Now that labor and delivery is just around the corner, I have to admit that I am happy and excited but very much scared and anxious as well. Jojo and I have been attending childbirth classes. I’ve been reading baby books and browsing pregnancy websites. I’ve joined mommy support groups, and, of course, have been getting so much advice from family, friends and colleagues that have gone through childbirth. Sometimes all this knowledge is great and I feel completely empowered knowing what I know. But there are also times when all this information is overwhelming and quite frankly just a little bit daunting.
My childbirth instructor, Pat, told me that if I have any worries or fears about childbirth, I should write them down. Sometimes verbalizing a fear means recognizing it and is the first step in letting it go. Pat encouraged me to write about my fears – journal-style, acknowledge my fears, and “let them go”. I’m pretty sure I can do part of that – writing my fears and acknowledging them is pretty easy. I’m not so sure about the “letting them go” part. But it’s worth a try …
Here are my fears … in no particular order:
1.) Making sure I deliver a normal, healthy baby. I keep thinking about my last 9 months of pregnancy and am paranoid that I did something that hurt Jamie’s development or may make her ill. Like maybe I didn’t take as much vitamins or eat as healthy as I should. I worry about those nights when I slept on my back or found myself waking up asleep on my belly (did I squish her?). Or how I stubbornly wore shoes with heels till my 9th month when everyone was telling me I shouldn’t. The list goes on …
2.) Wanting a natural delivery rather than a C-section. I’ve been hearing horror stories about C-sections and how recovering from one is an ordeal. I’ve never been hospitalized for anything in my life so I don’t know what my recovery rate for any major type of operation will be. But I want to be sure I’m strong enough to take care of my baby after I deliver.
3.) The pain associated with a natural childbirth. I keep hearing stats about how delivering a first baby is usually 16-20 hours of labor. I like to think I have a relatively high tolerance for pain. But then again, I haven’t had much “pain” in my life to really have a good idea about my tolerance level. I’m so scared that I won’t be able to handle it.
4.) I will ask for pain medication. I don’t think I could do without it. But this is how deep set my paranoia is … I’m scared that even with the meds, the pain will still be bad. I’ve heard that happening.
5.) I’m afraid that even with a natural delivery I may tear and still need sutures. Enough said about that.
Okay … I’ve now verbalized and acknowledged my fears … how do I start letting them go?!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Seventh Letter
Dear Jamie,
Today is your 35th week. In just 7 more days, we will mark the 9th month of my pregnancy. It seems like the 9 months just flew by although in other ways, it also seems like it took forever to get here. These days, your dad and I are finding that there is still so much to do. Every day we have little projects and items to cross off our "Things To Do before Jamie Arrives" list.
Last week, your dad and I met with several prospective pediatricians. We want to make sure that you have a wonderful doctor to take care of you. One who is knowledgeable, and caring, and positive, and happy to be around children. After several interviews and recommendations, we have settled on a doctor named Winnie Chung. Both your dad and I agreed that Dr. Chung and her staff seem like very capable, very supportive, and very trustworthy people to help us care for you. I am hoping that when you meet Dr. Chung you will like her too.
Also last week, your dad and I started attending a series of classes to help us prepare for your arrival. We attended our first (of three) breastfeeding classes, and our whole day childbirth class. Both sessions were extremely informative. I can honestly say, that even if I have been reading baby books and am on every imaginable baby website on the internet, I have learned so much in these sessions. Your dad's response to the classes have been extremely positive too. AT first, I was worried that he would not find them useful and would get bored, but he is actually enjoying them and is very participative in all the class discussions. He always stays to chat with other first-time dads and even with the instructors too. I've started calling him "TP" which is short for "teacher's pet" because he has been so vocal in classes that teachers actually know him by name. I am just so glad that he is taking such an active role in all this. It helps reassure me that we are both so committed to welcoming you to our family.
Today (was President's Day so I got the day off from work) your dad and I worked on little projects around the house. Your dad replaced the filter screens in your room and bathroom (to make sure they are clean). He also cleaned your windows and the windowsill in your bedroom. I've arranged your clothes and things in your very own bureau. I've also started making a list of other essentials we need to get in the next few days. Today, your dad and I also packed the little suitcase we will need when we rush off to the hospital (when you are ready to make your appearance). We took a long walk this afternoon (as per doctor's orders) and most of the time talked about how life will be different but interesting when you arrive.
In about 3 weeks your Auntie Joy and Grandma Judy will be here. I am so excited. You will absolutely love having them here - I am so sure of that. Auntie Joy is coming here since she's attending classes. I am sure you two will have lots of bonding sessions about fashion and how to look for the best shopping bargains! Grandma Judy will be the one to pamper you with lots of TLC - the way she did for us when we were growing up. I am so grateful my mom is coming to help take care of all of us during this very special time in our lives. I know this will mean more to me knowing she is going to be here.
I'm a little nervous, Jamie. I am told you can come as early as March 15 and as late as April 15. Hopefully you come earlier and not so late. You have a ton of guests wanting to come visit you too and I want to be strong enough to welcome them to our home. So, maybe you can help your mom out by coming just a wee bit early? =)
My dear little baby girl, I hope that you are getting ready for your grand entrance into this world. Know that you are eagerly anticipated and already dearly loved.
Today is your 35th week. In just 7 more days, we will mark the 9th month of my pregnancy. It seems like the 9 months just flew by although in other ways, it also seems like it took forever to get here. These days, your dad and I are finding that there is still so much to do. Every day we have little projects and items to cross off our "Things To Do before Jamie Arrives" list.
