Cake Alert

I had a cake that almost broke me this weekend. Almost. Go see it at www.theatomiccakeco.blogspot.com.

Weekend Round Up

So, this was quite a weekend here for all of us. As you know, Friday was a big day with all the legal wrangling and whatnot and really, how could we top that? Saturday, Grandma Jan was so kind as to come and babysit so we could meet my sister for lunch and a movie. We saw Star Trek, which was AWESOME. Seriously awesome. Now, we are geeks so we would have seen it anyway, but it was really just a good movie, whether you like sci-fi or not. Hot Captain Kirk didn't hurt, either. I have to say it was nice to eat a meal without someone's grubby hands trying to grab everything in sight or having to dodge flying food or trying to convince someone that staying in his high chair was beneficial to us all.

Sunday was also a day of firsts. It was Max's first time in the big pool! We have a little pool at home that he's been in and loves but this time we took him to grandpa's big fancy neighborhood pool. We bought him a little floaty thing but eventually Jeff took him out and he was SO HAPPY. He has no fear and didn't care if he got water in his eyes or anything. This is good because I want him to be a good swimmer but bad because he has NO FEAR. Yikes. Anyway, he had so much fun that we're taking him again soon. This time I'm getting in so BEWARE OF THE SAFETY POLICE.

This was pre-swim. He was like "what the hell is this big blue thing?"

HE'S IN! That is one fine looking husband I have.

Here he is in full swim. He was kicking those feet like a champ.

Daddy was throwing him up and he was cracking up. Mommy was sitting on her hands at the edge hoping she could figure out CPR if necessary. I KEED GRANDMA, I KEED.

Daddy, Grandpa and Max. Classic.

Order In The Court

So, today was the day. The official day in court to make little Kimchi a US citizen and our kid forever. Whether he likes it or not. Our return period is over, kid. It's weird that it's all done. We have no more paperwork, no more visits, no more poking and prodding and check writing. I was nervous all morning because it's court and court makes me nervous. Not that I've been a whole lot but not much good comes from court. Except this. This was kick ass.

Grandma Jan, Grandpa Cliff and Grandpa Larry were on hand to witness the festivities. We all met up in the waiting are and our attorney gave us the lowdown on how things were going to play out. It was mostly a bunch of questions with me answering "yes." It was riveting and I expect to be asked to reprise my performance on "Law & Order" any day now. Max had not had a nap so he was less than enthusiastic about being asked to sit still in a quiet courtroom. The courtroom itself was quite small and it was just us and the court people. He started to squirm shortly after they started questioning me and finally I saw the judge reach into his big judge desk and pull out two things and hand them to the court lady next to him. She brought them over and it was a fruit roll-up and a pack of Oreos. Jeff gave him the fruit roll-up IN the pack and he proceeded to smack it on every surface he could find, including Jeff, as you can see below, while also trying to pry it open with this teeth so he could eat it. He also spent this time exercising his vocal chords.

Well the attorney was still talking away and Max is smacking the pack around and trying to bite it and finally the judge interrupts the attorney and bellows "JEFFREY, JUST GIVE HIM THE FRUIT ROLL UP. WHAT ELSE DOES HE HAVE TO DO?" Jeff turned 97 shades of embarrassed and very quickly tore open the fruit roll-up. Within 2 minutes Max is covered in sticky drool and I pass him back to Jeff and then in the middle of the judge handing down the ruling, he very loudly burps. In the echoy courtroom. I was trying to keep a straight face at the judge who is staring at me and speaking but I was about to DIE. They finally ruled that we get to keep him and everyone started to clap, which for some reason was hilarious to me and then we went up for a photo op with the judge. Max was VERY interested in him, specifically his robe, and kept putting his arms out like he wanted the judge to hold him so he did! It was hilarious and the judge was so cool about all his shenanigans, even giving up his secret sugar stash.

Then they kicked our asses out for the next case and we went out for Mexican food.

Here you see him contemplating his new status as an American and how he's going get out of jury duty. I keed, I keed. He will serve.

You're a peein'? Don't get it on my leg.

