Peeeeeaaaas!

Yes, I love peas :)

Welcoming the new year

I had contemplated getting a (cheap) gym membership at work but I couldn't easily get extra access onto campus. My current access is only 7am-7pm because I am not a NIST employee. I would have liked to work out before work. I don't want to work out during lunch because 1. I'd have no time to eat and 2. I don't want to return to work all sweaty and nasty. Yea, I could take a shower there, but then I'd have to make up the hour and I don't want to stay late. J goes to bed early, so I want to maximize my time with him. I also contemplated getting a membership at a local gym, but it could be expensive.

So after much deliberation, I've decided to start working out at home.I went to Amazon last night and bought 2 DVDs and a kettlebell weight. I got Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD Set, which is apparently a new craze. The preview clip looked like a lot of fun.

I also got Jillian Michaels: Shred-It With Weights since I need motivation for weight training, and I've been a fan of hers from The Biggest Loser.

For JM's workout, I also bought a 15-lb kettlebell weight.

 

If I can get in 3 workouts a week, I'll be satisfied!

Happy 30th to me!

It was so nice to celebrate my 30th birthday with my family, including our littlest addition, J.

I love how J's finger is almost in his mouth, but not quite.

Oooo, the light...

Why aren't you sleeping through the night anymore?

I posted about a week ago that J had been starting to sleep through the night. Then we went back to Philly for Christmas, and he hasn't slept through the night since. We have no idea what happened! He's been getting up at least once after we've put him to bed around 8pm. Usually around midnight or 1am. Then maybe he'd get up again at 4am or sleep until 7am. It's been so irregular. But I guess I can't complain because I've been reading online that babies who have been sleeping through the night sometimes start getting up 2-3 times a night. Parents online have said that their babies started doing this around 6 months because of two things: teething and growth spurts/needing more food because they are now more mobile. J is only 5 1/2 months, but he could be going through a growth spurt earlier.

Or since he was on soy, his didn't always finish his bottles during the day, and thus needed another feeding in the middle of the night. Now that we're trying the regular formula again, maybe he'll finish his bottles during the day and get enough calories so that he won't need any at night. I'm hoping the solids will help him feel fuller too. He did love peas last night!

Formula - back to square one

Looking back on previous posts, we started J on soy formula Dec 7. It was good for his skin and his overall demeanor (less fussy) but he had trouble with BMs. Apple juice helped with the BMs sometimes. About a week later, Dec 16, we tried Nutrimagen but nixed that after 2 feedings because it gave Jacob stomach issues. It also smelled and tasted disgusting. So we went back to soy & increased his apple juice from 4 to 5 oz.

Just yesterday, even with 5 oz of apple juice, J's BMs were again hard, not soft. A decided that we'd give the regular formula another try last night. This morning, J's skin seems ok, but time will tell if we stick with the regular formula or not. Will J become fussy again? Will his skin break out?

J can make certain decisions for himself - if he's bored or doesn't want to read when you want to read, he'll complain. But when it comes to choosing a formula - choosing between regular BMs (regular formula) and his improved skin (soy formula) - we have to make that decision and there's no right answer…

It's strange to think that we'll be making other decisions for him too…or will we? We tried giving him rice cereal about 2 1/2 weeks ago and he didn't eat too much. J basically decided for himself that he wasn't ready. Last night, we gave him peas (will post a cute picture later), and he loved it. Ate up the whole serving and wanted more!  So even though A and I may think we are in control, J is actually in the driver's seat. He just can't drive himself yet.

J gif...hehe

Formula - Part 2, Finding a Routine

In a previous post, I mentioned that J seemed to be doing alright with the Nutrimagen on Thursday evening. But apparently, he did not nap all Friday. He also kept moaning as if his stomach hurt and didn’t want to be put down or played with, which is unusual. We called the pediatrician, who was surprised that J had this reaction to Nutrimagen because it is a very basic formula designed for babies with sensitive tummies. So just after a day’s feedings of Nutrimagen, we went back to soy Friday evening. Wouldn’t you know it, after his evening feeding, J was smiling and playing with us. That night, he slept well.

A little backstory about J’s developing routine, which I can now also cross of my to-blog list! I would say that Jacob did not fall into a routine/pattern until he was about 3 ½ months. He’d wake to eat, be up for 1 – 2 hrs, and then nap until his last feeding. When we finally realized this, we decided to feed him 7 oz every 4 hrs (5am, 9am, 2pm, 6pm). We decided that he needed to eat at 10pm also, so we’d wake him around 9pm (after he had fallen asleep at 8pm) for a bath. We’d then feed him 8 oz at 10pm and put him to bed. If you’re doing the math, that’s 36 oz a day. This site says that babies his weight (at 4 months, Jacob was 17 lbs), should take 34-43 oz a day, feeding 6-7 oz every 4 hrs. So we thought we had it right. Sometimes he’d sleep until 5am (that’s 7 hrs between feedings and also 7 hrs of sleep), which our pediatrician said was great for his age.

Recently, J was taking amoxicillin for his sinus infection, apple juice for his constipation, and getting used to soy formula, so he’d sometimes wake at 1am or 3am to feed (adding another 3-7 oz to his daily total). And who wouldn’t with all these changes?!

