HAPPY HALLOWEEN! The daycare at work had a Halloween parade, where all the kids got dressed up in costumes and walked around the courtyard. I didn't go outside to watch, but a bunch of people brought their kids back to the office, so I hear them running around and yelling every so often. Hard to believe in a year's time, my child could potentially be one of these kiddies participating in this overly commercialized holiday.
Today is my last day of work! WOOHOO!! I finally got in touch with the doctor's office yesterday, after playing phone tag with them for the past three days, and they faxed me a letter indicating I will be unable to work as of November 3, 2008. I was so happy they didn't give me any problems about it b/c I was talking to my other coworker (who's due a week after me), and she said that her doctor wouldn't sign her out unless there was a medical reason why she could no longer go to work (my justification: of course there's a medical reason... you're about to give birth!!).
Yesterday, my coworkers threw a surprise birthday shower for me and two other pregnant ladies due within three weeks of me. I was happy they combined it so that I wasn't the only one in the spotlight. They kept it pretty small though (I think just whoever was on our team) b/c a lot of people didn't know about it. In any case, it was nice of them to organize it... making this my fourth baby shower! I got a lot more clothes for the little one, some bottles, socks, crib sheets, and a wearable sleep blanket. And now that today is my last day of work, I don't have an excuse anymore not to finish preparing for the baby's arrival, like packing my hospital bag, getting the car seat inspected (not for my lack of trying... I left at least three messages for the Police Dept, and not once have they called me back to schedule an appointment), washing all her clothes, and disinfecting her room.
Last night, M and I attended a four-hour long CPR course and got certified - good for two years. We were originally interested in taking a course specifically teaching child and infant CPR, but we called up a bunch of places and none of them were offering it before my due date. We ended up registering for a class geared towards health care providers, covering adult, child, and infant CPR, as well as use of an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) and how to perform the Heimlich Maneuver. I found it useful, but don't know how comfortable I'd be to actually perform CPR or the Heimlich on an actual person if the need arose. The thought of breaking someone's rib cage while giving them chest compressions is a little disconcerting... but then again, with my strength (or lack of), I probably wouldn't be pressing down hard enough for the compressions to be effective. And who knows? All this knowledge will probably go out the door in a panic situation. Well, if anyone is interested, they mailed us two extra booklets and CDs covering the course materials... I can pass that on to whoever wants it.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Too Many Sweets
M arranged for some friends to come over this past Saturday to celebrate my birthday (belated), so on Friday night, he went into a baking frenzy, resulting in an extremely tall birthday cake and many many cupcakes. There were some cancellations at the last minute, so we didn't have as many people show up as originally expected. I'm not a big dessert person (except for cheesecake or creme brulee), but since there was so much of it (and M slaved over the kitchen making everything), I had more cake over the weekend than I normally would. We still ended up taking half the cake and a bunch of cupcakes to church on Sunday. Here are some pictures of M's masterpieces:
(The M&Ms on top of the cake are suppose to spell "H, B, E" for "Happy Birthday Eva.")
(The white on top of the strawberry-flavored cupcakes is really icing, not mayonnaise, despite much teasing from our friends.)
Yesterday, I went for my weekly checkup at the doctor's, and much to my dismay, I had gained four pounds from the week before! FOUR LBS!! In just ONE WEEK! I couldn't believe it! I didn't know that was even possible! I am absolutely convinced it was from the excess of sugar intake over the weekend, since my eating habit didn't change much during the week. I'm really bummed about it, considering I was doing so well up until this point (aside from the first trimester), but it's not like I can start dieting now. But at a minimum, I've told myself no more desserts or candy until after the baby's born. Unfortunately, I like my fruits too much to give that up, even though they are loaded with sugar.
Some other disappointments this week (and it's only Tuesday)...
- I mentioned to M this past weekend that I was interested in donating our baby's cord blood to a public cord blood bank (we had decided months ago that we would not invest in saving it for our own private use). He agreed, so yesterday I started doing some research on it. I called up the New Jersey Cord Blood Bank to find out what the process is, but was told it was too late b/c they require at least a month to process all the paperwork and get the approvals needed. Bummer...
