HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Okay, it's not quite the New Year yet, but I thought I'd get a head start since I don't suspect many will check this prior to the New Year and this will be the last entry for 2006.

WOW...what a year 2006 was! I can't even begin to imagine what excitement 2007 will bring (though I have some idea) and it should be a really exciting year! As far as Evann's world's concerned, we should see his first steps, his first words, swimming and baby sign language.

This year will be one with friends and family at my sister's house, something which has become a tradition for me and my family. But it's a very special year because my very close friend (who's like a brother to me) is bringing his girlfriend up from California to meet us! I hope that his brother and I don't scare her too much. Of course, it's also special because Evann will be joining us this year too!

Thank you to everyone who's kept up with Evann's blog. It's been a labour of love and has allowed me to journal this amazing, yet tiring journey of fatherhood (as well as given me something to do on sleepless nights). My hope is for all of you to have a fantastic 2007 - full of love, happiness and growth (hopefully not too much growth in waistband like me). Peace, love and blessings!

Merry (First) Christmas!

There...I said it and I'll say it again. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! It seems strange that a saying that I've known all my life and which truly symbolizes this particular holiday season is so rarely heard and has become a politically incorrect phrase. "Season's Greetings" or "Happy Holidays" has replaced "Merry Christmas" as the politically correct terms. It seems a bit silly. It doesn't really bother me, but something that's been on my mind especially when I'm writing an email and have to put the polically correct phrase instead of "Have a Merry Christmas". Next thing will be "have a pleasant evening spending the start of another roman calendar year" so we don't offend those who celebrate the lunar new year. Jeesh.

As you can see. We've dressed up dear Evann in the Santa parapanalia and are happy to do it! He truly is a Santa Baby! It goes without saying that this Christmas has been all about Evann. We've always been a family who embraces the Christmas spirit, but this year he's really shown me the happiness Christmas brings to all. Sure that seems a little syrupy and simplified, but I'm telling you, he really spreads Christmas joy! I can't tell you how many people would smile or even stop and talk to us while at the mall with Evann dressed up in his Santa outfit. People were constantly saying things like, "Hi Baby Santa!" or "Can I sit on Santa's lap?" followed by laughter. Despite its repetativeness, I was happy to see a smile on even the grumpiest Grinch.

Although he can't quite walk (or even crawl), you'll be amazed to see Evann do his Christmas dance (almost guaranteed to bring a smile).

To further my point that Christmas is about kids, you only have to look at our Christmas tree to see what/who Christmas is all about. Present upon present are stacked under the tree this year. You'd be surprised how many people have come by with present in hand with the same phrase, "Sorry...only presents for Evann this year." Now, I lost the concept of Christmas being about me over 12 years ago when my first nephew and 2 nieces were born, but I feel for my dear wife who's going through it for the first time (having said that, she's handling it way better than I did). ;)

Despite Evann not really knowing what was going on, he was so well behaved and really enjoyed playing with all the wrapping paper. As you can see, he was literally surrounded by gifts. He's such a lucky little guy to have such wonderful people supporting and loving him (though we don't need gifts to prove that).

I am touched and so grateful for the incredible generousity of my friends and family. I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas and holiday season! I certainly know that Evann had a great first one and I had the most memorable one thus far. Peace and blessings!

Oh yeah...one last thing (or first thing)...Evann has had his first tooth erupt! It's his 3-1 in dental lingo...bottom lower tooth. He's chewing/drooling like there's no tomorrow. We are just seeing it (and hearing it at night when it seems to really bother him). As usual, he's a real trooper and seems to be dealing with everything surprisingly well.

Sleeping on his own...

The pictures say it all.

This is the face which I was so lucky to capture. It's Evann's "poo" face or the face he makes when he's making poo. It's hilarious and always cracks me up (though that happiness is shortlived, once I start to change him). This face is also a nice summary of how it's going with getting him to sleep on his own. The other picture is what I wake up to every morning. With that happy smile, I makes me forget how he slaps me in the face several times a night...almost.