Anyways, just this past weekend, we decided to make his 6pm feeding his last feeding (8 oz), with a bath at 7:30pm, and bedtime at 8pm. Granted, I had been saying to put him to bed earlier this WHOLE time but Alan believed that if we put him to bed at 8pm, he’d get up in the middle of the night…and he was already doing pretty well on his schedule…but A recently read somewhere that babies like to/should go to sleep between 6 and 8pm, and he was sold (aiya!). But no matter, because over this weekend, J slept from 8pm to 5am. Now, that’s 9 hrs of sleep and almost 12 hrs between feedings. Hallelujah, Praise the Lord! (And he has been doing great feeding 29 oz instead of 36 oz, not counting the 4 oz of apple juice, which I hope to stop in the next week or so because I don’t like J consuming the extra sugar, whether it’d be naturally from the fruit or added)

To think, what if we had switched to soy earlier? Would Jacob have been less fussy overall? Would he have been sleeping through the night earlier? But again, no matter, because he is happy and sleeping through the night now…let’s hope it continues!!!!

Formula

Just for the record, Enfamil Nutrimagen is a smelly smelly formula. J refused some of it last night, but A said he's finishing it today. His skin might be flaring up again, but that could be attributed to the 2 servings of regular Enfamil he had yesterday. His BMs were good today :).

Degree drama

I originally had my thesis defense scheduled for July 6^th, at least three weeks before I was due with Jacob. This gave me plenty of time to make revisions to my thesis after the defense (assuming I’d pass) and submit my application for graduation before the end of the summer term (Sept. 20).  So I sent out a final draft of my thesis about 1 ½ weeks prior to my defense so that my committee members could review it and come up with a list of questions for me.

Drama #1: ONE of my committee members was over his email quota, so my thesis kept getting bounced back to me. I called his office and his cell to get an alternate email address. I left messages on both and followed up…It was Friday before my defense and still NOTHING from this professor! I needed him to be the required fifth person on my committee. Argh! If he just didn’t want to be on my committee anymore, I would have understood, but he didn’t even have the decency to shoot me an email or call.

Since my defense was only three days away, I had to POSTPONE my defense because there was not enough time to find a replacement. Plus, only giving this replacement three days to review my thesis would have been unfair.

I wanted to postpone only two weeks but my advisor was afraid I’d go into labor and have to postpone again. We decided that I’d defend 4 weeks after my due date, which looking back really wasn’t that much time to recover from labor and delivery. Luckily, I delivered a week early, so I had 5 weeks to rest before thinking about my defense.

My defense went fine and I passed but then Drama #2…well, not so much “drama” but a challenge…

There are no words to describe the amount of physical and emotional strength that is required to take care of a newborn. Not only did J eat every 2-3 hrs, he wanted to sleep in your arms between feedings. And he knew if I was typing at the computer…that didn’t count! After my defense, I had a lot of revisions to make on my thesis. PLUS, I had to gather all of these required signatures when I wasn’t even on campus anymore! Thankfully, I had an understanding advisor and a VERY HELPFUL officemate who did A LOT of the legwork for me (praise God for them!). AND, my WONDERFUL husband AND family came over to watch Jacob while I revised my thesis.

I finally got every form signed and submitted on Sept. 27^th and received my diploma in the mail about 6 weeks later. Glad to be done, but I still feel like I’m in graduate school because the work I do now is also pretty independent.

Soy formula - Part 2

We though the BMs were back to normal but then J made no BMs yesterday.  Jacob also refuses to finish his bottle of soy formula sometimes, which he never did with regular formula. I called the pediatrician’s office today and the nurse recommended continuing with soy formula (since it’s been helping with his eczema) along with a daily dose of apple juice (which she said wouldn’t be of harm to him). She said not to switch formulas too often because it could upset J’s already immature digestive system.

 Source

Since we’ve already tried soy formula for a week and have not seen any improvement in the BMs, we are going to try Enfamil Nutrimagen, which is lactose free, for a week. I’m afraid that it will taste worse than soy though…

 Source

Soy formula

It’s been 5 days since we started on Enfamil’s Soy Formula. We saw improvement in J’s skin in just 1 day! But the switch in the formula caused a major backup in the plumbing, if you know what I mean. Poor guy struggled with every BM. Red face, grunting, the works. The Doc recommended a few ounces of apple juice – potassium to help the situation. Over the weekend, BMs were easier for J. We also tried a feeding of Similac’s Soy Formula because A read online that it didn’t cause constipation as much as Enfamil’s. Unfortunately, in just 1 feeding, we saw the redness in J’s face worsen. Hopefully, in the next few days, everything will be back to normal for Jacob. It’s times like these when I wish I were still breastfeeding. His skin would be great and no plumbing issues…

In other news, we will be introducing brown rice to Jtoday. Can’t wait to post the video and/or photos of his reaction!

Postpartum roller coaster

Many weeks after the J’s birth, when I finally felt some sort of normal again, I read in What to Expect the First Year that oftentimes childbirth classes emphasize the experience of childbirth so much that moms (first-timers especially, including me) become VERY UPSET when things don’t go as planned – which include the need for medication, episiotomies, and C-sections. I had forgotten that the most important outcome of childbirth is the birth of a healthy baby. Every one kept reminding me of this, but for many weeks I couldn’t stop dwelling on the fact that I had pushed for hours, tried all the breathing techniques and birthing positions recommended during childbirth class, and still needed a C-section. I had failed at something that should have come, as was emphasized at childbirth class, so naturally.

