bye bye ba ngoai

Bye Ba Ngoai. See you and Ong Ngoai on April 16th!

if they mated

Inspired by Conan O'Brien's If They Mated:

mom + dad =

ROSA!

Mall video

Location:Thornwood Dr,San Jose,United States

another rosie video

Ask and you shall receive, Uncle M.

first Christmas

Rosa had a wonderful and full Christmas this year. On Christmas Eve we went to Orinda to Di H's house where we hung out with Ba Ngoai's side of the family, feasted on crab and tiramisu, and warmed ourselves by a toasty fire.
Then it was off to Livermore to Tia G's house where there was a house full of family and friends. Rosa was, of course, the star of the show (I'm getting used to people passing right by me to get to her). Rosie seems to love parties and has no trouble falling asleep among the chatter. Now we know: when she's having trouble sleeping we can take her for a car ride, walk with the stroller, or go clubbing...!
From there we headed to Vavo and Vavo's house for her first sleepover! She was a rockstar and slept really well in between feedings. Rosie then spent Christmas Day eating Vavo's delicious cooking (from fresh cheese to waffles to ham) vicariously though Mom and Dad; being lavished with gifts from uncles, aunts, and cousins; playing games; and napping with Mom.

As a Christmas gift to the family, Daddy-O bought a Canon EOS. If you thought we took a lot of pictures before, you were sorely mistaken. Here's the link to Rosie's Christmas break photos and Family pictures.

We often think back to our east coast baby shower where we received a piece of advice from Aunt D that you can never spoil your child with love. And good thing too because Rosie is constantly being showered with kisses and hugs. She has the amazing ability to light up a room and make smiles appear instantaneously. Such an awesome baby!

Email down

Just a quick and disappointing note: the email subscription feature seems to be a bust. Boo. I will look into it.

9.42 lbs?

So we went to CVS to pick up some prints and some other things...and alas a digital scale sat atop the counter. Mike being his cavalier self asked if the attendant would do us a favor. "Could we use the digital scale to weigh our baby?" The slightly awkward Manager walks by and he gives the shoulder shrug "mokay".

It caused a little bit of a cuteness riot with a few onlookers. The scale measured 9.42 lbs, which would be equal to 9 lbs and 6 ounces. That would be a 3 lb and 7 ounce gain since birth! She was wearing her heaviest full-body PJ and possibly a thui thui (stinky) diaper.

Here is the video to enjoy!

one month birthday

One month already?! Yikes!

Happy birthday baby

power of ear hoods

Amazing how easy it is to make a cute baby cuter. Just add ears!
(this picture has been deemed Cutest Picture So Far by Di T).


Rosie looks like she's taking a knee before gametime. She takes her walks seriously.

email subscription

In these wee hours of the mornings I've been digging through blogger to see what fancy features it has that I'm unaware of. One of which is a way for you, dear Reader, to subscribe to the blog and get emails letting you know when we post something. Now, to put out a warning: the gadget doesn't look super fancy and it seems a little subversive (it says you are permanently subscribed, whatever that means), but hopefully handy nonetheless. So if you are a regular viewer and don't want to have to randomly check the blog for new posting (hi rb), please feel free to join us! The subscription tool is at the bottom of the page.

In related news,
- I've also figured out how to be notified when someone leaves a comment. Apologies to those whose comments went unnoticed for so long. So comment away, dear Reader, comment away!
- Apparently someone in Alaska has checked us out! Palin, is that you?

Happy viewing!

rosie television

Rosie's on TV! Well, on YouTube, that is. If you haven't noticed yet, links and videos for videos we post for Rosie are on the right of this page ======>

I don't youtube very much but just learned about subscribing for someone's youtube page! SO! If you'd like to be kept up to date with all the latest Rosie videos (including getting an email) all you have to do is sign into youtube (yes, does require setting up an account) and going to the 1121rivieter youtube page, then pushing the "subscribe" button on top. And voila!

And as of today, one our of videos has received 51 views already! I have some suspects of who might be the repeat viewers (love you guys!). But for those who haven't been able to enjoy said video, here you go:

casting call

Director Spike Jonze is casting for the sequel to Where the Wild Things Are, Where the Wild Things Went: the College Years.

We've got the perfect lead for you, Mr. Jonze!



