Aidan & Emma

Today was your cousin Emma's 100-day (Baek-Il). The 100th day is important in Korean culture as it symbolizes a milestone. Back in the days when Korea had little medical knowledge, many babies didn't live past their 100th day. So in celebration of reaching the 100th day Korean celebrate it by having a party with family and friends. We didn't do one for you because in the modern world the 100th day isn't a significant milestone, but Auntie Jess was saying that your grandparents really wanted Emma to have one. To prepare you for this special day you got your hair cut. Last time you got a horrific hair cut that made you look like Lloyd Christmas. I made sure I had picture on-hand to show the hair stylist this time. I had 2 tears- Justin Bieber and Chase Crawford's haircut. I liked how layered it was at the front and short at the back.

Justin Bieber

Chase Crawford

Look how good you are in the chair.

I had to sit you on my lap because I wasn't sure if you would sit on your own, but I think next time
you might be ready to sit on your own.

Now presenting the new and improved Aidan!

I absolutely love your hair! I had to put a little gel to push your hair to the side, but I think the
hair stylist did a great job. This was you at the mall before Emma's party. We just had lunch and
daddy bought a few clothes for himself.

Emma- the birthday girl. She slept in her little car seat for most of the dinner. So precious.

Look at those cute hands holding the cup. Aigoo aigoo.

We had a 10-course meal at Dahn. Our first course was a pine nut porridge.

This was a cold, pickled radish and cabbage broth.

This was a seaweed and noodle salad. It's a cold noodle, but it had a spiciness to it.

Emma is finally awake!

Uncle Wayne and Emma. Uncle Wayne really surprised me. He's so attentive to Emma. I guess
fatherhood really changes a man.

A beef carpaccio dish. The idea is to put all the vegetables on top, then roll it up, and dip it in a
sweet soy sauce.

Sea bass (? tasted like cod) salad.

Mini pancakes. They don't look spicy, but they were!

There's a smile from Emma!

I'm amazed how big she has gotten. She was so delicate and small when she was first born.
Thanks be to God!

Emma has the most expressive face. Her eyebrows furrow together so she always looks concerned.
It's so cute! There's her Auntie Jackie beside her.

This is the bulgogi dish.

The bulgogi went on the mini burner and after it's cooked you're supposed to dip it in the sauce
around the pan. This was your favourite dish. You ate so much meat.

You were so good. You sat in your little booster chair like a good little boy. I know lots of kids
aren't able to do that.

Mmmmmm. Bibim naeng myun.

After Dahn, we went over to your Toronto grandparents' house where we played a game of bingo
and took pictures of Emma by her dduk cake.

Your grandparents' house had the Christmas tree up so I couldn't help but take a photo of you in
front of the tree.

Niagara Falls get-away

We had a great mini vacation as a family this weekend. I'm so sad that it's over and I'm dreading going back to work tomorrow :-(

We headed to Niagara on Thursday night after work (we took Friday off from work). We were all in need of a vacation because we were so burnt out from work and all that life has to offer. It's been a while since we went somewhere together as a family so this trip was long overdue. I took a few photos to capture our short time in Niagara Falls.

The drive took 2 hours to get to Niagara Falls.

We were hoping you would sleep during the car ride, but

you cried a lot. By the time we got to the hotel we were

pretty exhausted. Here is daddy checking in.

We stayed at the Hilton.

Look how grumpy you look.

Photo op with mommy.

We stayed in the mid tower. We didn't have a great view,

but I didn't mind as we were out most of the day.

In the elevator there was an ad for Brasa Restaurant-

an all-you-can-eat Brazilian steakhouse. Daddy had read

about it before our trip and we were famished when

we arrived at the hotel. We decided this would be our

first restaurant to check out.

And here is our room- Room 828.

We couldn't wait to unpack and get all settled in.

It was our first time checking out a Brazilian steakhouse

so we were pretty excited. The menu had photos of all

the different kinds of meat that they came around your

table with. They also had a huge salad bar.