On the day of my discharge, the pediatrician came into my room to tell me that Jacob had lost more than 10% of his body weight since birth (3-10% loss is normal). Also, J’s bilirubin count was still high. Bilirubin is broken down by the liver, but since babies have immature livers, high bilirubin counts aren’t abnormal (which is why most babies are jaundiced/yellow). But the doctors like to see this number come down over time, and below a certain value at discharge. So…I could be discharged but J would have to (1) stay longer at the hospital and (2) be under bili-lights for several hours at a time until his number came down. Bili-light is UV phototherapy that helps to get rid of the bilirubin. Here came the tears again! Was I nursing wrong? Not enough? Praise God that the hospital let me stay too so that I could still nurse. After an additional day and a half, J was finally allowed to go home! It had felt like an eternity. We still had to take J to the hospital two more times after his discharge in order to get more bilirubin tests, but his number eventually came down.

Was the drama over? NOT YET. Before I delivered, I knew I wanted to nurse. I went to breastfeeding seminars and read So That’s What They’re For: The Definitive Breastfeeding Guide. The author instilled confidence in me that I would be able to successfully nurse J, and if I needed help, I should seek it instead of giving up like so many mothers do. Well, breastfeeding was relatively easy the first 2 weeks. J fell back asleep after almost every feeding. But then week 3 reared its ugly head, and we wondered where had our sleepy, content baby gone? Why did he cry after every feeding? We began thinking that maybe he wasn’t getting enough to eat while nursing. I was using a nipple shield, as recommended by the lactation consultant at the hospital, which I read wasn’t as effective at delivering milk as direct contact is. So after many discussions with A, we decided that I’d pump exclusively, and we’d feed breastmilk to Jacob in a bottle. Again, I felt I had failed. Every one kept reminding me that satisfying J’s hunger should be my number one priority, and that pumped breastmilk is better than no breastmilk. It wasn’t for another many weeks that I finally accepted the situation. And sadly, after 2-1/2 months of pumping, I was tired. It was challenging to take care of J (who wanted to be held constantly) while also trying to find time to pump (no matter how many creative success stories I read online). I was also starting a new job where I was uncertain about the working environment and having the ability to pump at work.

Praise God that I didn’t develop clinical postpartum depression through all of these experiences. Today I just look at J and cannot believe that I carried him for 9 months. I cannot believe that A and I survived the first 3 months! There was a point when I thought I wouldn’t be able to find the strength to keep going! Today, I can’t find any reason to be sad because J is healthy and happy. He is these things because of everything A and I have tried to do right.

More on THH

I mentioned in my previous post that Dr. Hsu was gentle with J during his examination, but didn’t include the fun details. Alan told me that Dr. Hsu would talk talk talk (to both Alan and Jacob) and then swoop-in quickly to examine, say, J’s ears without him even noticing. Dr. Taylor at PA Care pinned firmly held Jacob’s head down on the examination table to check his ears. It’s not comforting as a parent to watch.

Then (this must have been so cute!) Jacob was lying on the examination table when the nurse came in with his immunization shots. Jacob was laughing up a storm apparently. Then the nurse stuck him with his first two needles. WAAAAHHH for like 10 seconds…Then the nurse stuck him with the last two needles. WAAAAHHH for like 10 seconds, and then back to laughing again.

Finding a pediatrician (MD)

In early November, J’s eczema became really inflamed, especially on his cheeks. The skin was broken and there was a yellow discharge. We decided to take him to Pediatrics & Adolescent (PA) Care in Gaithersburg. This is the practice that one of my co-workers recommended.

First impressions: they only had 1 waiting room, and Alan thought the office was rather small. To weigh J, we had to carry him undressed from the examination room to a scale in another part of the office – I didn’t like this. Pennridge had a scale inside the exam room. We were seen by a nurse practitioner, who was helpful in answering our questions, but who still made me feel rushed. Dr. Taylor saw us briefly, just to confirm the need for an antibiotic (they said Jacob had a staph infection on his cheeks, causing the discharge). They also prescribed a steroid cream for his face and other rough spots. We were only supposed to use the steroid cream sparingly on his face, and then only for like 10 days.

After 10 days, the antibiotic was finished, and his face and body had cleared up using the steroid cream. But then it all came back again in a few days. Alan took J back to the doctor, who then prescribed a 2% hydrocortisone, which the doctor said was safe for his face. Did this mean that the other cream wasn’t safe for his face?! Alan also mentioned that Jacob had a little cold. The doctor said we could give him infant Tylenol. A also said that this visit felt even more rushed than the last. At Pennridge, the doctors repeatedly asked if you had more questions. At PA Care, the doctor only seemed to have time to address the concern that brought you into the office.

The 2% hydrocortisone cream we used on and off, but his cold didn’t seem to be getting any better. One Sunday morning we called the doctor to find out how much Tylenol we could give Jacob. The nurse on the phone said that since J had been sick for 2 weeks already, it was best to bring him in. At the office, Dr. Taylor told us that sometimes colds develop into something more serious. He checked J’s ears for infection, and they were clear. He said Tylenol was only appropriate if J had a fever (which he didn’t). So why did the other doctor tell us to give Jacob infant Tylenol?!

