100 Days of Pure Bliss

How is it that my baby is 100 days old? They weren’t kidding when they said, “Third time’s a charm.” With my first two children getting to the 100-day-mark felt eternal thanks to baby blues, sleep deprivation, around-the-clock nursing, and simply not knowing if I was doing anything correctly. With my third [and last] baby girl, I am reveling in every moment, even though the exhaustion is indescribable and life feels like a blur.

So what’s with the 100 days? My husband was born here in America, and I was born in Brazil, but we are of Korean descent. We both come from immigrant families who now live very “American” lives, but have held onto some Korean traditions, one of which is the 100-day celebration known as a child’s Baek-Il. It is essentially a 100th-day birthday party. Historically, the survival rate of a baby before the first 100 days was low, but the rate would drastically increase after the first 100 days. So on the child’s 100th day of life, we celebrate her health.

100th Day Table Setting - Traditional Rice Cakes

Dear Zoe,

On your 100th day of life, we are hosting a luncheon in honor of you and your health. Your extended family will be here as a symbol of their love for you and their commitment to supporting you as families so graciously do. Today, I just want you to know that I am absolutely obsessed with all things Zoe: your smell, your porcelain skin, your dramatic wails, your ability to suck both your right and left thumbs, your wild hair, your heartwarming smile, your awful-smelling poops, and your manly burps.
I feel so blessed to be your mother, and I hope that this day brings a lifetime of love, health, and joy.