Nicholas turned one two weeks ago - what a big boy! We all made it through the party and have some pictures to share. We enjoyed eating cake and ice cream, opening presents, and watching a slide show that chronicled Nicholas's first year of life. However, the most exciting part of the party was when we completed the traditional Korean First Birthday (the Dol) custom.
Due to the high infant mortality rate in the past, Koreans had great cause for celebration when their children reached one year old. Other important birthday celebrations are the 100th Day as well as the 60th and 70th years. Traditionally the Dol celebration begins with offerings of food to the ancestors and then a chance for the birthday child to predict his or her future. This is through the doljabi, an event where a selection of items are placed in front of the child. The first one or two selected foretell what will happen when the child grows to adulthood. The child wears a new hanbok, traditional Korean clothes, during the doljabi. Nicholas and Abbie wore hanboks while we placed items in front of him (thank Jen for loaning Abbie your beautiful hanbok!). The items that Nicholas chose from is below along with the meaning of each item.
• Noodles (long life)
• Rice (long life and plenty to eat within his lifetime)
• Pencils/pen (scholar)
• Books (scholar)
• Money (business)
• Yarn (work with hands/manual labor)
• Dried date jujubes (many descendants)
• Bow and arrow (strength)
Due to the high infant mortality rate in the past, Koreans had great cause for celebration when their children reached one year old. Other important birthday celebrations are the 100th Day as well as the 60th and 70th years. Traditionally the Dol celebration begins with offerings of food to the ancestors and then a chance for the birthday child to predict his or her future. This is through the doljabi, an event where a selection of items are placed in front of the child. The first one or two selected foretell what will happen when the child grows to adulthood. The child wears a new hanbok, traditional Korean clothes, during the doljabi. Nicholas and Abbie wore hanboks while we placed items in front of him (thank Jen for loaning Abbie your beautiful hanbok!). The items that Nicholas chose from is below along with the meaning of each item.
• Noodles (long life)
• Rice (long life and plenty to eat within his lifetime)
• Pencils/pen (scholar)
• Books (scholar)
• Money (business)
• Yarn (work with hands/manual labor)
• Dried date jujubes (many descendants)
• Bow and arrow (strength)
Here is the video of him making his choices!
Yea! He chose rice (long life and plenty to eat) and a pencil (scholar)!
The first birthday cake with his name in Hangul and English. I also made chocolate cupcakes that he enjoyed (see below).
Oooh...fire!
Chocolate cake is the best!
Playing on his birthday slide with a nice audience cheering him on!
Ready, set, go...!
A smile, some tears, some sweat, and some drool...all part of being a one year old!Since turning one, Nicholas has started cutting more teeth, has learned to throw things (we try to keep this limited to balls, but he has other ideas!), has discovered how to hide things under the couch, has begun using more sign language in an effort to tell us what he wants since his babbling is still just babbling, and has gotten his first fever (along with a major case of the crankies!) since being home. What a busy two weeks it has been! We look forward to learning more things and having more big boy adventures as the year progresses!
Happy 1st Birthday Nicholas!! we hope this year is filled with many wonderful first and fun adventures for you and your mom and dad too :)
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