Last week, your dad and I met with several prospective pediatricians. We want to make sure that you have a wonderful doctor to take care of you. One who is knowledgeable, and caring, and positive, and happy to be around children. After several interviews and recommendations, we have settled on a doctor named Winnie Chung. Both your dad and I agreed that Dr. Chung and her staff seem like very capable, very supportive, and very trustworthy people to help us care for you. I am hoping that when you meet Dr. Chung you will like her too.
Also last week, your dad and I started attending a series of classes to help us prepare for your arrival. We attended our first (of three) breastfeeding classes, and our whole day childbirth class. Both sessions were extremely informative. I can honestly say, that even if I have been reading baby books and am on every imaginable baby website on the internet, I have learned so much in these sessions. Your dad's response to the classes have been extremely positive too. AT first, I was worried that he would not find them useful and would get bored, but he is actually enjoying them and is very participative in all the class discussions. He always stays to chat with other first-time dads and even with the instructors too. I've started calling him "TP" which is short for "teacher's pet" because he has been so vocal in classes that teachers actually know him by name. I am just so glad that he is taking such an active role in all this. It helps reassure me that we are both so committed to welcoming you to our family.
Today (was President's Day so I got the day off from work) your dad and I worked on little projects around the house. Your dad replaced the filter screens in your room and bathroom (to make sure they are clean). He also cleaned your windows and the windowsill in your bedroom. I've arranged your clothes and things in your very own bureau. I've also started making a list of other essentials we need to get in the next few days. Today, your dad and I also packed the little suitcase we will need when we rush off to the hospital (when you are ready to make your appearance). We took a long walk this afternoon (as per doctor's orders) and most of the time talked about how life will be different but interesting when you arrive.
In about 3 weeks your Auntie Joy and Grandma Judy will be here. I am so excited. You will absolutely love having them here - I am so sure of that. Auntie Joy is coming here since she's attending classes. I am sure you two will have lots of bonding sessions about fashion and how to look for the best shopping bargains! Grandma Judy will be the one to pamper you with lots of TLC - the way she did for us when we were growing up. I am so grateful my mom is coming to help take care of all of us during this very special time in our lives. I know this will mean more to me knowing she is going to be here.
I'm a little nervous, Jamie. I am told you can come as early as March 15 and as late as April 15. Hopefully you come earlier and not so late. You have a ton of guests wanting to come visit you too and I want to be strong enough to welcome them to our home. So, maybe you can help your mom out by coming just a wee bit early? =)
My dear little baby girl, I hope that you are getting ready for your grand entrance into this world. Know that you are eagerly anticipated and already dearly loved.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Cravings
I’m pregnant and I’m allowed to have cravings … I don’t know if it’s my pregnancy hormones, or today’s rainy day weather, or the fact that it’s such a slow work day that I’m sitting at my work desk with nothing to do … but I have some pretty strong cravings (from vacations, to books, to stuff, to food, etc).
VACATION CRAVING:
1.) I want a weekend in Napa Valley – good food, awesome views, nice weather, and just a relaxing time away from it all. Unfortunately now that I am 8 and a half months preggy, it is not advisable for us to travel.
BOOK CRAVINGS:
1.) A good fiction novel – believe it or not, I haven’t had a good read in a really long time. Lately all I’ve been reading are baby and parenting books (which is informative but also has the tendency to make me a little paranoid about how unprepared I am). So enough baby books! I need fiction! I haven’t been to Barnes & Noble, Borders or even Amazon in a long time – I haven’t even updated my book wish list in almost 6 months!
2.) Baby Sign Language: Find Out What’s on Your Baby’s Mind (by Karine Rosenberg). Okay, I have room for one more baby book on my shelf and this one I really want to teach Jamie to do as soon as possible.
3.) The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (by Steig Larsson). I actually already read the book and watched the Swedish film version. I just want a copy of the book so I can have a complete set of the trilogy for my library. So far, only the hardcover copy is available and it doesn’t match the copies I already have of the first two books.
STUFF CRAVINGS:
1.) Super comfy flats that I can wear to work. Sort of like Tory Burch flats but not as “flat”. I need flats with a bit of a stacked heel all around. These days I’ve almost given up on wearing heels but I need dressy shoes that I can wear to work. They have to be comfy enough without looking matronly or looking like school shoes. Jojo and I were shoe shopping on Sunday and my theory is that when you are looking for a particular type of shoe, it is just impossible to find.
2.) Dwell Studios' Dots Chocolate Weekender Bag. I love Dwell Studios patterns. I wanted to decorate Beanie’s nursery in their stuff but they only come in sheets and window treatments – and it would have been impossible to find coordinating stuff. Anyway, when I got my instructions to start preparing my overnight bag to bring to the hospital for when I deliver, I immediately wished I had a Dwell Studio bag.
3.) An antique writing desk. I still like my oversized work desk in my home office but I’ve always wanted an antique writing desk with a hutch. I like the Victorian styles with intricate carvings. Having a romantic desk like that, I can almost imagine myself writing the next great American novel … or at the very least make bill paying a little bit more classy!
4.) A stainless steel fridge. Our current fridge is still working (which is why I feel guilty about buying a new fridge) – the only problem is our current fridge has a white façade which no longer matches our stove and microwave (which we upgraded to stainless steel). Actually more than just the fridge, I’d really like a kitchen make-over!
FOOD CRAVINGS:
1.) Gloria Maris hotpot! The other day, Jojo took me to lunch at Shin Sen Gumi (where they serve Japanese shabu-shabu). It wasn’t the same – Shin Sen Gumi had such healthy food (very lean cuts of meat, lots of leafy veggies, tofu and clear soup). I need Gloria Maris’ version – with a variety of fat-filled dumplings and spicy sate soup! I also like the way I make my own dipping sauce (with lots of fresh garlic and chili).