Yes, despite a good college try, he's back in our bed. He slept on his own for a few nights, but after long bouts of crying. Desperate wails of loneliness and abandonment. Mommy L and I simply couldn't take it any longer. We've decided that we'd rather have him sleep with us until his early teens than go through listening to him cry all night. This child is DEFINITELY like his mother and father in that he is stubborn and persistent. It's not so bad, but we're now considering getting a larger bed.

Things in old Vancouver have taken a strange turn. We've turned into Toronto. Weatherwise anyhow. This picture was taken earlier this morning and doesn't quite give justice to the conditions here. We've since had another day of snowfall. It's strange since Vancouver has so many micro-climates the amount of snow varies greatly. It was fun to play with the neighbours' kids while shovelling the sidewalk. They'd lightly throw weakly made snowballs which I'd dodge easily and I'd throw a shovel full of snow at them almost knocking them down. Don't worry, no children were hurt or mistreated during the production of this blog.

Also, for over a week, we've had heavy rainfall and had a water boil advisory. Normally, this would not bother me at all, but with a baby, it sure does make for a lot more hassle. Mommy L has done a great job in dealing with things though.

I love these pictures. We went to our friends' place and took some pictures while Evann was playing with a beach ball. He really loved it. I love the look of anticipation before it bonks him on the head. Don't worry, no babies were hurt or mistreated during the production of this blog.

As far as Evann goes though, he continues to grow and change all the time. He's eating more and more solids (although it's funny we call them solids since it's pureed into a semi-liquid). He's so good except when it comes to bed time. Having said all that, we love him dearly and Mommy L and I both agree that having sleep issues as the worse thing to deal with is not too bad.

Well, Christmas (dare I say "First Christmas") is just around the corner. Our tree went up today. Though not yet decorated, it brings back fond memories of Christmases past. It'll really be a special Christmas this year. I can't wait.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more adventures of East Van Evann!

Happy (1st) Halloween!

It was a cool, crisp night. It was a night where princesses, grim reapers and monkeys & lobsters lurked. It was a night which I've missed "actively" participating for 25 years. It was Halloween.

I was so excited to dress Evann up for Halloween, that I purchased his Halloween costume in early September while visiting my 2nd sister on Vancouver Island. I was over on the Island for a day business trip, but due to flight cancellations, I wasn't able to make it back home so I went with my niece and went shopping for some clothes to wear the following day. While at Old Navy, we noticed that the Halloween costumes were being freshly displayed. Upon seeing the monkey suit, I knew what Evann would be going as this Halloween.

Some may say that Evann is too young to go trick or treating, which is why I recruited my friends S & V to bring their little one (2 days older than Evann) as well. He's the lobster in the picture above. We joked around about how we were exploiting the infants, but really our intentions were strictly altruistic as we wanted to share our kids' cuteness with the world (or at least the neighbourhood).

We did both sides of the street for two blocks and by the end the little ones were quite tired. In fact, by the last few houses, Evann was asleep as I knocked on the doors and yelled out "Trick or Treat!" Holding out my...I mean, Evann's Halloween bag while I held him passed out is when I realized that this was truly exploiting of my child.

Returning back to my sister's home, I once again fell into the frenzy of Halloween. By that I'm referring to the systematic organizing and sorting of the candy by category, name and "deliciousity"...folled by the best part of Halloween...the trading. My nephew had a few friends and my two nieces went together too so there were many with whom to trade. I finally realized what it was like to be on the trading floor when surrounded by 6 kids under the age of 11 looking to score an Aero bar. Even better was the fact that I had two separate trading partners; one with the 11-year old boys upstairs and another with the girls downstairs. Long story short, I got rid of all unwanted candies and left home with just the prime candies. For those of you who are shaking your heads disapprovingly, you'll be happy to know that the kids received volume for quality.

I had to include these pictures of Evann. This was his alternate costume, but we couldn't find any good baby "bling" for him. Actually, this is a wonderful hip-hop outfit which a close friend of ours gave him. It's so cute and really makes him look like a cool dude.

Evann's new vice is his stand-alone jumper. We borrowed it from a friend after Evann tried it out. He fell in love with it and anything which distracts him from us holding him is a blessing. Evann is reaching 20 lbs. after only 5 months (5 of those pounds must be in his large cranium).