Over Thanksgiving, J’s cold hit its peak. His nose was very runny, and we had to use the nasal aspirator before every feeding. Poor guy – he was so uncomfortable! By the end of the weekend though, it was clearing up.

A and I decided that we didn’t appreciate the conflicting advice we were receiving a PA Care. I went on DC Urban Moms and Dads to find a new pediatrician. I read that the doctors at THH Pediatrics were affiliated with Shady Grove Adventist Hospital. And that their office had well and sick waiting rooms (yay!). We made Jacob’s 4-month wellness check up with them. I wasn’t able to go because of work, but from what Alan told me later, it seemed that Dr. Hsu at THH spent a lot of time addressing A’s concerns/questions and was very gentle with J during the visit.

They discussed J’s growth, sleeping patterns, eczema, and cold. Dr. Hsu said that Jacob being able to sleep 6 hours at night is very good for his age. He told us that we should stick with a routine each night before bed – bath, lotion (for his eczema especially), and feed. And you know what, last night Jacob slept from 10pm until at least 7:30am, when I left for work!

As for Jacob’s eczema, Dr. Hsu prescribed us 2% hydrocortisone and advised us to use it only on his body. For his face, Dr. Hsu recommended over-the-counter (OTC) 1% hydrocortisone. Dr. Hsu said that the OTC version is better for his face because the 2% hydrocortisone can thin out the skin on J’s cheeks. Why didn’t PA Care mention this?! Dr. Hsu also gave us two cans of soy formula to see if that would also help. We haven’t used either hydrocortisone cream, just switched to soy formula, and I think J’s skin is much clearer. Dr. Hsu also told us to not completely dry J after a bath and to rub Aquaphor on him before the skin dries.

And lastly, about J’s cold. Even though Dr. Taylor said J didn’t have an ear infection, Dr. Hsu mentioned that colds usually only last a few days. Any longer than that and it could be a sinus infection. Why didn’t PA Care mention this?! Argggh…Dr. Hsu prescribed Amoxicillin and told us to give it to Jacob if his runny nose didn’t clear up in a few more days. So GLAD we have and like the new pediatrician.

Finding a pediatrician (PA)

Before we moved to Maryland, we saw Pennridge Pediatrics in Harleysville. They were one of the recommendations at a breastfeeding seminar I attended given by North Penn Nursing Mothers. Many of A’s co-workers also brought their kids there. Both A and I LOVED the practice. We had a consultation with one of the doctors about a month before J was born. Their office was clean, and we liked that there was a “sick“ and “well“ waiting room. When we met with Dr. Kratz, we liked that he gave us plenty of time to ask questions. He also told us that many of the doctors in the practice still taught and did research, which to us meant that staying up to date on the latest findings in children’s health was important. Talking with other parents, it’s amazing the changes in recommendations for children’s health over the years.

Doctors used to allow parents to give their children solid food (in the form of cereal mixed in with breastmilk or formula) a few weeks after birth. Now, the recommendation is to wait until at least 4 months to introduce solids. I’ve even read that the later you wait, the less likely your baby is to develop food allergies.

Doctors also used to recommend formula over breastmilk. Now, the motto (for some doctors) is “breast is best”. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months and supports breastfeeding for the 1st year (and longer as desired by mother and child).

But then we moved to Maryland and we hoped to find a pediatrician that we liked as much as Pennridge…

Hilarious SNL Baby Spanx

Follow-up to "Birth Story"

Remember I said I was scared to push? Well...I'm not the only one!

Too Scared to Push? Fear of Childbirth Leads to Rise in C-Sections

November 16, 2010

by Melanie at Parenting.com 

Month 4 - J jumped up on the charts!

I remember a time when I'd post the progress of Baby J's growth while still in the womb. Now, here is his progress outside of it. He starts off around the median, then drops a bit...and then this month, whoa!

Birth
Height 21.5 20.5 in (above 95th percentile, which means he was born taller/longer than 95% of boys his age)
Weight 7 lbs, 2 oz (25-50th percentile)
Head circumference ~14 in (50th percentile)

1 month
Height 21.5 in (10-25th percentile)
Weight 9 lbs, 4 oz (10-25th percentile)
Head circumference 14.75 in (10-25th percentile)

2 month
Height 22.5 in (10-25th percentile)
Weight 11 lbs, 11 oz (25-50th percentile)
Head circumference 15.375 in (10-25th percentile)

4 month
Height 27 in (90-95th percentile)
Weight 17 lbs, 1.5 oz (75-90th percentile)
Head circumference 17 in (50-75th percentile)

Height-for-age

Weight-for-age

Head circumference-for-age

Source for percentiles from WHO

Birth Story

JZN

Born Summer 2010
 7 lbs, 2 oz, 21.5"

Tues, 10pm: Starting very mild contractions. Was able to sleep through the night.

Wed, 6am: Use the bathroom and discover bloody show.
6:30am: A says goodbye to leave for work. I tell him that today might be the day. He asks if he should stay home from work. I say, "No, I'll call you if anything happens."

Noon: Alan comes home for lunch, as usual. He tells me that he has taken the rest of the day off and is beginning his paternity leave/vacation.
Afternoon: Contractions are coming more regularly - every 15 min, lasting about 30 sec. I am practicing my breathing techniques. A is timing the contractions. I find a way to take a nap - don't want to be tired for labor! A texts his family and mine. I must have talked with everyone at least once. They are asking me how I feel and if it hurts ;). I leave a phone message with a girlfriend. She calls me back and we chat for about an hour. We are both in great anticipation!