Rosie is also up for the children's adaptation of Donnie Darko. OR...(you fill in the blank)

Vasona Lake

Walked around Vasona lake in Los Gatos. Rosie loves movin and the fresh air.

xxx-xx-xxxx

Rosa got her Social Security card in the mail. Time to get a job!

Rosie studying in her college outfit.

eye see you

Latest development: Rosa went from mostly just following bright lights to making eye contact with us and tracking objects that move in her line of vision. There's nothing sweeter than Rosa gazing into your eyes.

tough

For most people it would be hard to look like a tough guy in a yellow ducky onesie...not for Rosie.

Holy Nap!

2 weeks

Yesterday marked Rosa's 2 week birthday. Happy birthday!

It's been an eventful 2 weeks with family, friends, and newborn adventures. People have been surprised with how cavalier we have been with little Rosie. Fortunately, she likes being bundled and hitting the road in a car or the stroller. Rosie has visited many people and places already!

• Kaiser Newborn Club
  
• Santa Clara CVS
• Santa Clara Burger King Drive Thru
  
• First evening stroll along Lincoln Avenue bundle as a cub
• Tomato Thyme (local restaurant)
• First Visit to the Pediatrician in Campbell
• Roger and Gina's House
• SFO curbside
  
• De Sousa Manor in Livermore
• Campbell Farmer's Market
  
• 99 Ranch in Cupertino
  
• Strolls in Neigborhood
  
• Safeway
• Starbuck's in Campbell
• Recycled Books in Campbell
  
• Santa Cruz Wharf and Emily's Bakery
• Target
• Gilroy Outlet Mall
• Barnes and Noble in Campbell
  
• Ba Di Lien's House in Fremont
• Bill's restaurant in Willow Glen
• Cifka-Herrera House
  

When not cruising she is quite the wonderful host. Since her birth she has welcomed several visits. Here is the guest list in order of appearance.

• Mario, Anthony and Angelina (first visit came from her cousins)
• Tio Roger (Mike's Brother)
  
• Di Ut and Uncle Mike (Vi's Aunt and Uncle)
  
• Mo Quyen and Minh Tam (Vi's Aunt and Cousin)
• Mary (neighbor)
  
• Minh Duc and Nam Tran (Vi's cousin)
  
• Vavo and Vavo (Mike's Parents)
  
• Autumn the friendly neighbor
  
• Tia Giselle and Alyssa (Mike's sister and Niece)
  
• Ong Ba Ngoai
• Cau Bi, Di Huong, David, Minh Anh and Minh Kim (Vi's Aunt, Uncle and Cousin)
• Yolanda (Friend)
  
• Jessica and Jahna (Vi's cousins)
• Pam and Leslie (Friends)
• Lien and Lawrence (Friends)
  
• Yanira, Omar and Rey (Friends)
• Rachel (Friend and Baking partner)
  
• Tia Gina (Mike's Sister in-law)

Over 22 places and over 35 guests! Let us know if we have forgot some!

Rosie loves the water!

stop pestering me

the bare necessities

Little Mowgli loves sun bathing. Soon she'll be climbing palm trees and joining elephant parades.

cracklin' rosie

On Thanksgiving Di T sang a karaoke rendition of Neil Diamond's Cracklin' Rose...theme song, perhaps?

belly button liberation

Saturday 11/27: Umbilical cord has fallen off! That's a good looking belly button.

labor day

For prosperity's sake, here's an account of how labor went...whew! Hard to believe that was over a week ago already.

Wednesday, Nov 17
Uncle M and Auntie A were in town visiting. There were a lot of hints dropped to the baby to come a little early in an attempt to get them to extend their stay. Baby has proven to be a good listener, though her reaction was a bit delayed. Vi started to show potential signs of early labor.

Thursday, Nov 18
More signs of early labor. What Vi thinks are the onset of contractions begin at that night. Despite being advised to sleep during this early stage, she can't quite settle down in anticipation of what's to come. She downloads a contraction tracking app on her phone.

Friday, Nov 19
Mike decides to stay home from work since Vi's contractions are mild but seem to be somewhat regular (~10 minutes apart). We sprung out of bed around 5:00 and began the final nesting and packing for the hospital. Then we walked down the street to grab a bagel breakfast and run into a friendly face from birthing class. After that, Vi's contractions become more sporadic. Labor feels further out of reach! To help speed things up, we feasted at Rangoli Indian Restaurant's lunch buffet (more spice, please!). After that we somehow found ourselves in the Carter's store...a dangerous place for expecting parents (or anyone who's a sucker for cuteness). We picked out a Thanksgiving outfit and some gifts for family. Contractions continued to come and go, and Vi found it amusing knowing she would be in mid-conversation with someone when one would come and go. Feels kind of bad ass. We then went to the movies and watched Unstoppable with a good family friend, Denzel Washington. The suspense wasn't quite enough to scare the baby out, though.