He is as dear as ever to Mommy L and I. Every week reveals new discoveries and advancements, it's such a special time for us. This week we're going to attempt to have him sleep on his own! Come back to see how it goes.

Five months...Already?!?

Wow, I can't believe it. I send a public apology to all those parents out there whom I privately shrugged of when they said it would pass by quickly. Okay, he's not quite 5 months, close enough, but it's been a wonderfully fast ride, thus far. Here's what I've learned about the boy in the past 5 months, he likes: jumping, baths, talking, eating, lights/shiny things (what guy doesn't), hockey (seriously, he actually watches me play and sits quietly) and being carried in the baby carrier. He dislikes: the car seat, having his nose wiped, being woken up, going to sleep, and wet/poopy diapers (I too dislike these for a totally different reason).



We're seeing advancements and "firsts" all the time. Let me start with all the firsts: drooling, Thanksgiving dinner, eating rice cereal, roll-over, cold and sleep over at hal-mon-ee's house (grandmother in Korean). I'm sure there are many more firsts, but I don't want to bore you too much. Another upcoming first is Halloween, I'm going to score BIG on that day with Halloween loot! We've got the cutest little costume, stay tuned for more on this topic in a future entry (with pictures)! Oh by the way, the doggy towel is not Evann's Halloween costume, it's a doggie towel.



Little East Van Evann is so incredible. My work takes me away from home often and it's getting more and more difficult to leave my beautiful wife and adorable son. I sit in my hotel rooms and get misty eyed while I look at the video of him on my phone then I think about the undisturbed and uninterrupted sleep and I smile. Yet, Karma wields her head and keeps me from getting my slumbering prize. It's all worth it when I walk in the door to see the boy's full facial smile. What I mean is his WHOLE face lights up when he laughs, it's contagious and not even the worse day can keep me from smiling right back at him.

I know that I've been a little negligent in keeping my blog up-to-date, but there are reasons for this (some believeable, some not) so I'll just say it's due to lack of energy, not creativity. I think about the journaling the day's events and things I observe all the time, but suddenly it's 3 am and I'm changing Evann's diaper while half asleep. Babies are definely labours of love. I don't suspect that it will get easier as he gets older either (for those of you who are already there, don't tell me how it ends, I like finding out for myself). Stay in tune, you don't want to miss the Halloween entry, it'll be as good as a Simpsons Halloween episode.

100th Day Celebration

Last night we had Evann's 100th Day Celebration, mainly a family gathering to celebrated Evann's 100th day of life (as may be obvious by the title). Now, this may seem like another overly zealous "new parent" celebration, but in fact, it is actually a traditional Korean (and Chinese - though they usually celebrate 30 days) event.

So what is the meaning or importance of the 100th day celebration? Of course, I don’t really know, but made it up with partial truths (and thus partial lies) and have found the following information on the Internet:

Baek-il (100-day Celebration)
Similar to the Tol, the Baek-il event has 2 aspects. First, family members give thanks to Samsin (the three gods who take care of the baby's life while growing up). Second, they pray for jae-ak (wealth), longevity, and cho-bok (original luck). The food is different from the extensive table prepared for the Tol, mostly comprising 4 types of Korean foods: baekseogi (for longevity, representing cleanliness and freshness), susupo-ttteok (to prohibit bad things), injeolmi (for patience), and songpyeon (for thought). Admittedly, I'm not really too clear on what these foods are.

Bottom line, it’s a time to celebrate the first three months of Evann’s life. It's also a time to bring our extended family and some friends together and thank them for supporting us for the first 3 months.



My sister and brother-in-law were kind enough to offer their house to us and we had most of the food catered though my mother & father overextended themselves to ensure that there was enough food and their grandson's party was a success. It was a huge success though Mommy L and I were too busy preparing food, organizing people, BBQ'ing meat and being "Hosts Extraordinaire" to really enjoy ourselves. For us, if others enjoyed themselves and had fun then we were happy.

