My Three Sons

I'd been thinking about this old TV show in the past couple of weeks with the prospect of having a third son. I remember watching this show when I was younger, but I'm not sure why. Three boys in one home must be entertaining for a TV series to be based on them. When they look like my Eli, how could they not?

 (special thanks to Bonnie for the pic and the Chos for the costume)

Kwang's college roommate Jason came over for dinner last week. Jude and Eli really enjoyed his company and he even graciously snapped an impromptu family picture for us. Unfortunately, we're all in our t-shirts and sweats, my hair is a mess, and I have absolutely no make-up on (not that I know how to wear it anyway). But I love this picture, because Jude and Eli are so happy:

So we had our diagnostic ultrasound this past Monday. It's not an easy month for me at work, so I was actually up working until about 2am the night before. But when I went to bed exhausted, I couldn't sleep because I was nervous about my appointment. The tech thought it was funny, because this is my third time around. From what she measured, everything checks out -- perfect measurements, strong heart, a brain!, and full spine. And as with my two boys, I got many comments that this one is very active in utero.

But unlike my other two, I succumbed to the pressure of others to find out and the technician had difficulty identifying the usual twig and berries. So while she couldn't give us even the slightest confirmation, she is "leaning towards a girl."

So maybe Jude has been right this whole time. But until that hopeful day, we just won't know.

 

Peer Pressure

I didn't find out the gender of our boys at our 5mo checkups and I still don't care to find out with Baby #3. But I think I will have to this time for fear that I might collapse from the sheer PRESSURE I feel being placed on me to do so. It seems everyone is dying to know (that's the phrase I get all the time) if I am carrying a boy or a girl. So while I LOVE finding out what Baby is the moment I am pushing something the size of a watermelon out my body (an experience like no other!), it would be good to put to rest any hope that this is a girl if we are having another boy.

While we won't know about the blood disorder until Baby is born and I've opted against the genetic testing available, I pray everything else checks out-- nice, beating four-chamber heart, perfect spine, good measurements, healthy brain, etc...

Last week was the first free weekend we had in a while, so we took the opportunity to visit the L.A. Zoo again. Jude liked the spider exhibit and Eli's favorite was the lion:

 

The boys also got to spend some quality time with their cousin Justin (Bo and Bonnie's son):

Eli's "thing" these days is his scowl. He discovered this expression a few days ago and Kwang says he'll see Eli practicing it when he doesn't even think anyone is looking, perhaps to see how long he can hold it for so he can REALLY be a threat. So now if Eli hears Kwang telling him not to do something he wants to, he won't throw a tantrum or cry. Instead, his eyebrows will just lower ever so slowly into his newly perfected scowl:

I wonder for how long I'll find this so cute that I want to eat him up whenever I see it.

 

Taste of Chicago

My sister and brother-in-law, Kathy and Stace, came to visit this past week and I was worried Eli might cry the entire time. I know that sounds unreasonable, but don't we all know by now that Eli is one who embraces unreasonableness? In the same breath, he'll cry because he doesn't want to be put down AND because he doesn't want to be picked up and can someone please tell him why? Why are those his only two options?

Fortunately, Eli fell in love with Kathy and Stace pretty quickly. Maybe it's because there's a certain familiarity since Kathy is my sister. In any case, it was a welcome break for me because she literally carried him around all the time, everywhere, their entire trip:

And if I didn't stage an intervention, Jude's dream would've come true and Kathy would've read books to him straight from bedtime until morning. Eemos are truly the best. And as evidenced by Jude's affection for Uncle Stace, eemoboos aren't so bad either:

Unlike us, Eli seems to fully understand why Pinkberry is all the rage:

I really adore the relationship between Jude and Eli these days. They genuinely enjoy each other's company and, despite getting on each other's nerves everyday, they have a very wonderful and mutual affection for one other. I love that at this age, Jude makes Eli laugh more than anyone and that Eli looks to his older brother for laughter.