- I just called up my company's short-term disability line to confirm that my claim has been approved and I can start my leave next week. I was told that the claim is still pending and that I am not automatically guaranteed two weeks off prior to my due date. Instead, I need a doctor to sign me out of work (which is contrary to what I was told over a month ago when I first filed the claim). Dealing with HR and the like has been so frustrating, to say the least. I find it ridiculous how I am told something different every time I call them up. I asked the supervisor on the phone what would have happened if I didn't call, since no one ever informed me I needed a doctor's note. She said that they would have contacted my doctor directly, and if the doctor doesn't sign me out, my claim would have been denied. I left a message for my doctor's office... hopefully they will be kind enough to write me the note.
I am not a happy camper right now, but M is right, it's not the end of the world. I need to take a step back and not let things affect me as much as they do. And prayer... lots and lots of prayer!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Why I Don't Like Politics
I am not a big fan of politics, and while I stay abreast (at a high-level) of what's going on with the presidential election, I am not one to be well-versed enough in all the issues that I can speak intelligently about them. However, an article on the NYTimes.com about the presidential candidates' health care plans this morning caught my eye, reaffirming my belief that politicians are all liars: "As Senators Barack Obama and John McCain battle over how best to control spending and cover the uninsured, they are both filling their speeches, advertisements and debating points with authoritative-sounding statistics about the money they would save and the millions of Americans they would cover. But the figures they cite are invariably the roughest of estimates, often derived by health economists with ideological leanings or financial conflicts. Over time, these forecasts have become so disparate and contradictory as to be almost meaningless." Meaningless... that word pretty much sums up how I feel about politics and this entire election. It's become more of a popularity contest than anything else, to be won by whoever is the more eloquent speaker and able to convince voters that his lies are the truth.
Working at a pharmaceutical company, I must admit that I have been brainwashed to a certain extent, defending this industry (and my company specifically) in retaliation to most people's insistence that drug companies are evil due to the high costs charged for brand-name drugs. That's why seeing any article or excerpt on health care reform, health plans, or prescription medicine would naturally draw my attention. The bottom line is, no one can predict how well these candidates' health care plans would work. "Even the economists behind the forecasts say it makes them uncomfortable to hear candidates assert their numbers as indisputable fact... What they are modeling, they emphasize, is ultimately unknowable. And the transformational nature of both candidates’ health care plans means that they can only guess at the future behavior of consumers, employers and insurers." It is best to just understand what each candidate's plans are, the feasibility of implementing it, and whether we think it will help the country. We ought to apply our own judgment and not simply rely on what the candidates are telling us as fact.
Despite my cynicism towards politics, I am still planning to vote on November 4, 2008. Neither candidate has done much to "wow" me, so it would just be a matter of choosing the lesser of the two evils. I have my own opinion on who that is, but since I'm not prepared to enter into a debate with anyone, I'll just keep that little tidbit to myself.
Working at a pharmaceutical company, I must admit that I have been brainwashed to a certain extent, defending this industry (and my company specifically) in retaliation to most people's insistence that drug companies are evil due to the high costs charged for brand-name drugs. That's why seeing any article or excerpt on health care reform, health plans, or prescription medicine would naturally draw my attention. The bottom line is, no one can predict how well these candidates' health care plans would work. "Even the economists behind the forecasts say it makes them uncomfortable to hear candidates assert their numbers as indisputable fact... What they are modeling, they emphasize, is ultimately unknowable. And the transformational nature of both candidates’ health care plans means that they can only guess at the future behavior of consumers, employers and insurers." It is best to just understand what each candidate's plans are, the feasibility of implementing it, and whether we think it will help the country. We ought to apply our own judgment and not simply rely on what the candidates are telling us as fact.
Despite my cynicism towards politics, I am still planning to vote on November 4, 2008. Neither candidate has done much to "wow" me, so it would just be a matter of choosing the lesser of the two evils. I have my own opinion on who that is, but since I'm not prepared to enter into a debate with anyone, I'll just keep that little tidbit to myself.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Banana Diet
There's an interesting article on Yahoo News about a new diet fad in Japan that has resulted in a shortage of bananas throughout the country. Supply for this fruit cannot keep up with the increase in demand, even with an increase in imports by upward of 25%. "The Morning Banana Diet regime is simple: A banana (or as many as you want) and room temperature water for breakfast; eat anything you like for lunch and dinner (by 8 p.m.). A three o'clock snack is okay, but no desserts after meals, and you have to go to bed before midnight." Apparently, this has proven to work for some people in Japan, but there are so many other variables to consider. If you're already eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, chances are limiting your breakfast intake to only bananas won't have much of an effect.
