Monster Truck Show

Last week Saturday we all went to the Monster Truck show in Grand Rapids.  This was totally and completely just for the boys.   Neither Luke or I are interested in this type of thing, but both our boys just love trucks.  

 

 Jordan has very sensitive ears, so we weren't sure how this experience was going to go.  In fact, Jordan went back and forth between wanting to go and not wanting to go.  When the day finally came he was very excited and was dressed and ready way before we needed to leave. 

 Both Jordan and Aiden were prepared for the loud trucks with these earmuffs.  They also wear these when they are outside while Luke is mowing the lawn or blowing out the driveway.  Aiden isn't nearly as bothered by loud noises, but he always has to do whatever Jordan does.

 Luke bought Jordan this monster truck hat.  He loved it; especially because it had the name of a real monster truck on the hat- Grave Digger.  I knew nothing about monster trucks before the boys came along, but now I can name several different monster trucks.

 I was able to take a couple pictures of the trucks before our prediction about Jordan came true.  After watching a bit of the show, he said it was too loud and he didn't want to watch it anymore.  Aiden seemed completely unfazed by the noise and stayed to watch most of it with Daddy while Jordan and I walked around by all the vendors.  For the next few days Jordan brought up the monster truck show at bedtime and always said he was never going to go to another one again.  Aiden also brought up the show a lot in the days following.  But he would always say, "mon trucks".  Then he would say "more, please?"  Those boys are opposite in so many ways!

I had to include this picture of Aiden screaming one night after dinner.  My rule has always been that Jordan may have a treat after dinner if he eats his veggies.  We've been pretty lenient with Aiden on this rule because of his difficult adjustment to the family.  However, I feel like he is fully adjusted now and needs to be held to some of the family rules.  He did not give into this rule without a fight as you can clearly see.  I was even very accommodating and some nights offered fruit instead or only made him eat corn and peas which I know he likes.  But he would always scream and scream and refuse to eat the healthy food.  But Aiden didn't realize that he has a Mommy that is just as stubborn as him.  Finally, after many nights of crying he finally gave in.  Now he stuffs those veggies in his mouth so fast because he can't wait for his treat!

Visiting Jordan's Preschool

 

A few weeks ago I visited Jordan's preschool to teach the kids some info. about Korea.  My assistant principal offered to sub for me for part of the morning so that I could do this.  It was so fun to see Jordan at preschool as I never get to bring him or pick him up from school.  The kids were quite an awe of my hanbok.  One little girl in particular couldn't take her eyes off me when I was wearing it.  All the kids tried a bite of the seaweed I brought in, although only one child actually ate the whole sheet.  Aiden and Jordan finished everyone else's seaweed for them.  

 My mom came along to help me out, so Aiden was there as well.  He sat right in the middle of the class like he was part of the group.  But as you can see, he wasn't nearly as attentive.  When I was telling the kids how both Aiden and Jordan were born in Korea, Aiden stood up and started hugging Jordan.  It was so sweet.

 After their snack of rice, seaweed, and dumplings the kids had the choice of coloring a sheet I had brought in or looking at books.  Jordan, of course, opted to look at books.  He is not big into coloring but never seems to get tired of reading books.

I tried to convince the boys to wear their hanboks as well, but they wouldn't oblige me.  We did manage to take a pretty adorable picture.

Snow Days

We've had a record number of snow days this year. Today I drove all the way to work on a sheet of ice only to receive a call that school was cancelled just as I was pulling into the parking lot. Although it's been a lot of fun being home more with the boys, I am starting to run out of ideas to do with them when it's cold and snowy outside.  Jordan loves playing outside in the snow, but I am not a cold weather person.  Aiden isn't either which can make it really challenging to play outside.  So I try my hardest to find indoor things for them to do. 

 

Today the boys had fun painting on the easel that Aiden received for Christmas.  Yes, Jordan is just in his underwear.  For some reason that we can't figure out, Jordan hates to wear clothes.  I have decided not to fight that battle and just tell him that he has to wear underwear and can always put more clothes on if he is cold.  But he never puts more clothes on unless people come over.  It makes for some crazy pictures, but oh well.  Hopefully the phase will pass quickly.



 

 Jordan loves posing for the camera!  Here he is beginning his painting.

 Aiden spent most of his time taking off the caps of the do a dots and putting the caps back on.  He did manage to get a little paint on his paper, but not much.

 Here are my boys hard at work.  This is pretty much the extent of the art projects in our house as the boys have not been blessed with a very artistic mommy!

 Here's Jordan with his masterpiece! 