 

{Proof}

The following clip is for all those out there who think our kids are "naturally" well-behaved and do not need discipline. Unfortunately, discipline is a necessity in our home. Much like I feel KitKats are these days. Now before everyone gets all up in my business about filming and posting this, you should know that several people actually challenged me to this thinking I embellish my trials as Jude and Eli's mother. What? Me? Exaggerate? NEVER.

For evidence of some sanity in the Kim household and balance in videos, I've attached Jude doing his first month of memory verses. You're probably wondering how many of these I will actually take and why I don't think this is getting old. I think Jude agrees. My only answer is, "But he's so cuuute!" From the patient and uninterested look on Jude's face, I honestly thought he was going to say, "I'm only doing this because you're being a bit pathetic, and I'm embarrassed for you."

Thanks for all the encouraging words, thoughts, and prayers for Baby #3. I keep thinking I should remind God that I'm really not as strong as He apparently thinks I am to handle these concerning pregnancies. But I have a hunch these are really His ways of reminding me that a mother's primary act of love and responsibility to her children is on her knees in prayer for them.

 

Rollercoaster

So the first word Eli can successfully identify is "Dodgers". I think I can safely say that my sons' knowledge of the L.A. baseball team is due in large part to Kwang's good friend, Henry. He generously gives us tickets from time to time and this past Friday, he gave us the best we've ever had. Our seats were field-level and allowed Jude to thoroughly enjoy the game up close:

As we walked towards our car to go home, Jude turned to me and said in a very happy and satisfied tone, "We have a good time at the game."

Here is Jude ready to catch any foul balls that came our way:

Oh yes, and Eli, too:

We were glad Jude had a great time, because the next day was a trip to the dentist to get dental work done. Yes, our Jude had cavities. It would almost be an understatement to say I was LIVID when the dentist told me. Kwang and I are so diligent about brushing our sons' teeth that my mom even thinks we're borderline neurotic. We are like this, because I feel that most of a person's dental health is genetic and despite all the brushing and flossing, my teeth are still weak. So to find out from several dentists that brushing really could not have prevented Jude's small unfortunate cavities was depressing, to say the least. They said Jude is "unlucky" because his teeth are much closer together and his grooves are deeper than most kids. My sons can now blame me not only for their obnoxiously protruding ears but also for their troublesome teeth. So for prevention purposes, the dentist sealed some of Jude's other teeth and scraped out a gap in between another two. And now we are already flossing little Eli's teeth-- all whopping 8 of them. Nevertheless, through all the shots, drilling, and prodding, our Jude was a champ as usual:

If we ever have to take Eli in to get more than a routine cleaning done, Lord help us. Magicland Dental will most likely blacklist us. And I wouldn't blame them.

Sunday evening was spent catching up with an old friend, Jack, at Jean/Charles' home. Jack, Jean, & I were on the same Africa missions team back in school. Sadly, our missions team was tagged as the "notorious" one but I'm not quite sure why. Despite the bad rap, I'm thankful to have been on this particular team. It's kind of wild that a group of us still keep in touch, because our trip was 14 years ago. And yet Jack looks exactly the same-- let's all just hate him for a moment-- whereas I look, well, not exactly the same.  **sigh**  

     

 

Verses I Hold Onto

Update on Eli:
So our little munchkin remained in the church nursery last Sunday for a whole FIVE minutes by himself (wailing the entire time) before the nursery staff unanimously voted to bring him back to us. It should be noted that the newly implemented nursery rule is to keep a child for fifteen minutes before returning him/her to the parent. When they mentioned this at a meeting a few weeks ago, no joke, I turned to the nursery director and asked, "You promise?" Let's just say, I had a feeling. Leave it to Eli to impress everyone with his lungs & stamina. Tell me we don't have a winner on our hands. TELL ME. 

