fumofu

My memory is fading very fast. Here are bits and pieces of it.

Getting that catheter in was bad news. It resulted in me having very bad bladder control (i.e. urinary incontinence). At the hospital, I had absolutely no control and thought it was actually amniotic fluid! until I tried squeezing my Kegels midstream and nothing happened. Now, a month later, I have regained some control – maybe 50%. But whenever I sneeze or cough, I still wet myself. It was nice not having my period for 9 months and dealing with sanitary pads. But now it’s pay back time because I’ve been wearing pads since delivery. Sucks.

Let’s talk hemorrhoids. Pregnant people get them. I had a little skin tag before that worsened during pregnancy. After delivery, the hemorrhoid has not gone down. I’ve also heard horror stories from Patricia about the first bowel movement after delivery would be painful and epic. It took a good two days for me to ingest enough food to generate No. 2. But I did it. And good thing it was pretty uneventful. Just funny that every time the nurse comes in to check on me they ask if I’ve pooped yet. I even read on forums that some hospitals won’t release patients until they’ve pooped, just to make sure things are working on that end.

I enjoyed my labor with Avery. There aren’t that many things I would’ve changed. I felt a bit uncomfortable about getting the episiotomy, only because I was not informed about it. But I understand that Dr Kent decided to perform it only because it was necessary (we had discussed this at one of my OB appointments). My one regret about this whole experience was not being able to breastfeed Avery right after delivery when he was placed on my chest. If I am fortunate to do this again, the one thing I would request is this.

Because breastfeeding is the most painful thing I have experienced. Yes, contractions were painful. Delivery was painful. But that was less than 12 hours of my life. Breastfeeding had been challenging and painful right from the start. Almost 5 weeks later, it still is a bit painful. But I don’t have to take ibuprofen anymore. Avery and I had latching problems right from Day 1. At Patricia’s suggestion, I used a breast pump and spoon fed Avery little bits (not even by the dropful) of colostrum during my time at the hospital. I requested visits from lactation consultants on both full days that I stayed at the hospital. They were helpful, but looking back I did not make good use of their help. My nipples were sore, scabbed, chafed, and misshapened. The pain was so awful, my instinctual reaction was to rock myself to ease the pain. I called the nurse hotline from Albert’s insurance twice. The night we got home (Wednesday, 8/4/2010), I called in tears because I gave up and decided to feed Avery a bottle of formula. Thank God Albert only gave Avery 0.5 oz of milk and stopped.

I’m so happy I’ve persisted in breastfeeding. It really is the best gift I’m giving to my child. I am so grateful for the women at the support group I go to at the hospital once a week. Just to enter into a room full of women with their babies of varying age, knowing that they have gone through what I had been experiencing, alleviated a lot of stress. When I went in to last week’s meeting, there was a woman with a 6-day old baby. She was going through everything I had gone through. It’s funny how much has happened in 3 weeks. Yes, it still sucked at 4 weeks with Avery, but we had definitely made progress. And just these past 2-3 days, I feel like I can exclusively breastfeed Avery to at least 6 months, when he starts taking solid foods.

There had been several nights when Avery’s crying because he was hungry and I was reluctant to feed him because of the pain. Poor Albert is not one to hold his tongue when he’s tired and frustrated, and was not the most supportive person at 3am. I think in the ideal situation if I had constant positive support I would not be as stressed. But yeah, I’ll still be hard on myself. That’s just my personality.

It hasn’t been 5 weeks yet, but I have wracked up so many happy memories of our little boy. Like how his little lips made noises when I was burping him, and Albert and I cracked up when I was patting him in rhythm. Or how yesterday I was telling Albie that I was worried because Avery had pooped yet, then he proceeded to poop out of his diaper and into my shirt that I had just put on 2 minutes prior. This resulted in us taking a bath together, and the relaxed look on his face when I sprayed warm water on him is just priceless.

It is still a lot of work taking care of our little stinker, but even just a month’s experience as parents I’m finally feeling like I have a handle on things, and I can regain some of my own life back.

My next hurdle: Avery’s next growth spurt when he’ll want to feed constantly (even though it feels that way now), and Albert playing at an ultimate tournament next weekend. I’m planning on going to my parents’ place, but haven’t decided if I’ll be spending the night. I’ve been trying to let Albert sleep through the night, but exception for one night it has yet to happen. My parents are in no shape to hold a crying baby for 1-2.5 hrs at 4 in the morning.

I bought a baby memory book so I could record things. I need to get back on track! And yes, I will update Avery’s photos soon. That is, once I inform Albert about it. ;)

Guess what? Kid woke himself up and is crying like a maniac. Time to nurse again!

A Google search of soon-to-be our house’s sellers generated plenty information. Even though it’s public data, it’s scary how easily accessible it is nowadays. I saw photos of the house the sellers upgraded to. Nice purchase - fab kitchen! We Googled our names together and didn’t get too much information, for now at least.

