Monday, April 16, 2012

Hanbok

Layla and Jenna are Korean.  Well, they're 1/4 Korean...I'm 1/2 Korean...my mom is full Korean, meaning she speaks fluent Korean, has mad cooking skills, and, well let's just say, is as strong as an ox (mind, body, and soul).  Anyway, growing up with a Korean mother, you may be surprised that I don't know much about the Korean culture.  Apparently, as a small child, I could speak Korean with the best of them...funny how you lose what you don't use.  I also used to eat my fair share of Korean foods, but have kind of let go of that too...perhaps because my mommy doesn't live very close and I certainly did not inherit the cooking gene.  It never used to bother me that I wasn't a very Korean Korean, but lately, I have found myself wishing that I knew more, experienced more, understood more.  Maybe it's because, by default, Layla and Jenna have been given a lifelong membership to the Korean club and, as their mother, I feel it is my duty to teach them a little something about it.  Again, I don't know much, so I am always thrilled when Grandma gives them the opportunity to take part in a little Korean tradition.  

Hanbok is a Korean dress that is worn as formal attire on special occasions.  One tradition is for a child to dress in hanbok on their first birthday.  Yeah, so we missed that.  BUT, since my mom had a friend that was traveling to Korea this past year, she asked her to pick up a couple dresses for Layla and Jenna to wear on their second birthday.  After all our party craziness settled down, the girls put on their hanbok and we attempted to get a good picture.  Surprise, surprise, we couldn't manage a good picture, but it was certainly a hoot seeing these girls run around in their Korean dresses...it's funny how they look so much more Korean when they are wearing these!  All we got were a few snapshots of them running around, but I have every intention of getting them dressed up one more time to capture a keepsake photo.  For now, enjoy... 



Grandma is putting the finishing touches on Jenna's hanbok.



Check out this Korean baby!



Layla's turn...



Layla: "Daddy, can you help with my jacket?"



Don't let the formal wear stop you from playing, girls!



Layla: "Yeah, I can rock this outfit!"



Jenna: "Check me out!  I could totally pass as Korean!"
(You are Korean, Jenna.)



Layla's hanbok didn't last very long, but she certainly got a kick out of seeing Jenna model hers!

Just flipping through these pictures makes me excited to get the girls dressed up again...I would love to get just one good shot!   

감사합니다Grandma!
(That means thank you!)

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