i did an impulsive thing today and purchased our stroller. i still feel it is way too early to buy this, even though we were set on which one to get. But i found a deal and I didn't want to pass up the chance. 10% off plus free ship plus no tax. I probably saved about $125 buying it this way than in-store. I dont know if thats good or not. The only thing I can say is that I paid the same price for the 2010 model that I would have paid for the 2009 in store so I'm fairly happy with that since we struggled back and forth on whether or not the extra money was worth buying the new model or not.
i can't believe I just spent 600 bucks on a stroller. not about the money...because i fully believe i will use this till its dying day as well as for future kids... but because i actually made a real big purchase for the baby. its almost like a wake up call.. i think i will feel this way when i buy the crib too, or when my nursery is actually up and decorated.
these are things WE like...but will the baby? what if the stroller is just not functional for our needs after the babys here (even though we did try to think this through when deciding). since the 2010 just came out last month, are there going to be future recalls? i guess its just one of those days where i feel like i know nothing and going into something blindly, hoping for the best. its probably a stupid way to think too since jae is 100% on board and doesnt even question one thing about it. its probably just me.
anyway, i just can't help but to think, am i going to be constantly questioning my decisions for this baby... even after the baby is born? yikes!
*sidenote* someone asked me why i didnt put the stroller on my registry. i didn't for a few reasons.
1. too expensive an item to even put on there. i'd be embarrassed. its not like its an umbrella stroller or snap and go, which i could understand.
2. i wouldnt want someone to pay full price when i can get it cheaper.
3. lets say i put it on and no one bought it, which is most likely the case. even though i get 10% discount on all my items unbought, it still would have cost us more than the deal i found today.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Week 21
Today my baby is the size of....
A carrot!
this week's symptoms:
1. ice cream ice cream ice cream! yum. still on my ice cream kick. moved from weight watchers to the full out full fat ice cream.
2. sweet tooth came back. some goodies jae brought home. rainbow cookies are my fave!
3. GAS, GAS, GAS. i am the human gas machine. its gross. one time i was singing in the car and burped in between words. jae gave me the "dude, thats gross" look. most times i cant even hold anything in... so i have to let it out. its really gross. this is the part of pregnancy that is not pretty. at all.
4. Incontinence - man. i can't hold my pee in for shit. the other day, i woke up for the first time in the middle of the night to pee.
oh so i'd like to document how wonderful my husband is. we are at buy buy baby on sunday....we pull into the parking lot and right in front of the store...FIRST SPOT...what jae would call "rock star parking", there is an open space. It is labeled "for expecting mothers and parents with children".
Me: "go park there!".
Jae: "its not a spot.."
Me: Yes it is, see the lines on the floor. and look at the sign. thats me!
Jae: hmm im not sure.
He proceeds to drive by the perfect spot and park ACROSS The parking lot making our walk to the store fairly far
Jess: *stunned*
Jae: What? what if someone is like 9 months pregnant and really needs the spot?
Jess: *super stunned*
So we continue to walk to the store, past the perfect spot, which has now, of course been taken.
Jess: I bet the person who took that spot is only like 2 months pregnant. I can't believe you would rather give up that spot for some random 9 month pregnant lady you dont even know instead of your pregnant wife!
Jae: I wasn't sure if that was a spot or not. the snow was covering the floor.
Jess: Well, I told you it was a spot. So now just admit you were wrong.
Jae: What? I wasn't wrong.
Jess: you said it wasn't a spot, but now you see it is. so admit it.
Jae: (laughing) No.
so when i get to his sisters house i proceed to tell her the story. shes laughing and yelling at Jae.
of course her husband says "Well in Jae's defense..maybe he thought..."
Me: Stop right there Paul. Save it.
everyone starts laughing. Men!
A carrot!
this week's symptoms:
1. ice cream ice cream ice cream! yum. still on my ice cream kick. moved from weight watchers to the full out full fat ice cream.
2. sweet tooth came back. some goodies jae brought home. rainbow cookies are my fave!
3. GAS, GAS, GAS. i am the human gas machine. its gross. one time i was singing in the car and burped in between words. jae gave me the "dude, thats gross" look. most times i cant even hold anything in... so i have to let it out. its really gross. this is the part of pregnancy that is not pretty. at all.
4. Incontinence - man. i can't hold my pee in for shit. the other day, i woke up for the first time in the middle of the night to pee.
oh so i'd like to document how wonderful my husband is. we are at buy buy baby on sunday....we pull into the parking lot and right in front of the store...FIRST SPOT...what jae would call "rock star parking", there is an open space. It is labeled "for expecting mothers and parents with children".
Me: "go park there!".
Jae: "its not a spot.."
Me: Yes it is, see the lines on the floor. and look at the sign. thats me!
Jae: hmm im not sure.
He proceeds to drive by the perfect spot and park ACROSS The parking lot making our walk to the store fairly far
Jess: *stunned*
Jae: What? what if someone is like 9 months pregnant and really needs the spot?
Jess: *super stunned*
So we continue to walk to the store, past the perfect spot, which has now, of course been taken.
Jess: I bet the person who took that spot is only like 2 months pregnant. I can't believe you would rather give up that spot for some random 9 month pregnant lady you dont even know instead of your pregnant wife!
Jae: I wasn't sure if that was a spot or not. the snow was covering the floor.
Jess: Well, I told you it was a spot. So now just admit you were wrong.
Jae: What? I wasn't wrong.
Jess: you said it wasn't a spot, but now you see it is. so admit it.
Jae: (laughing) No.
so when i get to his sisters house i proceed to tell her the story. shes laughing and yelling at Jae.
of course her husband says "Well in Jae's defense..maybe he thought..."
Me: Stop right there Paul. Save it.
everyone starts laughing. Men!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Getting ready
How we've been getting ready for the baby:
1. ive been trying to exercise more. I go to the park on the weekends and walk around the trail. I love this. i can't wait until the weather gets warmer. I also purchased 2 DVD's. A denise austin one, and a prenatal yoga one. I did the Denise Austin one and its low impact but still fun. I dont think its much of a workout though, honestly. On days when I can manage the strength, I will get on my gazelle and do about 45 mins of low impact movement. Again, not much of a workout since I am not even sweating or breathing heavy after im done. have not even touched the yoga one yet.
2. thinking about paint colors for the nursery. We want it to be somewhat gender neutral. My choices are up top and jaes is below that. help!
me: you want that color? show me your mood board.
jae: whats a mood board?
me: your plan. how you want the room to look with that color on the walls.
jae: i figured we just put the color up on the walls and take it from there.
me: you don't know me at all =(
3. moving furniture out of the babys room. currently we have a desk, a twin bed and a huge dresser from our co-op. we plan to throw out the dresser and put the desk down in the basement. i think ill keep the twin bed in there. still want to get a glider, crib and new dresser in. i also want to add a closet system. but i love our babys room. its soooo warm in there, bc it gets so much sunlight. when i go downstairs in the mornings to leave for work, i peek in and the sun is just bright and beaming. can't wait for my baby to wake up to that.
4. Crib - we picked one! we had gone to a few baby stores, weren't really sure what we were looking for. every crib looked the same to us, but certainly quality was the main difference. we ended up going out of the box for this one. surprisingly, i came home, showed jae the info and he said "better buy it now before it gets sold out". wow, he never says that. he always wants to wait... but he told me to buy it now! anything for his baby. i never got that treatment! anyhow, im planning to purchase next month when i save more money. I will update more on this once we figure out the nursery
5. reading lots of books. i dont have that much spare time, but when i do i am constantly reading everything baby related. all very fascinating stuff. here's what i've managed to read already:
-What to Expect
-Mayo Clinic guide to a healthy pregnancy
-pregnancy week by week
-Supernanny, confident baby care
-breastfeeding made simple
-the complete book of breastfeeding
-healthy sleep habits, happy baby
-happiest baby on the block
-baby bargains
i still have tons of books to read thanks to my cousin and MeeJin's sister. yay! i love reading about this stuff.
as for Jae, on November 7th, he was reading this baby book:
this is also the last day he touched the book. he was all amped up at first but i think it wore off and he has not picked up a book since. haha.
just about 4 more months to go!
