Happy Birthday Caden !

Today we celebrated Caden's first birthday! Wow, time does fly. :) I can't believe my baby is one already! It seems like only yesterday I was struggling to hang on to a screaming, sad little baby on the plane home from Korea and today we are celebrating a birthday with a happy, energetic little boy.

For his first birthday we decided to do an "americanized" Tol Party. In Korean society, a baby's first tol (birthday) is very important. The tradition dates from a time when babies didn't always survive. A baby wasn't even given a name until he was 100 days old. Once he reached his first birthday most of the danger had passed, so there was a big celebration with traditional foods and games.

The Tol Celebration is also a time when a baby's future is predicted. In the tradition, several items are set before the baby, and the things he chooses to reach for predict what he will do when he becomes an adult. For example, if the baby reaches for a pencil he is destined to be a scholar, if he reaches for needle and thread he will live a long life, and if he reaches for the rice cake, he will be rich!

We did a Tol ceremony with these items:

- ipod (loves music/will become a rock star)
- football (good at sports/will be in the NFL)
- sea turtle (long life)
- money pouch (wealth/can send Mom & Dad to a nice retirement home)
- mirror (good looking/vain)
- calculator (good with numbers like dad)
- colored pencils (artsy like mom)

We dressed Caden in his hanbok and sent him to pick the items that would foretell his destiny. He chose the ipod, calculator and mirror. So I guess that means he will be musically talented, good with numbers and vain. Just like dad.

After he opened his presents he had his birthday cake - and he was SO into eating his birthday cake. Knowing how rambuctious and destructive our kid can be, Chad decided that he should have his very own cake. So Chad made a special cake just for Caden. It was a hit!

Happy Birthday Caden!