We celebrated Father’s Day early and took Albert’s parents to New Krung Thai for dinner. They seem to like it. Albert’s dad doesn’t often venture out of Chinese cuisine and isn’t a fan of sweet/sour or spicy. But he liked the food we ordered – yay for successful dinner.

Recent events (like our loan application) have made me realize how lucky I am to have found my baby’s daddy. These past 10-11 years have gone by so quickly (OMG, our relationship is a tween!). There weren’t that many kinks to sort out to begin with; and we’ve definitely molded each other even more over the decade. The burp in our relationship definitely did us some good. I know we’ve argued but I don’t really remember what the altercations were about (I have a better memory of the apologies, which were mostly mutual). We think and feel alike so that we operate like a well-oiled machine. But there still are twinkles of individuality (and stubbornness) left in each of us to surprise the other more often than not. We live in our own little anti-social world, and I look forward to our +1, who will eventually pop our bubble. Someday (not now…) we’ll have to prepare this little creature to assimilate into society. We’ll have to *gasp* talk to other parents!

Happy Daddy-to-be Day Chu ‘Mega.

I’m starting to get nervous. 33 weeks: 4 more til Baby’s full term, 7 more til expected delivery date (EDD). I’m watching closely at the slightest signs of labor. Reading about early deliveries in baby forums makes me feel unsettled. It’s like driving by a car accident. You just can’t help yourself but look. (Actually that’s a bad example; I usually don’t look when I’m driving, just to prove that I can resist.) Dr Kent says I’m measuring smaller than age of fetus by EDD. Going in for an ultrasound Monday. I hope he’s doing OK inside. At least he’s very active – I’ll never get bored watching and feeling him move and hiccup. :)

We signed the loan documents at the title company yesterday! Expected to finalize everything and get keys next Tuesday!! The ideal situation is to get the house ready for move-in before Baby arrives. Realistically…that probably won’t happen. We definitely want the house painted (uneven, two-tone paint lines bug). The plan is to drag Albie to the paint store this weekend to get some ideas – definitely spa blue in the master bedroom. :)

Last night’s CPR class marked the end of baby classes. Now I know what to do if a pregnant lady chokes (no Heimlich maneuvers!). Sad thing is if I’m alone in the house, choking and verbally-impaired, I won’t be located via cell phone if I dial 911. Santa Clara county isn’t equipped yet to locate callers via cell phone GPS. It’s possible to locate to the nearest tower, but that doesn’t really help, does it now. Maybe we should get a land line after all.

Too many things going on! I’m grateful for my silly husband, impossibly cute nephews, and a relatively healthy family.

Pregnancy status:

Week 34 of 40. Weight gain: 21 pounds. Waistline: 6″ gained since I started measuring at Week 19.

Apparently I’m 11 lbs heavier and 10″ wider at the waist than my brother-in-law, who’s 9″ taller than I am. Yippee.

3rd trimester hit me blindsided. Just over a couple of days, I started waking up on my back feeling like a rock is on my belly. I finally mastered falling asleep on my left side, only to wake up with a numb left arm. So I turn to my right side and would have to repeat the process in a couple of hours. Toilet trips have also increased. To the point where we go through a couple rolls of TP a week. I’ve had to cut myself back from 3 to 2 squares. If we go out or I know I won’t readily have access to a bathroom, I go potty even if I don’t feel the urge.

I can tell when Baby has a growth spurt by how uncomfortable I feel when he moves inside me. This week has been the hardest. I’m guiltily hoping he gets big enough soon so that his movements will be more limited inside me.

Albert’s dad flew in from Ohio last night. While I’m happy that his parents are here to welcome their new grandson, I am definitely suffering from cabin fever since I am car-less and I don’t feel comfortable using theirs (especially with the conspicuousness of the Ohio license plate). I’ve also come to the conclusion that American cars are not made for short Asian women. What’s the point of having a rearview mirror if I can’t see anything from it? The back of the car has become one big blind spot. At least it’s been uber hot this past week, so I wouldn’t have wanted to get out much anyways. But I miss shopping, walking around, and not feeling obligated to talk to anyone.

Anyways. Just 5 weeks til Baby is considered full term. I still have a lot of stuff to buy – and I’ve already spent a lot of money!! We bought the crib from IKEA the other day, in case Baby comes early and we’ll have to set up shop at our current place. I just want our loan approved and escrow closed so we can bring Baby to his new home.

We’ve been going to a lot of ultimate frisbee games lately. Baby got to see Daddy run and throw a plastic disc around while getting scorched by the sun. We do a lot more laundry these days. I’m going to miss these HE machines. :-/

You asked for pasta photo. Here it is! I arranged the noodles all pretty just for you. How many points do I get for presentation?