1. ive been trying to exercise more. I go to the park on the weekends and walk around the trail. I love this. i can't wait until the weather gets warmer. I also purchased 2 DVD's. A denise austin one, and a prenatal yoga one. I did the Denise Austin one and its low impact but still fun. I dont think its much of a workout though, honestly. On days when I can manage the strength, I will get on my gazelle and do about 45 mins of low impact movement. Again, not much of a workout since I am not even sweating or breathing heavy after im done. have not even touched the yoga one yet.
2. thinking about paint colors for the nursery. We want it to be somewhat gender neutral. My choices are up top and jaes is below that. help!
me: you want that color? show me your mood board.
jae: whats a mood board?
me: your plan. how you want the room to look with that color on the walls.
jae: i figured we just put the color up on the walls and take it from there.
me: you don't know me at all =(
3. moving furniture out of the babys room. currently we have a desk, a twin bed and a huge dresser from our co-op. we plan to throw out the dresser and put the desk down in the basement. i think ill keep the twin bed in there. still want to get a glider, crib and new dresser in. i also want to add a closet system. but i love our babys room. its soooo warm in there, bc it gets so much sunlight. when i go downstairs in the mornings to leave for work, i peek in and the sun is just bright and beaming. can't wait for my baby to wake up to that.
4. Crib - we picked one! we had gone to a few baby stores, weren't really sure what we were looking for. every crib looked the same to us, but certainly quality was the main difference. we ended up going out of the box for this one. surprisingly, i came home, showed jae the info and he said "better buy it now before it gets sold out". wow, he never says that. he always wants to wait... but he told me to buy it now! anything for his baby. i never got that treatment! anyhow, im planning to purchase next month when i save more money. I will update more on this once we figure out the nursery
5. reading lots of books. i dont have that much spare time, but when i do i am constantly reading everything baby related. all very fascinating stuff. here's what i've managed to read already:
-What to Expect
-Mayo Clinic guide to a healthy pregnancy
-pregnancy week by week
-Supernanny, confident baby care
-breastfeeding made simple
-the complete book of breastfeeding
-healthy sleep habits, happy baby
-happiest baby on the block
-baby bargains
i still have tons of books to read thanks to my cousin and MeeJin's sister. yay! i love reading about this stuff.
as for Jae, on November 7th, he was reading this baby book:
this is also the last day he touched the book. he was all amped up at first but i think it wore off and he has not picked up a book since. haha.
just about 4 more months to go!
Monday, February 22, 2010
the baby has been moving a lot lately. well, it was probably moving this much but i couldn't feel it. its pretty cool. most night i just want to sit there and do nothing just so i can feel it move.
i had 2 nephews put their ears up to my belly at separate times and they both described the sound as "popping". i think thats such a coincidence bc to me, it FEELS like popping. like popcorn popping or bubbles popping. but i didnt know you could HEAR it popping. most times when someone listens to a belly, they describe it as gurgling, rumbling etc. but both kids described it as popping. interesting.
Ryan said "its popping. its trying to come out!". hes really cute. he also said i got pregnant bc i ate too much haha.
anyway, i cant wait for the baby to really start moving... so other people can feel it. i cant wait for the kids to feel it, i think they will be really freaked out. i love sharing this with them and i love that they are interested and always want to listen to my belly or rub my belly.
anyway, much to catch up on.
at my last sonogram, we got to see baby oh again. the baby is doing well and measuring right on track.
the glowly thing in this picture is the baby's arm bone
heres the brain looking from the top down. if you look closely, you can see all the different brain areas:
spine. reminds me of a dinosaur
hello baby! (the baby definetely has jae's nose)
heres a video of the heart beating. you can see all 4 chambers. wow! (you have to go to about the 30 second mark before she finds the heart)
so what else is there..oh, i have a new hobby... scrapbooking. im horrible at it but i still find it fun. i did a mini scrap book for jae's dad with pictures from his party. this is obviously toned down for him. but i will do one of the pregnancy and for the baby that is more customized.
front of the book:
it can be quite a messy project...so i think i need a scrapbooking room or table station. haha.
lastly, look what jae's mom made us...wow. (this is just folded paper, no glue or anything)
i had 2 nephews put their ears up to my belly at separate times and they both described the sound as "popping". i think thats such a coincidence bc to me, it FEELS like popping. like popcorn popping or bubbles popping. but i didnt know you could HEAR it popping. most times when someone listens to a belly, they describe it as gurgling, rumbling etc. but both kids described it as popping. interesting.
Ryan said "its popping. its trying to come out!". hes really cute. he also said i got pregnant bc i ate too much haha.
anyway, i cant wait for the baby to really start moving... so other people can feel it. i cant wait for the kids to feel it, i think they will be really freaked out. i love sharing this with them and i love that they are interested and always want to listen to my belly or rub my belly.
anyway, much to catch up on.
at my last sonogram, we got to see baby oh again. the baby is doing well and measuring right on track.
the glowly thing in this picture is the baby's arm bone
heres the brain looking from the top down. if you look closely, you can see all the different brain areas:
spine. reminds me of a dinosaur
hello baby! (the baby definetely has jae's nose)
heres a video of the heart beating. you can see all 4 chambers. wow! (you have to go to about the 30 second mark before she finds the heart)
so what else is there..oh, i have a new hobby... scrapbooking. im horrible at it but i still find it fun. i did a mini scrap book for jae's dad with pictures from his party. this is obviously toned down for him. but i will do one of the pregnancy and for the baby that is more customized.
front of the book:
it can be quite a messy project...so i think i need a scrapbooking room or table station. haha.
lastly, look what jae's mom made us...wow. (this is just folded paper, no glue or anything)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Dear Mom
Dear Mom:
I am 20 weeks today. Halfway there. My baby is the size of a banana.
But you're not here to see or know any of this. The other day as I was driving, I had a thought for the first time:
How am I going to do this without you?
I am trying to learn more about pregnancy, but as I do all I can find are articles of girls saying "thank God for my mom!" or "my mom really helped me through this all". I went to my dentists office and the receptionist just gave birth and was telling me how her mom stepped in and allowed her to get back to work and how her baby had to be hospitalized and thank God for her mom because she was able to be there for the baby when she couldn't.
So where does that leave me? Alone and missing you.
I live on with the stupid comments here and there... someone joking "i wish i was dead". or a conversation including "lots of people die in the hospital". i ignore these....but when it comes to your grandchild, it hurts. it hurts you wont be here to see he/she grow. my child will be missing a grandparent.... and its so hard bc i can't imagine life without my own grandparents. they were such an integral part of my childhood and continue to be in my adult life. my baby will miss this because i know you would have been the same for them.
But I did figure out something else your passing could teach me. I know what struggles you went through your last month on this earth. I was right by your side, sleeping next to you for weeks straight. I woke up in the middle of the night when you called me to help you. I fed you and cooked for you. It was hard for both of us because you had been a strong, independent, fierce, vibrant person. But there you were, lying in bed, more helpless than you have ever been. It was a change for both of us.
At times, I even thought to myself, why doesn't she just give up. At one point, i told myself that it's ok if you want to go. All I wanted for you was peace. The very sheer heavenly gift of peace.
