Happy New Year!!

Wow.  It is hard to believe that New Year's Eve is here.  It seems as if this year has flown by, especially these past 4 months.  Four months ago today, Joe Sung Min and I came home.  While it seems to have flown by, so much has happened during this time.  Each day we realize what an answer to prayers Joe was, what an incredible blessing he is and what joy he brings not only to us, but to whoever crosses his path.  We have definitely learned to trust fully in God - and his plan for us - and that even in the darkest of times he has incredibly great plans for us.  Better than we ever could have imagined.  Joseph Sung Min Switalski is proof of this.


Enough deep stuff -- now on to the fun things that happened today. :-)  I ran some errands this morning (x-ray on my hand, stopped at Trader Joes for some essentials family favorites and to the Apple store to pick up a new iphone since I shattered the screen on my old one earlier this week.  Oopsie!


By the time I got back, Joe was napping, Brian was tending to the animals in the yard so Liv and I decided to make some chocolate mint brownies in her easy bake oven for tonight's New Year's Eve party at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  The batter tasted great. And that is where it ends.  The recipe was unclear and we didn't divide the batter as we should have.  Not only did it not cook in the allotted time, it sort of exploded in said oven.  Did we give up?  No, we were listening to the Imagination Movers sing about not giving up and trying again, so we switched gears and tried using the batter to make some mini brownie cupcakes.  We were sure we were onto something groundbreaking, we had discovered a new treat.  Liv was all set to tell Mover Dave when we see them in Akron that we had invented something new and we didn't give up after things didn't work right the next time. We got closer the second time, but it was another gooey mess.  We got a good laugh over it and figured we'll try again another day.  I'm impressed she didn't get upset that it didn't work - definitely a lesson to learn early on!  Here is our second attempt - I'm honestly not even sure how to describe the consistency of this concoction.  This is perhaps my biggest fail in the kitchen.  At least we had fun making them!

After lunch, I took Liv and Joe to Grandma and Grandpa's house for some good naps and to get ready for our rockin' New Year's Eve Party.  First up was to try on the party hats ... tonight is going to be epic!!

 
Liv and I took an awesome nap, Joe had fun hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa before taking a nap himself.  By the time he woke up, it was party time!!  We started with pizza and a movie (Despicable Me), Papa's awesome cinnamon sugar popcorn, balloons, watching the ball drop online and then partying with hats and noisemakers.  Joe Sung Min did a great job with all the noise and commotion, a huge difference from when he first got home.  He has an incredible personality and is so much fun.

We would like to thank each of you for being part of our journey - and for sharing our joy with us.  We look forward to continuing the journey in 2012.  We just got our paperwork that will officially start the finalization process.  It looks like this will take place by the end of March.  So incredibly exciting!!
As always, please feel free to contact us or leave us comments on anything you'd like to hear about.  We wish you and your families a wonderful new year.

The Week In Review

Where to start (and my apologies for the lengthiness of the post!)...

On Monday, we hung around at home and played with all the toys that Olivia and Joe Sung Min got for Christmas.  As evidenced by the pictures below, Liv and I had some fun with her new easy bake oven.  We found some recipes online and she chose to make Barbie's Sparking Pink Cake and Sparkle frosting.  What fun!  Later, we went to Grandma and Grandpa's for dinner and we got to hang out with all the aunts and uncles that were having their annual 26th party.  It was the first time Joseph had met some of them and he did not disappoint!

Tuesday was Joe's last appointment with his pediatric opthamologist before his surgery next week.  While we were in the waiting room, a woman who works at the Cleveland Clinic came over and started asking me a number of questions as she and her husband are considering adopting a child.  It was a nice conversation cut short because it was our turn to be seen by the doctor.   Joe Sung Min did a great job (again, Pororo videos to the rescue) and the doctor was able to get all the measurements he needs to adjust Joe's eye muscles.  It is amazing what they are able to do!  One of the nurses was Korean and she took great interest in our little man and started speaking in Korean to him - and he had the most quizzical look on his face.  (All I could catch was mom and dad).   On the way home, we stopped at this awesome Korean market we found last year about 15 minutes from our house.  Mrs. Kim owns it and she is the nicest woman.  She loved Joe Sung Min and talked to him in Korean as well.  We bought a few kinds of her homemade kimchi (so delicious), some snacks and a few dishes she whipped up for us: beef bulgogi (not as good as Omma's!), spicy pork bulgogi, vegetable pancakes (Joe loved these!) and kimchi dumplings. Everything was amazing.

Wednesday was a big day for Olivia -- not only did she get to spend some time outside with her bunnies, she lost her second tooth and went to the ice skating rink with Brian for the first time this year.  Little miss did an incredible job and even started to skate by herself!  She also was the hero/protector for Joe.  We were watching Pororo (of course) and when it came to a part he didn't link, he gave a little shriek and then grabbed onto his big sister.  It was the cutest. thing. ever.  (The pictures don't do it justice).

Liv had a grandma day on Thursday so I could focus on getting some work done.  I ended up taking Joe to the doctor because he had been very fussy, clingy and crying when he wasn't sleeping.  Turns out, he has an ear infection ... the third one since September.  Just like his big sister!