Saturday, Nov 20
AM: Contractions continued throughout the morning but were still 10-15 minutes apart. We decided to go for breakfast at Stack's...a place where it would be loud and busy enough that Vi wouldn't attract attention to herself with her heavy breathing and gentle rocking to get through contractions. During breakfast we decide the time has come to finalize a name. On separate napkins we wrote down our top 3 names (which turned into top 5...it's hard to narrow it down!) to see which names overlapped and finally decide on Rosa Lê De Sousa (see earlier posting).
Noon: By the time we got home Vi's contractions were getting more intense and more predictable. We hung out at home and rested.
2pm: We called Kaiser's Labor and Delivery hotline to let them know that Vi was definitely showing signs of early/almost active labor. We were told to wait until contractions stayed 5 minutes apart for a whole hour. At this point, time seemed to go by more quickly. Contractions quickly escalated to 4 minutes part, and we began to perfect the contraction dance: swaying together to help easy the pain.
3:45pm: By the time we get to the hospital contractions are 3 minutes apart and we're told Vi was already 6cm dilated. We had wanted to try and labor as long as possible at home so...success! Vi's definitely not talking during contractions at this point and Mike is working hard to help her cope with the pain by synchronizing breathing, massaging, and applying pressure on her lower back. Our choice of names has been confirmed because we were greeted by two Kaiser employees, one with the last name Di Rosa, one with the first name Rosa. A sign? I believe so. We were then moved into our Labor & Delivery room which is pretty huge. All the amenities for mother and baby are in the room. We had decided to try to labor with the fewest interventions, including anesthesia. Vi worked through the contractions, trying to focus on her breathing and trying different positions that might relieve pain.
6:45pm: Contractions got to be pretty intense, and we decided to opt for an epidural knowing that labor could continue for hours more. This turned out to be a great decision for us and quite a relief. After feeling more at ease, we were able to peacefully wait for Rosa to arrive and even sat with Rosa's cousins M, A, and A who came to support us. Since we didn't know how much longer it would be, we convinced the cousins to go back to our house and rest until she arrived.
11:00pm: Doctor checks Vi and declare 10cm has arrived and it is now time to begin pushing! At first this proves to be tricky because Vi still can't feel much down below so she is coached by the nurse on when and how to push. But slowly she regained feeling and was able to rely more on instinct. Turns out pushing is a workout for Mike as well since he helped Vi by holding on to her leg and also applying pressure on her back...so he was essentially doing major crunches during each push. He also quickly realized synchronizing his breath with Vi's was not the best tactic out of fear of passing out from holding his breath too long!

Sunday, Nov 21
12:31: Baby Rosa Lê De Sousa is born (!) and place immediately on Vi's chest. Deep breaths are taken, smiles are ear-to-ear, and tears roll down cheeks. She is beautiful. Her eyes are wide and curious, looking around at the new world around her. After absorbing her environment and mommy and daddy, she quickly starts to root for food with the sweetest, plumpest lips puckering around.
For the rest of the early morning Rosa and Mom are tended to and then soon after moved to a new room in the Mother and Baby department down the hall. Rosa's cousins, bearing gifts of freshly-baked sweet potato blondies, are her very first visitors.
4:00am: Road to recovery really begins for Rosa, Mom, and Dad.

The Significance of a Rose

Coming up with a name for our daughter was a pretty arduous process. It was our revolving dinner conversation for the past months. While eating breakfast in Campbell, we compared lists one last time and zeroed in on Rosa. When we arrived to the hospital within ten minutes we met a women whose last name was "De Rosa" and another named Rose. Alas the universe spoke and when asked if we had a name, we both were able to answer with confidence- "Rosa!".

We have three specific reasons for naming our baby girl "Rosa". We realized that you all may have your own reflections about the name. We would like to invite all of you out there reading to share your thoughts about the name Rosa. To get you started, we will share our reasons. Feel free to use our reasons if you would like a starting point. We hope to use your comments to eventually create an anthology and/or mural to share with Rosa in a few years.