But you were not one to give up. Throughout it all, you continued to write down notes, even in the middle of the night, of your symptoms and how you were feeling. We wrote down things we could do to help you. You continued to fight the fight. You told work you would be back to work in November, pending your condition. You never discussed a will, or what would happen because i truly believe you thought you would fight through it. You accepted all help possible, including agreeing to a home nurse, a physical therapist and an occupational therapist. You wanted all the help you could get to get better.
The day you passed away, the day i knew something wasn't right, was the day you slept all day long. I am now not even sure if you were sleeping that whole time. Anytime I spoke to you, you responded. Your eyes were closed though. I knew it couldn't be good. At 4PM, I remember telling both Judy and Jae something was not right. I was so scared. No one was there but me and my grandparents so I knew i had to take charge. We rode the awful, bumpy ride to the hospital. I will never forget the face of the EMT who was so rough with you. He didnt' care about you....he just wanted to get his job over with. I wanted to scream at him, punch him in the face but I was too silent. We got to the ER and they already knew it was bad. They asked me "Does she want everything done to save her life?". I felt like I was 2 years old. Such a huge question for such a small person in this grand scheme called life. I was alone, no one to turn to for advice. It was me and you... so I asked you this question....
though you must have known you were headed downhill....you nodded your head yes with your eyes closed. I asked you this one more time to make sure you understood and you nodded again. I have to admit I was surprised.... I think my own answer would have been no. I couldn't bare to see you like this....it wasn't the mom i knew you to be. But shit, you freaking wanted it all done. You wanted to live and survive, no matter what condition you were in. 15 minutes later when i would ask you this question again, it would be too late and you would no longer respond to me. I grew up fast in that half hour time span.
Now that its been 3 months since, I think back and admire your courage. Your fight. Your will and determination. January was a bad month for Jae and me. It seemed money was pouring out our pockets this month. $600 oil bill, $1500 in general taxes, $1500 for jae's dads birthday. January is the worst month for the store and we broke even so we made no profit. The lease for the flushing store was delayed. and wah wah wah. Complain complain complain. The truth is, what am i complaining about? You lied there suffering for months without one complaint out of your mouth. And though you knew you were battling a fierce monster, you continued to push on. you didnt care what stood in your way....you wanted to win.
So, i guess my January wasn't so bad compared to your October. And if you could push on with your head held high, then so can I. Thank you mom, for continuing to teach me though you are no longer here. I will always remember that when times get tough, there is always fight left in me to push on. Thank you for showing me what I should be teaching others. There is always strength...and it's never over... not even after death.
Love,
Jessie
I am 20 weeks today. Halfway there. My baby is the size of a banana.
But you're not here to see or know any of this. The other day as I was driving, I had a thought for the first time:
How am I going to do this without you?
I am trying to learn more about pregnancy, but as I do all I can find are articles of girls saying "thank God for my mom!" or "my mom really helped me through this all". I went to my dentists office and the receptionist just gave birth and was telling me how her mom stepped in and allowed her to get back to work and how her baby had to be hospitalized and thank God for her mom because she was able to be there for the baby when she couldn't.
So where does that leave me? Alone and missing you.
I live on with the stupid comments here and there... someone joking "i wish i was dead". or a conversation including "lots of people die in the hospital". i ignore these....but when it comes to your grandchild, it hurts. it hurts you wont be here to see he/she grow. my child will be missing a grandparent.... and its so hard bc i can't imagine life without my own grandparents. they were such an integral part of my childhood and continue to be in my adult life. my baby will miss this because i know you would have been the same for them.
But I did figure out something else your passing could teach me. I know what struggles you went through your last month on this earth. I was right by your side, sleeping next to you for weeks straight. I woke up in the middle of the night when you called me to help you. I fed you and cooked for you. It was hard for both of us because you had been a strong, independent, fierce, vibrant person. But there you were, lying in bed, more helpless than you have ever been. It was a change for both of us.
At times, I even thought to myself, why doesn't she just give up. At one point, i told myself that it's ok if you want to go. All I wanted for you was peace. The very sheer heavenly gift of peace.
But you were not one to give up. Throughout it all, you continued to write down notes, even in the middle of the night, of your symptoms and how you were feeling. We wrote down things we could do to help you. You continued to fight the fight. You told work you would be back to work in November, pending your condition. You never discussed a will, or what would happen because i truly believe you thought you would fight through it. You accepted all help possible, including agreeing to a home nurse, a physical therapist and an occupational therapist. You wanted all the help you could get to get better.
The day you passed away, the day i knew something wasn't right, was the day you slept all day long. I am now not even sure if you were sleeping that whole time. Anytime I spoke to you, you responded. Your eyes were closed though. I knew it couldn't be good. At 4PM, I remember telling both Judy and Jae something was not right. I was so scared. No one was there but me and my grandparents so I knew i had to take charge. We rode the awful, bumpy ride to the hospital. I will never forget the face of the EMT who was so rough with you. He didnt' care about you....he just wanted to get his job over with. I wanted to scream at him, punch him in the face but I was too silent. We got to the ER and they already knew it was bad. They asked me "Does she want everything done to save her life?". I felt like I was 2 years old. Such a huge question for such a small person in this grand scheme called life. I was alone, no one to turn to for advice. It was me and you... so I asked you this question....
though you must have known you were headed downhill....you nodded your head yes with your eyes closed. I asked you this one more time to make sure you understood and you nodded again. I have to admit I was surprised.... I think my own answer would have been no. I couldn't bare to see you like this....it wasn't the mom i knew you to be. But shit, you freaking wanted it all done. You wanted to live and survive, no matter what condition you were in. 15 minutes later when i would ask you this question again, it would be too late and you would no longer respond to me. I grew up fast in that half hour time span.
Now that its been 3 months since, I think back and admire your courage. Your fight. Your will and determination. January was a bad month for Jae and me. It seemed money was pouring out our pockets this month. $600 oil bill, $1500 in general taxes, $1500 for jae's dads birthday. January is the worst month for the store and we broke even so we made no profit. The lease for the flushing store was delayed. and wah wah wah. Complain complain complain. The truth is, what am i complaining about? You lied there suffering for months without one complaint out of your mouth. And though you knew you were battling a fierce monster, you continued to push on. you didnt care what stood in your way....you wanted to win.
So, i guess my January wasn't so bad compared to your October. And if you could push on with your head held high, then so can I. Thank you mom, for continuing to teach me though you are no longer here. I will always remember that when times get tough, there is always fight left in me to push on. Thank you for showing me what I should be teaching others. There is always strength...and it's never over... not even after death.
Love,
Jessie
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
What a weekend!
Happy New Year!
Happy Valentines Day!
Happy Birthday Dad!
so much going on, where to start. Oh yes, food.
Thursday 2/12 jae and i went out to dinner to celebrate Vday. every year for, i dont know, 6 or 7 years we have been to ruth chris in weehawken. we only like this location. this year being our first Vday in Long Island, Jersey just seemed too far. But in order to keep tradition alive, we did manage to head to a steakhouse. Mortons. Let me tell you what i ate...(just bc i like to talk about food)
I started off with an iceberg wedge salad with bacon, egg, tomatoes and thousand island dressing. i could have made out with this salad. Jae had lobster bisque which i thought was also good.
I had the filet mignon. I could only order this medium well but surprisingly it wasnt all too bad. the meat was still juicy. towards the middle, it did become a little too rare so i had to stop. but this was good. our side dish was mashed potatoes.
for dessert, creme brulee, as always.
i was in hog heaven. first of all, we have not been out in a real restaurant in so long. by real restaurant, i mean one where they refold the napkins for you when you leave the table, or where if your check in on the table waiting to be paid, someone besides your waiter will sweep it up and charge it so you dont have to wait.
the bad thing was, the dinner was close to $200 bucks. in the past we used to eat like this all the time. but we stopped since moving into our co-op and suddenly its not as fun anymore.
ok anyway... continuing on with the food, Friday I had a chance to meet my girls in the city for dinner. I, of course, suggested Ktown bc I have been craving soondubu. not homemade. One with MSG and lots of it. afterwards, we went to Pinkberry...while we were sitting there, julie and jully show up. they hadn't eaten yet so we all follow them to Baden where we sit down again. I did have some fries and noodles. i ate way too much!
