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Christmas Gift

0 Comments | This entry was posted on Dec 29 2009

Elijah got a red wagon for Christmas! Thank you Aunties and Uncles!

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Elijah Turns One – Korean Dol Celebration

1 Comment | This entry was posted on Dec 28 2009
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Little General- "Jangoon"

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What is a Korean birthday without a Christian service?

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Grandparents and Great grandparents in the background

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Aunts & Uncles in the foreground, Maternal family & guests in the background

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Uncle Paul, navy chaplain

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Good job Papa for the Asian Pear tower and Mama for the watermelons. No comment on the oranges.

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Elijah hasn't noticed his hat yet

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Everyone urging him to take the money- too interested in food

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This photo is like a magazine ad- the only one looking into the camera is Elijah

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Holding the paintbrush is in his genes

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He noticed the hat

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Maternal grandparents

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Nice shot with paternal grandpa

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Thoughtfully reading "Your Baby's First Year"

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Paternal grandpa & Paternal Great Grandma in the hat

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Drumming the fake rice cake towers

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Thankful to our guest who found an extra pair of socks in her car

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Cake and Clapping

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King's Hawaiian makes sheet cake!

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Coby and Elijah shake on it

Venue: Alta Vista Community Center, Redondo Beach (310) 318-0670
Rice Cake: Seoul Bakery, Gardena (310) 848-6835?
Food: Nakwon Catering, Koreatown (323) 466-3737
Birthday Cake: King’s Hawaiian Bakery (310) 530-0050
Photography: Elijah’s Great Grandfather Un Young Kim

Overall I’m happy with how everything turned out at my son’s Dol. We had, including children, around 85 invited guests. However, this is my notes and evaluation about the party details:

Elijah’s hanbok I bought already made so the owner gave me a sizable discount and made it a quick sale. That worked out for me so I didn’t have to come back to Ktown with a baby in tow.

The venue was awesome. Relatively inexpensive compared to other community centers around the Southbay. Some strict rules about decorating and sound but located in a very restful surrounding with wide roads and plentiful parking. Great staff. A few of our older guests had a hard time finding it due to small/hidden street signs. But a treasure find thanks to a playgroup mom’s referral!

Nakwon catering provided great food and it was plentiful. However, two waiters did not seem to be enough. The two servers exceeded one hour for setup which was awkward when we concluded the first part of our program and the food was not ready. They did not bring enough napkins for the number of seats even though I faxed a seating chart a week in advance. Also the napkins arrived a different color than what I ordered.

Seoul Bakery misplaced my order so when I called that morning to confirm they were clueless! I panicked, went into the bakery to show my receipt etc. and thankfully they did come through and deliver as promised so perhaps that was just a fluke incident.

I have to give credit to http://theimfamily.blogspot.com/2009/07/ozzys-chut-dol-korean-first-birthday.html because it was just about the only visual info I could find while researching! My watermelon arrangement are an homage to her original post. But I recently came across this photographer  http://www.jkophoto.com/ with some great Dol photos for ideas.

A dedicated post on the centerpiece to follow.

finalnavygerber

Fantastic DIY Project for Elijah

0 Comments | This entry was posted on Dec 11 2009

1. Buy a used round coffee table (IKEA)
2. Obtain a stainless steel mixing bowl with a lip
3. Jigsaw a circle in the middle of the table 1/4″ smaller than the bowl
4. Paint the  surface with chalkboard paint

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Images from:
http://www.amazon.com/Powell-White-Round-Chalkboard-Table/dp/B000KFUDYI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1260565650&sr=8-2
http://www.amazon.com/Offi-Kids-Wood-Chalkboard-Table/dp/B000UCM2HC/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1260565650&sr=8-5

Santa in Redondo

0 Comments | This entry was posted on Dec 05 2009

One night, a few weeks before Christmas, we heard sirens right outside our window. We thought an accident must have occurred at the basketball courts in front of our house. But no. It was Santa in Redondo Beach. We rushed out of the house –

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Daddy & Elijah at Torrance Beach

0 Comments | This entry was posted on Dec 05 2009

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First Year milestones

0 Comments | This entry was posted on Dec 04 2009

Elijah’s DOL or first birthday passed and he’s done some new things recently- like dancing to music while standing, giving objects back to us, pushing a toy shopping cart and walking! This past Wednesday night we were at the church play yard. There’s a foam plat yard with a tunnel and a low border. He now crawls through the tunnel and climbs over the walls! I also put him down the Little Tikes slide.

I see him thinking and making connections! We just assembled a little Fisher Price silly town toy with a little orange slide and he started trying to climb the slide because he knew what it was, even though it was miniature of the one he rode at church! Bright kid!

Also we began sleep training him again and his cries in the crib were much less terrified and more just complaining. It made it much easier to see him working through his discontentment. After he finally stopped crying he lay there with bright eyes looking around, touching the slats of the crib, and holding my hand. I heard him sigh a few times. It sounded like he was accepting that his crib was a safe place.