Chloe
Ethan
Thursday, December 20, 2012
The Family Artiste
I am collecting and documenting these earlier masterpieces
from our budding artist. Just in case
she gets famous in the future and these may be worth a few pennies. This one was created in the evening hours of
Wednesday, December 19, 2012. It
features Daddy, Mommy, and Ethan, who all look quite sad and/or angry. Daddy also looks a little (or a lot) disheveled
with spots on his face and a 5 o’clock shadow.
The water mark on the top right corner makes this all the more
authentic.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
3-Year and 9-Month Stats
Chloe and Ethan had their checkups scheduled for the same day on 12/14/12. Here are their current stats.
Chloe at 3-years-old:
29.25 lbs = 13th percentile
35.25 inches = 35th percentile
She grew 2 inches and almost 5 pounds in one year.
Ethan at 9-months-old:
18 lb 13 oz = 34th percentile
28 in = 34th percentile
45 cm head circumference
He grew 2.75 inches and 3 pounds in three months.
Way to grow kids!
Chloe at 3-years-old:
29.25 lbs = 13th percentile
35.25 inches = 35th percentile
She grew 2 inches and almost 5 pounds in one year.
Ethan at 9-months-old:
18 lb 13 oz = 34th percentile
28 in = 34th percentile
45 cm head circumference
He grew 2.75 inches and 3 pounds in three months.
Way to grow kids!
Monday, November 26, 2012
Monday, November 19, 2012
Chloe's 1st School Portraits
My baby girl took her first official school portraits on October 8, 2012. I can't believe how quickly she is growing up. I must remember to pause from my busy work every now and then to savor up the moments of my child's life.
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Since picture day happened to be Columbus Day and Ethan's daycare center was closed for the holiday, Ethan came along with me to his Big Sister's school to help Big Sister with her outfit and hair. While there, we saw that other parents had brought siblings to take pictures with their school kids. One mother even joined in and took some portraits with her sons! Following their lead, I put Ethan in for a few poses as well. All the pictures came out really nicely. Here is a collage of a few of my favorites.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween from Ethan the Dragon and Chloe the Chicken! A home-made chicken. Grandma made the costume.
Wednesday, October 03, 2012
Random Chloe Moments/Sayings
10/3/12: We were singing "If you're happy and you know it snap your fingers" in the car on the way to school, she said "My hand is too small I can't snap my fingers."
9/17/12: Tucked her in FOR THE 3RD TIME tonight and yet she still found another excuse to get out of bed. "Mommy, got to hug and kiss first.".
9/13/12: She finally mastered how to do 2 and 3 with her fingers. And since she already knew how to do 1, 4 and 5, I threw her a curve ball and asked her to do 6. Her face turned really serious and she shook her head and said, "No, you can't do 6."
8/14/12: Tutu, ballerina slippers, leg warmers, fisherman hat, and the shirt she was already wearing today. She put all that together and said "I'm a princess. You like it Mommy?"
9/17/12: Tucked her in FOR THE 3RD TIME tonight and yet she still found another excuse to get out of bed. "Mommy, got to hug and kiss first.".
9/13/12: She finally mastered how to do 2 and 3 with her fingers. And since she already knew how to do 1, 4 and 5, I threw her a curve ball and asked her to do 6. Her face turned really serious and she shook her head and said, "No, you can't do 6."
8/14/12: Tutu, ballerina slippers, leg warmers, fisherman hat, and the shirt she was already wearing today. She put all that together and said "I'm a princess. You like it Mommy?"
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Ethan's 1st Haircut
Ethan got his first haircut a day before he turned 6 months. His hair stylist was no other than his loving Bachan. He started off cooperating very nicely. He sat in his Bumble seat and let Bachan move his head this way and that way to shave and cut. Big sister Chloe helped by spraying water on his hair, both when asked for and when not. Then about 3/4 of the way through, he started fussing and wanted out. I held him in my arms to let Bachan finish up the task. And now he proudly rocks his new hairdo, looking sharper and cuter than ever.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
The Family Rivalry
When Mommy is a San Francisco Giants fan and Daddy is an Oakland A's fan, the kids get caught in the crossfire.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Thursday, April 05, 2012
Note: I started drafting the following entry on Friday, March 9th. I didn't post it right away because I was allowing myself another day or two to collect more thoughts about the pregnancy. Little did I know at the time that another day or two later ETF would already be born and I would have no time to post the entry before my pregnancy was over. Here is the blog entry as it was drafted on Friday March 9, 2012 (two days before ETF was born) and now posted on Thursday, April 5, 2012 (25 days after ETF was born).
