Bimming and Baseball

Peter has been taking swimming lessons for several months and has progressed from level two to five.  His goal is level six which will allow him to join the local Swim Club.  So he's been working hard and having fun.

Reuben, from day one of watching Peter get to swim, has wanted to take lessons too.  I've held off until this last session of the summer because...

• This program is more play than actual teaching at the age three level.
• I don't want to pay for play time in the pool when we have been swimming at friends' pools for free all summer.
• When Peter was three and took lessons at this pool, he was SO cold - blue and shaking - that he didn't finish the session.

But, we signed him up.  Maybe this is his thing, you know.  Like, with a bit of instruction he'd be racing Michael Phelps.

Headed to the pool he was giddy and using his new phrase, "I'm excited!"

He got in the pool and declared, "No bimming lessons!  No bimming lessons!"

Why?  Because he is so cold - blue and shaking.

The teachers even said the pool was unusually cold.

So, he became that child.  The one whose cries echo off the tile walls for thirty minutes, with patches of silence when the teacher gets him to blow bubbles.  Oh man.

So this week, I am getting in the pool with him and his teacher to see if that will help him.  I don't know why it should since my body heat probably won't raise the water temp very much.  But I know what he can do in a pool, Mr. Fearless.  But, today may be his last lesson until he's seven, like Peter.  We'll see.

Now on to baseball.

We're going to a game tonight.  Isn't that funny?  If you know Paul, you know he is anti sports in a big way.  But HE initiated this family outing.  Strange.  Maybe he's going to propose to me during the seventh inning stretch.  That would be cute and very unexpected.

The City has a minor league team and tonight is half price tickets for Children's Museum members - that's us.  We usually go to one game a year, but with the sole purpose of relationship building with other families from town.  Tonight, no one else is available so it's just us.  Crazy.  My little family is going to a baseball game just for the fun of going to a game.  Really?  Spectating a sporting event can be fun?

It is.  I know.  I was born with a Go Dodgers tattoo on my hip.  And the underside of my wrists shows the Dodger Blue blood aflowing in my veins.  My childhood cat's name?  Dodger.  As in  Go Dodgers!

So that's our day.  Traumatic bimming lessons in the morning and out-of-character family fun baseball this evening.  Any bets on whether Paul brings a book to read?

Herman and Herman

Herman is the name my dad uses when referring to a funny, unusual person.  Steve Urkel comes to mind.

Tonight I am being entertained by a couple of Hermans.

I have two very silly boys in their bedroom trying hard not to sleep.

Rube had an unexpected late nap this evening that's throwing him off.  And I guess Peter is just playing off that.

Plus we're leaving in the morning for a family vacation.  Although I'm not sure Reuben is really aware of that.  Peter is though.  He packed six Lego Bionicle creations.

Reuben just came in and said it's too dark.  "I need my light saber."  Yes, that's just what will help him sleep.

It's fun to hear them giggle and sing and be weird together.

Peter came in earlier and said that he's making noises to himself to help him sleep, but Reuben is copying him.  And that's bothering him.  Hmm.

Now they are talking about licking bowls of honey.  Sounds like they are slowing down.

Normally I would be more firm with them actually getting to sleep.  But it's Vacation Eve.  And it's Summer.  And they're building memories.  And maybe they'll sleep in the car.  Yeah.

We're Okay

I just thought you should know that we're alright.

We had that bad day last week and I got several lovely, thoughtful emails from great motherly women in my life.  They offered suggestions and shared how they had bad days too.  It will be okay.  You're doing great.  This too shall pass.  They were so kind.  Thank you.

Just as that day was horrid, today was almost blissful.  Peter has seemed more loving and affectionate toward me.  He has been more respectful and obedient.  And I have been supernaturally calm and patient.  It was a nice mix.

So please be assured that horrible days are rare around here.  I cannot be one of those 'perfect' blogging moms who portrays bliss on a daily basis.

There was one blog like that that I had to stop reading because it was really discouraging me.  Her family is so perfect.  And I'm happy for her.  How nice.  She must have really level hormones.