The weather cooperated brilliantly, it was another gorgeous day. Some friends/family arrived early to help us with preparing some dishes and some cleaning. How great is it having close friends who are family too? The value of having close friends/family is so important and we're so lucky to have such a wonderful (and huge) extended family. From my niece who is 9 to my 70-something aunt, everyone really helps out with dear little Evann.

Instead of hiring a clown (as I am scared of them), we hired a young friend from church to do some magic.

He did a great job, first doing some card tricks to keep the kids entertained (it was supposed to be for the kids though many adults enjoyed the tricks too). He had the entire "stage" when he did an amazing 30 minute show which had the audience amazed and wanting more (can't wait for Evann's future parties).

The party was suppose to wind up at 9 pm, but as it turns out, some close friends/family members stayed until midnight taking advantage of the few remaining warm summer evenings on the patio. It was only then that we (Mommy L and I as well as my sister) were really able to relax and truly enjoy first hand.

Once the party was over, we packed up the car with the loads of expected, but greatly appreciated presents. Wow, if there are any doubts whether Evann will be spoiled, those doubts have been answered with a resounding, "YES!" The generousity of our friends/family astounds me and I am truly grateful for their generousity. Evann loves all his presents.



One present, that really touched me and deserves special mention, is the pillow and quilt that my 12-year old niece sewed for Evann during "quilting camp" (no, I didn't realize that "quilting camp" existed either). It's so cute with a sports theme and dual sided. She is such a great kid, so talented and really loves Evann (and takes great care of him - as does all her family), but I can't imagine to be that considerate at that age. I still have problems sewing buttons on my shirts.

I truly feel blessed for my friends, family (both extended and now my new nuclear family), my beautiful wife who's a fantastic mother and my incredible son who is my gleam in my eye. My hope for those who read this is that you are also surrounded by loving and supportive friends and family...for those of you who know us, you know that you have that already in us. We are eternally grateful to all of you.


Now, I'd better get preparing for Evann's one year birthday because THAT'S the BIG one! Yikes!

First Road Trip!

Today, we had our first road trip! We've had some short excursion and overnight trips, but this was Evann's first time on a plane! We flew down to LA to celebrate my friend's (and distant relative) son's first birthday. Once again we were taught another of life's lessons and harsh realities regarding babies...when you travel with one, they come with many "accessories". Holy crap. My personal luggage has went from one carry-on piece of luggage to slightly less than a half of a carry-on piece of luggage. I'm sharing with my son...half of my clothes lost to diapers.

Thankfully, our friends in LA have a son who's turning one. It's good because we didn't have to take as much down with us since they have most of the baby accessories needed. We also wanted to test Evann with flying and a short trip to LA sounded just perfect!



I was anxious prior to the trip, I just wasn't sure how little Evann was going to be. I've travelled a lot and used to cringe with horror when a little baby was seated near me. I would silently chant, "Please don't cry, please don't cry..." only to have the little tyke, wail like it was going out of style.

Of course, dear Evann proved Dada wrong again. He was an ideal passenger and wonderful flyer (yes, I'm touching wood right now). He slept during both takeoff and landing, and for most of the flight. When he was awake, he was carted off by the flight crew and pampered like the prince that he is.



The Air Canada crew was awesome! I'll only fly Air Canada!



While in LA, we also decided to do another first. Give baby Evann his first haircut! We were convinced by my friend who had recently shaved the head of his one-year old son. Evann was great again. I held him while my friend shaved and he didn't make a peep. The end result, a cute little baldish baby.

It was a wonderful trip to LA. All that we did was eat and sleep. Literally. Everytime we were planning to do an outing, we'd go and eat first...and then get tired...and then decide to go back and sleep. It was great! It wasn't our first trip to LA so don't think that we totally wasted our time (though I didn't get to have In 'N Out). Having said that, next trip down, we'll be more productive and do more "touristy" things.

One trip down...a lifetime left! I hope Evann is always a good flyer like he was this trip. Next trip, we're going to go a little further, I'm not sure where yet, but stay posted!

Two Month Shots?!? OUCH!