Saturday - wake up and head to my sister in laws to arrive at 7:30AM. yes, thats early but i need to babysit due to some last minute circumstances. I was so tired...I tried to nap but the kids kept yelling "Why are you sleeping Aunt Jessica?". oh wells, there goes that idea. Instead, I Was entertained by things like this:
we ordered papa johns... yummy. at 12:3o my other sister in law comes with her 2 kids to relieve me, but I don't actually leave till 3PM.
Head to supermarket quickly, then go home to clean up what i can, and then to grandmas for new years dinner. What a feast! I can't believe my grandma cooked everything...she usually buys.
AS I'm leaving grandmas, I call jae to see if he wants any help. he tells me theres a huge issue with strawberries....the cases he got today were rotten and he had already made 80 orders with them. he was so busy he didnt QA the fruit as it came in. Soooo, head over there and see what happened. Its about 9:30 or 10 by now and all 8 workers are still there. The strawberries dont seem too bad, i taste one. Its too late to change everything, so they have to go out the next day. I leave at 10:30 and go home and continue to clean the house. The house should be clean before new years to start the year off fresh! I'm tired, but i chug on. I open jaes closet and its a wreck. i manage to get 2 loads of laundry in before i sleep. I did 2 more the next morning.
Sunday - Happy Birthday Dad! We have a 70th Birthday party for my father in law in flushing. at my sister in laws at 9:30am so she can do my hair and dress me in my hanbok. We head to take studio pictures...then head to the restaurant for lunch.
this was a great party! dad was soooo happy all day long. all his old friends came and it was crazy korean men singing karaoke. we had lots of dancing. It was literally like a wedding. The parents did a cake cutting, where they fed each other cake and had to give each other a kiss. It was cute. The siblings and I all got introduced and we had to walk out to strobe lights and dance music. We also did something formal which was bowing and handing tea to the parents. we gave out favors and ate a lot. It was fun.
and the kids even performed. Philip played happy birthday on his violin, but Kristen stole the show with her dance to "Nobody". check it out! look at jae's dads expression (in blue hanbok) to her. he loved this and after she was done, he ran out on the floor and picked her up so high! he was so proud! hehe
heres another video of the oldies getting down:
heres a few pics i did manage to take (will upload on facebook later)
me and kristen
sign in board, my sister in law made:
philip's violin notes. he just learned the song the night before!
After the party...we all head back to my sister in laws where we hung out and ordered in chinese food. this was fun too....non-stop laughing! we left after dinner and went home to rest up. we started to watch some DVDs but fell asleep soon after. Poor Jae, he was exhausted. He napped most of the time we were at his sisters house.
Monday - a morning full of shopping - 2 supermarkets, BJs and michaels. wasnt feeling so hot, so went home, made lunch and then napped for a few hours. Hubby was nice and since he knew i wasnt feeling well, went out and bought stuff to make soup for me. It was good.... we ate that with some leftovers from the party.
and then bedtime.
what a weekend! baby was active this weekend as well.... but i think i wore myself out. I really need to be weary now... the last time i had a weekend like this, i was also comatose the monday following. must. relax.
oh heres my vday card i got from the nephews... the kids are taking over my fridge!
Happy Valentines Day!
Happy Birthday Dad!
so much going on, where to start. Oh yes, food.
Thursday 2/12 jae and i went out to dinner to celebrate Vday. every year for, i dont know, 6 or 7 years we have been to ruth chris in weehawken. we only like this location. this year being our first Vday in Long Island, Jersey just seemed too far. But in order to keep tradition alive, we did manage to head to a steakhouse. Mortons. Let me tell you what i ate...(just bc i like to talk about food)
I started off with an iceberg wedge salad with bacon, egg, tomatoes and thousand island dressing. i could have made out with this salad. Jae had lobster bisque which i thought was also good.
I had the filet mignon. I could only order this medium well but surprisingly it wasnt all too bad. the meat was still juicy. towards the middle, it did become a little too rare so i had to stop. but this was good. our side dish was mashed potatoes.
for dessert, creme brulee, as always.
i was in hog heaven. first of all, we have not been out in a real restaurant in so long. by real restaurant, i mean one where they refold the napkins for you when you leave the table, or where if your check in on the table waiting to be paid, someone besides your waiter will sweep it up and charge it so you dont have to wait.
the bad thing was, the dinner was close to $200 bucks. in the past we used to eat like this all the time. but we stopped since moving into our co-op and suddenly its not as fun anymore.
ok anyway... continuing on with the food, Friday I had a chance to meet my girls in the city for dinner. I, of course, suggested Ktown bc I have been craving soondubu. not homemade. One with MSG and lots of it. afterwards, we went to Pinkberry...while we were sitting there, julie and jully show up. they hadn't eaten yet so we all follow them to Baden where we sit down again. I did have some fries and noodles. i ate way too much!
Saturday - wake up and head to my sister in laws to arrive at 7:30AM. yes, thats early but i need to babysit due to some last minute circumstances. I was so tired...I tried to nap but the kids kept yelling "Why are you sleeping Aunt Jessica?". oh wells, there goes that idea. Instead, I Was entertained by things like this:
we ordered papa johns... yummy. at 12:3o my other sister in law comes with her 2 kids to relieve me, but I don't actually leave till 3PM.
Head to supermarket quickly, then go home to clean up what i can, and then to grandmas for new years dinner. What a feast! I can't believe my grandma cooked everything...she usually buys.
AS I'm leaving grandmas, I call jae to see if he wants any help. he tells me theres a huge issue with strawberries....the cases he got today were rotten and he had already made 80 orders with them. he was so busy he didnt QA the fruit as it came in. Soooo, head over there and see what happened. Its about 9:30 or 10 by now and all 8 workers are still there. The strawberries dont seem too bad, i taste one. Its too late to change everything, so they have to go out the next day. I leave at 10:30 and go home and continue to clean the house. The house should be clean before new years to start the year off fresh! I'm tired, but i chug on. I open jaes closet and its a wreck. i manage to get 2 loads of laundry in before i sleep. I did 2 more the next morning.
Sunday - Happy Birthday Dad! We have a 70th Birthday party for my father in law in flushing. at my sister in laws at 9:30am so she can do my hair and dress me in my hanbok. We head to take studio pictures...then head to the restaurant for lunch.
this was a great party! dad was soooo happy all day long. all his old friends came and it was crazy korean men singing karaoke. we had lots of dancing. It was literally like a wedding. The parents did a cake cutting, where they fed each other cake and had to give each other a kiss. It was cute. The siblings and I all got introduced and we had to walk out to strobe lights and dance music. We also did something formal which was bowing and handing tea to the parents. we gave out favors and ate a lot. It was fun.
and the kids even performed. Philip played happy birthday on his violin, but Kristen stole the show with her dance to "Nobody". check it out! look at jae's dads expression (in blue hanbok) to her. he loved this and after she was done, he ran out on the floor and picked her up so high! he was so proud! hehe
heres another video of the oldies getting down:
heres a few pics i did manage to take (will upload on facebook later)
me and kristen
sign in board, my sister in law made:
philip's violin notes. he just learned the song the night before!