2.) Casa Armas’ conchinillo. I have my best friend, Les, to blame for this … she took Jojo and me for dinner there during our last visit to Manila. And since then, Jojo and I have been dreaming non-stop of that succulently, roasted baby pig. Melt in your mouth goodness. We still talk about it all the time.
3.) Philippe’s French dipped pork sandwiches with spicy mustard. So, so yummy! Why does Philippe’s have to be located in downtown LA where traffic and parking is horrible? Why couldn’t they be located in Torrance where it would be so much more accessible (to me)?
4.) My mom’s home-made, fresh Chinese lumpia. If you’ve tasted my mom’s lumpia … then you know why an explanation is not necessary.
5.) Cheesy puffed corn. It’s not popped corn but rather puffed corn. Like giant, air-filled cornicks. It comes in a clear plastic bag and it is only sold in Unimart. My sister, Joy, and I would buy several bags and eat it every night while watching DVDs. That was my ultimate treat at the end of the day.
VACATION CRAVING:
1.) I want a weekend in Napa Valley – good food, awesome views, nice weather, and just a relaxing time away from it all. Unfortunately now that I am 8 and a half months preggy, it is not advisable for us to travel.
BOOK CRAVINGS:
1.) A good fiction novel – believe it or not, I haven’t had a good read in a really long time. Lately all I’ve been reading are baby and parenting books (which is informative but also has the tendency to make me a little paranoid about how unprepared I am). So enough baby books! I need fiction! I haven’t been to Barnes & Noble, Borders or even Amazon in a long time – I haven’t even updated my book wish list in almost 6 months!
2.) Baby Sign Language: Find Out What’s on Your Baby’s Mind (by Karine Rosenberg). Okay, I have room for one more baby book on my shelf and this one I really want to teach Jamie to do as soon as possible.
3.) The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (by Steig Larsson). I actually already read the book and watched the Swedish film version. I just want a copy of the book so I can have a complete set of the trilogy for my library. So far, only the hardcover copy is available and it doesn’t match the copies I already have of the first two books.
STUFF CRAVINGS:
1.) Super comfy flats that I can wear to work. Sort of like Tory Burch flats but not as “flat”. I need flats with a bit of a stacked heel all around. These days I’ve almost given up on wearing heels but I need dressy shoes that I can wear to work. They have to be comfy enough without looking matronly or looking like school shoes. Jojo and I were shoe shopping on Sunday and my theory is that when you are looking for a particular type of shoe, it is just impossible to find.
2.) Dwell Studios' Dots Chocolate Weekender Bag. I love Dwell Studios patterns. I wanted to decorate Beanie’s nursery in their stuff but they only come in sheets and window treatments – and it would have been impossible to find coordinating stuff. Anyway, when I got my instructions to start preparing my overnight bag to bring to the hospital for when I deliver, I immediately wished I had a Dwell Studio bag.
3.) An antique writing desk. I still like my oversized work desk in my home office but I’ve always wanted an antique writing desk with a hutch. I like the Victorian styles with intricate carvings. Having a romantic desk like that, I can almost imagine myself writing the next great American novel … or at the very least make bill paying a little bit more classy!
4.) A stainless steel fridge. Our current fridge is still working (which is why I feel guilty about buying a new fridge) – the only problem is our current fridge has a white façade which no longer matches our stove and microwave (which we upgraded to stainless steel). Actually more than just the fridge, I’d really like a kitchen make-over!
FOOD CRAVINGS:
1.) Gloria Maris hotpot! The other day, Jojo took me to lunch at Shin Sen Gumi (where they serve Japanese shabu-shabu). It wasn’t the same – Shin Sen Gumi had such healthy food (very lean cuts of meat, lots of leafy veggies, tofu and clear soup). I need Gloria Maris’ version – with a variety of fat-filled dumplings and spicy sate soup! I also like the way I make my own dipping sauce (with lots of fresh garlic and chili).
2.) Casa Armas’ conchinillo. I have my best friend, Les, to blame for this … she took Jojo and me for dinner there during our last visit to Manila. And since then, Jojo and I have been dreaming non-stop of that succulently, roasted baby pig. Melt in your mouth goodness. We still talk about it all the time.
3.) Philippe’s French dipped pork sandwiches with spicy mustard. So, so yummy! Why does Philippe’s have to be located in downtown LA where traffic and parking is horrible? Why couldn’t they be located in Torrance where it would be so much more accessible (to me)?
4.) My mom’s home-made, fresh Chinese lumpia. If you’ve tasted my mom’s lumpia … then you know why an explanation is not necessary.
5.) Cheesy puffed corn. It’s not popped corn but rather puffed corn. Like giant, air-filled cornicks. It comes in a clear plastic bag and it is only sold in Unimart. My sister, Joy, and I would buy several bags and eat it every night while watching DVDs. That was my ultimate treat at the end of the day.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Valentine's Day 2011
Today is Valentine’s Day and while I agree that it is a day to celebrate love for one’s romantic partner, I just don’t see what all the hype is about! Call me a non-conformist but I don’t find myself getting excited over V-day as much as other holidays. Maybe I’ve gotten old and corny. But I like to think that I’ve gotten wiser and more practical. I believe that every day should be a day to show you love your partner. You don’t have to wait till Feb 14th to show someone you care. I do think that if you need one day in a year to go all out and shower someone you love with love, it should be a day that’s special to you. Like your wedding anniversary or the day you first met, something that holds meaning for your relationship, rather than a day designated by Hallmark as the day for lovers. Of course, I respect the fact that others think that Valentine’s Day is special – kudos to them – but luckily my partner, Jojo, shares my sentiments.