So, despite the rain last weekend, Jeff and I took Max to the European Car Show. It was in a swanky mall parking lot, which was convenient because I had been wanting to stock up on diamonds and Gucci bags at Neiman Marcus. I keed, I keed. They wouldn't even let me pee in that place. Anyway, when we pulled in, the rain looked like it was stopping but once we parked and got out, it started up so I decided to spare humanity the horror of seeing my hair go bananas so I opted to stay in the car and play Mahjong on my iPhone. I've become quite a fan of this game, which unlike sudoku does not require math skills and I find I can waste a good amount of time playing it. They were only gone for about 15-20 minutes, it wasn't a big car show, and returned with pictures so I could view from the comfort of the front seat. As we all know, I have an unnatural love of all things miniature so anytime I can go see real Austin Minis I will go. The new ones are okay but nothing beats the original and I will own one someday. SOMEDAY I TELL YOU. They even had a MINI TRUCK that would be perfect for delivering my cakes. You hear that Ebay Motors, produce me a mini truck and we'll be friends.

Max looking bug-eyed with a bug-eyed Austin-Healey Sprite. I will also take one of these, please. I'm not 100% sure but I think Max is giving you his Blue Steel again. You're welcome.

Meh. Car is okay, kid looks disgusted. Show me something better, daddy.

MUCH BETTER. He's pleading with his eyes for daddy to get this for mommy. It would make everyone so happy.

This was next to the one in the last pic. Um, flames and a checkerboard roof? HELLS YES.

This is the mini truck. Swap out the landscape graphics for my cake logo and bam, Bob's your uncle.

Cake Alert

http://www.theatomiccakeco.blogspot.com/

Bring your mower.

Order in the court.

So, one week from today is our official day in court to adopt Max. He'll get a bright shiny new birth certificate so we can get him his very own passport. He has a Korean passport, which I guess after next week will be more of a keepsake than anything he can use. Maybe I'll use it as a coaster. I KEED, I KEED. It's probably not absorbant enough. Anyway, I'm really excited that this is all wrapping up. Jeff and I were talking about how long ago it seemed that we were sitting in the community room of some library with another couple and a woman from Holt, not even knowing which country we wanted to adopt from, watching a video of all these people adopting these sweet little babies. I think Jeff and I lasted about 23 seconds before we were blubbering messes. To see all those kids, from all over the world, and to imagine you would be like the person on the tape, coming to the airport with the wee thing and having everyone there to meet you, was just too surreal. Until we did all that stuff. Us. We can barely remember to take the recycling to the curb even though it comes on the same day every week, and yet we've managed to adopt a freaking child! That's some crazy shit.

In the last 6 months, we've gone from bumbling new parents who could barely change the diaper of a baby who had no idea who we were or what we were saying, to a totally normal family. Well, normal is a relative term. Normally weird, perhaps. Anyway, 6 months ago I would have freaked out to find he had taken his diaper off in the middle of the night and peed in the bed but now, well, I just sigh and change the sheets. Again. We've come a long way, baby.

These should be featured at Sundance.

So, we took some video this weekend of Kimchi. He is a bizarre little child, I tell you. He's really come into his own in the last few weeks and he's burst out with this totally loud and hilarious personality. Well, it's hilarious when he's laughing and being adorable, not so much when I'm sitting in TGI Friday's trying to enjoy my delicious California club and he's yelling and throwing his sippy cup at anyone within reach. He is also growing at an astonishing rate and since we came in late to the game, I have no idea if this is normal or if I'm going to go in one morning and he's going to be Yao Ming size. I also don't know if this little personality was always in there and he was just waiting until he felt comfortable with us to bust it out or if this is just normal progression for a kid. I really should probably pick up a parenting book at some point.

Anyway, this first video I took last weekend after breakfast and no, he's not wearing pants. He does have a diaper on but he is averse to wearing pants at home so I allow it. I don't wear pants so why should he. I keed, I keed. I totally wear pants. He is REALLY trying to talk to us and I wish I knew what he was trying to say because clearly it is of vital importance to Earth. I can't explain the hanger other than he decided he really, really likes them.

The trick I'm referring to at the end is one his daddy taught him called "Climb Into The Chair All By Yourself So Mommy Can Freak Out That You're Going To Fall Off And Crack Your Face Open." We didn't get video of that. Instead, I will now show you The Laughing Video. He spent a good 20 minutes running around his room laughing for no apparent reason. He was really pleased with himself. He has the funniest laugh and at the very end, you can see him go in to french the camera. He is full of l'amour.

The best part of this video is when he gets REALLY tickled by himself, he flails his arms and between the arms and the shirt, he reminds me of Robin Williams as the gay nightclub owner in "The Birdcage." VIVA LA JAZZ HANDS!!!