Week 19
I can’t believe how much time has passed and how much I’ve neglected this blog. Every since I started back at work, I’ve been so busy. First I had to deal with quarter end, than another month end, than my system got chosen for audit, and finally another month end. But all worth it b/c once I returned back from maternity leave, they promoted me to Senior Accountant! Coming home is a whole another workload. Weekends has been crazy too only to prepare our household for the following week, whether it be grocery shopping, cleaning, laundry, errands, visiting family, going to events, but we always manage to squeeze in a little family time by treating ourselves by going out, along with Anna too.
Anna is close to be 5 months. Since my last update, Anna received her 2nd around of immunizations where she did much better than her 1st round. Caught her first sniffles, which hardly seem to bother her. Had slight blood in her stool where I found out she was a little bit constipated. She also started on cereal. To date she’s 14lbs and about 23 inches long? After her baekil mark (100 day), I thought she was going to turn for the worse or at least that’s what some people told me that my good luck would run out soon. But she has been such a good baby from the beginning and till this day. She also has been sleeping through the night recently (going down at 9:30 – waking up at 6:30). Anna is so pleasant that not even a poopy diaper seems to bother her. She has been more vocal and at times just sits in her exersaucer and tests out her vocal chords. When I take her out to a friends, church or at a restaurant, they are in awe how she is able to sit with us without making a peep. I think she just really likes all the sights and sounds that surrounds her. I have a feeling when I have my 2nd child, I may not be lucky, so I will enjoy every pleasant moment I have with Anna.
Life for me now is about thinking and preparing ahead of time. For example: Pack the diaper bag the day before so that you won’t forget ANYTHING. Make sure we are not low on diapers, wipes, formula – always better to buy in bulk. Do laundry today, go shopping after work so that you have more family time later. Wipe everything down with chlorox wipes, you may never know what you’re touching and passing onto Anna. Wash your hands every chance you get….. thoroughly. Clean, organize, clean! I think I’ve become more neurotic with germs now, especially after this swine flu outbreak! I hardly play with Mickey these days b/c I’m always with Anna and who knows what’s on his fur! Ok, that’s being a little too OCD there. haha! Poor dog. Anyone want to adopt him? jk! =)
Also – I joined weight watchers this past month. I have been inspired by friends who had so much success with it. I am surprised how much success I’ve been having with it too! In the last month, I’ve lost almost 7.25lbs already! My goal is to lose 20 lbs in total! I’ve learned portion control and what’s great is that I am so proud that I’ve developed great discipline in choosing much healthier food options, especially when I go out to lunch with coworkers.
Anyways, here’s a couple photos of Anna to date.
Anna’s first taste of cereal! “What is this, a spoon?!? Where’s my nipple!”
“Tummy time is fun now!”
“Daddy, take me to San Diego too” (as Alan packs up for his business trip)
“Come on guys, smile with me!”
Add a comment May 9, 2009
Week 9
Anna is a little over 2 months now. This morning we took her in for her 2 month checkup. This visit was pretty hard on me than it was for her. She had to get 5 vaccinations: 4 needle – 1 oral. I just felt like it was too many for a little baby, but it seems that’s the norm? I’ve never heard her cry like she did today – to the point where she couldn’t breath. Unfortunately, this isn’t the end of it where the vaccinations comes in series. Gotta look foward to this at her 4 month.
Today, she weighed 11 lbs 1 oz and 21 1/2 inches long. She gained 4 lbs and grew 3 more inches since the last visit when she was 2 week. She’s starting to smile a lot more and starts to babble a little which is so cute!!! I told Alan one night how fast she’s growing and how I already miss when we first brought her home as a newborn. And as crazy as this may sound, I miss being pregnant too! But that doesn’t necessarily mean #2 will be on the way anytime soon. I’ve been soaking in a lot of time with Anna since I am so close to returning back to work. I thought being a working mom was what I would do best, rather than being a stay at home mom, but I realized that I wouldn’t mind being at home all day with Anna! Uh, anyways I must return back March 16th and it’s coming so fast!
Overall, Anna is such a chill baby. The first time she fell asleep on her own, Alan and I were just shocked! Since than, around 9:30-10pm, she gets into this fussy mode. We take her to bed and give her pacifier and slowly she falls asleep! Amazing! No more rocking her to sleep – That made me sleepy! Lastly, she enjoys being in her crib and just staring at objects and listening to music, which brings relief for us since we don’t have to hold her for long periods.
Here are few pictures of the little one!
Anna at 8 weeks!
We took advantage of the 60 degree weather last week and went to see her Great-Grandma in Mechanicsburg.