In any case, this diet seems harmless enough, but when I read about a 21-year old university student weighing less than 100 pounds ("[she] is so slim that her waist is swimming in Zara's smallest size XS skirt") trying to get into this diet, I just get disgusted. I'm sure the girl already looks anorexic, and yet she is trying to slim herself down even more. If she lost any more weight, there'd be nothing left! I don't understand it... I just don't. But then again, I suppose self-esteem is all about how we view ourselves, not about how others view us. The article goes on the say that this is a fad that will probably go away in a month or so, similar to the many other diets that have come and gone.
In any case, this diet seems harmless enough, but when I read about a 21-year old university student weighing less than 100 pounds ("[she] is so slim that her waist is swimming in Zara's smallest size XS skirt") trying to get into this diet, I just get disgusted. I'm sure the girl already looks anorexic, and yet she is trying to slim herself down even more. If she lost any more weight, there'd be nothing left! I don't understand it... I just don't. But then again, I suppose self-esteem is all about how we view ourselves, not about how others view us. The article goes on the say that this is a fad that will probably go away in a month or so, similar to the many other diets that have come and gone.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Sunday Happenings
After Sunday School yesterday, we headed over to WC's baby shower in Confucious Plaza. It was like deja vu, b/c some of the food was exactly the same as what we had the day before at church (consisting of Singapore mei fun, beef chow fun, fried rice). M stayed away from the Chinese take-out since he said he'd had enough of it already (and we still have half a tray of beef chow fun sitting in the refrigerator at home). It was good b/c they also varied the menu with pasta, salad, what looked like a 10-foot long sub, cookies, jello, and candy.
One of the games played was where NW (WC's hubby) had to compete with another guest to see who would be able to change a baby's diaper (using a doll, not a real baby), dress the baby, feed it, swaddle it, and return it to the stroller faster. It seems that NW is ready for fatherhood, as he was able to beat MU (KF's soon-to-be-hubby) in the competition. My M also got suckered into the game, but he failed miserably, neglecting to feed the baby and swaddle it before putting it back into the stroller. I hope this is not a sign of how his parenting skills will be!
After WC's baby shower, we contemplated on driving up to my brother's place for AM, AL, and GC's birthday party, but it was already late in the afternoon and we still had to stop by my in-law's place beforehand, so we decided against it. I had made M promise he wouldn't get me any flowers this year for my birthday (we have to save up for the little one now!), so as a compromise, I agreed that we'd go out for dinner. After the pit stop to see the mother-in-law, we took a stroll up to Balthazar on Spring Street. I had a feeling it was going to be crowded, but M was confident they wouldn't be too busy on a Sunday night, so we went there w/o any reservations. Naturally, I was right, and we were told the wait would be an hour and a half; we said thanks, but no thanks. Plan B was to head towards Lombardi's for some good old fashion brick oven pizza. It was already a bad sign as we were approaching the restaurant and saw loads of people loitering at the corner of Mott and Spring Street, but when we got there, the entrance was so crowded we couldn't even get into the door to ask about the wait, so scrap that idea! Finally, I suggested Cafe Habana, this tiny diner-type place on the corner of Elizabeth and Prince Street... it wasn't anything fancy, but it's always populated and seemed to serve good authentic Cuban food. We used to pass by it all the time on Sunday mornings when we parked around Elizabeth Street, and M always mentioned wanting to try it, but we never got a chance to. As luck would have it, they had a vacant table for two near the door, so that's where we ended up having my birthday dinner. The place itself was a bit too cramped and the music too loud for my taste, but the food was decent and not over-priced - that's enough for me to go back there again.
One of the games played was where NW (WC's hubby) had to compete with another guest to see who would be able to change a baby's diaper (using a doll, not a real baby), dress the baby, feed it, swaddle it, and return it to the stroller faster. It seems that NW is ready for fatherhood, as he was able to beat MU (KF's soon-to-be-hubby) in the competition. My M also got suckered into the game, but he failed miserably, neglecting to feed the baby and swaddle it before putting it back into the stroller. I hope this is not a sign of how his parenting skills will be!