Today started with Liv and I making chocolate chip banana muffins -- she is turning into quite the little baker.  The muffins were a huge hit.  Joe couldn't get enough of them!  He seems to be feeling a lot better today and is doing a great job drinking out of a sippy cup.  He's mastered it in less than a week. Bye bye bottles!!  Liv and Brian had another skate date this afternoon - we may just have a figure skater (or hockey player) in our midst!  While they were out, my job was to keep and eye on Joe and the chickens.  One of the chickens, Ruby, likes to jump the fence and hang out in the back yard.  I had to wrangle her back in the chicken's area a few times.  We hope she'll be laying some eggs soon.  Never a dull moment in this house!

Joe is the best Christmas present ever. After Baby Jesus...

We had a wonderful Christmas as a family of four.  I woke up super early (Brian asked if I had even slept) to make the monkey bread and make sure everything was ready for the kids.  After all, Olivia has been waking up very early in anticipation these past few mornings and we were figuring she'd be up by 6:30.  Not today! 

It was almost 7:30 before she made her appearance, greeting us with a robust, "Merry Christmas", quickly followed by rapid fire excited outbursts: "Look!  Santa ate the cookies we left for him!", "Wow! Look at all the presents under the tree!", "I'm so excited!", "Mama, can I help you make the monkey bread?!?".   We had a quick breakfast of monkey bread before opening up a few presents before we got ready for church.  We figured Joe Sung Min wouldn't mind if Liv opened up a few presents, so we got started.  Olivia was very excited - and appreciative of all her presents.  By the time Brian got Joe up and fed, we had time to open up two of his presents, and they have turned out to be his favorites -- some stacking blocks and a Pororo doll that we had shipped from Korea.  He broke into a huge grin and kept clapping - and even gave Pororo one of his forehead "hugs".

At church, we decided that Liv would join me in the choir loft and Joe would stay downstairs with Papa.  Both kids did very well in church, Liv, standing the whole time with me and Joe being rather quiet down in the pew.  The alto section kept commenting on how cute Joe was, how beautiful Liv looked and then it happened, Joe finally saw us and he laughed and waved and babbled.  Heads turned, we waved and the choir chuckled.  His vision is better than we expected!  Joe ended up coming upstairs with me and Liv after communion and he was definitely Mr. Popular.

We had a relaxing day at home: snack, nap (me and Joe - Liv and Brian looked at things under her new microscope), lunch and playing before heading back to Grandma and Grandpa's house.  We were excited to hear that cousins Randy, Jessica, Mitchell and Raniece were going to stop by.  Joe was great with his cousins and was enthralled by Mitchell's remote control helicopter.  Liv has already requested one when she gets older.

Soon it was time to get the kids to bed.  Before Liv said her prayers, she softly said, "You know, Mama, I got a lot of nice things for Christmas, but Joe Sung Min is the best Christmas present ever -- after Baby Jesus."  I got a little teary at that comment and couldn't help but think how blessed we are.

A very excited Olivia

Putting Baby Jesus in the manger

Can't. Wait.

And Joe makes a grand entrance

Santa even brought some presents for the pets

So excited to get a microscope

All smiles with Pororo

Joe was so excited he kept clapping for his Pororo

A little pre-dawn Christmas concert

 

Liv and Brian with the camouflage coffee mug she bought him

The kids were enthralled with Mitchell's helicopter

 

Merry Christmas Eve!

We were awakened bright and early by a very excited Olivia. "TODAY IS CHRISTMAS EVE!" she loudly announced as she entered our room.  "Santa is coming tonight!!!!!"  We hurried her downstairs before she woke up Sir Sleeps A Lot - he gets a little grumpy if he wakes up too early. 

Liv spent her morning in the kitchen, first helping me finish some bars we're taking to church for the Christmas dinner, then, helping Papa make wreath cookies and the dough for gingerbread men.  Joe Sung Min kept himself busy playing and helping out as only he can.  

Liv spent the afternoon at Grandma and Grandpa's house and excitedly called us to let us know that Santa had come while she was napping so we needed to get over there. Now.   So we got Joe dressed in his "Christmas best" (at least in the pajama world) and headed over to Grandma and Grandpa's house for dinner and to open some presents.

Before it was time to open presents, Joe gave a little love to Grandma.  The "forehead" is his form of affection.  We call this a Joe hug (Liv calls it a "head bump") -- either way, you can't help but smile when you get one! 

We couldn't pass up this adorable romper for him...

Joe was not interested in the Christmas presents -- all he wanted to do was play with his dinosaur - his favorite toy.  We ended up having to bring the dinosaur over to where we were opening presents so he could at least be part of it.

Olivia helped Joe open up his presents and he got some presents that really caught his attention -- Tupperware filled with little things that would make noise when he shakes them.  He LOVED them (so did his big sis!!)

Olivia was thrilled to get a guitar from Santa Claus and immediately started playing us some songs.  She's a natural!

Joe Sung Min was also very excited to get this singing/dancing/talking puppy dog.  He has already figured out how to turn it on and make him talk.

Christmas Eve is perhaps the easiest night to get a 5 year old to sleep.  She wanted to fall asleep immediately to make sure Santa knew she was asleep.  Too bad we can't harness this every night.  Then, it was time for some last minute present finding wrapping and decorating before I got ready to sing at church.  It is going to be an late night and an early morning... but the joy on the kids' faces will be worth it!