Early evening: I feel better leaning on something during them. I am using the breathing techniques.
Evening, 8pm: I remember the time because that is when So You Think You Can Dance comes on. Contractions are 10 min apart, then 8, then 5 min apart. I use my exercise ball to lean on during contractions. I feel them most pronounce in my lower back. Definitely don't feel like talking during a contraction, but generally, still in happy spirits!
8:30pm: Call the answering service for my OB. She calls back a few minutes later. Just happens to be one of the doctors that I hadn't yet met in the practice I go to. She gives me the OK to go to the hospital. Alan calls his parents to come up. He makes sure all the bags are ready to go.

9:30pm: A's parents arrive at the house. I'm really nervous now because this means that we're really headed to the hospital.
 
10:15pm: Arrive at the hospital. Have to use the Emergency entrance because after 8pm. I tell the receptionist/nurse that I'm in labor. She tells me to have a seat. She'll call a nurse from the Maternity Floor to come get me. I sit down. A paces and gives me the "why do we have to wait down here?!" look.

10:30pm:  I am wheeled to a triage room on the Maternity Floor. They just want to make sure I'm far enough along to admit me. Nurse finds that I am 5 cm dilated (yay!).


I am not sure the time of the following events:

• I get strapped to a monitor every hour or so. Nurses need to see how Jacob is responding during a contraction. I have to be on my back for these. Contracting on my back is PAINFUL! I can't wait to be able to sit up again.
• Things are going good. Using my exercise ball. A is massaging my lower back. Then...
• My water breaks, which is the strangest feeling, during one of the monitoring sessions. Once my water broke, the contractions started coming on more frequent and stronger/more painful. I contemplate getting an epidural. I ask the nurse how much worse did she think the contractions would get. She lied said that they wouldn't get any worse - but THEY DID! Around 7 cm, I was asking for some sort of narcotic to "take the edge off". I don't remember it making any difference.
• Once the post-water-breakage contractions started, I wanted to lie on my side and hold A's hand. He breathed with me, and after a contraction would say, "You can squeeze my hand harder." Oh, careful what you wish for!!!!!! By the time I was 4 hours into pushing, A wished he had no bones in his hands because I was crushing them.

After every contraction, I'd ask A if he could see the head. He answered "no" every time. But he said I was doing good because he could see J get lower and lower in my abdomen. About 2 hrs of pushing (3:30am, Thurs), I keep telling Alan that I can't do it anymore. The nurse jokes with me that I can come back tomorrow to finish up. Push, push, push - a feeling that words cannot describe and no one could possibly prepare me for. I could feel J's skull putting pressure on my lower back the ENTIRE TIME because he was facing front instead of towards my back. I knew in my mind that a good push would help J down the birth canal faster, but my body was afraid of the pain, so I held back, I admit.

4 hrs into pushing and was still far from crowning (5:30am, Thursday). My OB comes in and says it's time for a C-section. I look at A, and without words, we agree. I couldn't push anymore. I ask her to give me something until they can give me the spinal block for the C-section. She gives me something to stop the contractions but it doesn't work because I'm already so far into labor. I remember the anesthesiologist coming in to give me the low-down on the spinal block and consenting to a C-section. Though I had my eyes closed, my fists clinched onto the side of the bed, I told him that I was listening and to please read faster so I could be done soon!

Thu, 6:34am:  Baby Boy Ng is born (we hadn't chosen a name yet)! He's beautiful, handsome, and has so much hair! J goes to see J in the warmer and cuts the cord. J is brought back and we get a family photo together, taken with one of the nurse's cameras (not the one you see above, sorry).

Next up...Postpartum roller coaster

Finally back (?)

My last post was exactly one week before the birth of JZN - that was about three and a half months ago! Sooooo much has happened since then (including my birth story), which is partly the reason I have not posted since right before J's birth. So here are my "Things I don't want to forget but I never blogged about" (thanks for the idea Mommy Huang):

1. Birth story
2. Postpartum roller coaster
3. Degree drama
4. Renting out our home/Finding a new home
5. Moving to Maryland
6. J's development (including LOTS of photos!)

Car seat check

Use SeatCheck.org to find a location near you to have your car seat checked for proper installation. We got ours checked today by a PA State Trooper, and it only took about 5-10 minutes. Alan had installed it correctly, but the trooper just tightened the strap so that the seat doesn't move more than 1 inches to either side.

So, the bags and snacks are packed. We called our dog walker to give her a heads up that we might be needing her services all of a sudden in the near future. The car seat is installed correctly. We received our completion coupon from Babies R Us and spent a boat-load last weekend on diaper genie refills, onesies, caps, mittens, Boppy covers, mattress covers, etc. We placed an order for a new DSLR camera using reward gift cards from credit card use. And our mailman, Buddy, told me to tie a balloon outside our house after our baby's birth because he gives all the new moms on his route teddy bears - how sweet is that? Oh, and I think we've narrowed down our list of names to two top contenders...shhh...we're going to keep it top secret...haha...

Update from the doctor - dilated almost 2 cm but still only 33% effaced. I thought I had a feeling that this week would be the week, but then again, maybe our due date was right on the money and he'll arrive then. Well, whenever he does, it'll be the perfect time!