Our Reasons for "Rosa"
-Reason #1
Vi's name, "Tuong Vi" means "little rose" in Vietnamese. (Keep in mind in Vietnamese names are written Surname, Middle Name, Given Name).

Vi's Ba Noi (paternal grandmother) was initially named Tuong Vi. Later, her family realized there was a great grandmother who was named Tuong Vi, so in respect changed her name. (In Vietnamese tradition, naming children after relatives is not a sign of respect.)

-Reason #2
Rosa Parks- enough said.

-Reason #3
We really like the nickname Rosie. We like the spunkiness about it. Mostly because we recall the wartime character "Rosie the Riveter" from our High School History classes.
Learn more about Rosie the Riveter.

For clarification- being pacifists, we are drawn to the message of gender equality rather than the whole militaristic nationalism thing.

So...there are our reasons for the name Rosa. Now we look forward to reading your thoughts and reflections about the wonderful name Rosa!

homeward bound!

I'm jumping the gun on this blog but figured I'd start posting pictures as they come now so it doesnt get too backed up. Rosa Lê is swimming in her clothes and her carseat but in the cutest way.

twin uncle

Uncle Minh and Auntie Aimee are here visiting! Uncle and Mom unwittingly were on the same fashion wavelength. People made sure to note that we looked like twins...!

throne fit for Baby

Sleeping is becoming more and more of a challenge these days.

So we stepped it up a notch. I couldn't help but laugh this morning when I saw the throne we built:
- 2 almost-body-sized pillows (sunflower and light blue)
- 2 new firm pillows (red stripey)
- 1 contoured memory foam pillow (green leaves)
- 1 flat don'tknowwhywestillkeepitaround pillow (navy blue)
AND the best hidden surprise beneath it all: a pink and purple ladybug bean bag that we got from Auntie G!

Oh yeah, and Mike gets one green pillow.

Lady bug to the rescue!===================>

full term, baby. WOO!

We have now entered the 37th week of pregnancy which means Baby is considered full term now. And for all our hungry friends out there, she is now about the length of swiss chard. Mmmmmm!
So being full terms means aaaany moment she could decide she's ready to come out. A...ny...moment. Wow! Of course, we're hoping she doesn't come too early. Avó and Avô return from vacation on November 20th and Ong Ba Ngoai fly in on November 25th.

Just don't come too late either, baby. Mama's hips are asking you nicely.

i believe in miracles

This was taken after our spontaneous Yosemite trip. I think after being in the car for a while the baby needed to stretch. Aside from the awkwardness of watching my goofiness shine so brightly, I realized I don't get to see myself from afar very often. This was a few weeks ago and man! belly's looking big!

ultrasound update

Last week we went for our 36 week check-up. After measuring my uterus, the doc said the baby as a little small so she scheduled us for another ultrasound (score!). Mike and I went today and everything looks good. The baby is in the 45th percentile for size, 6 pounds, which is good. And as the perinatologist said, small can be good (better than birthing a huge baby). Once again, she said that the baby was practicing breathing which is a good sign that she's not distressed. One thing I didn't do so well, though, is my fluids. She says I score a C for how much water I'm drinking. So I gotta keep hydrating. Hopefully it'll be a bit easier now that I'm back at home.

Here's a picture of the baby's face. It's a cute angle, with one of her eyes open, though it does look like she's wearing a Santa beard. Ho ho ho!

election day

We walked down to the polls today. I have fond memories of going to Wesley School and getting to go into the booth with Me to vote. She even let me pull the levers!

halloween!

surprise baby shower and end of work

Friday was my last day of work! I loved my kiddos...super sweet. I am looking forward to relaxing a bit. Before I left my coworkers and some of the parents threw a surprise baby shower for me: we ate, played games, opened presents. I was really touched by the gesture. Although under unfortunate circumstances, it was nice to go back to a place where I felt so welcomed.

And now...refocusing on baby-growing!

birthing class graduation

Last night we have our last birthing class. The energy felt good and spirit seemed high. One couple is expected this Friday so we were afraid they wouldn't make it to the last class but Baby held on!