Last week Evann turned two months old which is a nice accomplishment (okay, surviving another day after day isn't much of an accomplishment for us now, but it's big for babies). More importantly, two months is the start of many shots to come. This is a "tip of the hat" to those of you who don't have kids or are expecting kids. Prior to having Evann, I never knew how difficult it is to watch your kids in pain. For that reason, I tried to avoid being at this appointment, but Mommy L didn't want to go alone either so I sucked it up. Even seeing these pictures makes me a little misty (it must be the onions I'm cutting). Sniff.



It started off as another normal visit to the Dr.'s for poor, unexpecting Evann. He was happy as can be. Laughing and playing...for now.


But he knew something was up. He sensed a disturbance in the force.


Mommy L comforted him while the Dr. administered the first of four shots (I still don't really understand why there must be four shots instead of one BIG shot - I'm hoping it's for medical/scientific reasons and not for billing purposes). After the first shot, there was a look of confusion on little Evann's face. It was the look of "Hey. Wait a minute, something kind of pinched me. What was that?!?" He didn't cry...yet.


By the second shot, the waterworks were on. In fact the whole system was on. He may be little, but he was strong as Mommy L had to restrain him (I was cowering in the corner, rocking myself in fetal position). He cried so hard and with so much passion, it broke my heart not to be able to comfort him. But as quickly as it started it was over, the shots were expertly and promptly administered. Evann had little streaks of blood running down his legs as he was cleaned up and bandaged.



I swooped him up and picked him up. I was prepared for hours of crying and comforting, but the little Evann surprised me once again. He stopped crying once he was picked up. He was fine. He wasn't "Hey, let's do that again" fine, but he was calm and content.

I realized Evann is going to hurt himself and will survive. I can't protect him from everything and he's going to protect himself too. But I'm still not looking forward to the next round of shots. I also realized that once again, anticipation is way worse than reality...maybe I should go clean up the garage now. Maybe not. ;)

Changing Every Day!

I swear I heard Evann speaking his first words today and not just words, but full sentences. I know it sounds impossible for a baby less than 8 weeks be speaking in full sentences, but it's absolutely amazing! I could swear that I heard Evann reciting the "To be or not to be" soliloquy though Mommy L says it's sounds more like a G.W. Bush speech...she may have a point. Regardless, his endless chattering and gooing is so wonderful to hear. The boy is really starting to develop and grow.

Which comes to my next point. When does it happen? When do we first have realization? I am always wondering what babies dream about or have nightmares about? Are they real thoughts or just concepts? I often find little Evann laying on my chest sleeping and then he chuckles "Heh, heh, heh" in his cute little voice...which makes me chuckle...and to which he in turn chuckles some more. It's so cute, but I wonder "what do you find so darn funny?"

Speaking of realization, I had one of my own. I realized that I am now a parent. This may be more of an Asian parent realization, but it dawned on me when I found myself washing the salad container. Okay, maybe I have to be more specific. I found myself dishwashing, in fact, putting into the dishwasher, the Wendy's takeout salad container. I don't know when it happened, but it's happened; I have truly become an Asian parent.



It's been almost two months since dear Evann was born and so much has happened during his short life. He's been to a couple of movies, a few of my baseball games, a couple of baseball tournaments, attended two weddings, introduced at church, a few birthday parties and more than his share of family dinners/BBQ's. He's met countless number of friends and relatives (though admittingly, he has trouble sorting out who's who...as do his parents sometimes).

He's sleeping fairly well at night for 3-5 hour stints. Poor Mommy L has been taking the vast majority of the night feedings now that I've returned to work. I feel badly, but sometimes I'm so tired, I don't even realize what's going on. Mommy L has been fantastic and is really a wonderful mother. She's been working out and has been trying "hot yoga" (basically yoga in a sauna which sounds like hell to me). She looks great and always has a smile on her face.



I've had to be away a few times since returning to work. It's always hard to leave Evann, but it really gives me something to look forward to when I return home. While away from him, I just notice babies all around and try to get a glimpse to quench my baby fix. When I return home, I can't wait to see, kiss and hold Evann. My heart melts when he greets me with a shriek of joy or smiles. Sure, it may be gas or simply surprise, but like I said earlier...it's all a matter of interpretation.

