Happy Lunar (not just "Chinese") New Year!

Today, in honor of the Lunar New Year, I went to Kate's preschool to read her class a story and talk to the kids about how Koreans celebrate. Since everyone in the U.S. refers to Lunar New Year as "Chinese New Year," I felt it was my obligation to give Korea a shout out on behalf of Kate and the Kang side of the family, as part of my on-going Korean-Culture-Re-Education-Plan for all Americans. It was very sweet how excited Kate was to have me visit her class. When she saw me come down the path, she screamed, gave me a big hug, and then shouted, "Ms. Carrie, Ms. Mary, MY MOM IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!" Ms. Mary, who has a terrific sense of humor, also screamed, "KATE'S MOM IS HERE!" I read the book, "New Clothes for New Year's Day," a sweet, simple story about a Korean girl putting on her traditional Korean dress on New Year's Day. I brought along Kate's hanbok and all the accessories that are pictured in the book: the shoes, socks, hat, hair ribbon, norigae dress ornament, and drawstring purses. The kids were very attentive and a few of them had questions about the accessories. Kate's teachers really loved seeing Kate's Korean dress, never having seen one before, and wanted to know everything about it. Kate proudly said, "It's my hanbok!" Ms. Mary said it was so beautiful, they should make an American Girl doll version of it. I thought so, too, but explained that since Korea's a tiny country with China and Japan looming over it, it usually gets short shrift and we can't compete. Teachers that they are, they immediately sympathized and said, "Oh, well, that's okay. We know!" Bwahahaha (evil laugh). My re-education plan was working... Kate and I talked to the class about the traditional Korean bow, sae bae, and how kids receive lucky money as a reward. Ms. Mary laughed and said, "Positive reinforcement. Terrific!" The teachers also wanted to learn how to say, "Happy New Year" in Korean. Kate and I said it for them, and they laughed, saying it was difficult to remember. Ms. Carrie joked that it had taken them years to be able to say "Gung Hay Fat Choy." Afterwards, Kate and I handed out kid-sized chopsticks for everyone. I think the kids enjoyed that part the most. Ms. Carrie asked Kate to explain what they were and what they were for. Kate said, "They're chopsticks, for eating Korean food!" Then Ms. Carrie said, "You can eat sushi with them!" Well, sushi is technically Japanese... sigh. As Kate and I left the school, a Mom stopped us and thanked us for the chopsticks. She said, "Zoe told me they were for eating sushi!" Proving that the Korean-Culture-Re-Education Plan is not only necessary, but must continue. Just to cap-off Lunar New Year's Day, Kate and Appa took a walk around the neighborhood, and Kate said, "Maybe we'll see another rainbow!" And she did! ' This was the rainbow from two days ago: And while we're at it, here's a shot of the sunset from a few weeks ago:

Sae hae bok mani badu sae yo!

The Inauguration of Barack Obama!

JANUARY 20, 2009! The day Chris and I (and countless others) have dreamed about for eight long years and feared would never come was finally here. WHOO HOO! AHHHH! Needless to say, we were excited, elated, and ecstatic about witnessing this incredible moment in history. Even from our living room. Because we were crazy-happy, Kate was, too, and couldn't wait for "Inau-GER-ation" (or "Inauger-RACING") Day. Last night she asked for "Inaugeration Eggs" for breakfast, and was thrilled when she realized we were going to eat breakfast in front of the television set. "HOORAY! It's a SPECIAL day so we're going to eat our breakfast here, but when it's a REGULAR day we eat it over there, right, Momma, right???" A little yoga while waiting for the swearing in ceremony to begin. When Dick Cheney appeared on TV in a wheelchair, effectively looking like Mr. Potter from "It's A Wonderful Life," as Chris observed, Kate asked, "Who's that?" Chris and I both grimaced and groaned. "Is he a bad guy?" Chris continued to glower while I said, "Let's just say he's made bad choices." "That's where Appa's newspaper is!" PRESIDENT OBAMA! Kate said, "President Obama looks like an elf. He has big ears." I made sure to tell Kate that big ears were both a sign of intelligence and good luck.... since she may one day look in the mirror and see Obama/elfish ears. This is Kate's serious-weird face that she reserves for once-in-a-lifetime moments in history. Not everyone can be gripped by an inaugural speech. "Who's that, Momma?" A happy woman. Because everyone's happy on Inauguration Day! After the swearing in ceremony, Chris took Kate to preschool. On the way there, she asked Chris when she would see "the ball come down. With Michelle Obama's fancy dress." Chris had no idea what she was talking about at first, but then realized she was referring to the Inaugural Ball, and confusing it with the other exciting "ball" she witnessed on TV earlier this month. Kate was very excited to see Michelle Obama's gown. Later on, when I picked up Kate, I saw one of her teachers, Ms. Carrie, who relayed a few of the many thoughts Kate shared with them this Inauguration Day. "George Bush is the old President and Barack Obama is the new one. George Bush is the old one because he made lots of mistakes." "I watched Obama on television this morning and I saw Michelle Obama's wedding dress!" Ms. Carrie also told/warned me that "Kate tells us everything. What you guys do on the weekends, the things you say, what you eat, where you go, who you see...everything! Ms. Mary and I just love listening to Kate talk! Ha ha ha ha!" Heh heh heh...gulp. In order to cover our butts, I told Ms. Carrie that many of the things Kate says are "complete fabrications (which is true)." For instance, she apparently told her teachers that we had all gone to see a "parade" this weekend. Um, no. We didn't.