Photo taken by Jude:

Update on Jude:
Our missionary-in-the-making now knows three memory verses (Genesis 1:1, Matthew 16:24, and Proverbs 3:5) and has taught one of them to his L.A. grandma. I also came downstairs one day to find him and Eli sitting together with Jude making a cross with chopsticks and asking Eli, "Who died on the cwoss, Eli? Huh? Who died on the cwoss? JEEEEESUS." I don't know who was cuter-- brother Jude preaching the good news or adorable Eli being so attentive and confused. I realize Jude doesn't yet fully understand these things we teach him, but we continue to pray that one day he will.

"How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you."
Psalm 119:9, 11

Update on Baby #3:
I had my monthly doctor's appointment yesterday and, as with all my pregnancies, this is not one I can coast through. With Jude it was an enlarged kidney in utero. With Eli it was a torn placenta. And it turns out with this one, my Hemoglobinopathyexpialidocious (hemoglobin F) level is elevated and this baby may have a blood disorder. I kept asking the doctor to explain it to me in simple, understandable, Dr. Seuss-like terms, but apparently that is not possible. The most I got out of our discussion was that this disorder is lumped together with sickle cell disease. So now I am praying all the more for a healthy, healthy baby. Any prayers would be mucho appreciated!

"And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well;
the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven."
James 5:15

Jude's First "Nemory Verse"

 
(special thanks to JaneC for one of Jude's favorite PJs this summer)

With the start of the new school year came the start of a new Sunday School program for Jude. I am very excited for him. It's cute, he and Kwang practice his memory verse in their tent every night before bed. As a bonus, it's wonderful to receive compliments on my son's behavior and achievements in class by different people in the church hallway. I fully appreciate this, because I have a sneaky suspicion it will not be at all like this come Eli's turn. If Eli is able to stay in a classroom by himself for a minute without crying, I think my honest response will be, "OH NO HE DI'INT."

So for now I'll leave you with Eli at his cutest doing one of the things he loves most: playing ball. He happens to be wearing one of my favorite PJs of his. I love them because they make him look like a miniature Korean ahjuhshee.

 

Muffin Top

Me: (pointing to my belly) "Do you think this baby is a boy?"
Jude: "No."
Me: Then what do you think it is?"
Jude: "Girl."
Me: "Really?"
Jude: "How about a dog?!"

I've never been fond of pregnancy. I don't feel "the glow", I'm clumsy, and I don't get giddy about maternity clothes. So I am still wearing my normal clothes that are too small to be at all comfortable. That makes me a veritable walking muffin top these days. Lovely, eh? I'm actually a bit surprised and grateful I'm still pregnant. Having to take care of two boys three years old and under while in this condition is not ideal. Jude knows there's a baby inside, but that doesn't seem to stop him from jumping on or running full force into my gut several times a week for, oh, the fun of it. I'm beginning to think it's his way of showing me affection. Lucky me.

Maybe that's why I think my kids look so yummy and kissable when they are sleeping peacefully. Kwang thinks it's odd that I take pictures of them snoozing, but the positions I find them in crack me up. I know parents usually only post pictures where their kids look cute and gap-ad-like, but we must all remember, I am not one of those parents.

Singing to D(ELI)lah in his Plain White Tee

I promise, Jude knows a lot of age-appropriate songs like "Bluebird, Bluebird", "Jesus Loves the Little Children", and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands". But for some reason, I seem to want to record the songs he catches from the radio... you know, juuuust in case there isn't enough evidence out there of my questionable parenting:

So I had my first doctor's appointment this week and found out I'm about 11 weeks now. During the ultrasound the midwife said, "The baby is moving quite a bit. It's kicking a lot!" My honest response was, "You mean it already has legs?" She must've wondered where I was the last two times I went through this. She also commented that she believes this is a boy which then made me think to ask, "Can I have a real doctor, please?" Just kidding. While it would be wonderful to have a girl, I fully believe the Lord knows what is best for our family and will provide in His wisdom. I also fully believe that if this is a boy, it is because the Lord does not think the world can handle a girl that looks like Kwang.