This would be Anna’s 2nd cousin. Sounds confusing huh? This is my aunt’s baby Jin, who’s my cousin and therefore 2nd cousin to Anna. He is such a handful. He’s attracted to the color pink since Anna’s always wearing pink. haha!!
I came back after grocery shopping and found them napping together. Too cute! I believe Anna gets her sleeping habits from daddy!
Going to church!
2 comments February 19, 2009
Week 5
Anna is now 5 weeks old. Time is definitely flying and it seems my c-section and labor pains were just a distant memory now. My incision is pretty much healed and strangely I still have some cravings! Anna is still on a 3 hour schedule at night and if we’re really lucky, she can once in awhile sleep up to 4 hours, one night it was 5! Even though when she slept for that long, I still would wake up within the 3 hrs, mainly b/c I was worried something was wrong. I would listen for her breathing and feel her chest only b/c the thought of SIDS scares me to death!
Recently, she’s developed some keen senses already. I”m grateful that she sleeps well during the night, but last week during the day, she couldn’t last in her crib for more than 30 mins! Which means I am stuck on the couch. I try not to run for every cry or whimper, b/c she usually just whine and than falls back to sleep again. I’ve tried every technique and other factors that helped her sleep well during the night to help her during the day. She definitely loves to be held. I’m not saying I don’t want to hold Anna at all, but I cannot be bound to my couch. Out of shear desperation, I tried the tummy side down position in her crib (although I know it’s something doctors highly do not recommend b/c of SIDS), but she actually slept for 2 hours! But other days, she does fall into a deep sleep by 4pm (where the sun starts to slowly go down) that I just put her down in her bedside crib that’s in our room and we both nap together until Alan gets home; which is a good 3 hours of nap. This morning, after a feeding, I put her in crib laying on her side this time instead of her tummy. Her neck isn’t strong enough yet, so I’m gonna implement more tummy times so that she can become stronger and more stabalized. One time she tried to turn her head and her face was straight into the bed! Not good! This morning’s nap (where she laid on her side) lasted for an hour. Not too bad!
Pictures below were taken last week.
1 comment January 24, 2009
Almost week 3
Anna is almost 3 weeks by the of this week. Today we went in for her 2 week check up and she surprisingly gained a good amount of weight in short amount of time. I was expecing she gained few ounces or maybe a pound. She last weighed 5lbs 10 ounces when we had to go in test her jaundice level, but today we were surprised to hear she weighed at 7 lbs 3 ounces and grew another half an inch (19 1/2 inches).
Since I’ve been on maternity leave, I watch a considerable amount of tv, especially when I breast feed her. This is my one distraction that’ll keep me from dozing off. One show I’ve been watching is “bringing home the baby” on the TLC channel. I realized how Alan and I are lucky with Anna. The parents featured on the show seem to go through a lot more hell during the first 24-26 hours with their baby. Luckily, when we brought Anna home, she did what she always does best: Eat, sleep and poop for about every 2 – 3 hours. She rarely cries for any of those 3 instead she grunts; it’s too funny b/c what baby grunts for milk? But she does defintely wail when she’s cold, especially taken out of her bathtub. It breaks my heart, so I always let Alan be in charge of the bath every night. haha!
At almost 3 weeks, she’s very alert, lifts her head and it seems she’s already picking up sights and sounds. What makes me forget about my sleep deprivation is when she breaks a smile after a big poop, big meal and falls asleep peacefully.
1 comment January 7, 2009
Our baby! 12/19/2008
It was a rainy, cold afternoon on Friday the 19th. I had to be at triage by 1:30pm to get prepped up for the c-section. I was scheduled a 3pm surgery, but got delayed for another hour b/c there was an emergency one that went ahead of me. I went in around a little after 4pm and got numbed up. The room was so cold and I was so nervous b/c I had no idea what I should feel or expect, but once the anesthesiologist injected the drug in my spine, I felt a warm rush that went down to my feet. As soon as I laid down, the curtains came up and Alan walked into the room. He was even more nervous than I was, that I had to tell him that he was squeezing my arm too hard. haha! I thought the surgeons were just discussing what they were planning to do and next thing I know, I heard a loud wail and Alan telling me…”OMG, SHE’S HERE!”. I was so overwhelmed and of course I cried. She was born 4:53pm, weighing 5lbs, 8oz, 19inches. We named her Anna Yoona Chong. Here’s a couple proof shots a photographer at the hospital took of her.