Jojo and I shy away from doing the very traditional stuff. We tried a few years back to going out for dinner on Valentine’s Day but after a few tries where we had to wait in line, got our reservations cancelled and had to pay an arm and a leg to eat … well, the idea got old really fast! We also don’t do the flowers and chocolate routine nor do we exchange presents. Instead we get each other what we like throughout the year and call it an early or late Valentine’s Day present. The most Valentine-y tradition we’ve adapted is making each other special home-cooked dinners. It works for us and so far I have absolutely no complaints.
This year is no different. We don’t have any big plans today but we do have an evening planned that is making me quite excited just thinking about it! Tonight we’re making dinner together. I’m preparing garlic mushrooms and a veggie casserole (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots) while Jojo has already marinated a couple of rib-eyes that he’ll be grilling tonight. After dinner, we usually go for a half an hour walk around the neighborhood. Then we’re going to snuggle in and watch our Monday night line-up – Chuck on NBC, Two & a Half Men and Mike & Molly on CBS, and finally Castle on ABC). Then we’ll probably read a little in bed, I may get a back rub since Jojo’s been doing that most nights now that I’m pregnant, and then we’ll call it a night. Perfect date night for me! =)
The only thing different about this year (and I get a little bit sentimental about this) is the fact that this is our “last” as a couple (well, at least our last where it’s just the two of us). I was thinking about this last Saturday. In about three weeks time, my sister and my mom will be arriving. Then Jamie will be joining us in a couple more weeks. While that makes me HAPPY (please don’t get me wrong), it’s also strange to think that it will no longer be just Jojo and me. I’ve gotten used to just the two of us. We’ve been a couple since 1999. Dating for 5 years, engaged for a year, married for 6 years. I’ve been living with my husband, my partner, my best friend. I’m so used to him and he’s so used to me – we are totally in sync with each others’ moods, needs, wants and actions. We only had each other to consider when making decisions. Now, it’s going to be the two of us plus my sister (temporarily), or plus our baby (permanently), or plus whoever is with us. It’s exciting and different but also strange and needs some getting used to. I don’t know if I’m making sense – I’m happy and sentimental all at the same time. It’s all good though. I know things will work out.
Anyway, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, Ni. While we may not be the typical couple that gets cheesy on this day … I’m still romantic enough to tell you that I love you very much and that I still think I am the luckiest person in the world to have you in my life. Thank you for being the person that you are and making me a better person because of your inspiration and influence. You continue to make me blissfully happy just by having you around me and I look forward to many more happy adventures together.
Jojo and I shy away from doing the very traditional stuff. We tried a few years back to going out for dinner on Valentine’s Day but after a few tries where we had to wait in line, got our reservations cancelled and had to pay an arm and a leg to eat … well, the idea got old really fast! We also don’t do the flowers and chocolate routine nor do we exchange presents. Instead we get each other what we like throughout the year and call it an early or late Valentine’s Day present. The most Valentine-y tradition we’ve adapted is making each other special home-cooked dinners. It works for us and so far I have absolutely no complaints.
This year is no different. We don’t have any big plans today but we do have an evening planned that is making me quite excited just thinking about it! Tonight we’re making dinner together. I’m preparing garlic mushrooms and a veggie casserole (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots) while Jojo has already marinated a couple of rib-eyes that he’ll be grilling tonight. After dinner, we usually go for a half an hour walk around the neighborhood. Then we’re going to snuggle in and watch our Monday night line-up – Chuck on NBC, Two & a Half Men and Mike & Molly on CBS, and finally Castle on ABC). Then we’ll probably read a little in bed, I may get a back rub since Jojo’s been doing that most nights now that I’m pregnant, and then we’ll call it a night. Perfect date night for me! =)
The only thing different about this year (and I get a little bit sentimental about this) is the fact that this is our “last” as a couple (well, at least our last where it’s just the two of us). I was thinking about this last Saturday. In about three weeks time, my sister and my mom will be arriving. Then Jamie will be joining us in a couple more weeks. While that makes me HAPPY (please don’t get me wrong), it’s also strange to think that it will no longer be just Jojo and me. I’ve gotten used to just the two of us. We’ve been a couple since 1999. Dating for 5 years, engaged for a year, married for 6 years. I’ve been living with my husband, my partner, my best friend. I’m so used to him and he’s so used to me – we are totally in sync with each others’ moods, needs, wants and actions. We only had each other to consider when making decisions. Now, it’s going to be the two of us plus my sister (temporarily), or plus our baby (permanently), or plus whoever is with us. It’s exciting and different but also strange and needs some getting used to. I don’t know if I’m making sense – I’m happy and sentimental all at the same time. It’s all good though. I know things will work out.
Anyway, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, Ni. While we may not be the typical couple that gets cheesy on this day … I’m still romantic enough to tell you that I love you very much and that I still think I am the luckiest person in the world to have you in my life. Thank you for being the person that you are and making me a better person because of your inspiration and influence. You continue to make me blissfully happy just by having you around me and I look forward to many more happy adventures together.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Baby Shower Pictures
It started with these invitations being sent out ... 
Beanie's shower theme ... baby animals in yellow and pink ...
One side of the buffet ... I didn't get to snap a picture of the other side with the "hot food" and dessert since guests started arriving.
Our very first guests ... right on time!
First batch of guests lining up to eat ...
Still at the buffet line ...
One of the three cupcake towers ...
The party getting started ...
Starting the first of almost 8 games ... "Baby Bottle Drinking" ... our first 5 victims (I mean, contestants)
Serious drinking!
Me, hosting the "Fishing Baby Pins" game ... the other contestants looking nervous!
Awarding the winners a prize ...
