"I'm Gordon Ramsay"

You got this apron as a gift from your Korean school. I think they meant for you to wear it when you do arts and crafts, but you seem to use it to pretend that you are a master chef. I told you that Gordon Ramsay is a great chef so you started pretending that you were him. 

After playing in your toy kitchen for a while you started showing the temper of Gordon Ramsay!

To a wonderful father…

You made these cards for daddy earlier this week, but we hid them in your sock drawer until this morning so that we could surprise them to daddy while he was still in bed. 

You know, daddy may be stern to you sometimes, but he is a wonderful father. He is the guy that wanted to be a daddy so badly… To be honest, I didn't think I wanted kids after I got married, but daddy is the one that convinced me that he would do everything if I had you. I hear so many moms complaining to me about their husband not doing anything and then going on Facebook and posting how their husband's are the 'world's best daddy' and it makes me wonder… I know that daddy is a great father to you and Kendall and I don't need to announce it the whole world to convince myself that he is. He thinks of you and Kendall before himself and it makes me so proud that I married a guy like him.

This is what you made for daddy at daycare. You were so proud of yourself when you presented
this to daddy.

Here's another 'piece' that you made.

It seems to be a puzzle.

I'm not sure if this is your handprint, but it's so cute.

Behind the card it had the things that you filled out. I'm not sure if all the answers are correct…
I think daddy's favourite food is hamburgers; his favourite sport is hockey;
daddy is the best at sports; daddy is 38 years old (turning 39 on June 30!); and
daddy DOES NOT tuck you to bed, I do! Otherwise, the other answers are correct. Keke.

Last Korean school class

Today was your last Korean school class. The teachers requested that all the students wear white shirts and blue jeans as I think they planned on getting all the kids to do a performance for the parents. Instead of dropping you off we stayed for service and the performance. I had no clue as to what the teachers had prepared so I was pretty excited.

Here's your outfit of the day.

You love going to Korean school. This was you in the car going to Korean school. 

Kendall was eating her seat belt as usual. This girl can't keep anything out of her mouth these days!

Getting ready for the performance.

Your friend Asher was not having a good day. He didn't even want to go up to the front and sit
with you and the other classmates. He didn't end up going on stage. I felt bad because Asher's
aunt came to see him perform.

The good news is that you went up on stage. The bad news? You stood there squinting your eyes
(you tend to do that when you are uncomfortable and shy) the whole time. People in the audience
actually laughed at you because they thought you were so funny squinting like that.

Asher's little brother, Austin, was being silly.

You were getting pretty cozy with one of the teachers.

In a better mood after we went to your class. The teachers wanted the kids to play while the
parents watched. They also handed out report cards. They said that you were shy at first, but
in the end you opened up.

Later in the evening we went to your Toronto grandparents' new business as they were throwing a grand opening party for their friends and family. I also wanted to finish some bits and bobs that I didn't get to finish the last time I was there. Here's what everything looks like now:

The finished shelving

I love the teal punches of colour

A different angle

I added a couple of candle holders and a new frame with a print that I added

A different angle

Here's my paper medallion frames

And here's a close-up

Friday fun day

It's going to be hard when mommy goes back to work because you are so used to staying home on Mondays and Fridays. You always ask me every Friday morning, "Is it Friday? Do I get to stay home with mommy?" Sigh…

Beyond annoyed

I got a call this afternoon from Dahn Restaurant- the venue where we were going to have your 1-year birthday party. They said that they sold their business so they cannot host your birthday party anymore. Why are they telling me this now??? This was after I spoke to them on the phone LAST WEEK about my reservation. Now I have to scramble to find another place. The Evite's been sent and I planned all the decoration with the venue in mind. Ugh!

Kendall's birthday party planning

I've been so busy planning your birthday. I've been doing a little here and there every night after I put you and Aidan to bed. I want to make sure I get most of the stuff done before your Vancouver grandparents get here in mid-July. So here is where I'm at:

This is the venue. It fits a maximum of 40 people. We wanted to do a smaller party this time
around because Aidan's party was quite stressful for me to plan. I feel like I have a lot more
stuff I'm doing, but it's more manageable since there is a smaller guest list.

This is the wall when you first enter the party room. I think I'm going to have them set up a table
so I can put pictures of Kendall hung on a manzanita branch that I will have in a vase.

Each table seats 8 and there will be 5 tables. I plan on hanging the banner along this wall and
having a head table set up here.

They have a wall with a projector screen, but daddy doesn't want to make a slideshow this time.
It took him a long time to do and he is quite busy at work. It's unfortunate because I loved that
about Aidan's party. I may get him to make a playlist to play during the party.

Here are the tables. I'm sure they will put a tablecloth over each table. I have to double check.

This is just outside the party room. They will put a buffet table here so the guests can get the
food here. That will make the party room less congested.

Now for the decorations:

I want Kendall's party to be more themed around colours and patterns. I find princess themes cheesy. I already finished the banner and I wanted to make some other decorations to stick around the banner on the wall. I found a template for a paper medallion so I used my colour scheme- pink, purple and mint green to make these medallions.

Here are the paper medallion templates. These took me so long to do.

I first had to punch holes with a pin where indicated, cut out the outline shapes, score the
folds, thread the holes with a string and form the medallion shapes by tying the string together.
It was a lot of work…

…But don't they look beautiful?

Next, I bought 5 mason jar mugs at Canadian Tire and stuck each one with different washi tapes.
These I plan on putting at the centre of each table and having either peonies or ranunculus inside
of each mug as flower arrangements.

Here's a close-up.

Another view.

I made cupcake toppers using the colour scheme and patterns. I plan on sticking these on
cupcakes that will be placed at the head table beside the birthday cake.

I made several different versions in different patterns and colours.

The backs have different patterns.

I bought plastic animals at Dollarama and spray painted them with the colour scheme. 

I stuck them on top of mason jars I bought at Canadian Tire. I plan on putting different flavoured
popcorn inside these jars and giving them away as party favours. 

Aren't they cute?

Always throwing the crib guards…

When Aidan was around your age he used to always gnaw at the crib when he was teething. We didn't know that they sold plastic crib guards back then so by the time we found out the crib was already pretty beaten up. I started putting the crib guards when I first noticed your teeth coming out because I didn't want any more damage done to the crib. Well, what I didn't expect was that you have figured out a way to take out the crib guards with your brute strength. Every time I come in your room after a nap or in the morning after you wake up, I see the crib guards scattered on the ground. It's like a yard sale!

Aidan never took the guards out when he was a baby. Maybe he never figured that it was something that could be removed. Now, you are starting to chew on the crib like Aidan used to. I don't know what to do! Just this morning your mouth had remnants of white paint from gnawing on the crib.

Even Aidan gets annoyed when he sees the guards on the ground. He always cries out, "Not again Kendall!" Then he turns to me and says, "Maybe she's so angry?" I think he thinks that you're angry for being in your crib that you throw whatever you can on the ground. Keke.

Here's a video that I took of you month ago where you threw all your crib guards on the ground.