One exercise we did was to make lists of the following topics related to that postpartum time:
1. Important People
We listed people who we would feel comfortable calling upon for help if needed. Then we starred the people who would be our 3AM people: the people who we might call in the middle of the night. "Even though you may never call them at 3AM, it's nice to know who you can go to if you need it." Our teacher made an interesting distinction between guests and visitors. She suggested that, in the beginning, we see people who won't expect or require to be entertained, but rather people who feel comfortable helping themselves to a drink or would like to help do the dishes while they're there.

2. Food sources
She asked us to make specific lists of resources for food. Mike and I decided it may be time to buy a freezer for the basement in hopes of recruiting both Grandmas to help us build up a collection of frozen homemade meals.

3. Bliss List
We made 3 separate lists of things that we love to do (with or without baby, with or without each other). For us this ranged from going on walks, visiting farmers markets, going on hikes, drinking coffee, visiting friends in SF, to traveling. And then she asked us to just think about when we will be able to get to these things. Some might happen soon in Baby's future and other might have to be put on hold for a little while.

4. Challenges and Solutions
List of things we think might be challenges to us and potential solutions. We shared out and the most popular was to invest in having a housecleaning service for that deep-clean type of care. This: very tempting. Mike and I also talked about how we are going to communicate with each other when life will feel so different and we will feel so different. Our teacher said the number of arguments/conflicts increases from 30-80% postpartum. Yow. So we talked about practicing mindfulness and communicating intention (if one of us is feeling testy, acknowledging it and maybe not engaging in discussion right at that moment). I was also reminded of the 1-10 scaled that was recommended to us at our wedding shower: using a scale of 1-10 to communicate how important something is to one of us.

COPING PRACTICE
Again, the buckets of ice came out so we could practice coping strategies (ice simulates contractions). This was intense. I had to stick both my hands in (up to the wrists) and Mike and I had to figure out how we were going to cope with my pain. Things I learned:
- Keeping my eyes open much better than closed! Being able to focus on something was helpful.
- Mike rubbing up and down my back to match my breathing was very calming.
- Mike's voice was very soothing. It was helpful to hear him talk about sensations around us: what we were seeing, hearing, smelling, touching. We also tried visualizing our recent trip to Yosemite.

GRADUATION
Inspired by Mike's suggestions, the group hung out afterwards and got ice cream/frozen yogurt nearby. It was a nice time to just chat with other couples. There is one couple that we've hung out with a few times before, so we got a chance to meet the other ones as well. I made the mistake of eating too much ice cream and had a sugar crash afterwards...bad mommy.

34 weeks & Yosemite

This morning we woke up surprisingly early for a Saturday and decided to take a spontaneous trip before spontaneity becomes a little harder to come by. So we hopped in the car and headed for Yosemite.

It's a rainy day in California but we luckily didn't get dumped in too much. The granite giants lingering over us were spectacular and the fog and clouds only made the scene more spectacular. We went to Glacier Point, a spot you can normally see amazing views of the valley, but we were heavily immersed in the clouds and could barely see 20 yards ahead of us. It was actually quite cool to see such intense and surprisingly bright fog.

like father like daughter

There was a request for us to post more pictures of Mike.

We are hoping Baby will be as sweet as her daddy-o.

33 week belly

Lately it feels like she's growing every minute. No doubt...there's a little human in there!!

LABORinth

Birthing From Within borrows the idea of the labyrinth's symbolism of life's journey. They wittingly name call it the labOrinth. As I interpreted it, at the center of the labyrinth is our baby. We enter the labyrinth intending to get toward that goal: to safely retrieve Baby. As we begin to walk, we realize there are moments when we feel really close to the center...birth is near! But then it turns out we're asked to turn a corner and we're sent to what feels like the outskirts of the labyrinth.
Once we reach the center and (YIPPEE!) get to hold our baby, we have to then guide ourselves out of the labyrinth with Baby in our arms.
I really liked this symbol, not only for labor, but for life. If you've ever walked a labyrinth, you know it's not a maze: there are no traps to try and keep you from getting to the center. As our teacher said, in a labyrinth it's not about making right or wrong decisions, it's about persevering.
My indecisive ways often lead me to crossroads where I feel physically paralyzed by having to make a decision. It might be while standing in Safeway trying to choose laundry detergent or figuring out in what hospital to deliver our baby. I know our lives are filled with moments where we do have to weigh what will be the best decision, but what I'd like to practice is the idea of moving forward toward goals instead of dwelling on "what if"s and regrets.
In babyland it was also comforting to think about this process as not having any "right" answers. We will do the best we can and persevere.

boobies!

