Today is Ervin's first birthday so my mom, John, Karina and Travis are in town. My dad couldn't make it because of work. The Shins asked me if it was okay for them to organize the party which I didn't mind.
They still asked for approval for everything they've decided though which I also really appreciate.
Ervin is saying a few words like mama and rara. Ryujin is rara since he can't quite say dada. We were trying to get him to say mommy and mama but Eva insisted that Ryujin should be called dada by Ervin too. He's not quite in the walking stage yet. He can crawl and stand as long as he's holding onto something.
In the past months, we've also taken the kids to the doctor just for a check up. Thankfully, both kids are healthy. Eva is tall for her age though so Chaeryeong made a joke to Ryujin that soon Eva will surpass her height then the two started bickering.
Ryujin's friends have really taken on the role of aunties and uncles to my kids seriously. They take every chance to visit and spoil them. Again, I'm just really happy that my kids have so many people around them that loves and cares for them so it puts my heart at ease.
The house is done being built and were just waiting for all the furnitures and appliances to be delivered. It's so hard for me to call it my house or our house though since I didn't contribute anything towards it so I mainly see it as Ryujin's house.
She doesn't like it when I call it that though. She said that it's ours because it's a gift from her parents and were married so everything that's hers is also mine.
I know Ryujin is a generous person but I'm still not fully used to it.
I'm also in the process of getting my driver's license here in the states and about a month ago, we had another interview with immigration so they can make sure this marriage was still in good faith.
"So you're telling me that Lia and you are dating?" Yuna ask Chaeryeong.
Were currently outside for Ervin's party. We're standing in like a circle just talking to each other. Ryujin is busy grilling meat for the guests and Ervin is with Mrs. Shin since she really wants to show her friends how cute Ervin is. I've never met anyone who's so proud to be a grandma than her. She's constantly talking about her grandkids to everyone.
Eva is playing with Gabe and some other kids in the party. I'm so relieve that I met Ryujin while Eva is still young so all these changes doesn't seem to affect her as much. I can't even imagine what she would feel if she was close to Dana and we had to separate.
I honestly don't know if he would have been a good father to her or not. I think back at all the times where he didn't even bother to hold her for days unless I ask him to. Sometimes he would even comment on Eva's weight and we would fight about it. He would blame me for her weight gain.
I knew he doesn't like bigger people because he would always say negative things to me whenever I would gain weight. Even when I was pregnant, he would make comments that the baby only weigh like four pounds so why am I fifteen pounds overweight.
I really don't know how I managed to stay with him for that long. Did I really think that it was a better option than raising Eva alone? I'm just really glad Ryujin came along and opened my eyes.
"Yeji? Are you there? Why aren't you saying anything about this big revelation of Lia and Chaeryeong dating?" Yuna waves her hands in front of my face.
"You've been zoning out a lot lately. Are you okay?" She ask.
"Yes. Sometimes it's just hard to believe that this is really my life. It feels too good to be true" I say.
"Believe it. You're married to my dork of a sister" Yuna happily say.
I smile at her, "So Lia and Chaeryeong huh?"
"I know. Lia is like a serial friend dater" Yuna laughs
"I wouldn't date you" Lia teases.
"Of course not. I'm out of your league" Yuna fights back.
"I don't know about that but Ryujin would not allow that. She's so protective of Yuna I'd be surprise if she dates anyone before she's forty" Chaeryeong jokes and I laugh.
"Don't laugh because there's some possibility to that" Yuna states.
"She can't control you" I say.
"She can't but Yuna listens to her" Lia says.
"She will allow me to date. It's just she has to make sure that the person is good to me. She says that getting hurt by people is inevitable, everyone will experience it at least once in their lifetime so she can't stop that but she said she will try to stop unnecessary pain" Yuna says.
"Has she always been like this to you?" I ask.
"Yea. When we were younger, people made fun of me a lot because they thought I was fake. They thought my kindness was forced so no one wanted to be friends with me. That hurt me a lot so I cried almost everyday and she was there to comfort me. Since then, she's been extra protective and making sure that my friends or people interested in me have genuine intentions."
"How are you adjusting living here though?" Lia ask.
"It's different but good. I think I'm adjusting well. Eva seems to love it here since she has a playmate. Before it would just be me since my family lived far away and Dana didn't have a big family" I answer.
"Have you heard anything from him?" Chaeryeong is the one curious.
"I can answer that" Karina joins us.
"You can? Has he been contacting you?" I raise a brow at her.
"Nonstop" she takes a sip of her drink.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you don't need to worry about that piece of shit. He claims he loves you and wants you back but he's currently dating someone. He doesn't know where you live here or what state you're even in so forget him."
"But I don't want him to keep bugging you" I say.
"He won't for long" she says making me confuse with what she meant.
"What's up my sister in law" Travis hooks his arm on my shoulder.
"I'm technically not your sister in law yet" I tease.