That night, Kate got her wish and saw the beautiful "wedding dress" Michelle Obama wore at the Inaugural Balls. I was giddy and moved to tears watching President Obama and the First Lady dance their first inaugural dance to "At Last," the same song Chris and I chose for our first dance as husband and wife.

Happy Inauguration Day! May this be the start of a new era of peace, prosperity, and propriety!

Kate is Growing Up! Videos!

Chris and I are amazed at how quickly Kate has grown over the past couple of years. It feels like only yesterday she was a babbling, waddling toddler, and now she's a full-fledged preschooler. Lately, her growth rate seems to be picking up speed.

The other day, she was talking to me on the cell phone while at the grocery store (I was at home), and after she told me all about her day at preschool and the delicious bagel chip she was eating, she said, "Mom, I gotta go." And hung up. She's not my "baby" anymore, sniff, sniff.

Here is a medley of some of my favorite videos of Kate, then and now.

Kate at 19 months, pretending to read before a large, captivated audience:

Kate two years later, at 3.5 years, pretending to chat on the phone:

Kate at 21 months, joyfully singing the notes of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy":

Kate, two years later, singing with clearer diction and a lot more posturing, but no less joy:

Kate at 15 months, dancing to her favorite song:

Kate at 19 months, doing "Head, Shoulders" with Mom:

And Kate at 3 years, rocking out to "Mickey." Her dance moves have gotten a little more sophisticated:

And finally, Kate at 12 months, laughing:

Kate may no longer be my little baby, but she hasn't changed at all.

Tournament of Roses Floats 2009

The day after New Year's, Chris, Kate, and I made our second annual visit to the Tournament of Roses Parade Floats. They were parked next to Kate's favorite park in Pasadena. The weather was cold and gray, the exact opposite of last year (see two photos below). And that was just fine by us.

Don't know who this guy was.

Kate had her nuclear holocaust shades on last year.

This was Trader Joe's 2009 float, a cool display of monsters from classic sci-fi movies.

The grown-ups liked it, and at first Kate was really excited and dragged Appa to take a closer look.

But then Godzilla suddenly spat out smoke, startling Kate and Lucy. They were not pleased.

Chris and Kate got caught in Godzilla's breath.

"I don't like the scary monsters!"

So we moved on to the friendlier Sesame Street floats. Abby Cadabby was done really well. Big Bird was more like Little Bird. His beak and his body could've used a few more inches.

The doggy couple at the drive-in was impressive.

Especially the accessories all around it. According to the rules, everything on the float has to be vegetative. The hot dog was made of roses, and there was a creamsicle made out of dried mango slices. Vegans everywhere would've been proud.

The people in the white suits talked about each float with great pride. We were curious to know who these people were and how they got into this.

The town of Sierra Madre (where Kate took swim classes this summer) did a "Bollywood" float. A pleasantly surprising choice for a town that is almost completely homogenous.

"Beep-Beep!" The desert scenery behind Wile E. with its winding "Route 66" was very impressive. My elementary school was called Forest Road School and we were the "Forest Road Runners." We even had gym shirts with the Road Runner on them, in violation of federal copyright laws.

It was crowded. All Americans west of the Missisissppi seemed to be there that day. To passersby, it might've looked like a rally organized by PETA.

Lucy was still a little spooked by Godzilla and kept her hands over her ears for a while.

How Chris might look on a dollar bill. Or a commemorative plate.

Lucy jumped out of the stroller to ask Kate if she wanted to come over to her house and watch a movie with her. Kate's answer was "Yes!"

Sometimes Kate does her Ray Liotta-crazy laugh if she's in a very good mood.

Kate said this was her favorite float. The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy was made of live, human flesh, and marched in the parade the day before. Hilary and Kate admiring a robot rock band float. This was a beautiful float -- a rabbit carrying a wheelbarrow of garden vegetables, on his way to the fair.

A Mad Tea-Party.

This was maybe Float Number 42, and everyone was getting a little tired.

After viewing 46 floats, it was high time for lunch and ice cream. Chris decided to give his biceps a workout. Kate and Lucy wanted to try Hilary's peanut butter-chocolate ice cream and pass germs to each other at the same time.

The beauty of being 3 1/2 is that you can have fun anywhere. Even on a set of giant, orange balls outside a supermarket.

Especially when Appa is hamming it up and letting them slide... Maybe next year we'll skip the floats and just play outside the supermarket.

Happy Year of the Ox!

On New Year's Day morning, after making a round of phone calls to the family, Kate put on her hanbok excitedly. This is a shot of Kate laughing as Appa came downstairs wearing his wedding hat in solidarity. "Ahahaha! Mom, look at Appa! He's wearing his bunny ears!"

Kate was getting ready to do sae bae, a traditional bow children do before their parents and elders as a show of respect, and receive an envelope with cash in return. In America, this is known as groveling. Fortunately, Kate is still young enough to be game for anything. Especially when there's a surprise involved at the end.

Appa gave her a few instructions, and she was ready to go.

Kate was a great sport. She nearly lost it when Mom asked her to do it again for the camera after she had done it twice already. Halmoni and Halabugi really wanted to see a photo of Kate doing sae bae, so Kate obliged us again. Halmoni and Halabugi were thrilled when they saw the photos, and Halabugi mailed Kate her sae bae money right away.

Hooray, I did it! Since Kate could care less about money at this age, we gave her a little treat bag with mini-markers, a small book, and a candy bracelet. "Can I eat it now??"

Kate hamming it up. "Uh...Appa...I think your hat is a little big."

I made ddukgook, the traditional New Year's Day soup for the first time. Kate really liked it, and we all "ate another year." Sae hae bok mani badu sae yo!