Outsourced

Can't wait to see watch this show!

Labor or not?

Monday morning, 5am, I experienced a series of 3 menstrual-like cramps that lasted about 30 sec and came every 10 min. But then they went away.

Monday afternoon to early evening, I experienced a long series of Braxton-Hicks contractions that lasted 60 sec and came every 5 min. But then they went away too.

Do real contractions feel more like menstrual cramps or Braxton-Hicks? According to WebMD, true contractions are more likely felt starting in the lower back and moving to the front of the abdomen. Well, that wasn't me, so I must have been in false labor yesterday. Nevertheless, I'll tell my doc about the cramps today at my appointment. Hey, maybe it wasn't true labor but still helped me to dilate or efface more.

Big sale at LOFT

I cannot WAIT to go shopping for some "real" clothes again! Though I am realistic about the baby weight and how long I'll have it around before I can fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes.

My brain is shrinking

I just read on whattoexpect.com this morning that:

"Researchers have noted that the brain cell volume of pregnant women actually decreases during the third trimester of pregnancy, only to plump up a few months after delivery."

A sarcastic "great" coming from me now. But the good news is I can take choline to minimize the effects, which should be in my multi-vitamin...or I can steal some Flintstones chewables from A, which has added choline for kids! LOL.

Temporary tattoos

Interesting temporary tattoos you can have printed with your phone number or tattoos that leave a space for you to write it in (http://www.safetytat.com/, 24 for $20). Guess kids would find it fun, up to a certain age, then it'd be kind of embarrassing. They remind of me why we put tags on our house pets.

Week 36, 6 days - 19-22", 6.5 lbs

I am officially "full term" so Baby Ng could arrive any day now. Until then, he'll gain about 1/2 oz a day. I have an appointment with my OB on Friday, so maybe he'll give me some indication when he thinks I might go into labor. I am anxious, excited, and nervous (is that the same as anxious?) all at the same time. I really hope our Babies R Us completion certificate comes in the mail this week. I'm itching to have everything ready for Baby Ng's arrival...

Week 36 - 19-22", 6 lbs

6 lbs?! Whoa! No wonder I waddle and feel pain when he kicks!

We just took this picture the other day. It doesn't look much different from 5 weeks ago, but I sure feel different:

Happy birthday to A last week:

His favorite, UNI (yech!):

Week 34, 22", 5.5 lb

I can already foresee that these next few weeks are going to seem the longest and hardest. Baby Ng may not grow any taller/longer, but he'll keep getting heavier (at the tune of 1/2 lb or more per week). And with amniotic fluid at its peak amount, no more cushioning from the punches and kicks Baby Ng delivers almost constantly now. Nevertheless, Alan and I are in great anticipation for his arrival. I can't wait to hold him, feed him, and try to stay calm while he's screaming at the top of his lungs ;). At our last Labor & Birth class, the instructor asked us what we are most looking forward to. I said a play date...but I gave it more thought since then and I can't wait to take him on his first bike ride on Valley Forge Trail. Like in a little trailer or seat...and then eventually on his own bike! Aw, how adorable!

(all images from REI)

Moneymaker on 4x6 HP Photo Paper

Get this deal before it ends Sat, Jun 19th! (see weekly ad here for more $1 deals. I got the 12-pk Bic pens)

Buy 1 HP Everday 4x6 photo paper, 100/pack for $9.99. Use this 15% off coupon and pay $8.49 (excluding tax). You'll receive a rebate receipt & form from the cashier. You can either mail the rebate in or go to Staples Easy Rebates website and submit for $8.99 rebate. That's a $0.50 moneymaker! Hey....you save $0.50 here and then you go somewhere else and save $0.50. Then you go to the Dollar Store and buy yourself something else! (paraphrased from Russell Peters below)

Cute plates

These are the cutest appetizer plates from CB2 ($1.95 each).

Lightening

A noticed by belly is lower than it was yesterday. I think he's right (!) which means our baby has dropped lower into the pelvis. I have more room to breathe and eat, but have more pressure on the bladder.

Week 33 - 19", 4.9 lbs

I can't believe it's only 6 more weeks until the (expected) birth of our baby boy! We went to Babies R Us (BRU) on Saturday to buy the remaining items off our registry. They give you 10% off and if you open up a store card, you get another 10% on top of that (which is like 15% off entire purchase). We didn't want to wait too long to get things ready for his arrival.

So we get to BRU and the salesperson tells us that those 10% completion certificates are mailed out by "corporate" once every month, and not printed by each store. So that means that we can expect the completion certificate either 2 weeks before our due date or 2 weeks after! Neither sounded reasonable to us. Why would they make first time parents, who have only the baby things they've received as gifts, wait until 2 weeks before their due date to complete their registry?! (I know this is fuel for the fire for those who have strong feelings against BRU)

Now, I kinda knew this in the back of my mind when the salesperson explained it to us when we first started our registry, but A and I were still upset by the fact. The best the salesperson could do for us is to tell us to call the store manager a few weeks before our due date and see if he/she can get corporate to send us the completion certificate earlier.

In the meantime, A and I will start purchasing items one at a time using those 20% coupons (either online or in-store). It's a better deal anyways, as long as we don't have to pay for shipping.