It took about 2 hours to get a little feeling back in my legs. After 12 hours of surgery, they wanted me to get up and walk to a chair and sit in it for an hour. Wow, was that painful!!!! I decided to go home Monday afternoon, even though I was allowed to stay up to Tuesday. I had some cabin fever and just felt disgusting overall. I was able to shower by Sunday, but I didn’t feel so clean. I was also getting tired of the nurses coming in throughout the night waking me to get my vitals. But I have to say the hospital was wonderful and the staff were extremely helpful and always so caring. I wasn’t so big on their food, so Alan helped me on that as I sipped on my mee yuk gook that my mother in law and my mom made.
She’s so far a pleasant baby. Sleeps, eats and poops well. Even though she’s so tiny, she definitely has a big appetite. We had to take her in to see the pediatrician this morning, since they said before we discharged that she had a minor case of jaundice.
Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers. I’ll continue to post her progress as she’s now finally in this crazy world!
1 comment December 23, 2008
Week 38: Almost over~
This morning I went in what maybe my last prenatal check up. BP normal, gained 2 more lbs (hopefully the last of the gain weight too), heart beat sounded good. My OB didn’t need to do another ultrasound and could immediately feel where her head was positioned, which was pretty much in the same spot as last week. Before, I wasn’t sure which end I was feeling at both sides of my stomach, but it made sense whenever I felt a large, hard round end which would be her head and a small round end which would be her butt. The C-section is still on, however they want to do one last ultrasound on Friday afternoon just to be sure, but the chances of her moving in vertex position are pretty slim at this point. I have to fast starting Thursday at midnight. When Friday arrives, we wait few agonizing hours at home and finally head into the hospital by 1pm to get myself prepped up. The procedure should begin at 3pm.
The baby’s movements aren’t jabs or kicks anymore. It’s more like an alien trying to escape from my belly! haha! But it feels so strange and uncomfortable whenever she stretches in my stomach. At times, she stretches a good bit that you can see a little head poking out of my belly.
The next post, we will post pictures of our new addition! If I don’t get to post before Christmas – have a safe and wonderful holiday!
2 comments December 17, 2008
Week 37: Happy Anniversary!
Today is our 2 year wedding anniversary! Even though we only reached year 2, it seems as though we’ve been together for years! Of course, I dont’ mean that in a bad way. Alan and I celebrated tonight by going to our favorite soon dooboo restaurant (Jonggak jip)! Before Alan came home from work, he picked up some molten chocolate cake desert as our treat! I’m such a bad wife for thinking that tomorrow was our wedding anniversary! I almost made him believe it too, but he ended up being right. (Isn’t it funny how a woman should always be the one that’s right? It’s quite the opposite in our relationship.)
2 years ago, after catching all the dates and chestnuts from our family (in this pic is from my mother in law), we probably both wondered about our first child and the journey that’s ahead of us! Here we are today, expecting a girl!
This morning I went in for another checkup. As my OB was feeling around the position of the baby, she suddenly stopped and said that my baby was in transverse position. She immediately did an ultrasound and confirmed it. We talked about physically moving the baby in downward position, but I decided against doing it after hearing the risks it might involved. So, now we’re looking into scheduling a C-Section delivery. Date TBA.
Oh, I lost 1 pound since last week’s checkup.
Edit: I’ve been scheduled a c-section for December 19th, Friday at 3pm!
2 comments December 9, 2008
Week 36 going on 37 – Early Contractions
Yesterday, I was feeling overwhelmingly tired after church. Actually, I’ve been feeling like this for awhile. I still have a lot I want to accomplish before the baby arrives, but I’m lucky enough if I can get myself motivated to go to a grocery store. Lately, my hands are so swollen and stiff are during the night; it almost feels like arthritis. The other day I tried on my wedding bands and they would only slide down half way. I feel naked without them.
Last night after dinner, while I was updating my iPhone with everyone’s contact info, (finally after a month of purchasing it), I suddenly began feeling this awful pain in my abdomen. Instead I just tried ignoring it, thinking I had some sort of stomach ache. But the pain came in waves. After 30 minutes into it, the pain became more intense. Alan frantically got his watch and started to time them. They were lasting 20-30 seconds and than subsided for 30 seconds and than came on strong again. The longer I tried to wait it out, the longer the contraction lasted – some were a minute long. After an hour, Alan called my OB and had me admitted to L&D (labor and delivery). The ride there made my contractions feel even more intense! We checked in and they had me hooked up on the monitors very quickly. Thankfully no harm to the baby and there were no serious medical problems. When they did an internal check, I was only 20% effaced and hardly dilated at all. Pretty much, my cervix was no where near ready. Once the physician assistant discussed it over with my OB, they released me around midnight. I was especially concerned how I was to endure this through the night. These contraction nearly took my breath away and I kept tensing up. The nurse told me to relax and breath every time I felt them, but my instinct was telling me to do the quite opposite. Before they released me, they advise that I should try a hot shower and take some Tylenol before bed. The hot shower actually stopped my contractions. Oh, thank gawd!