And here you are enjoying your milk.

I tried to take a photo of the restaurant, but this was the

best I did. Apparently it seats 300 people.

On Thursday night it was pretty empty.

This is my food from the salad bar. I loved the salmon

and the Brazilian rice.

They also brought this out. I'm not sure what it is, but

the left was some sort of breadcrumbs, the middle a potato

pancake thingy and the far right- a puff of something?

The Gauchos came around to our tables with different

kinds of meats and sliced them table side. I was a little

nervous because they did that so close to you. You

look terrified here.

Here's a view of Fallsview Casino/Hotel from Brasa.

They had these cards on the tables. The green side meant

that you were ready to be served by the Gauchos and the

red side meant that you were resting and didn't want the

Gauchos to disturb you.

After our very filling dinner we took a walk over to

Fallsview Casino/Hotel that was attached from our

Hilton Hotel.

Here daddy and you are posing by the great fountain

inside Fallsview.

Another view of the fountain.

There were little shops inside Fallsview, but they weren't

great stores.

This was the other side of Fallsview.

Mommy and you posed by the Christmas tree.

Daddy spotted this Elmo t-shirt and hat and made me

take a photo of it.

Then he made me take a picture of you in the frame.

You were so captivated by the fountain. You couldn't take

your eyes away.

Friday: We woke up bright and early and decided to head to the Falls. Here is a shot outside of Fallsview Casino/Hotel.

Daddy and you. It was pretty dead even on Friday

morning.

Daddy and you posing in front of Skylon Tower. It

looks like a miniature version of CN Tower.

We went down a long hill to go to the Falls. That's the Hilton Hotel in white.

Almost there!

This was the American Falls- much smaller than the Horseshoe Falls (on the Canadian side).

It was quite cold so you looked like a frozen ball in your little stroller.

Another look at the American Falls.

Daddy enjoying the view.

Looks like you weren't very interested.

Near the Horseshoe Falls there was an area that were all iced over and looked like a winterscape. It was quite beautiful.

The foamy waters by the falls.

Near the Horseshoe Falls there was a fine mist, but since it was cold it felt like ice pellets hitting our face. Daddy

looks pretty cold. Brrrrrrr!

Look- a rainbow!

Mommy and Aidan.

Although it wasn't busy by the Falls, there were more people by the Horseshoe Falls. 

The Horseshoe Falls is much more spectacular than the American Falls. This is where that Japanese girl fell

over when she was sitting on the railing trying to take a photo. Stupid!

Afterwards we went to an outlet mall (didn't take

any photos there), but on the way we took photos of

the Clifton Hill District. This is where all the haunted

houses are.

After our outlet shopping we caught an IMAX movie

near our hotel on the story of Niagara Falls. This was you

inside the IMAX theatre outside of the gift shop. You

were IN LOVE with the 3 bears.

When we came back to our hotel on Friday evening

the hotel was much more busy with people checking in.

We went swimming in our hotel pool, but I didn't

take pictures of that. You absolutely loved the swimming

pool.

Saturday: Our last day here :-(

We decided to check out Niagara-on-the-Lake before heading home. Mommy was packing all the stuff in the hotel

when I saw you entertaining yourself by the mirror. I couldn't resist taking some snaps of you.

"Look how wide I can stretch my arms!"

"Why hello there, handsome"

Our last view of the hotel. Pretty messy, but it's because it was our last day.

This is you at Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Some of the quaint shops.

Even the Starbucks looks quaint!

Mmmmmm...

I think this was a hotel. They had horse drawn carriages along the side.

There was a cool-looking water fountain that

I couldn't resist taking a photo of.

This was the place where we bought apple pies. It's

called The Pie Plate. It's just outside of

Niagara-on-the-Lake and they make all kinds of pies

and baked products.

On the way home :-(
Goodbye Niagara.

We passed by lots of wineries.

This is half of the lemon meringue pie (daddy had the
other half) that we got from The Pie Plate. It was
absolutely delicious.

And here is the apple pie.