"Tomato tomato" he smiles.
"You literally just said the same thing" I roll my eyes.
"Exactly, no difference."
"What?" I ask and so did the other three girls.
"Wassup ladies?" Travis tries to act cool.
"Travis, they've met you before. They know you're lame" Karina shuts down his ego.
"Babe! Come on! You never let me have my moment" he removes his arm off me and crosses them on his chest.
"Your moment is trying to be flirtatious with other women?" Karina is glaring now. I'm glad to see not much has changed between them.
"I'm not. Why would you say that my dearest? You know I only have eyes for you" he tries to take her hand but she slaps it away.
"Travis" My sister says.
"Yes, my darling?" Travis is still trying to suck up to Karina.
"Where's Tj?"
"Oh shit! I left him in the guest room" Travis takes off.
Karina runs after him, "Get back here!"
"I'm joking! He's with Ryujin's mom!" Travis laughs while Karina continues to chase him.
"Those two are something else" Yuna chuckles.
"They'll never have a boring day" Chaeryeong comments.
"But she probably has constant headaches" Lia laughs.
I watch the two chase each other and I realize how much I've missed them. Not much has changed from when I was living in PEI because it's not like they visited often anyways but I'm closer to my sister now than before.
I used to kind of hold a grudge against her because her life seemed so perfect compare to mine. She has a loving fiancé, supportive future in laws, and stable job with good income. She seemed to have her life together while I was a complete mess. I envied her and it made me push her away because it made me feel insecure.
"Ryujin! Save me!" Travis yells! Of course, he's still attached to my wife. I feel like he visited for Ryujin and not for Ervin's birthday.
"Ello, my wife" Ryujin kisses my cheek and hands me a plate.
"You have to make sure you eat."
"Thank you" I say.
"What did I miss that your sister is chasing him?" Ryujin points at the lovely couple.
"Travis pretended that he forgot about Tj" I answer.
"Yikes, never mess with a mama bear about their cubs" Ryujin chuckles.
"Ryujin, Lia and Chaeryeong are dating" Yuna announces.
"What?" Ryujin looks at her two friends.
"Is it serious or is it like a hookup?" Ryujin ask which earned her a smack from the two.
"When have we ever hooked up with anyone?" Chaeryeong is the one to speak first.
"Yes its serious" followed by Lia.
"Well congratulations" Ryujin claps.
"That's it? That's your reaction?" Yuna ask.
"How was I suppose to react? I'm happy for them?" Ryujin says, feeling confuse with how she's supposed to react.
"You and Travis are both lame" Yuna says before walking away.
"Did I say something wrong?" Ryujin looks at me.
I smile at her, "No you didn't."
"We're about to do the cake smashing thing for Ervin. So excuse me while I get that set up" I say handing the plate back to Ryujin.
"You didn't eat anything" she says.
"I'll eat later, I promise" I say.
I leave to go inside the house and grab the cake. I take it outside and set it up. Mrs. Shin brings Ervin to me and I put him in his high chair.
"Happy first birthday, my baby boy" I kiss the top of his head.
Everyone starts singing happy birthday as I pick up the cake again to put it in front of Ervin. He looks at everyone singing with a confuse face. I don't think he's heard this many people speak at the same time so its probably new to him.
I finally place the cake in front of him and he just looks at it, unsure of what to do.
"Smash the cake" I say while doing a gesture of smashing.
Ervin doesn't do anything but cries the moment he sees Ryujin. He raises his arms, meaning he wants to be picked up.
I swear my two kids act like they came out of Ryujin instead of me, the betrayal of my own blood.
Ryujin approaches Ervin but she doesn't pick him up. Instead she lowers herself to his level.
"You don't want to smash the cake?" Ryujin ask and Ervin just looks at her.
"Like this" Ryujin dips her finger in the frosting then wipes it on Ervin's nose.
Ervin cries again, not liking it.
"It's okay. Look ill do it to myself too" Ryujin dips her finger again in the cake then puts the frosting on her nose.
"See? It's not that bad" Ryujin calmly explains.
Ervin slowly dips his own finger in the frosting but he ends up just licking his finger afterwards.
"I think that's the best were gonna get" Ryujin laughs then stands up.
At that moment, Ervin starts smashing the cake with both hands. I take out my phone to take pictures along with the other family members. Ryujin runs away as fast as she can so she's not in the pictures being taken.
Ervin is really enjoying the cake smashing now.
I look to where Eva is and she's fully supporting and cheering on Ervin. I thought maybe she would be jealous and would want to do it too so I did get another cake just in case but she's genuinely just happy for her brother.
I don't know what I did right in my life that I've been given an amazing daughter like her.
Ryujin goes to her and picks her up. The two cheers for Ervin like he's competing in some sort of sport.
I quickly take a picture of the both of them before returning to take pictures of Ervin again. I smile at the thought that this is really my family now.