After WC's baby shower, we contemplated on driving up to my brother's place for AM, AL, and GC's birthday party, but it was already late in the afternoon and we still had to stop by my in-law's place beforehand, so we decided against it. I had made M promise he wouldn't get me any flowers this year for my birthday (we have to save up for the little one now!), so as a compromise, I agreed that we'd go out for dinner. After the pit stop to see the mother-in-law, we took a stroll up to Balthazar on Spring Street. I had a feeling it was going to be crowded, but M was confident they wouldn't be too busy on a Sunday night, so we went there w/o any reservations. Naturally, I was right, and we were told the wait would be an hour and a half; we said thanks, but no thanks. Plan B was to head towards Lombardi's for some good old fashion brick oven pizza. It was already a bad sign as we were approaching the restaurant and saw loads of people loitering at the corner of Mott and Spring Street, but when we got there, the entrance was so crowded we couldn't even get into the door to ask about the wait, so scrap that idea! Finally, I suggested Cafe Habana, this tiny diner-type place on the corner of Elizabeth and Prince Street... it wasn't anything fancy, but it's always populated and seemed to serve good authentic Cuban food. We used to pass by it all the time on Sunday mornings when we parked around Elizabeth Street, and M always mentioned wanting to try it, but we never got a chance to. As luck would have it, they had a vacant table for two near the door, so that's where we ended up having my birthday dinner. The place itself was a bit too cramped and the music too loud for my taste, but the food was decent and not over-priced - that's enough for me to go back there again.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
My Third Baby Shower
After choir practice today, I was ready to head downstairs to the basement at church for lunch, but M tells me that lunch for the English choir was upstairs on the second floor. Not thinking anything of it, I proceeded up the steps. Once I opened the door, everything was pitch black and I was about to tell M lunch was in the basement when I hear "SURPRISE!" and all the lights came on. Apparently, my surprise baby shower has been in the works for about a month now, much to my oblivion. I couldn't believe M succeeded in keeping this from me all this time, not to mention everyone at church! Or maybe I am just so completely out of it that they could've been talking about it in front of my face and I wouldn't know. Either way, it was a wonderful surprise, and once again, I am reminded of how blessed I am to have so many friends in my life to share in the joy and love of our upcoming baby.
Like my first shower, this one was limited to just the ladies (with the exception of M). All the husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons were sent down the basement (they really were serving lunch down there). Again, everyone was overly generous with the gifts. Between family and friends, this baby now has more clothes than I possibly know what to do with! I'm afraid she won't even get a chance to wear half the stuff she got. Instead of a diaper cake, I got a onesie cake this time (which I've never seen before), made with tons of onesies for our little one, some trial size baby shampoo, baby body wash, baby oil, baby powder, a bib, a binky, and a wrist rattle. Her closet is so full now that M and I are talking about going to Ikea next week to pick up a dresser for her. That way, we can also stop by Babies 'R Us to buy the remaining necessities for her and save a little on tax (3.5% tax in Elizabeth as oppose to 7% everywhere else in NJ). We'll have to see how late it gets after our church's 120th anniversary celebration next Saturday.
Like my first shower, this one was limited to just the ladies (with the exception of M). All the husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons were sent down the basement (they really were serving lunch down there). Again, everyone was overly generous with the gifts. Between family and friends, this baby now has more clothes than I possibly know what to do with! I'm afraid she won't even get a chance to wear half the stuff she got. Instead of a diaper cake, I got a onesie cake this time (which I've never seen before), made with tons of onesies for our little one, some trial size baby shampoo, baby body wash, baby oil, baby powder, a bib, a binky, and a wrist rattle. Her closet is so full now that M and I are talking about going to Ikea next week to pick up a dresser for her. That way, we can also stop by Babies 'R Us to buy the remaining necessities for her and save a little on tax (3.5% tax in Elizabeth as oppose to 7% everywhere else in NJ). We'll have to see how late it gets after our church's 120th anniversary celebration next Saturday.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Sleep Deprivation
Many people have warned us that we will not be able to get any sleep once the baby is born (as expected). What they really should have warned me about is that sleep deprivation starts weeks before the baby is out (at least it did for me). I can't remember the last time I've had a good night's rest. Nowadays, I wake up in the middle of the night either b/c I can't get into a comfortable position, or I have to pee, or there are just too many random thoughts running through my mind. Regardless of the cause, I am exhausted by the time morning rolls around. It's all by God's grace that I am able to function at all during the day. I suppose one can look at this as good practice for when we'll need to be up at all hours of the night for the baby's feeding... but then again, it's not like you really need any practice for insomnia.
