from Susie Cakes which was a fantastic excuse to request two scrumptious red velvet cupcakes for myself. But now that I think about it, what looks even more delicious is this here scoop of lime sherbet:

'Old MacFarmer Had A Cow' According to Birthday Boy Eli

Our little rascal turned two years old today and I don't think we even needed to get him a present. The thought of chocolate cupcakes alone was birthday bliss for him. He told me several times this morning that he was going to "sing 'Happy birthday to Eli, Happy birthday to you', then blow out candle, and eat chocolate cake." He's a very focused and passionate boy when it comes to food. If we give him something to eat between meals, he'll squeal, "Snacks! My FAVORIK!"

Eli is also quite talkative at home. I have my very own running commentator every day. These days I'll put my hair up because I'm too tired to do anything with it. But once when I actually blew it dry after showering, he found it so out of the ordinary that he said, "Your hair... is funny." I have a feeling it may traumatize him growing up with the ugliest mom in the neighborhood.

But I love how he has to tell us everything that's on his mind. Unlike Jude at this age, he speaks really well. And without realizing it, every night as we go to bed Kwang and I will remember something funny Eli said or did and have another good laugh about it... because we miss him already.

Happy Birthday, Spanky!