The staff at the hospital were wonderful and gave me full attention and care. They explained everything as if I was their 1st case scenario, which I’m sure it’s quite routine for them. I’m actually relieved to know that I will be taken care of, as opposed to how I feel when I’m at my OB’s office.
Anyways, no one knows for sure when our baby will arrive, but it could be any day I suppose.
Add a comment December 9, 2008
Week 35: Getting ready!
As I am waiting for Alan to bring home dinner, I’m trying to keep myself occupied so that I can keep from thinking about my hunger pains. (Honestly, I am still very hungry, despite that I’m working on this blog.) I wanted to cook up twice baked potato, with some side vege’s and along with some baked chicken, but I forgot to buy cheddar cheese and chicken breast when I was at the grocery store today. (Been so absent minded so many times during this pregnancy!) So tonight’s dinner is Papa John’s! Yum! Tomorrow will be a feast and a special treat since it will be Thanksgiving! Alan is on a mission to fry his turkey again and his sister makes the best rotisserie turkey. I wish I could cook like her, but she told me it was all practice and once the kids come along, you’ll force yourself to cook better for them. I hope so.
I plan to make December 19th my last day of work, but that’s MY plan and who knows what the baby’s plan really is. Can’t believe how it’s now right around the corner!
I’ve been really self conscious in how I position myself when I sleep. Reason being, the other night, I must have slept on my back for awhile (my most preferred sleeping position) and when I woke to shift to my side, I had this terrible cramping, pins/needles feeling in my abdomen area. I guess I uttered “ow” too loud and a few times. I nearly gave Alan a heart attack b/c he thought I was having a contraction. It definitely was a scaring feeling b/c I didn’t what know was going on. It eventually went away as I slowly adjusted my weight. I believe it was b/c the baby’s weight was pressing down my body that when I shift to the side all that weight flooding at once, really made it uncomfortable.
Well as I’ve stated in my previous entry, my hospital bag is ready. I picked out our baby’s first outfit to bring her home in. I hope she’ll be warm enough? I have put together a receiving blanket, a thick blanket, pair of mittens, onesie, top shirt, pants, and another onesie jacket type. Oh I should add in a cap and socks too! If I am missing anything, please let me know =) I’m afraid I am missing something more.
Here’s a picture of me as of today: week 35. Not only has my belly grew, but I fee like I’ve grown a double chin and another set of buttocks.
Add a comment November 27, 2008
Week 34: Last time to pee in that cup!
This morning I had my final bi-weekly appointments. I was happy to hear that I no longer have to hover over a toilet and try to catch my pee in this little cup. With my stomach growing so large, it’s hard to see what’s going on down there! hahah! Sorry to gross you out. So starting Dec 2nd, it’s the start of my weekly appointments and my 1st internal checkup. The last time I saw the OB, she felt that the baby was in a breached position, but today she believes the baby is now head down. This explains how our baby loves to put on some great butt show at nights. Heart beat strong, BP is good and I gained 2 and 1/2 lbs since my last appointment.
Lately, I feel as though the right side of my body has been feeling all sorts of weird sensations. My right foot gets swollen occasionally and recently my right eye suddenly has a blurry focus and my 2 finger tips (middle and ring) on my right hand feels a bit numb. Saturday morning, I had another painful leg cramp on my right leg! I wanted to ask my OB if it was the baby resting on a particular nerve? But my OB practically hurried me out of there that I just didn’t have a chance to even approach her with my concerns. That’s the problem with my OB office – just too many friggin doctor’s! I wish I could switch practice again, but being that I’m so close to my due date, I’ll just stick it through and than later file a complaint, specifically this OB I saw today - I just hope she’s not that one who’ll be on call on the day I deliver.
Here’s a pic of Viraj and I when she came to visit for my shower. This was when I was entering 32 weeks. I’ll try to post a better side view pic later. Btw, this past weekend, I spent a lot of time just resting and napping again. This tiredness is uncontrollable! I might as well get all the sleep in now, huh?
edit: My vision is ok. Opened up a fresh pair of contact lens this morning. However, the weird sensation on finger tips still lingers.
2 comments November 18, 2008