Random shot of the crowd and the room ...
Guests forming teams for the "Baby Word Scramble" game ...
Jojo hosting the "Baby Food tasting" game ...
Everyone lining up to get their spoonful of baby food ...
More shots of the crowd ...
Tracy hosting the "Hep, Hep Hooray" game ...
More "Hep, Hep Hooray" contestants ...
Another shot of the shower ...
My nieces entertaining the crowd ...
Still more dancing!
Everyone enjoying the show ...
Moving to the house ... first batch of Beanie's presents to be carried into the nursery.
My many helpers on hand to open the presents ...
Opening presents!
Beanie's shower theme ... baby animals in yellow and pink ...
One side of the buffet ... I didn't get to snap a picture of the other side with the "hot food" and dessert since guests started arriving.
Our very first guests ... right on time!
First batch of guests lining up to eat ...
Still at the buffet line ...
One of the three cupcake towers ...
The party getting started ...
Starting the first of almost 8 games ... "Baby Bottle Drinking" ... our first 5 victims (I mean, contestants)
Serious drinking!
Me, hosting the "Fishing Baby Pins" game ... the other contestants looking nervous!
Awarding the winners a prize ...
Random shot of the crowd and the room ...
Guests forming teams for the "Baby Word Scramble" game ...
Jojo hosting the "Baby Food tasting" game ...
Everyone lining up to get their spoonful of baby food ...
More shots of the crowd ...
Tracy hosting the "Hep, Hep Hooray" game ...
More "Hep, Hep Hooray" contestants ...
Another shot of the shower ...
My nieces entertaining the crowd ...
Still more dancing!
Everyone enjoying the show ...
Moving to the house ... first batch of Beanie's presents to be carried into the nursery.
My many helpers on hand to open the presents ...
Opening presents!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
And more baby news ...
Sorry about not yet posting baby shower pictures. I know they are eagerly awaited. The problem is I was checking our camera and we have a bunch of bad photos. By “bad” I mean, they are shots from weird angles, mostly candid pictures where no one is looking at the camera, and are shot sort of haphazardly. This is because Jojo and I were quite busy entertaining guests and would only grab our camera and shoot pictures when we had a spare moment. I am waiting for the pictures from my sister-in-law, Tracy’s, camera and the ones from my brother-in-law, Jay’s. For one thing, they have better cameras and were able to take better shots. I’ll post those pics as soon as I get copies just cause I think those pictures do more justice showcasing Beanie’s shower.
In other baby news. We had our doctor’s appointment again yesterday. All is going just fantastically well. Thank God. Beanie is growing amazingly fast. She is now almost 5 pounds and is about 14 and a half inches long. Isn’t that incredible? She also moves A LOT these days – she must be doing some baby gymnastics in there cause I feel her tumbling around all the time. Dr. Chen’s only advise is for me to take things a bit easier. I’ve been feeling some pain in my lower back and around my groin area – so I’ve been advised to minimize standing for long periods of time, bending too much and carrying things around. The biggest perk is I have been advised to give up doing strenuous housework. Dr. Chen specifically asked Jojo to pick up the load (not that he hasn’t been doing that already – cause my husband’s been just awesome in taking up more than his fair share – but now we have strict doctor’s orders so I can seriously milk the situation!). Hahaha.
Jojo and I begin our baby classes this week too. We have 3 sessions of Childbirth classes (3 hours for the next 3 Tuesdays), 3 sessions of Breastfeeding classes (on Wednesdays) and 3 sessions of Infant CPR classes (on Thursdays). We also have a full day Saturday class for first time parents. Whew! I’ve also enrolled in “Mommy and Me” classes after I deliver so I can meet with a support group of trained nurses and other moms. Next week we are also starting to interview for our baby’s pediatrician. I have three appointments to meet with prospective doctors located around Torrance. These are all pediatricians that Dr. Chen recommended. I want to interview each one to make sure we find Beanie the perfect doctor to take care of her as she’s growing up.
I’ve put away Jamie’s baby shower presents. While she got a lot of great stuff, there’s still a few more things she needs. I marvel at how much stuff such a small person needs. So this weekend, Jojo and I are heading over to the Baby Depot for last minute stuff. I figured we need to get them now before I become too huge to waddle down store aisles.
So, that’s basically that for now.
In other baby news. We had our doctor’s appointment again yesterday. All is going just fantastically well. Thank God. Beanie is growing amazingly fast. She is now almost 5 pounds and is about 14 and a half inches long. Isn’t that incredible? She also moves A LOT these days – she must be doing some baby gymnastics in there cause I feel her tumbling around all the time. Dr. Chen’s only advise is for me to take things a bit easier. I’ve been feeling some pain in my lower back and around my groin area – so I’ve been advised to minimize standing for long periods of time, bending too much and carrying things around. The biggest perk is I have been advised to give up doing strenuous housework. Dr. Chen specifically asked Jojo to pick up the load (not that he hasn’t been doing that already – cause my husband’s been just awesome in taking up more than his fair share – but now we have strict doctor’s orders so I can seriously milk the situation!). Hahaha.
Jojo and I begin our baby classes this week too. We have 3 sessions of Childbirth classes (3 hours for the next 3 Tuesdays), 3 sessions of Breastfeeding classes (on Wednesdays) and 3 sessions of Infant CPR classes (on Thursdays). We also have a full day Saturday class for first time parents. Whew! I’ve also enrolled in “Mommy and Me” classes after I deliver so I can meet with a support group of trained nurses and other moms. Next week we are also starting to interview for our baby’s pediatrician. I have three appointments to meet with prospective doctors located around Torrance. These are all pediatricians that Dr. Chen recommended. I want to interview each one to make sure we find Beanie the perfect doctor to take care of her as she’s growing up.