 

 Another thing I sometimes do with the boys when I am out of ideas is give them a baby wipe.  It's amazing how much they love cleaning their toys!  This can keep them busy for a long time.

 All day long Aiden repeats, "Daddy home?" Then I reply and say that Daddy will be home at suppertime.  Then Aiden says, "Kay."  We repeat this little dialogue probably about 20-30 times a day.  On snowy days the conversation becomes a little more complex.  Aiden also says, "Daddy blow, blow?"  Then I reply and say that yes, Daddy will snowblow when he comes home.  Aiden absolutely loves watching Daddy snowblow. 

Jordan loves to go outside with Daddy when he snowblows.  He isn't bothered by the cold at all.  He wears earmuffs while Luke snowblows because he hates the noise.  Then when Luke brings out the shovel, Jordan has to join in.

The boys seem to be enjoying the cold, winter days but I am sure ready for spring!

Just Hanging Out



Once Jordan saw a picture of himself as a baby in Korea with a ponytail in his hair.  He thought that was hilarious and ocassionally asks to have a ponytail put in his hair.  It's much shorter now than it was then, so it can be tricky to get a ponytail to stay.  Of course, whatever Jordan does Aiden has to do too.  But Aiden has a much more difficult time leaving his ponytail alone.  He is constantly pulling it out and then coming up to me to say, "Help me!"  In the short span of a half hour I probably put Aiden's ponytail in about 10 times.  



 The boys love to ride on Luke's back.  Aiden always seems to think that we are a jungle gym and climbs all over as much as he can.  Poor Luke must get pretty tired out by these boys!

 Aiden has hardly slept in his bedroom at all since this past summer.  He sleeps in a pack and play in our bedroom every single night.  I finally took the crib down because let's face it, he is never going to sleep in there again.  I have the toddler bed set up and encourage the boys to play in it in the hopes that Aiden will start to feel comfortable in it.  My goal for this upcoming spring and summer is to get him to sleep in his bedroom again. 

Isn't that smile adorable?  Aiden feels every emotion so strongly.  When he's upset, he's really, really upset.  And when he's excited, he can get extremely silly and hyper.  There's never a doubt in anyone's mind how Aiden is feeling at any moment.

Snow

We've had tons of snow these past few days.  Luke loves the snow because he can use his snowblower.  Jordan loves the snow because he can drive his trucks through it and make tracks.  Aiden loves the snow because he loves to look out the window and watch Daddy snowblow.  I'm the only one who doesn't love it.  It is pretty, but if it doesn't give me a snow day, I don't think there's any point in having it.

 

 

Last Tuesday I was home from school for a day because of a burst pipe at my school that caused a flood.  Aiden came down with a fever that day.  Jordan insisted that he was sick too.  But I can always tell when he is really sick.  He lays on the couch and doesn't play when he is sick.  He wasn't doing that at all on Tuesday.  He just wanted the advantages of being sick- the extra love, cuddles, and attention from Mommy.  But today Jordan is not pretending.  He came down with a fever last night, slept in this morning, and has basically been lying on the couch since he got up.  Hopefully his fever will go away as quickly as Aiden's did.  Then he can go outside and play in all the snow!

A sweet moment

Aiden came down with a fever today.  I always know when my boys have a fever even without feeling their skin.  They both have a lot of energy and are always busy playing.  But when they come down with a fever they both go right to the couch and lie down.  That is literally the only time they lie down unless they are sleeping.

Aiden was lying down on the couch with his fever and I had to leave the room for a moment.  When I left I could hear Jordan say, "Aiden, would you like me to read you a book?"  I came back into the room to see this.  I love seeing them when one is being so compassionate to the other!

Happy New Year!

I started this post almost a month ago and then was not able to upload pictures for some reason.  Finally, I was able to add pictures again.  It's been snowy and cold in Michigan.  This picture is back from early January, but today I braved the cold and took the boys out sledding.  After about 15 minutes outside playing in the snow Jordan took off his hat because he said he was hot.  Yes, the sun was shining, but it was probably only about 15 degrees outside.  Only Jordan would be hot in weather like that!

Aiden continues to grow and seems to add words daily to his vocabulary.  Often we can't understand what he is saying but Jordan always seems to know what he is saying so he translates for us. 

Life with two little boys continues to be quite an adventure.   I had no idea how much damage our house would receive from having two little boys in the house!  But they sure have a lot of fun together.  I have learned that if I don't hear anything, that's probably not a good thing!  Two little boys have a lot of ideas of ways they can get into mischief!