June 20- Swimming with the ladies

It's every man's dream come true!
Today was Sterling's turn to go swimming with Mommy. Our little swim group has grown to include a couple more moms I've met recently, and their little ones. Sterling was the only boy baby, so he was strutting around in his little swim trunks! LOL! Joining us today were (L-R) Allison, Audrey (13 mo.), Bell (17 mo.), Amber, Sarah, Eve (10 mo.), me and Sterling. We had lots of fun, and Sterling really warmed up to the water this time. We spent an hour in the pool before I decided he was turning into a little shriveled up prune! It's also been nice meeting other moms close to my age, with children of similar ages
Michael very proudly displays all the squash and zucchini he picked out of his garden today. All of our neighbors are endlessly impressed that the American is such a natural farmer!
I see silks peeking out from the corn husks. We'll have several ears of corn very soon... too bad we're not still in Florence where Mom Gibson could fry us up some of her world famous creamed corn!
While I was busy slicing up squash to make a casserole, I was clearly not paying enough attention to what my so was up to. When I turned around I found him hiding under his highchair eating a bag of chocolate flavored graham crackers he must have found in the diaper bag. What is it about chocolate and babies? He manages to eat graham crackers on a regular basis without getting them all over his face, but give him a chocolate flavored graham cracker, and he covers himself from head to toe. Go figure.
I don't know if it's the beautiful summer weather or that we're getting more settled into our little community here, but weekends are starting to become all about neighbors. Today our neighbor Nan and I were talking, and just decided we needed to have everyone get together for a cook out to start the weekend off right. We also wanted to share some of the vegetables Michael has grown in his garden. Our house is of course the most logical choice, as it's the most child friendly. So, this evening we had Nan and her husband Trey Cox (pictured above), the Steeles, the Chungs, and Heather and her mother Chang Young over for a get together. As always, we had a wonderful time. I made a squash casserole, and Nan friend some of the zucchini in a tempura style (it was delicious!). Our deck is perfect when it's filled with music, food, friends and of course, lots of children!

Our newest neighbors Sarah, Kevin, and of course baby Eve!
This is our nanny's son, Seung Hwan. I know I've introduced him before, but lately he's become a fixture at out house. Every evening you can count on Seung Hwan to be on our couch or playing with the babies. He comes over before the children go to bed and helps me feed them dinner, then he plays with them before bedtime. After I get the kids to sleep either Michael or myself sit down with him in the family room and work through his English book. I think he prefers Michael to go over his English with him...he's constantly telling me to "slow down!" Sometimes I have to giggle when I hear Seung Hwan repeating his vocabulary words after Michael...he's going to end up with a southern accent!
Ella gets the party started with a little clapping and dancing.
Eve's parents were smart and brought Eve's little highchair with them for her to eat her dinner in. Of course, she didn't eat much dinner. Sterling sat across from Eve and ate at least half of everything her mother put on her tray for her. Then what the two of them didn't want they fed to Spud the dog. Spuddy may be putting on a few pounds with all these babies around.
I think both Sterling and the nanny missed each other today since I took Sterling with me to the swimming pool. He seemed awfully excited to see her when they came over this evening. I have finally learned what the Nanny's full name is. Kim Mi Ae. I think I've mentioned it before, but in Korea, the wife doesn't take her husbands last name (but the children do). So although they are the Chung family, her last name is Kim. Also, in Korea they put the surname before the given name. Also, giving a person your name is a sign of familiarity. Often you don't learn a person's name until several meetings with them, until then you would call them Mr. Mrs. or so and so's mom/dad. So, I am honored to know the nanny's full name...we have neighbors who don't even know it yet. They all just call her Ta Bee's mom, which is how she'll introduce herself.
I think Heather's affection for Ella is mutual. Tonight Ella fell down and bumped her head on the deck. I scooped her up to comfort her, but then she saw Heather and stretched her arms out to her. I guess I'm just the Mommy now, no need for me to comfort her anymore....
Ella may be being replaced in the wagon. Sterling and Evie take a ride together around the deck compliments of Eve's daddy Kevin.