Let's hope I don't jinx tomorrow by appreciating today.  Better give the glory to God.

Thanks for today. 

And thanks for tomorrow.


P.S. You might like to know that I detached a piece of Peter's own body from his face tonight.  I had to pull pretty hard.  There was blood.  It was gross.  But the tooth was hanging by a root tendril and the poor kid couldn't eat.  So now I'm a hero.

Camp Kajok

Each year the Korean Presbyterian Church in The City hosts a Korean Culture Camp for Korean adoptive families.  Last year since Reuben was just two, Peter and I went.  But this year all four of us went and we had such a great time together.

We went to five classes:

1. How to celebrate the Lunar New Year, their biggest holiday

They wear hanboks and travel to be with family.

This was my first time wearing one and I felt very princess-like.

I loved that it's so big and roomy.

They're not going for the shortest, tightest dress to look attractive, 

but fluffy and flowy.

2. How to eat with chopsticks

We learned that chopsticks originated in China to hold hot things.

Then they used them for all eating.

Then later the Koreans made them with stainless steal, instead of bamboo.

Stainless steel ones are very thin and tricky.

Practicing by picking up marshmallows.

Then they pulled out these training chopsticks that are joined with a hinge at the top and have finger grips.

3. The ondol floor heating system

This was really interesting and makes so much sense.

We have a pic of Rueben's bed at his foster mom's house and it's a mat on the floor.

 Very opposite from China where the floors are nasty nasty.

4. How to make Kim Bop

If you saw it you'd say it was sushi.

But there's no raw fish.

I think that's Japanese.

On a big seaweed sheet you put rice, radish, steak, carrots, pickle, egg, and anything else you like.

Then you roll it up using this handy bamboo mat.

Then slice it and eat it.

The boys thought they were super tasty.

5.  How to write in Korean

Learning his name.

Then we had a glorious feast for lunch.

In which they got to use their chopstick skills.

Then a demonstration of the important Dol ceremony.

This is the first birthday party to celebrate that the child survived to be one.

We tried to do this for Reuben when he was one.

There's a lot to it and we naively left a lot out.

But we did it and we have pictures to show Rube when he's older.

Then a drum dancing demo.

Reuben got his drum and sticks taken away due to his overexuberant drumming.

She was very polite about it.

Aha, and then the Tae Kwon Do demo.

The highlight of the day.

They were so excited.

Here, Master Ahn is trying to pry open his fist.

He was really into it.

She's showing him how to punch because he's about to break a board.

Watch this...

What a fabulous day!

Our Korean Family

Here's just a peek at what we did today at

Camp Kajok.

Doesn't Paul look so dashing in navy?
I think he's very handsome.

We are exhausted

so I'll post more pics and

narrative another time.

It's Her Day

Happy Birthday to My Mom!

My Mother is on the right,

pictured with my sister's Mother-in-law.

~

My Mom was born today, a few moons ago.

Have you met her?  She's very interesting.

The only way she'll ever look big/tall/large at all is...

...standing near a mini Lego cityscape.

In the real world she's just under five feet.

She's such a good sport with her grandkids.
She is flying the blue helicopter with Peter.
Really, that's not his teenage sister.

You would enjoy a visit with her and her sister.

They laugh and are so silly.

She is an active outdoorswoman.
She's at the bottom of the ladder here.
(Look at little Reuben riding on Paul's back.)

She's a mega quilter who has gifted our family several of her marvelous creations.
Four of them are in the picture.

We do love Granny.

We know you'll have a wonderful extended birthday celebration in Washington.

And happy blending!

The Knot in My Neck

We had a better day yesterday.

It just seems that every once in a while we have to hit bottom and readjust.

Let's say we're on the upswing.

I think the stress has moved to my neck and hasn't been released because I haven't exercised in two days.  Although, really, don't you think mowing should count?  I push mowed for 45 minutes last night.  That should have taken care of it.

Maybe a morning trip to Turkey Run is what we all need today.