We went to our breastfeeding class at Kaiser, led by a lactation specialist. It was a long class but was very interesting. Hearing more about what life will be like with the little one, I couldn't help but feel in awe of the biological process. One big thing they stress/encourage is to get as much skin-to-skin contact with the baby, especially during the first weeks. Within the first few hours, having the baby resting on my chest or belly not only helps milk production, but my body is actually designed to adjust its temperature to accommodate the needs of the baby. Wow!

I had heard how women sometimes lactate when they're thinking lovingly of their children. During the class, we were watching a video and we were both quite struck by how special and sweet that interaction between baby and mama was. All of a sudden BAM BAM BAM! Baby was moving like crazy for much longer than usual and much more rhythmically. So I wonder if she was feeling the rush of oxytocin.

little puffball curiosities

"Puffball" is a student at my school (she would always be sporting an all-pink outfit including pink tutu on free dress day. Oh yeah and I'm working in the classroom again as a long term sub). She is a very sharp and curious child and seems to be quite intrigued by my pregnancy. Each day she seeks me out to chat.

Day 1: "Ms. Lê, do you know I you're having a girl or boy?"
Day 2: "Ms. Lê, do you have a name yet? If it's a girl, Jennifer's a nice name."
Day 3: "Ms. Lê, if you have a boy, dont you think Kevin is a nice name?"
Day 4: "Ms. Lê, are you married? Does your husband rub your belly and talk to the baby?"

After each conversation she giggles, we share an awkward moment of quiet, then go our separate ways.

31 weeks and birthing classes

The baby is giving nice hearty kicks and is also now throwing in these more rhythmic, almost circular movements. Before it felt like little jabs but now it sometimes feels like she's doing Tai Chi in there. They say she's around 3lbs now, the weight of 4 oranges.

Birthing From Within class
We've also started Birthing From Within birthing classes. In the class we've talked about coping strategies like mindful breathing. The instructor had us (moms and dads) practice focusing on our breathing by creating a sensation that might try and distract us...ICE! So for one minute at a time we held a handful of ice and focused on our inhales and exhales. Rising, falling, rising falling. During the last class, we were asked to sync our breathing with the imagine of a light starting from our lower back and rising to the top of our heads during our inhale, then pouring over the front of our body and splashing into a bowl near our bellies during the exhales. I found the imagery to be very helpful in staying focused.

THEN we practiced entrainment, where Mike practice syncing his breathing to mine and then simulated the path of the light using touch. So as I inhaled, he ran his hand up my back to the top of my head, and then down my belly as I exhaled. I had myself a Dirty Dancing moment where I couldn't stop giggling, but then was finally able to focus. All while holding onto ice, mind you.

This is just one strategy we're practicing to build up an arsenal of strategies to refer to once labor starts. It's hard to believe I'll only be holding the baby for another 2 months. Even despite the jabs to my ribs it's been amazing connecting with her.

29 weeks and update on toes

We're halfway into week 29. Went to check up last week. Because of a potentially low-lying placenta, I got another ultrasound to check to see if it moved up on its own, and it did! So we got an extra ultrasound! The perinatologist that did the ultrasound was great and narrated the whole time, letting me know what I was seeing (or trying to see). I got to see the baby move her tongue and the woman said that Baby was swallowing and moving around enough that showed she was strong and calm enough to play around (babies who are distressed don't experiment as much, doc says).

One of the many cool things she shared was that the baby apparently has super long toes! She apparently inherited my Ba Ngoai's feet.

It's a little hard to see, but in the center of the ultrasound you can see her foot with her big piggie on the left, stretched from the rest of the other little piggies. Don't ask me what's on the way left of the ultrasound. Looks like another glowing alien baby.

So the baby is doing well and she is grooowing. After a long day I sometimes feel so...full. But it still feels like a miracle whenever I feel her move.

week 28

Goofy pic, I know. We've entered the 28th week! People now tell me I look pregnant; I take it as a compliment. Im also told I look small for how far along I am; I take that as envy from other pregnant women whose backs are carrying the extra load.
Speaking of backs, that is one thing that is feeling more strain. Yoga never felt so good. Mike's also been very generous with the back rubs.
We signed up for a birthing class which will be informative and helpful, I'm sure. We're taking it through the Harmony Center which leans toward more natural and holistic methods when possible. So we'll get to learn more about what my body will be going through and what to expect.

baby's first sub job

I subbed in a first grade classroom today with the baby. There were 22 little ones that were pretty cutie. I will say baby stayed pretty quiet and at times forgot she was there...in the groove perhaps. The day went by quickly and it wasn't until the kids were dismissed that one asked if I was having a baby.