I’ve put away Jamie’s baby shower presents. While she got a lot of great stuff, there’s still a few more things she needs. I marvel at how much stuff such a small person needs. So this weekend, Jojo and I are heading over to the Baby Depot for last minute stuff. I figured we need to get them now before I become too huge to waddle down store aisles.
So, that’s basically that for now.
Monday, February 07, 2011
Beanie's Baby Shower
So, we had the baby shower last Saturday and it was AWESOME. I was really touched at how my in-laws and family came together to make this day extra, extra special. We had it at the Activity Room at the Carson Park Sports Complex. This was a great idea since the room was spacious enough for guests, there were enough tables and chairs for at least 60 people, and we didn’t have to do any major preps or clean ups! My sisters-in-law and my sister, Jenny, prepared lot of good food. There was a huge selection of merienda-style finger food. We had appetizers (chips & dip, and cheese & cold cut trays). We had hot food (boneless chicken wings, lumpia shanghai, Swedish meatballs, and two kinds of cocktail sausages). We also had cold food (tuna salad sandwiches, turkey and cheese sandwiches, and ham roll ups). And then there was dessert (we had chocolate and vanilla cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies, cream puffs and mini éclairs). There was soda, juice and bottled water too.
The party officially started at 2:00 PM but my family was there by 1:00 to help decorate the room. We hung streamers, tied balloons on chairs, hung banners announcing “It’s a Baby Girl” and “We’re Having a Baby Shower”, posted baby murals on the walls, and created mini table centerpieces. Everything was done in shades of yellow and pink. We also set up paper plates, cups and napkins in the same shades and with a baby animal theme (which is the motif for Jamie’s nursery). My brothers-in-law set up the sound system so we could play nursery songs in keeping with the theme.
Guests started arriving a little past two and we had a good turnout. I had originally invited about 80 people, 66 confirmed they were coming, and the actual turnout was about 60 people. Not bad. I was really glad too at the mix of folks who came. My good friend, Karen (from grad school) came with her family – we hadn’t seen each other in almost year! Carol (my boss from 2 jobs ago) also stopped by. Zuly, who is actually Jules’ friend but now a friend of the family was also there. Co-workers from Chinatrust and from my current job also joined the fun. Even my former assistant, Peggy, who I have not seen in 2 years was there. Jojo’s IT staff was there in full force, along with their wives. We also had family friends and neighbors share the special day with us. Atsi Jenny and her friends came too. And of course there was family.
We started with eating (of course) and then played lots of games. First we had a diaper raffle which was won by Atsi’s friend, Gunita. Then our first game was who could drink apple cider out of a baby bottle the fastest – we had 5 male volunteers for this game. The winner was my brother-in-law, Mark. There was a lot of good natured teasing throughout the game. Then we had the second game (this time for the ladies) where they had to fish out baby safety pins from a bowl filled with rice while blindfolded. Not as easy as it sounds! The winner was Rebecca (my co-worker) but Atsi was a close second! Then we had the Baby Word Scramble where guests worked in teams to unscramble baby words. The winner was our family friends - Dennis, Dex and Mye’s team (I think it helps that Mye just had a baby 3 months ago so she knew all the words!). It was funny how competitive everyone was – the room actually went silent as everyone worked on the words! Next we played “Guess the Baby Food Flavor”, we had 12 flavors of Gerber baby food and guests had to taste it and determine what they were eating. Jojo’s assistant, Phi and his wife, Katie won that game. They were really good and fast! Everyone did say most baby food flavors tasted gross though – especially number 8 which was mashed up beef and beef gravy! Next we played “Hep, Hep Hooray” first round with the kids and then round two with the adults – my nephew Jorel won the kids round then Peggy won the adults round. Last game of the day was who could say “It’s a Baby Girl” the longest – we thought my co-worker, Faten was the winner (she had 27 seconds) beating out about 10 other contestants but the last competitor was my boss Osei who took the grand prize with 34 seconds! Everyone was a great sport though even though there was a lot of heckling and teasing during all the games. I am also grateful cause my in-laws and Atsi supplied such awesome prizes for all the winners.
After that, my nieces performed several song and dance numbers that had the crowd cheering them on. They were adorable and were a definite hit. Pretty soon it was already 5:00 and guests started leaving. Luckily my in-laws stayed and helped clean up. We left at around 5:45 and headed to our place to open presents and eat all the leftovers. I have to say that seeing everyone, celebrating Beanie’s arrival with so many family and friends, and just having an afternoon of fun was GREAT. But as a bonus, Beanie got a TON of AWESOME gifts. And by a ton, I mean, she really hit the jackpot! We got so much stuff that after my brothers-in-law carried it into the nursery, the whole room was filled with gift bags and gift boxes. I was really touched. Even guests who could not make it (like some of my high school friends, some of Jojo’s former co-workers, and some aunts and uncles that are not here) sent gifts. It took me a while to open all the gifts even if I had help.
I truly am so, so grateful to everyone who shared in our special day. To those who were here and to those who were with us in spirit, a GREAT BIG THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!
PICTURES TO FOLLOW, I PROMISE! =)
The party officially started at 2:00 PM but my family was there by 1:00 to help decorate the room. We hung streamers, tied balloons on chairs, hung banners announcing “It’s a Baby Girl” and “We’re Having a Baby Shower”, posted baby murals on the walls, and created mini table centerpieces. Everything was done in shades of yellow and pink. We also set up paper plates, cups and napkins in the same shades and with a baby animal theme (which is the motif for Jamie’s nursery). My brothers-in-law set up the sound system so we could play nursery songs in keeping with the theme.