 
Helpful tip: Look for a baby shaped like this:

(I don't watch this cartoon, but the ultrasound reminded me of this unpleasant-looking character)

We had the opportunity to dogsit our friends' dog, Wrigley, over the long holiday weekend. We thought it was a great idea since the boys love Wrigley, but Jude doesn't want to return him now. Everytime we'd be out somewhere, Wrigley wouldn't be far from Jude's mind and out of nowhere he would say, "I don't know what's Wrigley doing?"  

Loving his dogsitting duties:

Jude started his 2nd year of pre-school this week. I, of course, dreaded the drop-off and was sad to leave him, but he was too busy playing with the new cars in the classroom to look up and say bye to me. Eli, on the other hand, is super clingy to me these days, even more clingy than his usual clinginess. And when you consider the benchmark he has already set for clinginess, this new level of clinginess is perhaps a level of clinginess the world has never before seen. Did I mention he is clingy?

Sweet Escape

This week our IT department moved into a brand new office a block away from our old building. The good news is that we uncivilized computer people can now wear jeans and flip flops everyday and no longer have to conform to the painful business casual dress code enforced on us while at the headquarters. Not only that, Trader Joe's is now around the corner on my route home. Most importantly, the women's restroom is much closer to my new desk and I can't tell you how favorable that is for my hourly peeing-pregnant-woman run. The very bad news (although great for everyone else) is that there is a Starbucks on the street corner I turn into to get to the new office. At the end of each day, I tell myself I will not under any circumstance stop by tomorrow for a yummy treat. But somehow at the beginning of each new day, I find me telling myself, "Well, if you're gonna have to fight this horrible nausea for eight hours while trying to conduct work and appear professional, the least you can do is treat yourself and Baby to a delectable goodie." I think I have pretty good self-control when it comes to many things. Breakfast sweets, however, have never been on that list. At this point, I am really hoping there is a study I am unaware of that proves lemon loaves and marble pound cakes to be excellent for a baby's brain development.

Matthew (Charles & Jean's son) & Eli:

One of the cutest things about Eli is how much he relishes his sleep even at such a young age. He'll be happily playing with his toys one moment, but at around 7:50pm when we ask him if he wants to go to bed ('night-night'), he'll carefully put down whatever he's playing with and enthusiastically nod his head yes over and over. He LOVES his crib and his sleep. I've never really met a one year old who does this. If we're upstairs when we ask him, he'll nod and just start waddling to his bedroom. It's so cute I can't stand it. I honestly thought you only finally appreciate sleep when you become a parent and can't have it anymore. Mr. Sheetmarks:

Something funny Kwang said to me the other day:
"People at the party told me Jude is handsome. And Eli looks like me." (pause) "What's that supposed to mean?" (We both start laughing)

Handsome? Yeah, not so much...

 

Old School Calvary

Our artists and musicians:

It would be nice if I could stop here and say we are a peaceful, get-along family. But right when I want to do that, Eli goes and whacks his brother on the head with a drumstick when he knows he shouldn't. I already sense he is going to be trouble and that we have some difficult times ahead. Although some books recommend otherwise, here is Eli getting a timeout at 15 months because he is neither representing nor keeping it real:

Seriously, what mother would think this is so sad but so adorable that she has to take a picture? Oh yes, that would be me.

Last week, Jean and I met up with Dallae who was in town on business. There's definitely something special about the people you grew up with. And I don't think it's only because we knew each other when we had nicknames like Slicklips, Longjohns, Onyxlocks, and Budding Appalachians. I'm laughing as I write this. But as sad as it sounds, it wouldn't be for just anyone that I would take the two boys downtown by myself after work and attempt to have a pleasant meal while nauseous. On the flipside, I think only true friends would welcome my traveling chaos at their dinner. Jean said she thinks she has a picture like the one below from about 15 years ago. Seeing how tired I look in this photo makes me think that other one may have been the better upload.

