Bella's Tol Party

We had B's Tol Party this past weekend. We had tried dairy with her over a week before her party and she had what we think to be an allergic reaction (just like her big brother) to diary. She had red rosy cheeks for her party. Poor girl!!!!

We were up until 1:15 am Sunday morning cleaning, preparing food, and decorating our home for the party later that day. She loved coming down the stairs and seeing the Hello Kitty Happy Birthday balloon we picked up for her. Her face just lit up and she smiled when she saw that and the Hello Kitty party lanterns we hung up. It was like she recognized it.

We invited family and friends to come celebrate her Tol. I had made Chicken Bulgogi, Ssam (vegetable wrapped rice), and Nokdu Namul (seasoned mung bean sprouts), P'atbap (rice with red beans) for our Korean dishes and the ever staple in a Korean home--Kimchi. We served red and white this year. I found the white one to be more palatable for me and others who aren't into the spiciness of the red one. I always have made Korean foods for the kids' birthdays and birthday parties. I also cooked up a Calico bean recipe in my crockpot and my mom had made potato salad. I had Korean music playing or a Korean children's video playing for the kids.

Due to Bella's reaction to dairy, I had made a special Applesauce Snack Cake that was both dairy-less and egg-less (since one guest is allergic to eggs and Bella hasn't tried them yet) that was topped with a simple glaze. The snack cake was done in the shape of hearts for my B.

For her Toljabee event, she chose rice and the jujube (we used a substitution of a date since we couldn't find anything else suitable). So this girl is growing up rich and will have many descendants!!! She really didn't want to be in her Hanbok again (I had tried on her birthday and it was a struggle to get her into it, leave the hat alone and take pictures!!!

I cried again today both in the morning thinking about the kids' First Mom. I started at night thinking about her Omma and her First Mom again. I thought about all of the other losses she has had...loss of knowing her birthfamily, loss of homeland, language, etc. Then the tears started to flow again. I have been crying on and off since for various reasons but when we left Korea in November, I think I left half my heart there!!

She got many nice gifts from everybody who came so thank you. 감사 합 니다 (in Hangul) Kamsahamnida (in Romanized Korean) or, Thank you (in English)to everyone who came and celebrated B's first birthday with us.

See pictures from her birthday and of the Tol Celebration in my next post!!

~Jen