Almost five weeks left! That's 38 more days to go! If only they instituted nap time at work, my day would be made, but alas, no such luck! In the meantime, I shall look forward to my last day of work, October 31st... only another three weeks to go! After that, I'll have the liberty of sleeping in as late as I want (at least until the baby is born). It'll be nice to finally get rid of this lethargy that's consuming me right now.
Almost five weeks left! That's 38 more days to go! If only they instituted nap time at work, my day would be made, but alas, no such luck! In the meantime, I shall look forward to my last day of work, October 31st... only another three weeks to go! After that, I'll have the liberty of sleeping in as late as I want (at least until the baby is born). It'll be nice to finally get rid of this lethargy that's consuming me right now.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
A Busy Month
I hadn't realized how packed our schedule is for the month of October until now. It started off on a not-so-positive note, being that M got sick all of a sudden last Thursday. He went to the doctor on Friday and they diagnosed him with labyrinthitis, a condition in his inner ear that causes imbalance of the body, often accompanied by nausea and dizziness. M was prescribed some motion sickness medicine to treat the symptoms, but otherwise, this condition is suppose to go away on its own. It's only been a couple of days, but he seems to be doing much better now. I still wouldn't put him behind the wheel for at least another week though, just in case.
On Saturday, the family came over for my second baby shower (which meant we were busy cleaning the house and preparing the food on Friday night). Since M wasn't feeling well, I helped out more than I probably should've, scrubbing the bathroom sink, cleaning the dishes, making dessert (I didn't even get to try any of my brownies!), etc. Fortunately, M's mom and brother bought over most of the meat to barbecue, so at least we didn't have to prepare that portion of it. My side of the family also came over (except my mom, who had to work). It's nice to gather everyone together once in a while, but it sure is tiring work.
For the next two weekends in a row, M and I will have to make a trip out to Chinatown on both Saturday and Sunday (we're still contemplating whether or not to stay over at my parent's place on Saturday). We'll need to come out on the 11th for choir practice to prepare for the song we're singing the following Saturday, October 18, which is our church's 120th anniversary celebration. On October 12, we have WC's baby shower to attend (which I'm already planning to skip choir practice in order to make it there at a decent hour). And after WC's baby shower, we'll be heading up to my brother's place for AM, AL, and GC's birthday celebration (all three toddlers born within a week of each other)... if the party's still going on. On the 19th, we have our church election, which means we'll be staying late at church until all the votes are counted since M is one of ballot counters. Fortunately, October 25th looks free as of now. Hopefully we can keep it that way.
In the meantime, some things we still need to do in preparation for the arrival of Baby Y (in no particular order):
On Saturday, the family came over for my second baby shower (which meant we were busy cleaning the house and preparing the food on Friday night). Since M wasn't feeling well, I helped out more than I probably should've, scrubbing the bathroom sink, cleaning the dishes, making dessert (I didn't even get to try any of my brownies!), etc. Fortunately, M's mom and brother bought over most of the meat to barbecue, so at least we didn't have to prepare that portion of it. My side of the family also came over (except my mom, who had to work). It's nice to gather everyone together once in a while, but it sure is tiring work.
For the next two weekends in a row, M and I will have to make a trip out to Chinatown on both Saturday and Sunday (we're still contemplating whether or not to stay over at my parent's place on Saturday). We'll need to come out on the 11th for choir practice to prepare for the song we're singing the following Saturday, October 18, which is our church's 120th anniversary celebration. On October 12, we have WC's baby shower to attend (which I'm already planning to skip choir practice in order to make it there at a decent hour). And after WC's baby shower, we'll be heading up to my brother's place for AM, AL, and GC's birthday celebration (all three toddlers born within a week of each other)... if the party's still going on. On the 19th, we have our church election, which means we'll be staying late at church until all the votes are counted since M is one of ballot counters. Fortunately, October 25th looks free as of now. Hopefully we can keep it that way.
In the meantime, some things we still need to do in preparation for the arrival of Baby Y (in no particular order):
- prepare hospital bag
- install infant car seats and get them inspected
- wash all baby clothes, sheets, blankets, etc.
- clean baby's room (disinfect crib, bassinet, etc.)
- do test drives to the hospital at various times of the day
- come up with baby's first name
- read up on breastfeeding
And I'm sure there are other things I'm missing. Hopefully this baby will cooperate and be born +/- 2 days of her due date so we have some time to get all this stuff done.
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