And now...nap time!

the latest lab tests

I've had to take 2 lab tests recently, a complete blood count (CBC) and the glucose test.

CBC came back saying I'm anemic (low iron) so I'm now taking an iron supplement and eating more iron-rich foods (meat, dark leafy greens, vitaminC-rich foods also help they say).

As for the glucose test, I had to go in for an exciting 3-hour test where I had to fast for 8-10 hours, then have my blood drawn every hour for 3 hours. I think the hardest part of that test was sitting in the waiting room for that long (chairs not so comfy and for whatever reason they recommend staying seated). But turns out I don't have gestational diabetes! So that is good news, though it's always a nice reminder to be more conscious of my diet and make sure I'm exercising regularly.

I've been walking a lot, swimming, doing yoga, and also occasionally doing pregnancy workouts people post on YouTube. I can already feel my back starting to tighten and ache a little so stretching will be a must, and Mike's been awesome about rubbing out knots.

I also just bought some lotion that is supposed to help with the growing belly. Mother's Special Blend came recommended by the people at Whole Foods. Admittedly, I may not have reached for this particular brand because of the label (yes, a product of marketing). It's got Almond Oil, Coconut Oil, Cocoa Butter, and Vitamin E. Mmmmmmm!

jammin baby

The three of us went to see our first concert together to celebrate my birthday. Before the concert we decided to walk around downtown Mountain View which was surprisingly nice. Mom and the baby got excited about Pho Garden*.

We got nice lawn seats right in front of a screen and munched on tasty bread, cheese, and olives. Music started with Raphael Saadiq, a classic soul musician from Oakland. Then came the Dave Matthews Band. It's always pretty neat being in a sea of roaring fans bopping along together. What's even neater is watching the sheer athleticism and joy from everyone on stage...and how high quality the video was that you could see each bead of sweat. Baby didn't move too much though the constant vibration of the bass line was almost enough to lull Mom to a gentle snooze as well, mostly during the slower serenades.

We had a great time. Mom left wanting to take up guitar again (and the violin and the drums and the trumpet on more time). We agreed the baby would probably like the sound of the guitar against the belly.

* Pho Garden Challenge is a gigantic bowl of pho with 2 pounds of noodles and
2 pounds of meat. If you can finish it by yourself in 60 minutes you get to keep the
bowl, earn a free meal, and gain world renowned fame.

music critic

As I was resting today I decided to play some music for Baby to see what she likes. Turns out she's gaga for Captain Von Trapp! When I played Edelweiss she danced harder than I'd ever felt. In fact, it was the first time I noticed my stomach moving from the outside!

What she also got a "kick" out of:
Edelweiss
Crash by Dave Matthews (like father like daughter! She'll have a blast on Saturday when we go see him live for Mike's birthday!)
You Are My Sunshine the one from the O Brother Where Art Thou sountrack

And not so much:
Maybe from Annie
Ordinary People by John Legend (her dad does a better version anyway)
Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens

And then:
I played some Justin Timberlake and still didn't get a response so she must have been asleep by then...!

Research continues!

26 week update

It's the week of the English Hothouse Cucumber. What, you don't know the dimensions of an English Hothouse Cucumber? How dare you! *

Word on the street is that Baby's ears are developing even more now and can pick up more ambient sounds (like talking). Better step up the read-alouds. Mike still talks to her every day, and I play music for her from time to time. If you have any special requests for me to play for Baby let me know!

I've been having some trouble figuring out my comfort level with baby research. For me there's a fine line between well-informed and paranoia. For example, just the other day I learned that later in the pregnancy it's advised to start counting the number of movements/kicks because there's apparently a healthy number of kicks that should occur in a 2 hour window. Once I found this out I became uber-aware of how often she was moving and drove myself temporarily batty. Having said that, I was comforted reading that my back may be aching more....which it has.

Overall: feeling great!


*Apparently the baby is about the length of said obscure cucumber measuring at 14 inches from head to heel. And she's about 1 2/3 pounds in weight. Yum!