Random Thoughts About This Pregnancy (written Friday, March 9, 2012)
1. More queasiness in the first trimester as compared to last pregnancy. Last pregnancy was pretty much symptom-free. This time around I was constantly tired during the first few months. I also felt dizzy. In fact, now I sometimes get reminded of those feelings of dizziness if I do something I had done in the first trimester. For example, during my first trimester Chloe watched a lot of "Wonder Pets" on Netflix. Then she stopped watching this show for a while. Recently she asked to watch it again. I sat with her to watch it and interestingly I had a deja vu feeling of the dizziness again. No, it's not the show that gets me dizzy, it's the reminder of my first trimester.
2. Both Randy and I have not been able to enjoy this pregnancy as much as last time and the reason is Chloe. She is taking our attention away with her needs. This is vastly unlike last time when we had no kid to attend to and we were 100% focused on the pregnancy. This time I wonder if we are even 50% focused. For me, maybe. But for Randy, probably much less since he's taking on caring for Chloe more.
3. Since it's sort of a been-there-done-that experience, the experience this time is definitely less novel or unique. Not only to us, but for people around us as well. I guess that's the unfairness associated with being #2. Sorry ETF.
4. At around the same time I got pregnant, my company announced it was going into bankruptcy reorganization. After months of speculation of what is going to happen, now the company is in the process of transferring ownership to our three primary creditors. Rumors also have it that the new owners are simultaneously in the process of selling our flagship station in the SF market to another company. My job duties span across 3 stations in SF - the flagship station rumored to be being sold and two smaller ethnic stations for which I take on a main role in their operations. It's not over-exaggerating to say the reason these two other stations function so smoothly is because of me. But...as they say in business, nothing/no one is irreplaceable. With the new owners taking charge, no one in the company is safe from being replaced or all out eliminated.
The dark cloud of possibly losing my job has been hanging over me since the beginning of this pregnancy. As optimistic as I am, I am also realistic. With two mouths to feed plus a mortgage to pay, Randy and I cannot afford losing one income. I started to look for a new job back in September (still within my first trimester) to hedge against being laid off. I had a good interview with one company who seemed very interested in me. But for whatever reason they dragged their feet in the hiring process and didn't reach out to me again until late December. They were ready to offer me the job with the caveat of needing me to travel for training in late January, which would have been well into my third trimester. Not sure whether or not I should travel in my third trimester plus the uncertainty of insurance benefits with a new company (whether or not paid maternity kicks in right away) plus having to take a lot of time off for doctor visits during the probation period as a new hire, etc etc all pointed to changing jobs in my third trimester as NOT being a good idea. So this company and I came to a mutual agreement that we will delay the prospect of me joining their team until I am done with my maternity leave. We agreed to reconvene when I'm ready and see where things are for both parties. So...due to no fault of ETF's....it's just all a big "bad timing", I couldn't seize the opportunity for a new job even though I was proactive in looking for one.
When news of the bankruptcy first broke, I wasn't sure how quickly I will lose my job and subsequently my insurance coverage. Will this drag on long enough for me to go into the delivery room with my current insurance? If I have to jump over to Randy's insurance, will we have enough time to get the change processed? Will I have to change doctor and hospital affiliation because Randy is on a totally different network? All those were my concerns earlier in my pregnancy and the company's bankruptcy proceedings. Now that we are already in the calendar month of ETF's arrival, I can rest easier knowing that I can go into the delivery room with insurance coverage with my own doctor at our chosen hospital. This is one big financial relief. However, as I prepare to go on maternity leave, the idea of possibly not having a job to return to still lingers. All these worked together in the last many months to darken the mood of happily awaiting the arrival of a new baby.
Post Note: Last week my work formally informed me that I will be retained at my job after the bankruptcy proceedings are over. Even though our flagship station will be sold, I am needed to run the remaining two ethnic stations. I will be retained at my current salary and benefits. The dark cloud of possibly losing my job has finally passed and I lived to say I have weathered the storm.
Random Thoughts About This Pregnancy (written Friday, March 9, 2012)
1. More queasiness in the first trimester as compared to last pregnancy. Last pregnancy was pretty much symptom-free. This time around I was constantly tired during the first few months. I also felt dizzy. In fact, now I sometimes get reminded of those feelings of dizziness if I do something I had done in the first trimester. For example, during my first trimester Chloe watched a lot of "Wonder Pets" on Netflix. Then she stopped watching this show for a while. Recently she asked to watch it again. I sat with her to watch it and interestingly I had a deja vu feeling of the dizziness again. No, it's not the show that gets me dizzy, it's the reminder of my first trimester.
2. Both Randy and I have not been able to enjoy this pregnancy as much as last time and the reason is Chloe. She is taking our attention away with her needs. This is vastly unlike last time when we had no kid to attend to and we were 100% focused on the pregnancy. This time I wonder if we are even 50% focused. For me, maybe. But for Randy, probably much less since he's taking on caring for Chloe more.
3. Since it's sort of a been-there-done-that experience, the experience this time is definitely less novel or unique. Not only to us, but for people around us as well. I guess that's the unfairness associated with being #2. Sorry ETF.