After the party...we all head back to my sister in laws where we hung out and ordered in chinese food. this was fun too....non-stop laughing! we left after dinner and went home to rest up. we started to watch some DVDs but fell asleep soon after. Poor Jae, he was exhausted. He napped most of the time we were at his sisters house.
Monday - a morning full of shopping - 2 supermarkets, BJs and michaels. wasnt feeling so hot, so went home, made lunch and then napped for a few hours. Hubby was nice and since he knew i wasnt feeling well, went out and bought stuff to make soup for me. It was good.... we ate that with some leftovers from the party.
and then bedtime.
what a weekend! baby was active this weekend as well.... but i think i wore myself out. I really need to be weary now... the last time i had a weekend like this, i was also comatose the monday following. must. relax.
oh heres my vday card i got from the nephews... the kids are taking over my fridge!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Dear Baby:
So, yesterday at exactly 19 weeks, I really felt you kick for the first time. Prior to this, they had just been bubbles and tiny pops. I had just eaten cheese doodles (baked, of course) and I was sitting there, with my hand over you. I felt 3 separate "bumps" inside my belly. On the 4th, my hand actually went up a bit! I called over your father and he put his hand on and he felt it too! He's never been able to feel anything from the outside before. He was super excited. OMG, talk about something becoming reality. It was amazing and fun and all I wanted to do was sit there and feel you all night long.
So many hopes and dreams for you. Life changed the day we were made aware of your presence. I want to give you all you ever wanted or hoped for. I want to make things easy for you and readily available. I want you to be an up standing citizen, a role model, someone our entire family is and will always be proud of. The pressure to help you along in life and make sure you are ok is almost too much to bare. I now have weight on my shoulders that I probably will never get rid of. My knees buckle in the breadth of this weight and yet I can still stare it in its face, ready to face the challenge. I will hold this weight for as long as I shall live.
I hope you have soul bearing eyes. I love eyes. I can't wait to look into them day and night and think about all the world has to offer you.
I hope you have your daddy's little dimple. No one really notices his, but sometimes when he smiles a certain way, there it is. It's really cute. I think his big old korean face hides the dimple most of the time but maybe you will have one too that everyone can see and coo at.
I hope you have daddy's brain. He's smart. But we can do without the obnoxiousness of knowing so.
I hope you are considerate and appreciative. Generous and loving. I hope you will learn to love vegetables and fruits. I hope you will have straight hair because I don't want you to have to go through what I went through.
I hope you will grow to have a loving family.
I hope you will make this world a better place.
Everyday I try to sing or hum to you. I know you can hear me, and I know you know my voice. And by the time you come out into this world, you will be comforted by the very same voice. You poor thing, since I can't sing a note to save my life. Oh yes, and I hope you can sing too! It's terrible going through this world constantly singing off-key.
I am thinking about you all the time, wondering what you're doing. How are you breathing (as daddy says "you're a fish!"? Are you swimming? Are you getting tangled in the umbilical cord? Is that you, or is that gas?
Daddy kisses you every night and rubs you to let you know he is there. He says hi and good night to you. He falls asleep touching you. You can tell hes so excited, he can almost giggle like a school girl now. He's already so proud of you.
My most favorite times are the times when daddy plays piano and you and me just lie there in the formal living room. who knew this room would ever get used. but its become one of my favorite rooms. the sun shines in so bright mid afternoon. daddy plays, and i read while you bubble away in there, clearly stimulated by the music. right above the piano is the collage i made of your grandma. i like when all 4 of us are together.
As you can see, we are so excited to meet you, some days I can hardly contain myself. It is truly amazing how you became to be from a bunch of cells. The miracle of life. I can't even understand it all myself. All I know is, its exciting and refreshing, challenging and risky. I love all of it. and I love you.
Tonight your daddy and I are going out to celebrate Valentines Day and I'm sure you will be the topic of our conversation yet again. Slowly, you are becoming our entire world.
Love,
your mommy
P.S. one more hope....i hope you look like my mom, your grandma.
So many hopes and dreams for you. Life changed the day we were made aware of your presence. I want to give you all you ever wanted or hoped for. I want to make things easy for you and readily available. I want you to be an up standing citizen, a role model, someone our entire family is and will always be proud of. The pressure to help you along in life and make sure you are ok is almost too much to bare. I now have weight on my shoulders that I probably will never get rid of. My knees buckle in the breadth of this weight and yet I can still stare it in its face, ready to face the challenge. I will hold this weight for as long as I shall live.
I hope you have soul bearing eyes. I love eyes. I can't wait to look into them day and night and think about all the world has to offer you.
I hope you have your daddy's little dimple. No one really notices his, but sometimes when he smiles a certain way, there it is. It's really cute. I think his big old korean face hides the dimple most of the time but maybe you will have one too that everyone can see and coo at.
I hope you have daddy's brain. He's smart. But we can do without the obnoxiousness of knowing so.
I hope you are considerate and appreciative. Generous and loving. I hope you will learn to love vegetables and fruits. I hope you will have straight hair because I don't want you to have to go through what I went through.
I hope you will grow to have a loving family.
I hope you will make this world a better place.
Everyday I try to sing or hum to you. I know you can hear me, and I know you know my voice. And by the time you come out into this world, you will be comforted by the very same voice. You poor thing, since I can't sing a note to save my life. Oh yes, and I hope you can sing too! It's terrible going through this world constantly singing off-key.
I am thinking about you all the time, wondering what you're doing. How are you breathing (as daddy says "you're a fish!"? Are you swimming? Are you getting tangled in the umbilical cord? Is that you, or is that gas?
Daddy kisses you every night and rubs you to let you know he is there. He says hi and good night to you. He falls asleep touching you. You can tell hes so excited, he can almost giggle like a school girl now. He's already so proud of you.
My most favorite times are the times when daddy plays piano and you and me just lie there in the formal living room. who knew this room would ever get used. but its become one of my favorite rooms. the sun shines in so bright mid afternoon. daddy plays, and i read while you bubble away in there, clearly stimulated by the music. right above the piano is the collage i made of your grandma. i like when all 4 of us are together.
As you can see, we are so excited to meet you, some days I can hardly contain myself. It is truly amazing how you became to be from a bunch of cells. The miracle of life. I can't even understand it all myself. All I know is, its exciting and refreshing, challenging and risky. I love all of it. and I love you.
Tonight your daddy and I are going out to celebrate Valentines Day and I'm sure you will be the topic of our conversation yet again. Slowly, you are becoming our entire world.
Love,
your mommy
P.S. one more hope....i hope you look like my mom, your grandma.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
19 weeks
snow day for the next 2 days! woo hoo. im going to bake cookies later.
Today my baby is the size of...
an heirloom tomato! or a mango.
the baby's body and limbs are becoming more proportional and the baby is growing hair. that white stuff you see when babys are born is beginning to develop. this keeps their skin from pruning.
This Week's Symptoms:
1. moving slower. i cant stand up from a chair as fast as i used to. i also can't roll over in bed as fast as i used to. i cant describe the feeling, but i would say it feels like theres like a ball in my lower belly. when i stand, it feels like the ball is the last thing to rise. same with rolling over, its the last thing that follows the rest of my body.
2. tension or cramping in lower belly. at first i was worried. it didnt feel normal but then i read it could just be the ligaments stretching to accomodate my uterus growing and overall belly weight.
3. still wearing the SAME SIZE BRA! what gives?
4. skin a bit blotchy is some small areas
4. up to a total weight gain of 12.4 lbs.
Today my baby is the size of...
an heirloom tomato! or a mango.
the baby's body and limbs are becoming more proportional and the baby is growing hair. that white stuff you see when babys are born is beginning to develop. this keeps their skin from pruning.