6 weeks old - His First World Cup Final

Our little Evann is already 6 weeks old and enjoying his first World Cup Final with his dad...ok, kind of enjoying it until "the incident" with Zidane. Evann could not understand why key man Zinedine Zidane's loss of control which led to his dramatic sending-off 10 minutes left in extra time. Evann lost it and was subsequently booked by the referee as well.
Although, we were cheering for France, it was a great final - excellent pace and chances by both teams. Still waiting to hear what made Zidane head butt Materazzi in the chest. I hope that Evann will show more discipline than Zidane in the future.

Evann has been a great little baby. He's growing and growing every day. This week he's up to 6 ounces of milk per feeding! This is up substantially from the 4 ounces last week (much to the chagrin of his dear mom). He's actually starting to fit into his 3 month clothes and getting the foundation of his future "Michelin" legs.

There are a few things in parenthood which I've come to realize. The first is how people cannot help and give their unsolicited advice and how that advice conflicts with other people's advice and comparison with their children. "Don't do that." "Don't do this." "With X, it always worked." "Oh Y, never did that." Parenthood is a constant challenge in diplomacy, editing and censorship. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that WE are much more prone to giving unsolicited advice now too; of course, as new members it is our perogative. ;)



Another interesting realization is that the grandparents can NEVER over-spoil their grandchildren. I guess with the strict routines and regulations of new parents such as ourselves, it's good that little Evann gets that once in a while. Having said that, his grandparents come and visit him once, twice, sometimes three times a day! It's nice to be loved, eh?

I've started work again. It's been a real challenge to help Mommy L with the night feedings and try to get up for work. To her absolute credit, she's stepped it up a notch and has taken the additional baby work load in stride. I've tried to help by taking on more during the weekend and taking care of Evann during the week so she can go out on her own. Life is starting to resemble some sense of normalcy again...for now.

Well, it's time for a nap for me and the boy! Thanks for reading, we'll virtually see you soon!

Happy Month-day!

Okay, I know that celebrating the first month may seem like another overzealous first-time parent and admittingly, it is, but there is also some validity in celebrating all the numerous first-times. Also, when is the next time I can really summarize ALL the events of one person's life.

It's been a month already. And quite a month it's been. Little Evann is getting bigger with each week (the paranoia of first time parents worrying if their baby is eating enough, etc, is over). Our family has seen not one, but two additions to the family (more on that later). He's had so many firsts and enjoyed some great sporting events, such as an improbable run by the Oilers to the Stanley Cup finals only to lose the final game (Evann actually cried when Carolina scored their empty net, one may believe it was coincidence, but I think he saw the high-stick in the Carolina zone), he's enjoyed almost every match of this year's World Cup (and was so strong when Korea was knocked out), he's watched the Blue Jays have a pretty good month of ball and he's even come watch me play in a few baseball games without complaint.

One non-sports related events, he's saved his best for his 30-day. He slept all night in his cradle (okay for 4.5 hours) only waking when I woke him up to feed him (just moments ago). This has been a big accomplishment because he's been sleeping with us in bed as of late. Like his father, he is a hard sucker and has moved to bottle feeding breast milk (I on the other hand, enjoy a nice cold bottle of beer occasionally). I watched in amazement as he (again like his father) polished off his meal faster than it took to heat it. Let's just hope that he doesn't have a soft spot for pizza and KFC like his dada.




His first hair style. The baby faux-hawk.





Yesterday, Evann saw his first theatre movie..."The Lake House." We enjoyed one of the "Stars and Strollers" movies. I think this is formerly known as "Movies for Mommies", but was changed to the less glamorous name due to the age of political correctness. For those of you who have young children, this is a great event held every two weeks (at selected movie theatres for only selected movies) in which there is a change table along with diapers provided by the theatre. The movies are said to be quieter and the theatre more lit though I didn't really notice a huge difference yesterday. For those of you who don't have kids, if you ever happen to accidentally go into one of these screenings, leave immediately unless you don't mind your movie being interrupted by crying, cooing and people swaying their babies. Evann did not cry during the entire movie, though Mommy L did. ;)

As for the other addition to our clan, my sister or rather my 8-year old niece decided that there was no better time for a puppy than now. We were happy to announce the addition of Kaya, a beautiful Chocolate Labrador. She is the split image of Evann (in puppy form) having big paws, a big head and just finding her way in this world. Kaya is a little more toilet trained though Evann has yet to pee on our kitchen floor. I'm sure that Kaya and Evann will be great friends throughout the years.