4. At around the same time I got pregnant, my company announced it was going into bankruptcy reorganization. After months of speculation of what is going to happen, now the company is in the process of transferring ownership to our three primary creditors. Rumors also have it that the new owners are simultaneously in the process of selling our flagship station in the SF market to another company. My job duties span across 3 stations in SF - the flagship station rumored to be being sold and two smaller ethnic stations for which I take on a main role in their operations. It's not over-exaggerating to say the reason these two other stations function so smoothly is because of me. But...as they say in business, nothing/no one is irreplaceable. With the new owners taking charge, no one in the company is safe from being replaced or all out eliminated.
The dark cloud of possibly losing my job has been hanging over me since the beginning of this pregnancy. As optimistic as I am, I am also realistic. With two mouths to feed plus a mortgage to pay, Randy and I cannot afford losing one income. I started to look for a new job back in September (still within my first trimester) to hedge against being laid off. I had a good interview with one company who seemed very interested in me. But for whatever reason they dragged their feet in the hiring process and didn't reach out to me again until late December. They were ready to offer me the job with the caveat of needing me to travel for training in late January, which would have been well into my third trimester. Not sure whether or not I should travel in my third trimester plus the uncertainty of insurance benefits with a new company (whether or not paid maternity kicks in right away) plus having to take a lot of time off for doctor visits during the probation period as a new hire, etc etc all pointed to changing jobs in my third trimester as NOT being a good idea. So this company and I came to a mutual agreement that we will delay the prospect of me joining their team until I am done with my maternity leave. We agreed to reconvene when I'm ready and see where things are for both parties. So...due to no fault of ETF's....it's just all a big "bad timing", I couldn't seize the opportunity for a new job even though I was proactive in looking for one.
When news of the bankruptcy first broke, I wasn't sure how quickly I will lose my job and subsequently my insurance coverage. Will this drag on long enough for me to go into the delivery room with my current insurance? If I have to jump over to Randy's insurance, will we have enough time to get the change processed? Will I have to change doctor and hospital affiliation because Randy is on a totally different network? All those were my concerns earlier in my pregnancy and the company's bankruptcy proceedings. Now that we are already in the calendar month of ETF's arrival, I can rest easier knowing that I can go into the delivery room with insurance coverage with my own doctor at our chosen hospital. This is one big financial relief. However, as I prepare to go on maternity leave, the idea of possibly not having a job to return to still lingers. All these worked together in the last many months to darken the mood of happily awaiting the arrival of a new baby.
Post Note: Last week my work formally informed me that I will be retained at my job after the bankruptcy proceedings are over. Even though our flagship station will be sold, I am needed to run the remaining two ethnic stations. I will be retained at my current salary and benefits. The dark cloud of possibly losing my job has finally passed and I lived to say I have weathered the storm.
Friday, March 09, 2012
ETF
In less than 2 weeks, the newest addition to our family will be joining us. While his official due date is 3/30/12 (Daddy's birthday), we have a planned C-section scheduled for 3/23/12. Today, at 37 weeks gestation, he is already head down and in position to come out. With my achy body and inability to sleep comfortably, I'm ready for him to come out at any time. I feel like I've been pregnant forever and wouldn't mind just getting it over with sooner rather than later. He has also been kicking a lot lately. At times I feel like he will puncture my water sack with his constant kicking. That's what happened with Chloe when she came 10 days early. Who's to say little brother will not follow suit.
However, there are downsides to having him early. They are:
1. I'm still slated to work one more week. So I have had no rest yet.
2. Having him out means having an alarm clock that sounds every 2-3 hours. But this is bound to happen anyway, whether it starts now or 2 weeks from now. This could very well fall under the "get it done sooner rather than later" category.
3. If he comes unexpectedly, he may not be delivered by my doctor, Dr. Stephanie Chun. We were very fortunately to have Dr. Chun perform Chloe's C-section 2 years ago. She happened to be on duty the time my delivery had to take place. (After 18 hours of labor, the shift had actually just changed from Dr. Shu to Dr. Chun.) Dr. Chun did an extraordinary job. My incision point was clean. I had had no infections or side effects from the surgery. I healed quickly and nicely from her great handy work. She also has a very soothing and warm demeanor that makes her patients feel comfortable. Plus, she was nice enough to let us schedule ETF's C-section on her birthday, a day she originally planned to have off. (We chose 3/23 because that is the earliest date allowed by either insurance or the medical board based on the official due date.)