This Week's Symptoms:
1. moving slower. i cant stand up from a chair as fast as i used to. i also can't roll over in bed as fast as i used to. i cant describe the feeling, but i would say it feels like theres like a ball in my lower belly. when i stand, it feels like the ball is the last thing to rise. same with rolling over, its the last thing that follows the rest of my body.
2. tension or cramping in lower belly. at first i was worried. it didnt feel normal but then i read it could just be the ligaments stretching to accomodate my uterus growing and overall belly weight.
3. still wearing the SAME SIZE BRA! what gives?
4. skin a bit blotchy is some small areas
4. up to a total weight gain of 12.4 lbs.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
TJ's and what i'm eating this week
I went to TJ's the other day... so heres my recap of what i purchased.
Chocolate Cat Cookies. These came highly recommended to me. I thought they were good but not great like everyone else said. Also, a serving is only 15 cookies (120 cals) and the nutritional facts aren't that great. Probably wont be buying these again, however the price (3 bucks) for a huge tub is a great find!
TJ's Garden Vegetable Lasagna - it was good...and filling but more saturated fat than I wanted. But cals were good at 290.
TJ's spinach lasagna - more calories at 340 and an awful nutritional count. i vowed to buy this once, just to see what the hype was about but knew i would never buy this again after the first purchase. the awful sodium and sat fat content are just gross. im surprised i even bothered to try it once. it wasn't all that. it was filled with spinach, which was good for my iron-deficient body, but it just had WAY too much spinach. not satisfying, in the least.
Orange Chicken - one word, delicious.
For those interested, here was my soondubu (my china-fied version):
tofu, red pepper flakes and seafood mix:
fry up the beef and mushrooms and add red pepper flakes:
add in broth (made with onions, garlic, mushrooms(, seafood mix and tofu
let simmer:
i served with rice, egg, seaweed, and some eel:
still on my soup craze...made this potato, corn and leek soup a few times already:
i love leek
added any veggies i could find in my fridge and threw it in:
also made vietnamese porkchops...
heres the sauce. i use this on everything and DOUSE my rice in this. yummy
addicted to:
These cocoa dusted almonds. i like that they're not covered in chocolate, but you still get that slight chocolate taste:
popcorn.
i pop this every sunday to bring to work for the rest of the week. (i did this before i became pregnant as well but recently have been eating so much i make it 2 times a week).
i like garlic and onion powder on mine. I make jae a batch for him for work and he likes when i sprinkle the powdered cheese on it.
Chocolate Cat Cookies. These came highly recommended to me. I thought they were good but not great like everyone else said. Also, a serving is only 15 cookies (120 cals) and the nutritional facts aren't that great. Probably wont be buying these again, however the price (3 bucks) for a huge tub is a great find!
TJ's Garden Vegetable Lasagna - it was good...and filling but more saturated fat than I wanted. But cals were good at 290.
TJ's spinach lasagna - more calories at 340 and an awful nutritional count. i vowed to buy this once, just to see what the hype was about but knew i would never buy this again after the first purchase. the awful sodium and sat fat content are just gross. im surprised i even bothered to try it once. it wasn't all that. it was filled with spinach, which was good for my iron-deficient body, but it just had WAY too much spinach. not satisfying, in the least.
Orange Chicken - one word, delicious.
For those interested, here was my soondubu (my china-fied version):
tofu, red pepper flakes and seafood mix:
fry up the beef and mushrooms and add red pepper flakes:
add in broth (made with onions, garlic, mushrooms(, seafood mix and tofu
let simmer:
i served with rice, egg, seaweed, and some eel:
still on my soup craze...made this potato, corn and leek soup a few times already:
i love leek
added any veggies i could find in my fridge and threw it in:
also made vietnamese porkchops...
heres the sauce. i use this on everything and DOUSE my rice in this. yummy
addicted to:
These cocoa dusted almonds. i like that they're not covered in chocolate, but you still get that slight chocolate taste:
popcorn.
i pop this every sunday to bring to work for the rest of the week. (i did this before i became pregnant as well but recently have been eating so much i make it 2 times a week).
i like garlic and onion powder on mine. I make jae a batch for him for work and he likes when i sprinkle the powdered cheese on it.
Monday, February 8, 2010
I need $30K
Here are some unknown expenses you may encounter as a first time mother that you didnt think about:
1. prenatal vitamins - about 50 bucks a month
2. additional prescriptions - my iron pills for 45 days worth was $35 bucks.
3. Additional doctors visits - co-pay every 4 weeks. Plus things such as dental care. For example, my dentist wants to see me before i give birth again, thats twice in 6 months, which is $200 bucks.
4. birthing classes - lamaze is nearly $200 a class. CPR - $75. Baby Care - $75. Breastfeeding - $65. And yes, i want to take all of them.
5. maternity clothes - you try not to spend money, but you will. i have spent maybe 3 or 400 already and not even halfway there.
6. crib and nursery - a crib is not something to put on the registry due to the time it takes to deliver. between nursery set up, crib, mattress pad, sheets etc. this can cost about $2000.
7. additional baby items you will buy - clothes, burp cloths, bibs, toys, carseats etc. I have already spent a few bucks on things like nursing covers and nursing/breast cream. It was cheap but these things still add up.
8. diapers and wipes - probably about $100 a month.
9. cost of labor and insurance costs - do you want a private room?
10. Maternity leave - this will cost you a percentage of your salary, or your whole salary for the time being.
11. Life insurance and wills - $1000 + but a must-do.
12. banking cord blood? - about $2K-$3K.
It is estimated that a child will cost an additional $30K a year to support.
I'm off to play the lottery!
1. prenatal vitamins - about 50 bucks a month
2. additional prescriptions - my iron pills for 45 days worth was $35 bucks.
3. Additional doctors visits - co-pay every 4 weeks. Plus things such as dental care. For example, my dentist wants to see me before i give birth again, thats twice in 6 months, which is $200 bucks.
4. birthing classes - lamaze is nearly $200 a class. CPR - $75. Baby Care - $75. Breastfeeding - $65. And yes, i want to take all of them.
5. maternity clothes - you try not to spend money, but you will. i have spent maybe 3 or 400 already and not even halfway there.
6. crib and nursery - a crib is not something to put on the registry due to the time it takes to deliver. between nursery set up, crib, mattress pad, sheets etc. this can cost about $2000.
7. additional baby items you will buy - clothes, burp cloths, bibs, toys, carseats etc. I have already spent a few bucks on things like nursing covers and nursing/breast cream. It was cheap but these things still add up.
8. diapers and wipes - probably about $100 a month.
9. cost of labor and insurance costs - do you want a private room?
10. Maternity leave - this will cost you a percentage of your salary, or your whole salary for the time being.
11. Life insurance and wills - $1000 + but a must-do.
12. banking cord blood? - about $2K-$3K.
It is estimated that a child will cost an additional $30K a year to support.
I'm off to play the lottery!
Friday, February 5, 2010
choosing a name
i previously blogged that i didn't want to talk baby names at all until the 3rd trimester at least. but jae opened the flood gates and ever since, it becomes an open topic to talk about. this decision is hard. you think about what the name rhymes with, how it sounds with the last name, how the person will eventually sign their name, how to spell it, shortened versions etc. its the name that lasts forever. tough decision.
sometimes once in a while jae and i will text each other a name that we have come across. the other gives their opinion. i will never forget me texting jae a name and him replying back "no no no!". geez, tell me how you really feel. the truth is, i wanted to retract my text about 1 second after i sent it... but still, i was shot down pretty fast. haha. FYI the name was Annabel. Now that I type this, this definetely wouldn't have worked. Annabel Oh. Say it fast....annabell-o. annabello. NO NO NO!
anyway, a boy name was picked out ages ago... before we were married even. its a name i always liked..nickname acceptable. jae was skeptical a few years back but since i brought it up again he said he liked it. that was that.
girls name ... now this is a tough one. i dont know why girls name are so tough... i dont want it to be too girly... but i dont want it to be too old sounding either. I love the name Riley, but i can't imagine a 50 year old lady named Riley. I also love this other name but I HATE a girl with the same name. these little (frivolous?) things make the decision that much harder.
i came across this article..
