Since we are waiting to find out if we’re having a boy or girl, everyone asks what we think it will be. I go back and forth on this one. According to the Ancient Chinese Birth Gender Predictor, we will be having a girl. But my in-laws, who are Chinese, say I will be having a boy. In fact, most everyone I meet, including strangers, say I’m having a boy.
After getting hooked on reading a lady named Dawn’s blog all day yesterday, I am inspired to rethink about my romantic notions of children. Of course, my excitement for our baby is authentically painted with love and happiness, but reading story after hilarious story about this woman’s life with her six children has made me remember that parenthood will be more than just cuddling a cute baby. Much more. Especially the more critters one has.
Well, I am gearing up for the adventure, and I’m so glad we are starting out with just one. Hopefully by the 2nd and maybe 3rd child, we will have learned from our mistakes with the 1st one (poor kid). But Dawn also inspires me to keep a sense of humor about life. I hope she will be able to finish her book. Gotta get my hands on a copy! I enjoy her perspective on the chaos that comes with child rearing. If you’re up for a laugh, check out her blog. I particularly enjoyed the entry about butt paste (Aug 28), and also her resignation letter to her husband (Aug 7). Also, her entries on July 10th (about pineapple) and July 2nd (things she’s learned)! I had to run to the bathroom to keep from peeing my pants!
Here’s another movie of Rachel’s boys and our trip to the Oregon Zoo. We originally planned to hit the Children’s Museum, but the nice lady at the admission desk warned me that it’s really meant for toddlers through 7 year olds. Yikes. Good to know (Luke, Jesse, and Stephen are ages 8-11). So we walked across the parking lot and spent a fun afternoon at the zoo instead.
For the past couple of years, my friend Rachel’s boys have come to Washington for a summer visit. Being that they live in Montana (sniff sniff), I was granted the opportunity to take them out for a day of fun while they were here visiting family in our neck of the woods. The following is a movie of our trip to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, aka OMSI.
A year ago in August, we flew to California for our cousin Kevin’s wedding. Since I’ve completed my scrapbook projects for now, I’ve been editing video projects that have been on the back burner, obviously, for a long time. So the following movie is our adventures misadventures in trying to rent a car upon our arrival at LAX.
“The pregnant body produces a hormone called relaxin. This is what loosens the pelvis making it mobile to help your baby be born. However, this can also cause waddling! I also refer to this as “feeling like a Barbie with her legs pulled off.” This is only temporary, and while it may be a pain now, come birth time you’ll be rather grateful!” – Pregnancy Week by Week
It’s little nuggets of information like this that help me feel less embarrassed about my body during pregnancy. I laugh about it rather than let it stress me out- usually (I am hormonal sometimes and can cry about anything on a bad day).
I love the tropics! Especially Maui since our honeymoon was there. And I love the flowers there, specifically Hibiscus flowers. In college, my roommate, Iruru, had a beautiful red one, and since then, I’ve been keeping my eye out to buy one for myself. So yesterday, when I found some at New Season’s, I was so excited! David bought me one for my birthday, and I’m so happy every time I look out the window to see the gorgeous blooms on my porch.
Rachel and I figured out we’ve known each other for 11 years now – since before her first son out of three was born. Now that she’s moved to Montana, married a great guy, and has a daughter, it was time for a visit.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, it was difficult to sleep on the hard beds in China (I didn’t like that a third of the trip was spent in rooms with two separate single beds either. I had David push them together one night). But there were other factors that disturbed sleep just about every night while there.
But now that I’m home, and thoroughly enjoying my soft bed, and I am even tired enough to sleep through the construction next door to our own apartment.
All kinds of advise comes your way when you’re pregnant. Some you take with a grain of salt, and others come in really helpful. My mother-in-law was born and raised in China, and every once in a while she’ll share her ideas she grew up with of what to do or not do during pregnancy. Some of it is really different but I try to keep an open mind. I am thankful she is open-minded, too, when it comes to my final decisions about my body and baby. She’s really supportive. I’m blessed to have her.
All kinds of advise comes your way when you’re pregnant. Some you take with a grain of salt, and others come in really helpful. My mother-in-law was born and raised in China, and every once in a while she’ll share her ideas she grew up with of what to do or not do during pregnancy. Some of it is really different but I try to keep an open mind. I am thankful she is open-minded, too, when it comes to my final decisions about my body and baby. She’s really supportive. I’m blessed to have her.
David and I decided to go to China with his parents before I got pregnant. And so, when we found out our baby was on the way, David’s mom wanted to know if I still wanted to go.