Guests started arriving a little past two and we had a good turnout. I had originally invited about 80 people, 66 confirmed they were coming, and the actual turnout was about 60 people. Not bad. I was really glad too at the mix of folks who came. My good friend, Karen (from grad school) came with her family – we hadn’t seen each other in almost year! Carol (my boss from 2 jobs ago) also stopped by. Zuly, who is actually Jules’ friend but now a friend of the family was also there. Co-workers from Chinatrust and from my current job also joined the fun. Even my former assistant, Peggy, who I have not seen in 2 years was there. Jojo’s IT staff was there in full force, along with their wives. We also had family friends and neighbors share the special day with us. Atsi Jenny and her friends came too. And of course there was family.
We started with eating (of course) and then played lots of games. First we had a diaper raffle which was won by Atsi’s friend, Gunita. Then our first game was who could drink apple cider out of a baby bottle the fastest – we had 5 male volunteers for this game. The winner was my brother-in-law, Mark. There was a lot of good natured teasing throughout the game. Then we had the second game (this time for the ladies) where they had to fish out baby safety pins from a bowl filled with rice while blindfolded. Not as easy as it sounds! The winner was Rebecca (my co-worker) but Atsi was a close second! Then we had the Baby Word Scramble where guests worked in teams to unscramble baby words. The winner was our family friends - Dennis, Dex and Mye’s team (I think it helps that Mye just had a baby 3 months ago so she knew all the words!). It was funny how competitive everyone was – the room actually went silent as everyone worked on the words! Next we played “Guess the Baby Food Flavor”, we had 12 flavors of Gerber baby food and guests had to taste it and determine what they were eating. Jojo’s assistant, Phi and his wife, Katie won that game. They were really good and fast! Everyone did say most baby food flavors tasted gross though – especially number 8 which was mashed up beef and beef gravy! Next we played “Hep, Hep Hooray” first round with the kids and then round two with the adults – my nephew Jorel won the kids round then Peggy won the adults round. Last game of the day was who could say “It’s a Baby Girl” the longest – we thought my co-worker, Faten was the winner (she had 27 seconds) beating out about 10 other contestants but the last competitor was my boss Osei who took the grand prize with 34 seconds! Everyone was a great sport though even though there was a lot of heckling and teasing during all the games. I am also grateful cause my in-laws and Atsi supplied such awesome prizes for all the winners.
After that, my nieces performed several song and dance numbers that had the crowd cheering them on. They were adorable and were a definite hit. Pretty soon it was already 5:00 and guests started leaving. Luckily my in-laws stayed and helped clean up. We left at around 5:45 and headed to our place to open presents and eat all the leftovers. I have to say that seeing everyone, celebrating Beanie’s arrival with so many family and friends, and just having an afternoon of fun was GREAT. But as a bonus, Beanie got a TON of AWESOME gifts. And by a ton, I mean, she really hit the jackpot! We got so much stuff that after my brothers-in-law carried it into the nursery, the whole room was filled with gift bags and gift boxes. I was really touched. Even guests who could not make it (like some of my high school friends, some of Jojo’s former co-workers, and some aunts and uncles that are not here) sent gifts. It took me a while to open all the gifts even if I had help.
I truly am so, so grateful to everyone who shared in our special day. To those who were here and to those who were with us in spirit, a GREAT BIG THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!
PICTURES TO FOLLOW, I PROMISE! =)
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Eating Healthy
I’ve been reading through my posts and lately all I’ve talked about is Beanie and my pregnancy. Quite naturally, that is the center of my world at this time … of course there are others things going on that I could write about. One is my ongoing love affair with food! Lately, I’ve been trying to eat a more healthy and balanced diet which is all because of Beanie and my pregnancy. But before I digress into more “Beanie and pregnancy talk” … let me share a revelation I’ve had about eating … it’s NOT as HARD to eat healthy as I thought. When I first found out I was pregnant, I thought it would mean a nine month, unhappy dieting ordeal. It kinda, sorta started that way. But later on, things got a bit easier.
We all think that eating healthy means giving up a lot of the foods we love (and while that may be somewhat true), it doesn’t have to be a major life-altering, supreme-act-of-deprivation, complete-sacrifice-of-happiness endeavor. In my case, being pregnant meant giving up caffeine and sushi. But that’s about all I had to give up, really. The rest is all about compromise, substitution and control. Don’t get me wrong, I still give in to my junk food cravings and there is no way I could completely give up sweets and carbs … but I think I have found a way to balance my meals where I am satisfied but can still face my doctor at bi-monthly weigh-ins and check-ups.
As I said, it’s really all about:
1.) Compromise. Let’s say Jojo and I give in to our craving for Chipotle burritos. My compromise is skipping the Burrito order and going for the Bowl instead. That means cutting out on the flour tortilla wrapper, skipping the servings of rice, sour cream and grated cheese. Instead I ask them to load up on lettuce, tomatoes, black beans, salsa and grilled corn. I’ve switched from ordering Steak to Grilled Chicken and we don’t have soda with our meals anymore, just iced water with lemons. Of course, we still get a side order of chips but we now share one order instead of getting one each. Also, if we have a pretty heavy lunch we try to have just fresh fruits or soup for dinner.
2.) Substitution. We’ve totally eliminated eating white bread and have switched to multi-grain. We’ve been eating brown instead of white rice. And have been eating more whole wheat instead of flour pasta. We’ve also stopped using processed sugar and eating foods rich in processed sugar. We eat less pork and beef and eat a lot more chicken and turkey. We’ve switched to using olive oil (and use much less of it too). Also, I’ve tried to cut down on our sodium consumption by using more unsalted products. Instead we now try to flavor with fresh or dried herbs. We still have chips (what can I say, it’s my weakness!) once in a while but we now buy baked or air-popped chips and have cut down on using creamy dips in lieu of homemade salsa and guacamole. And no more cakes and cookies, we now have a lot more smoothies and yogurt if we need a sugar fix.