Deals @ CVS

I couldn't help but share what I bought today at CVS. It'd only be appreciated only by my fellow deal hunters ;)

4 Skinny Cow cups, reg. price $1.69, on sale for $1.00
- (4) $1.00 coupons (get here or through Facebook - "Like" them and go to Fan Exclusives for coupon)

1 Dawn Hand Renewal dish detergent, reg. price $1.99, on sale for $0.97
- (1) $1.00 coupon (from P&G Brand Sampler). Cashier adjusted this coupon to $0.97

1 Colgate Wisps 16-pk, reg. price $8.99, clearance $2.25
- (1) $1.00 coupon for 16-pk wisps (got this with a pregnancy-related sampler)

1 Borghese Nail Polish, reg. $7.99, clearance $1.99
- (1) $3.00 coupon (received at the end of a receipt last week). Cashier adjusted this coupon to $1.99

TOTAL = $1.25 (+$0.10 tax). So basically, I paid only for the Colgate Wisps!

BIG kicks

I was lying on my side last night on the couch and A asks, "Are you breathing hard or having contractions or something? Your chest/abdomen is moving really fast." I tell him that it's the baby kicking and he's like "Whoa! That's violent!".

Yea, baby Ng is kicking pretty hard these days!

Progress picture

I can't believe we waited 8 weeks between taking pictures of the expanding belly! Below is Week 22 and Week 30, which we took at Ridley Creek State Park where the baby shower was held.

He weighed in at over 3 lbs Week 30. He is DEFINITELY a mover and a shaker. I feel like he's constantly moving around in there, practicing for his big debut! He'll be growing at about 1/2 lb a week from now until he's born. So counting from Week 30, that's 10 more weeks to go. He'll put on about 5 lbs! I can't believe there's still room in my belly...

It's Week 31 now, and he's already turned to get into position to drop into the pelvis and eventually be welcomed into the world. Apparently, he's also close to his birth length and will just spend the remainder of the time gaining weight.

And in case N wonders what she'll look like pregnant ...

Did it to me again!

So A's family was planning to have a BBQ this past Memorial Day Weekend. I knew we'd start late because the family was traveling and had errands in the morning. No problem with me - I just wanted to make sure that we got there before everyone to get the coal fire started on the picnic grills. You do not want to make a pregnant woman wait to eat! Anyways, so the night before, I asked A to make sure that the pavilion his sister had reserved wouldn't be taken by someone else if we didn't claim it by a certain time (sometimes that happens at other parks). A and I got into this stupid fight because I kept asking him to check with his sister (I didn't want to show up to the park and not have a place!) and he kept saying to trust her and we shouldn't have to ask.

We arrive at the park the next morning (or should I say afternoon). As we drive past our reserved pavilion, I notice a lot of cars and am thinking, "Wow, a big crowd BBQing next to us". Once we turn in, I see two families from our fellowship on the swing set, and then I'm thinking "What a coincidence. They must be doing a social outing. We'll be BBQing neighbors!" But then I see a lot more people, as well as a decorated pavilion and gift bags lined up on a picnic bench. Then it suddenly dawns on me that this is the surprise baby shower that his family was planning!

I can't believe I got duped for the second time! And both times A and I had an argument about timing (that'd we'd be late or something)! I can't believe he puts up with me :D.

What's funny too is that I had emailed my sister about the picnic to see if she'd be in town to attend. (I assumed my mom was working, since it was a Saturday). She had a lot of reasons not to come and I totally understood. Friday night comes around and I think about calling her to see if she's coming or not, but decide not to - she must be busy. And of course she helped to plan the shower and surprised me by being at the park, along with my mom. Haha.

It was a GREAT surprise! Thanks for planning everything, family! And thanks to our friends for attending! I can't wait to post pictures of everything - tiger box favors, tiger cupcakes, food, etc.

A rocks an empathy belly

At our first Labor & Birth class, the instructor brought in a 35-lb empathy belly for the support person to try on. I made A volunteer, and he even had to sign a waiver - he certified he wasn't wearing heels, didn't have a hernia, etc. and vouched not to jump up and down or make sudden movements with the belly on - hilarious but the hospital is cautious.

First thing A had to do was wear a velcro band around his chest to simulate us pregnant ladies with decreased lung capacity. Check out how a mom's interior changes between not pregnant and pregnant below. The lung size decreases, as well as the stomach. No wonder I can't eat big meals or breathe! Also, the uterus goes from the size of a closed fist to being wrapped around the baby. It's so amazing how the human body was designed!

Source

Anyways, back to class....let's put that 35-lb empathy belly on!

At which point A started rubbing his belly as he would a Buddha statue at the entrance of a Chinese restaurant. Classy ;).

The apron covers everything nicely. A said it was really heavy. Oh, and below the belly, the instructor also stuck a bean-bag like thing to put even more pressure on his bladder....hehe....

A's belly was bigger than mine!

He said he really felt the pressure when sitting down.

Try to get your shoes now! Not so easy, is it?

Help, he's rolled over and he can't flip around ;)

It was a fun experience and good class. Next week, we start learning some breathing and relaxation techniques.

Custom stamps of baby's hand & foot print

The caption makes no sense, but aren't these the cutest little stamps? They are made from imprints of your baby's hand and foot that you send to them. Pricey for $100. I mean, you could pass off any hand stamp as your baby's. Who would know, right?

iPod shuffle

This is a pretty cool looking (and tiny) shuffle!