2010 Hottest Baby Name Prediction...what do you think?
Hipster Names
For the Boys: Aiden, Brady, Brody, Caleb, Hugo, Mason, Valentino
For the Girls: Ainsley, Amarie, Fiona, Gabrielle, Jayden, Mia, Valentina
Money Matters
For the Boys: Cash, Dylan, Jacob, Owen, Ryder, Shane, Tucker
For the Girls: Aubrey, Daphne, Harper, Karley, Lola, Marley, Stella
Oh, The Glamour of Television & Film
For the Boys: Archer, Bennett, Campbell, Cooper, Edward, Grey, Ira, Lane, Sterling
For the Girls: Addison, Amelia, Bella, Bree, Charlotte, Coraline, Edie, Joan, Lyla, Melody, Violet
Vintage Inspiration
For the Boys: Bert, Gavin, Isaac, Julian, Lennon, Liam, Noah, Sheldon, Silas, Wyatt
For the Girls: Allison, Audrey, Hazel, Julianne, Madelyn, Natasha, Sophie
Going Green
For the Boys: Asher, Ashby, Aspen, Colt, Dakota, Heath, Hunter, Jasper, Pete, Phoenix, River, Rock, Stone
For the Girls: Autumn, Camilla, Fern, Giselle, Ivy, January, June, Lily, May, Meadow, Rain, Ruby, Willow
we are not planning to officially give the baby a name until I see the baby for myself. I want him/her to look like the name, if that makes any sense. so yes, we will have options.
I will say 3 things though.
1. One name we have chosen is on the above list.
2. we will not reveal the name prior to birth.
3. If it's a girl, she will have my mom's name as her middle.
*original article here: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2356014/2010_hottest_baby_names_prediction.html?cat=25
this past week's symptoms:
1. my appetite has been ferosh! i cant stop eating. a big meal will only satisfy me for so long.
2. pregnancy is not always all smiles. i am sad a lot. i think about money and finances, how i can provide for my baby, what to do with my job after he/she comes, and what my mom would think or want for me all the time. I am getting more and more emotional. i havent had many episodes but for the past week or so, its been getting worse. Usually, I am by myself.... but if i see something on TV relating to babies, i will cry. not just tear, but cry, like make crying sounds. out loud. by myself. i cant control it, it just comes out! It's the oddest thing.
I think about my grandma too. how i want her to be there...jae would be a great coach but whos that female figure to coach me? my moms not here and i find myself clinging more to my grandma as the labor day approaches. more on that in a later post.
3. Holy leakage batman! i need to be by a bathroom or i will leak. Is this TMI? probably. i used to have a bladder the stregnth of superman. seriously i could go for hours without peeing. but enter my 18th week and i am suddenly struck with the pee feeling which i cannot hold in. i. must. go. now. one time i was walking and all of a sudden a bit of pee leaked. erf. i didnt even feel like i had to go but of course after the leak, i had a huge urge to go and had to do the pee-pee dance all the way to the bathroom.
4. your hair stops shedding! its amazing! but i hear it all falls out after you give birth.
5. veins on the boobs. supposedly these blue veins appear which carry nutrients and fluids from mom to baby. i started getting these this week. its not pretty.
6. went to the dentist last night and pregnancy usually does a number on a woman's teeth or gums. i do have some slight pregnancy gingivitis (swelling and bleeding), but my doctor said overall, it looks pretty darn good for a pregnant lady.
sometimes once in a while jae and i will text each other a name that we have come across. the other gives their opinion. i will never forget me texting jae a name and him replying back "no no no!". geez, tell me how you really feel. the truth is, i wanted to retract my text about 1 second after i sent it... but still, i was shot down pretty fast. haha. FYI the name was Annabel. Now that I type this, this definetely wouldn't have worked. Annabel Oh. Say it fast....annabell-o. annabello. NO NO NO!
anyway, a boy name was picked out ages ago... before we were married even. its a name i always liked..nickname acceptable. jae was skeptical a few years back but since i brought it up again he said he liked it. that was that.
girls name ... now this is a tough one. i dont know why girls name are so tough... i dont want it to be too girly... but i dont want it to be too old sounding either. I love the name Riley, but i can't imagine a 50 year old lady named Riley. I also love this other name but I HATE a girl with the same name. these little (frivolous?) things make the decision that much harder.
i came across this article..
2010 Hottest Baby Name Prediction...what do you think?
Hipster Names
For the Boys: Aiden, Brady, Brody, Caleb, Hugo, Mason, Valentino
For the Girls: Ainsley, Amarie, Fiona, Gabrielle, Jayden, Mia, Valentina
Money Matters
For the Boys: Cash, Dylan, Jacob, Owen, Ryder, Shane, Tucker
For the Girls: Aubrey, Daphne, Harper, Karley, Lola, Marley, Stella
Oh, The Glamour of Television & Film
For the Boys: Archer, Bennett, Campbell, Cooper, Edward, Grey, Ira, Lane, Sterling
For the Girls: Addison, Amelia, Bella, Bree, Charlotte, Coraline, Edie, Joan, Lyla, Melody, Violet
Vintage Inspiration
For the Boys: Bert, Gavin, Isaac, Julian, Lennon, Liam, Noah, Sheldon, Silas, Wyatt
For the Girls: Allison, Audrey, Hazel, Julianne, Madelyn, Natasha, Sophie
Going Green
For the Boys: Asher, Ashby, Aspen, Colt, Dakota, Heath, Hunter, Jasper, Pete, Phoenix, River, Rock, Stone
For the Girls: Autumn, Camilla, Fern, Giselle, Ivy, January, June, Lily, May, Meadow, Rain, Ruby, Willow
we are not planning to officially give the baby a name until I see the baby for myself. I want him/her to look like the name, if that makes any sense. so yes, we will have options.
I will say 3 things though.
1. One name we have chosen is on the above list.
2. we will not reveal the name prior to birth.
3. If it's a girl, she will have my mom's name as her middle.
*original article here: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2356014/2010_hottest_baby_names_prediction.html?cat=25
this past week's symptoms:
1. my appetite has been ferosh! i cant stop eating. a big meal will only satisfy me for so long.
2. pregnancy is not always all smiles. i am sad a lot. i think about money and finances, how i can provide for my baby, what to do with my job after he/she comes, and what my mom would think or want for me all the time. I am getting more and more emotional. i havent had many episodes but for the past week or so, its been getting worse. Usually, I am by myself.... but if i see something on TV relating to babies, i will cry. not just tear, but cry, like make crying sounds. out loud. by myself. i cant control it, it just comes out! It's the oddest thing.
I think about my grandma too. how i want her to be there...jae would be a great coach but whos that female figure to coach me? my moms not here and i find myself clinging more to my grandma as the labor day approaches. more on that in a later post.
3. Holy leakage batman! i need to be by a bathroom or i will leak. Is this TMI? probably. i used to have a bladder the stregnth of superman. seriously i could go for hours without peeing. but enter my 18th week and i am suddenly struck with the pee feeling which i cannot hold in. i. must. go. now. one time i was walking and all of a sudden a bit of pee leaked. erf. i didnt even feel like i had to go but of course after the leak, i had a huge urge to go and had to do the pee-pee dance all the way to the bathroom.
4. your hair stops shedding! its amazing! but i hear it all falls out after you give birth.