3.) Control. It’s really hard to control my appetite (eversince!) but more so now that I am pregnant. I find that I am always hungry. Right after a full meal, I actually find myself opening the fridge looking for something more to eat. Also, I find that I am always craving for a variety of food – at various odd times. Jojo has been really key in helping me here. He makes sure we have a lot of healthy options to snack on. When I crave for something sweet, he gets me a cup of Jello with fruit or peels me a tangerine. When I want something salty, he gets me low fat string cheese or microwaves a bag of unsalted air-popped corn. When I’m really in the mood for something “bad”, then he’ll break out our secret stash of Baked Lays potato chips!
These days I feel I am humongous (I love being pregnant cause I can blame it on the pregnancy) but at the same time I’m still within the normal weight gain goal my doctor set out for me. In the last 8 months, I’ve gained about 15 pounds – since I was heavy to start, I’ve been advised to gain a total of 20-25 throughout my pregnancy. I have about 8 weeks to go and may use up the remaining allotted weight gain allowed since at the rate of the last trimester, it’s about a 1 – 1.5 pound weight gain per week. Hopefully it won’t be so bad. But more importantly, I feel a lot healthier too. My blood tests and physical exams show I am healthier now than I was the same time last year. So maybe, I am doing something right! Hopefully this helps with the delivery, post delivery and with Beanie’s overall health too.
We all think that eating healthy means giving up a lot of the foods we love (and while that may be somewhat true), it doesn’t have to be a major life-altering, supreme-act-of-deprivation, complete-sacrifice-of-happiness endeavor. In my case, being pregnant meant giving up caffeine and sushi. But that’s about all I had to give up, really. The rest is all about compromise, substitution and control. Don’t get me wrong, I still give in to my junk food cravings and there is no way I could completely give up sweets and carbs … but I think I have found a way to balance my meals where I am satisfied but can still face my doctor at bi-monthly weigh-ins and check-ups.
As I said, it’s really all about:
1.) Compromise. Let’s say Jojo and I give in to our craving for Chipotle burritos. My compromise is skipping the Burrito order and going for the Bowl instead. That means cutting out on the flour tortilla wrapper, skipping the servings of rice, sour cream and grated cheese. Instead I ask them to load up on lettuce, tomatoes, black beans, salsa and grilled corn. I’ve switched from ordering Steak to Grilled Chicken and we don’t have soda with our meals anymore, just iced water with lemons. Of course, we still get a side order of chips but we now share one order instead of getting one each. Also, if we have a pretty heavy lunch we try to have just fresh fruits or soup for dinner.
2.) Substitution. We’ve totally eliminated eating white bread and have switched to multi-grain. We’ve been eating brown instead of white rice. And have been eating more whole wheat instead of flour pasta. We’ve also stopped using processed sugar and eating foods rich in processed sugar. We eat less pork and beef and eat a lot more chicken and turkey. We’ve switched to using olive oil (and use much less of it too). Also, I’ve tried to cut down on our sodium consumption by using more unsalted products. Instead we now try to flavor with fresh or dried herbs. We still have chips (what can I say, it’s my weakness!) once in a while but we now buy baked or air-popped chips and have cut down on using creamy dips in lieu of homemade salsa and guacamole. And no more cakes and cookies, we now have a lot more smoothies and yogurt if we need a sugar fix.
3.) Control. It’s really hard to control my appetite (eversince!) but more so now that I am pregnant. I find that I am always hungry. Right after a full meal, I actually find myself opening the fridge looking for something more to eat. Also, I find that I am always craving for a variety of food – at various odd times. Jojo has been really key in helping me here. He makes sure we have a lot of healthy options to snack on. When I crave for something sweet, he gets me a cup of Jello with fruit or peels me a tangerine. When I want something salty, he gets me low fat string cheese or microwaves a bag of unsalted air-popped corn. When I’m really in the mood for something “bad”, then he’ll break out our secret stash of Baked Lays potato chips!
These days I feel I am humongous (I love being pregnant cause I can blame it on the pregnancy) but at the same time I’m still within the normal weight gain goal my doctor set out for me. In the last 8 months, I’ve gained about 15 pounds – since I was heavy to start, I’ve been advised to gain a total of 20-25 throughout my pregnancy. I have about 8 weeks to go and may use up the remaining allotted weight gain allowed since at the rate of the last trimester, it’s about a 1 – 1.5 pound weight gain per week. Hopefully it won’t be so bad. But more importantly, I feel a lot healthier too. My blood tests and physical exams show I am healthier now than I was the same time last year. So maybe, I am doing something right! Hopefully this helps with the delivery, post delivery and with Beanie’s overall health too.
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Jamie's Room
Here's a shot of Jamie G's nursery. It's not a great shot ... lighting is so bad (I had to take it at night when it looks so much better when the sunlight is streaming in through the window). Not to mention the photograph angle isn't professional at all (I'm standing by the door, trying to get the whole scene in one shot). And the mobile isn't set up yet (it's that big box by the foot of the crib). But the photo pretty much captures our baby girl's room. Our color scheme is yellow with touches of baby pink and sage. The theme is Baby Safari (which I find so adorable and stimulating!). The room is about half done ... it's still a work in progress but we're getting there. This place brings me such joy. I visit it first thing every morning and walk through it before I go to bed at night. Jojo and I have spent many hours just sitting here and talking. We can't wait to have little Beanie here with us too =) 
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