Apple

Week 30 - 18", 3.2 lbs

At my last check-up, I hadn't gained any weight. The doctor wasn't concerned since I had that 8-lb weight gain early in the 2nd trimester. But I sure feel like I'm carrying more and more each week. He's creeping up there on the scale, but I can't imagine that he'll gain another 3 lbs in the next 9 weeks! Can my abdomen hold anymore?

Hungry...nausea

Yesterday, A & I went out to lunch after church. I was so hungry. I ate an omelet, toast, and homefries and was so full afterwards. Not two hours later, I was "so hungry" again! So I ate something leftovers at home, but then felt a bit nauseated. It's a vicious cycle...hungry...eat...nauseated...oi! I think I should stick with foods that have higher fiber so I feel full longer and won't have to eat whatever is lying around when I'm hungry.

Now that's a lasagna

100 layers, to be exact

Onions

How To Dice An Onion from Apartment Therapy: The Kitchn on Vimeo.

Seems so simple, yet why can't I master this skill?

Other facts about onions:

• 5 tips on how to cut onions without tears
• An additional tip from Rick Bayless - soak them in water after being peeled
• Don't keep onions and potatoes together. They emit some sort of chemical that apparently spoils the other one faster. Huh!

Baby shower!

Saturday was our bi-monthly Couples/Young Families Fellowship meeting. It starts at 10:30am and the location this week was about an hour away. Friday night I ask A what time we should leave the next morning. I suggest 9:30 and he suggests 10. I then go on a little rant as to why he would want to leave at 10 when he knows that the meeting starts at 10:30 and we are an hour away. So we compromise and say 9:45.

Saturday morning, 9:45, and I'm ready to go. A says he needs to use the bathroom. I then go on a little rant as to why he would wait until we have to leave before realizing he needs to use the bathroom.

In the car and we still have to pick up some food for the fellowship. We finally find the ACME close to the meeting location and get the food. It is now 10:45 and I go on a little rant, saying things like "See, told you it would take us at least 45 min to get here. Why did you want to leave at 10?" and "It's only you and me right now, so I'm ok trying to get just you to leave the house on time. But when we have kids too, you gotta help me round up the troops. I can't have you dragging your feet too." A nods and says, "Yes, dear."

Finally at the meeting location, and A feels the need to honk at one of our fellowship members who's in the driveway helping another family unload their car. It's like "Ok, way to announce our late arrival, sweetie." We get inside the house and everyone screams surprise and all the kids are laughing hysterically on the floor. (I haven't gotten the idea yet because I'm distracted by the kids laughing hysterically on the floor) Then Alan says surprise to me and I'm like "Is this why you were trying to make us late this morning?!"

Anyways, it was a great surprise. The fellowship celebrated the upcoming birth of two families' babies that day (ours and another's). And I'm glad I didn't give A too hard a time that morning about being late. Which is surprising since I'm a stickler for time, but I guess I am learning to hold my tongue and be patient. Hehe...A  wouldn't agree with that last sentence. He's patient for putting up with me.

Week 29 - 17", 3.1 lbs

I am 10 weeks, 3 days until my due date. It sounds so close! But then again, I am about 5 weeks, 3 days from my thesis defense, so...

It's like after every meal, and even drink of water, I feel like my tummy can't hold anymore! Quite uncomfortable though understandable since I have a 17" long baby inside me! Craaazy!

Glucose screening & Braxton Hicks

I passed my 1-hr glucose tolerance screening, so that means no gestational diabetes (and no 3-hr test). Yay!

I was reading "What to Expect When You're Expecting" last night and came upon the part about Braxton Hicks contractions. So what I've been attributing to the baby rolling over (which was a sensation of pressure from the top of my uterus moving to the bottom) was probably actually a Braxton Hicks contraction. Apparently you can start feeling them after 20 weeks of pregnancy. They are just practice contractions for the real thing in a few months. Luckily, mine aren't painful :).

Bad dream

I think I had my first pregnancy/baby-related bad dream last night: I kept forgetting to feed the baby! Oi....

Weird or cool product?

The May issue of Parents Magazine featured some moms and dads who started their own companies based on baby products they developed at home. One product is called the Peekaru Original. It's a fleece vest that zips over a soft baby carrier (like the Baby Bjorn) and over the person wearing the carrier. It's kinda weird because it looks like you have baby's head growing out of your chest. But then it's cool because it does keep both the baby and person warm. What do you think?

Week 28 - 17", 2.9 lbs

I am officially in my third and final trimester. The past six months have gone by so fast! Our baby is about 17" (no longer measured crown-to-rump, but head-to-toe), which is close to how big he'll be when he's born, and almost 3 lbs. And boy, is space at a premium in the tummy area! Sometimes after I eat, I have trouble taking deep breaths because of everything pushing on my diaphragm. This trimester, the baby is beginning to turn in preparation for birth (head down toward cervix). Starting this week, I'll be visiting the OB/GYN every two weeks.

2nd wedding anniversary

Instead of going out to eat for our anniversary, my dear hubby made us a 3-course meal. It included an appetizer, main course, and two desserts (yum!).

First course: Stuffed mushrooms

Second course: Rack of lamb

And he doesn't even like lamb!!

That glass of red liquid was sparkling grape cider, by the way...

Last course: Chocolate-dipped strawberries and key lime pie

Great job! It was a meal to remember :).