Since Dr. Chun has been my primary OB, I'm less familiar/comfortable with the other 3 others on her team. I know for a fact that one of them, Dr. Hu, is brand new. She joined the practice just this year. Her experience definitely lacks behind that of Dr. Chun's, who's been in this practice for many years. On the opposite end of that spectrum is Dr. Shu, she's been in the practice even longer than Dr. Chun, thus making her the most experienced doctor on the team. However, she has a drill sergeant-like demeanor that is hated by many, including all the nurses in the hospital and myself. She speaks with a condescending tone and makes people around her feel inferior. Whenever I asked her questions, she often answered in a way that made me feel like those were stupid questions to ask. The last doctor, Dr. Chu, falls somewhere in between Dr. Chun and Dr. Shu both in terms of her years of experience and her personality. If ETF does indeed come early, we will have to take whichever doctor happens to be on duty.
Point #3 is probably the biggest downside to ETF coming early. #1 and #2 are things we can deal with. #3 relates to the quality of care we will receive so it's of greater significance. But hey, #3 may end up being a non-factor if we are lucky enough to end up with Dr. Chun again. The chance of that is 1 in 4. We hit that 25% jackpot last time with Chloe's delivery. Let's see what our luck is like this time around.
However, there are downsides to having him early. They are:
1. I'm still slated to work one more week. So I have had no rest yet.
2. Having him out means having an alarm clock that sounds every 2-3 hours. But this is bound to happen anyway, whether it starts now or 2 weeks from now. This could very well fall under the "get it done sooner rather than later" category.
3. If he comes unexpectedly, he may not be delivered by my doctor, Dr. Stephanie Chun. We were very fortunately to have Dr. Chun perform Chloe's C-section 2 years ago. She happened to be on duty the time my delivery had to take place. (After 18 hours of labor, the shift had actually just changed from Dr. Shu to Dr. Chun.) Dr. Chun did an extraordinary job. My incision point was clean. I had had no infections or side effects from the surgery. I healed quickly and nicely from her great handy work. She also has a very soothing and warm demeanor that makes her patients feel comfortable. Plus, she was nice enough to let us schedule ETF's C-section on her birthday, a day she originally planned to have off. (We chose 3/23 because that is the earliest date allowed by either insurance or the medical board based on the official due date.)
Since Dr. Chun has been my primary OB, I'm less familiar/comfortable with the other 3 others on her team. I know for a fact that one of them, Dr. Hu, is brand new. She joined the practice just this year. Her experience definitely lacks behind that of Dr. Chun's, who's been in this practice for many years. On the opposite end of that spectrum is Dr. Shu, she's been in the practice even longer than Dr. Chun, thus making her the most experienced doctor on the team. However, she has a drill sergeant-like demeanor that is hated by many, including all the nurses in the hospital and myself. She speaks with a condescending tone and makes people around her feel inferior. Whenever I asked her questions, she often answered in a way that made me feel like those were stupid questions to ask. The last doctor, Dr. Chu, falls somewhere in between Dr. Chun and Dr. Shu both in terms of her years of experience and her personality. If ETF does indeed come early, we will have to take whichever doctor happens to be on duty.
Point #3 is probably the biggest downside to ETF coming early. #1 and #2 are things we can deal with. #3 relates to the quality of care we will receive so it's of greater significance. But hey, #3 may end up being a non-factor if we are lucky enough to end up with Dr. Chun again. The chance of that is 1 in 4. We hit that 25% jackpot last time with Chloe's delivery. Let's see what our luck is like this time around.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
Happy Lunar New Year - Year of the Dragon!
. 新年快乐
. 恭喜发财
. 龙马精神
. 生意兴隆
. 万事如意
. 金银满屋
. 心想事成
. 财源广进
. 万事胜意
. 如鱼得水
. 青春常驻
. 梦想成真
. 新春大吉
. 一帆风顺
. 一本万利
. 如意吉祥
. 身体健康
. 学业进步
. 龙年吉祥
. 事事如意
. 货如轮转
. 步步高升
. 要乜有乜
. 笑口常开
. 发财好事
. 大吉大利
. 买乜升乜
. 合家平安
. 横财就手
. 出入平安
. 五福临门
. 招财进宝
. 旗开得胜
. 百业兴旺
. 大展鸿图
. 得心应手
. 官运亨通
. 老少平安
. 福星高照
. 富贵双全
. 吉星拱照
. 人兴财旺
. 东成西就
. 从心所欲
. 恭贺新禧
. 飞黄腾达
. 龙马精神
. 万事如意. 金银满屋
. 迎春接福
. 如意吉祥. !
祝你
2012㊗龙年快乐㊗
恭-贺-新-禧
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
A Beautiful Story
Mom reunites with biological child 77 years later (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/01/02/national/a121653S70.DTL)
I read this heartwarming story over breakfast this morning. It put a smile on my face. It's rare to find happy stories on the news. When I do find one, I can't help but to share it with others.
Enjoy.
I read this heartwarming story over breakfast this morning. It put a smile on my face. It's rare to find happy stories on the news. When I do find one, I can't help but to share it with others.
Enjoy.
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