5. veins on the boobs. supposedly these blue veins appear which carry nutrients and fluids from mom to baby. i started getting these this week. its not pretty.
6. went to the dentist last night and pregnancy usually does a number on a woman's teeth or gums. i do have some slight pregnancy gingivitis (swelling and bleeding), but my doctor said overall, it looks pretty darn good for a pregnant lady.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
dum dum dum!
i got my first "pregnancy smile" yesterday! I was walking into Panera and this lady was coming out and she took one look at me and gave me that sympathetic-head titled to the side-smile while she held the door for me. I am surprised she could tell since I was wearing a baggy sweatshirt and big old north face jacket. i must really be showing now.
the linea nigra... spanish for "the black line". dum dum dum!
i noticed i am starting to get this. its a black line that forms from the pelvic area to the belly button. i always thought this was something women get later on in the pregnancy. when i started to see mine show at 16 weeks, I started googling and it said it does normally appear around the second trimester when your skin starts to stretch.
While no one knows if there is any purpose behind the linea negra, it is caused by hyperpigmentation of the skin, which is caused by hormones that prompt the pregnant body to produce excess melanin. Melanin is what gives skin color, and many pregnant women may notice that they may experience darker nipples, freckles and moles as a result.
here are some examples of pregnant ladies with the linea nigra. not cute at all.
this chick is hairy. i thought i was bad.
and here's a WTF picture. you can barf your breakfast now.
and here's me, with my red pepper. you can see my linea nigra is starting to show. at first i thought it was just hair, but nope, its the black line. dum dum dum! (dang, talk about a WIDE load! my hips are the size of arkansas!)
i would much rather look like this... btw she is 35 weeks. sticking straight out and looking great. im jealous.
so i started to think... i still cannot tell if time is going by fast or slow.
i always see the linea nigra on very pregnant ladies. since i am getting it, I feel like I am hitting a milestone...much more quickly than anticipated.
but then....
i figure most women find out they are preggers about 4-6 weeks in, after they miss their period. i found out right away, weeks before my period was supposed to start. i think since i had that extra month to absorb it all, i felt the pregnancy was moving at a snails pace.
but then....
i stop to think... and i have only 5 months left. ack! i still have to do the nursery, register, sign up for baby classes, baby CPR classes, maternity ward tour, prenatal yoga, get stuff ready for the baby....and I have basically have 5 months to mentally prepare myself to RAISE A CHILD! what the F? then it seems like its moving too fast.
but then...
i think about everything that has happened since i found out. my mom passed away, we arranged a funeral, we buried her, we moved offices (physically...ourselves), we celebrated another thanksgiving, had 5 doctors appts, celebrated 7 birthdays, we celebrated another christmas (twice), and had much to handle with the store and its first holiday season. Thats a lot to happen in technically 16 weeks. I have 22 or more to go.
i am stumped on this one.
oh and another reason for me to not want to give birth around july 4th weekend...it was confirmed to me that the hospital staff on this holiday weekend is sub par. Great. I hope baby Oh comes early in June!
lastly, this is for MeeJin...heres the shirt i put on yesterday. I love this t-shirt. This is a North Face t-shirt i picked up one year at the outlets before hitting the slopes for snowboarding season. This was at least 3 years ago, probably more like 4 when I bought this shirt. I like to wear it casually around the house... I put it on yesterday and this is what I saw in the mirror. Geez Louise, I thnk its time to let go of the denial. most regular clothes dont fit anymore! get over it, Jess.
heres the front view,
and side view,
and how I would wear it pre-pregnancy. except the problem here is, the pants (not maternity) are cutting into my belly ...fiercely. PLUS - and the most important - is that you can see it gives me camel toe. see the crotch area screaming for mercy as it's being stretched?
ok enough belly pics for today. i am surprised i am brave enough to post these. next time i will show you how i went from nothing, to bulge, to bump.
onto food. i discovered these whole wheat raviolis. they are soooo good. ok, well it doesn't look that great here due to the sauce but they are really good. the outside is chewy and the inside is cheesy. and pretty good in cals too. i mixed it up with some of these mini spinach raviolis which are not even as good and they are real white flour pasta.
totally addicted to Mcdonald's fruit n yogurt parfait. i bought 3 yesterday! 160 cals.
the linea nigra... spanish for "the black line". dum dum dum!
i noticed i am starting to get this. its a black line that forms from the pelvic area to the belly button. i always thought this was something women get later on in the pregnancy. when i started to see mine show at 16 weeks, I started googling and it said it does normally appear around the second trimester when your skin starts to stretch.
While no one knows if there is any purpose behind the linea negra, it is caused by hyperpigmentation of the skin, which is caused by hormones that prompt the pregnant body to produce excess melanin. Melanin is what gives skin color, and many pregnant women may notice that they may experience darker nipples, freckles and moles as a result.
here are some examples of pregnant ladies with the linea nigra. not cute at all.
this chick is hairy. i thought i was bad.
and here's a WTF picture. you can barf your breakfast now.
and here's me, with my red pepper. you can see my linea nigra is starting to show. at first i thought it was just hair, but nope, its the black line. dum dum dum! (dang, talk about a WIDE load! my hips are the size of arkansas!)
i would much rather look like this... btw she is 35 weeks. sticking straight out and looking great. im jealous.
so i started to think... i still cannot tell if time is going by fast or slow.
i always see the linea nigra on very pregnant ladies. since i am getting it, I feel like I am hitting a milestone...much more quickly than anticipated.
but then....
i figure most women find out they are preggers about 4-6 weeks in, after they miss their period. i found out right away, weeks before my period was supposed to start. i think since i had that extra month to absorb it all, i felt the pregnancy was moving at a snails pace.
but then....
i stop to think... and i have only 5 months left. ack! i still have to do the nursery, register, sign up for baby classes, baby CPR classes, maternity ward tour, prenatal yoga, get stuff ready for the baby....and I have basically have 5 months to mentally prepare myself to RAISE A CHILD! what the F? then it seems like its moving too fast.
but then...
i think about everything that has happened since i found out. my mom passed away, we arranged a funeral, we buried her, we moved offices (physically...ourselves), we celebrated another thanksgiving, had 5 doctors appts, celebrated 7 birthdays, we celebrated another christmas (twice), and had much to handle with the store and its first holiday season. Thats a lot to happen in technically 16 weeks. I have 22 or more to go.
i am stumped on this one.
oh and another reason for me to not want to give birth around july 4th weekend...it was confirmed to me that the hospital staff on this holiday weekend is sub par. Great. I hope baby Oh comes early in June!
lastly, this is for MeeJin...heres the shirt i put on yesterday. I love this t-shirt. This is a North Face t-shirt i picked up one year at the outlets before hitting the slopes for snowboarding season. This was at least 3 years ago, probably more like 4 when I bought this shirt. I like to wear it casually around the house... I put it on yesterday and this is what I saw in the mirror. Geez Louise, I thnk its time to let go of the denial. most regular clothes dont fit anymore! get over it, Jess.
heres the front view,
and side view,
and how I would wear it pre-pregnancy. except the problem here is, the pants (not maternity) are cutting into my belly ...fiercely. PLUS - and the most important - is that you can see it gives me camel toe. see the crotch area screaming for mercy as it's being stretched?
ok enough belly pics for today. i am surprised i am brave enough to post these. next time i will show you how i went from nothing, to bulge, to bump.
onto food. i discovered these whole wheat raviolis. they are soooo good. ok, well it doesn't look that great here due to the sauce but they are really good. the outside is chewy and the inside is cheesy. and pretty good in cals too. i mixed it up with some of these mini spinach raviolis which are not even as good and they are real white flour pasta.
totally addicted to Mcdonald's fruit n yogurt parfait. i bought 3 yesterday! 160 cals.
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