October 24, 2011: 2011년 10월 24일

Today the boys said goodbye to Daddy, albeit with some confusion. 

"Daddy's coming back in 22 days!" the little one told someone.  Twenty-two is the last number the little one will write before he gives up and scribbles 100.

"Daddy's coming back Christmas Day, stupid!" the big one interjected.  "Like Santa Claus, duh!"

What Daddy actually said was 크리스마스 떼... or "around Christmastime."

So they're both a little confused.

When we came back home, I told them that they didn't need to go back to school if they felt it was too tough.  The big one immediately said, "너무 힘들러, 엄마.  박에 놀도돼?"--"It's too tough, Mom.  Can I play outside?"

I confined them to the house until school let out and, since I had gone to bed after midnight and gotten up around five, decided I needed to lay down for a moment. 

So I threatened them. "You can play Wii downstairs as long as I hear NO fighting.  And if I hear ANYTHING, no computer games or Wii for a month and you are going RIGHT back to school."

Of course I heard things, but there was no bloodshed.  I wonder if J.K. Rowling's kids fight over the Harry Potter games the same way. 

"JUST GIVE ME MY BODY BACK!!!" shouted the big one.

"YOU SAID I COULD MOVE IT THIS TIME!!!!" the little one yelled back.

They don't really understand yet.  I sang the big one's favorite babyhood lullabies tonight ("Sleep, Little Child" and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight").  The big one announced, "When Daddy gets home, he will be the big lion again, and he will sleep like this (makes menacing growl with his eyes closed).  That's 'cause he always protects us."

Travel safely, Daddy lion.  We miss you.