"Dumpty Dumpty Sat On A Wall..."

Yesterday afternoon at Manhattan Beach

(special thanks to Uncle Charles & Auntie Jean for the swim trunks)

The other day, Jude and I were playing the memory matching game. You know, the game where you lay cards out on the floor, faced down, and you take turns picking two that match. While playing, he suddenly burst into a Thomas the Tank Engine song and proudly told me he knew it all by himself. A few minutes later, he flipped over the "U" card with a picture of the umbrella bird:

Jude: (holding up the umbrella bird card) "You know this song, Uhmmah."
Me: "No, I don't think I know the song for that."
Jude: "Yes you do. Can you think about it?"
Me: (confused) "You mean for the umbrella bird?"
Jude: (nodding yes)
Me: (lightbulb) "Ohh.. you mean 'under my umbrella-ella-ella ay ay ay'... that song??" (fearing his response)
Jude: (nodding yes) "Uh-huh!"

Note to self: No more Jay-Z or Rihanna for the Kim family.

So I broke the news to my director that I'm expecting. AGAIN. In the two years I've been with this company, I've been prego twice. They must secretly wonder if my last name is actually Duggar. I bet all those out there in the corporate world reading this are thinking, "Boy am I glad I don't work with you!" Well, I don't blame you. When I'm not pregnant, I leave the office at three o'clock so I can make it home in time to search for important buried treasure with a make-believe telescope. When I am pregnant, I nearly fall asleep during conference calls. But at least I know why I'm so tired and hungry and nauseous these days. Before knowing I was pregnant, I was peacefully eating a dessert one evening when Kwang commented, "That's the fifth ice cream sandwich you've eaten today." I had no response because, let's be honest, it's not a terribly unusual scenario for me. But in my defense, it was only my THIRD.

 

Possible Meltdown Ahead

So #3 is on the way. I know this sounds obtuse, but I am stunned that this has happened. Aside from my irregularity and the healthy dose of work-related stress in my life, doesn't my age hold any benefits? Apparently not and my eggs haven't yet begun to shrivel up. I'm joking, of course, and know this is a blessing beyond measure. But I can't say the deliriously fatigued part of me isn't freaking out just a little bit. I think I'm only about 6-7 weeks right now, so it's still really early.

We took a trip this past weekend to Santa Barbara and the beautiful wine country to celebrate our anniversary, attend a wedding and, most importantly, get away for a bit. It's been a tough few weeks of Kwang working long days and nights and me feeling like a single working parent. So we packed up the fam and took a little road trip. It made for a really nice and enjoyable weekend. When I look at this picture of Eli below, all I see is roundness. Lots of it. Everywhere:

Appeasing the peanut gallery while mom enjoys a mocha frappucino:

Eli making the most of the wedding at Gainey Vineyard:

And Jude making the most of his hand-me-downs:

And finally, a picture I didn't even ask for and am still shocked I got. Pretty much sums up our weekend of family fun:

So why take the kids instead of indulge in a nice romantic getaway just the two of us? Judging from the surprise baby news we got on our anniversary, I think it's safe to say Kwang and I see enough of each other already.

 

Joie de Vivre

This week will mark our 5th wedding anniversary. If you spent a day with us, you would be able to see that I am the one who lucked out in this little matrimony. He is the one who thinks primarily with the rational part of his brain while I think mostly with the irrational part. He is the one who knows how to win at cards while I am the one who benefits from the winnings with a nice DSLR and lenses to go with. He is the one whose boss likes him so much that he gives him a $200 bottle of wine to celebrate his wedding anniversary with and I am the one who gets to enjoy a yummy glass of it. Of course, Kwang does reap some benefits from our marriage. I mean, I can't tell you how many times I've saved his life with my heroic backseat driving.

A wonderful marriage and two wonderful sons. For a fleeting five years, it's hard for me to imagine it being much better than this.