It’s Michael Chiraello’s recipe for rich chicken “brodo.” I’ve made it a couple times since watching the episode on Food Network back when I was still in Riverside (coz being 45 minutes away from “everything” just wasn’t good enough). The recipe gets better and better as the years pass due to repetition and equipment upgrades. :p

Except this time I upped the ante yet another notch and made my own pasta. Still have problems with ingredient proportioning. Had to rework the dough after letting it sit, and thought I completely messed up with the glutton chemistry that I don’t quite understand. But the noodles cooked wonderfully. I can’t really describe the texture – one that can never be enjoyed from store-bought pasta. The spaghetti is soft, yet springy. It’s got a bite, but you won’t hurt your jaw chewing on it – I think this is what true al dente really is. You’ll have to educate me on this one, Ms. Chef-in-training.

I also sauteed spinach & oyster mushroom (EVOO, S&P, red pepper flakes) using some of the brodo. The entire dinner was a keeper. Both husband and mother-in-law got seconds. I’ll be packing the leftovers for Patricia & Steve. I have full confidence my chicken brodo will hold its place to two Cantonese grandmothers’ homemade soups.

Not sure how big of an impact this is, but I’ve been using coarse light pink Himalayan salt from this company and grinding it “fresh”. It’s a pain to turn that mill (plus the pepper mill) when I cook. Does stale ground salt exist? One of these days I’ll pre-grind the salt and put it in one of those cute little containers. It also acts double duty as bath salt (tested pre-pregnancy, good stuff). My 5-pound bag will last a good while.

This recipe also works if you let it sit overnight in the Dutch oven. The dried porcini is a must. Not recommended: Cooking this when you’re 6.5 months pregnant – I am beyond exhausted.

I have yet to try your recommended chocolate bread. Does Trader Joe’s sell Dutch-processed cocoa? I don’t wanna break the bank at Whole Foods.

P.S. My carrots did not feel like tofu when I cut into them with my chef knife. How dare you shatter my infatuation with my knives?! (Care to smuggle me some cutlery?)

That’s my crotch I’m talking to. I can’t see it anymore…

My belly wasn’t growing outward much, but I can tell Baby is growing internally up my torso as his kicks are getting higher. This past week though I finally expanded. Can you imagine having a 38″ waist? I have never been this bloated, and it’s only gonna get worse.

Little Isaac had some health problems, so he was admitted into the NICU at Stanford. But he went home with Mommy and Daddy yesterday. I can’t wait to see him! He’s got a full head of hair and a cute little button nose. Mason, on the other hand, is one big lump of cute. He’s so chunky, I love it! Can’t wait to see him again too! My parents must be over the moon.

My herbs are growing like crazy. I check them twice a day. By evening I can see bigger leaves compared to earlier in the day. Cilantro and parsley are sprouting recognizable leaves. Chives look like thin feeble weeds. The others have yet to grow anything substantial. Definitely have to head to the garden store to get bigger containers this week. I’ve also been reading Bountiful Container. Good book for a beginner like me.

Isaac Leung arrived 2010.05.04 at 9:45am weighing in at 7 lbs 5 oz, 20 inches long. I can’t wait to meet him! His grandparents didn’t want me in the hospital, so I’m waiting patiently to see the little guy when mommy and daddy bring him home later today. I’ll be taking big sister Bahamas with me. :)

You know how you rattle in the roller coaster when you go up for that big initial downhill? It’s that same rattling but inside my tummy when Baby kicks/burps these days. He’s literally making my torso rattle from inside out. Crazy! I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.

3 months til my expected delivery date. I’m starting to feel more discomfort from this little boy. He’s losing his stage fright when Daddy tries to feel him kick.

My gardening success has encouraged me to broaden my horizons. I’m looking into starting a salad garden now. Put a library hold on a container gardening book recommended for beginners.

Patricia’s contractions are getting regular now. Steve just dropped off Bahamas at our place. I had to dog proof the house a bit – raise the herb pots, put away the snacks, clear off some space for her doggie bed. Good thing I wiped the kitchen floor last week, or else she would’ve eaten some scraps not suited for her little canine tummy.

I’m getting nervous for Patricia!! Another nephew on the way!

My mother-in-law is on Facebook… Remind me not say anything inappropriate on my sister-in-law’s page.

Seriously. My belly feels extra tight, and I swear my belly button got even flatter. Just when I thought I wasn’t gaining as much in weight and waistline these past 2 weeks…. I went shopping at Valley Fair after my OB visit today, and got tired and sore much more quickly than usual. Now my back is killing me and I don’t know how to relieve the soreness. Where is Albie? I need him to rub my back…

Mason visited us today at our parents’ house. He is so big, at almost twice his birth weight. He was being cranky the whole time though, being sleepy but refusing to sleep. That little guy sure has a strong grip and loud voice!

I am gearing up for some baby gear shopping sprees. *teehee* Albert must be so excited! And to know we’ll owe in 2009 taxes, which needs to be filed still. Whoops.