As from my stance, it's been a great month. I've enjoyed this time off from work (I return too soon) and have greatly appreciated the wealth of support from my family, friends and co-workers. Not a day has gone by without a visitor so it's been busy, but both Mommy L and I love to entertain guests. Having said that Mommy L has been incredible throughout this entire process. We've had our quarrels and spats, but nothing that isn't outshone by our love for one another and this incredible new love for little Evann. I've learned to not wash disposable diapers (see past posts), point "the pepper" down, don't be too vigilant & wait for the second poop before changing the diaper, and don't listen to too much Raffi.

I can't wait for the next stage of Evann's life. I'm sure it'll be as exciting as the first month, but hopefully with more rest. I'm not holding my breath though. I've got so much to learn and I'm sure that Evann will be a great tutor. Peace!

Happy (1st) Father's Day!

How exciting! My first father's day!

I've never really appreciated Father's Day before as I have today. It's not too bad; I could live with this "Father's Day" stuff. My day started with a card from the boy (interpreted and channelled through Mommy L) and some yummy cupcakes bedside. My father's day present is NO DIAPER CHANGES and I get to play hockey and watch World Cup Soccer tonight (Korea vs. France)...GO KOREA! It's really MY day! Yippee!!!

The concept of fatherhood is really starting to sink in and you know what? It feels good. We ventured out last night for our first baby-free outing, Mommy L's cousin's wedding reception. We left Evann with my parents and surprisingly, not only did I miss him, but also we left before the dinner was done. Mind you, it was a 10 course Chinese meal. I couldn't believe that after only a few hours how much I missed the little bugger.



I wrote little Evann a little letter.

My dear son Evann,

I'm sitting with you in my arms and I'm looking lovingly at your beautiful face. I hold you close and I kiss you gently upon your sleeping face as I look upon you with endless love.

I'm thinking about how you're going to turn out. I promise to be there cheering you on when you score your first goal in hockey, hit your first home run in baseball, make your first save in soccer (football) and sink your first basket in basketball. I will also be there cheering you on during your first penalty in hockey, your first strike out in baseball, the first goal you let in in soccer (football), and miss the winning shot in basketball. I will always love you in whatever you do.

In the next few years, you're going to be watching me play sports and you'll be cheering me on. I'll play my heart out for your cheers and to make you proud. And as I hold you in my arm, I feel tears as I think that one day, you will be holding me and kissing me gently on my face.

We'll be a great team son. I can't wait to watch you grow up. As my grandfather said to me, "You must be better than your father who was better than me." In my eyes, you are already better than me because you already make me feel so proud.

Love,
Dada

Okay, I know that the sappy factor is high, but that's really what I think and feel when I see this kid. I don't know how it's happened (again, I go back to the cuteness power or Jedi Cuteness Power which I referred to a few entries back).

Evann has been great lately. Pretty much on a schedule (I'm starting to realize that an hour or two variance is acceptable). Sleeps well through the night and not too much crying in general.

As you can see from the picture, against most books and advice, we have resorted to using the "dark one" aka "soo-soo" aka the pacifier or soother. It works like a charm especially when I'm waiting for a bottle of expressed milk to warm up (yes, we're bottle feeding him breast milk too). I'm not ashamed.

The kid is really growing up. He eats like a horse (my genes I'm sure). I can't believe it's only been 3 weeks since he's been born. I can't believe it's been 3 weeks since I've become a father. I'm loving every minute of it.

By the by, we won our first game of the playoffs today (1 goal and 2 assists for me), Korea tied France 1-1 putting them 1st in their division and my sister made the family a wonderful Father's Day BBQ dinner! Happy Father's Day to all you fathers out there! Like I said, I could get used to this Father's Day stuff!