...and the adventures continue!

It has been insane since I last posted. I must say that international travel and cross-country trips crammed in the 3rd trimester of housing a baby is probably not recommended. Even though I'm somewhat athletic and pretty energetic, I was definitely pushing myself. At 31wks and 33wks, to Paris and NYC respectively, I got poor sleep and walked-up too many flights of stairs, especially in the Metro and the NY subways. I had to negotiate with CHuperman on a daily basis to take cabs:P
Despite waddling around town with my inflated belly/ 30 extra lbs on my hips, we had a great time in Paris and did what we had to do in NY, which was to secure housing.
The good news is that my weight has somewhat plateaued as I have only gained 2 lbs in the last 4 wks due to all the traveling and walking.

Somewhere in between our trips to Paris and NYC, we celebrated mother's day, attended chuperman's reception, graduation, hosted a friend for a few days, attended a raging party in Santa Monica, and started packing for our move to NYC! PHEW.

It feels GREAT to be home where I can finally relax and then gear up for BIRTH and then the MOVE to NYC!

I'm happy to be posting some pix finally!!!

(these pix are going backwards starting from NYC)

Two nights ago, enjoying a Japanese inspired dessert at Kyotofu in Hell's Kitchen (Manhattan). Warm mochi chocolate cake with creme Anglaise in shotglass paired with their recommended port-like sake. To the right is a sample of their mocha/white sesame swirl soft soymilk ice cream. We should have just gone here for dinner too since they serve some yummy tapas style japanese food. KYOTOFU is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.





Bar Americain, Mid-town Manhattan. I think the general rule of thumb is that while Bobby Flay has some kick-ass BBQ recipes (Chuperman has made the best chimichurri rib-eye steaks from bobby flay), Bobby's restaurants Mesa Grill and Bar Americain are rather mediocre. We ordered the pork chops and lamb chops at Bar Americain, and both we're so tough that we could hardly cut through the meat with steak knives. However, the littleneck clam and sweet potato chowder was amazing. I would not recommend Bar Americain for food, but rather for drinks, as they have a nice looking and spacious bar.












I haven't updated on Jacob in awhile! He is now 16 1/2 mos and doing well! Jacob is learning how to communicate through simple words. His vocab is building by the week it seems.
Jacob's vocab:
Mandarin: go-go (doggie), na na (milk/bottle/cup), baba (daddy), mama (self explanatory), dada (he prefers chuperman over me), hua hua (flowers), ah-gong (grandpa), ah-ma (grandma), ah-yi (nanny), yi - er (1, 2), wa wa (stuft animal)
English: ball, more (to tell me to give him more food), okay, alright, rock, hi, bye, baby (when I point to my belly he says baby:P )
I think he knows more words but I don't remember all of them right now. He understands quite a bit more of course but I'm vocalizing these thoughts will come soon.
Feeding:
Jacob has been skillful with the sippy cup since he was 13 mos old and can feed himself with a spoon and even a fork with assistance for the past month. He also likes using straw cups. Although the nanny likes to spoonfeed him still, whenever Chuperman or I feed him, we have Jacob practice feeding himself in which he does quite well in my (biased)opinion for being so young! Feeding himself is a messy scene but worth the clean-up.
Demeanor:
Jacob is getting more rambunctious and opinionated. Combine that with his myriad of food allergies - we were afraid to take him on our recent trips, esp with me being in my 3rd trimester. We missed him SO much, esp towards the end of each trip but it's better that he stayed home.
Jacob is a friendly kid. He says and waves HI and BYE to EVERYONE haha. He likes hanging out with other kids, especially boys and is intrigued by babies since I think it makes him feel older when he sees young babies. Hopefully, he won't be too jealous when he meets his younger sibling in the next 2-4 wks!

Music class with parachute activity:



Congratulations Doctor Chuperman! We made it through an eventful 4 yrs. The next 3 yrs will be just as eventful if not more insane. Even though it's a rough path and I complain a lot, I know I'm very lucky and blessed overall. =D
















Mother's Day at Banana Boat! Jacob loves his toast!















Everything ends on a sweet note:
Angelina's in Paris (across from the Louvre). Pictured is a mont blanc dessert + hot sipping chocolate = LETHAL. I almost went into a coma after having a few sips of Angelina's famous hot cocoa. Couple that with a few bites of their other famous dessert, mont blanc, which is chestnut puree on top of meringue. Luckily I SHARED this with my friend. Good thing Chuperman was out exploring and taking pix of Paris on foot, he would have been disgusted by our lil high tea session. The hot cocoa is NOT recommended unless you're an extreme chocoholic. It's like sipping watered down hot fudge. I prefer my hot cocoa au lait style or american style - with milk! The mont blanc is DEFINITELY recommended. It actually wasn't too sweet and pairs well with Ceylon tea.

Cancun canceled - Paris here we come!

Chuperman and I are taking a vacay to Paris! We changed our travels plans from Cancun to Paris just yesterday due to the swine flu outbreak. Originally, we wanted to take Jacob with us but lately he's been more of a handful when we take him out and is wearing down even Chuperman. I'm about 30 wks pregnant - so enough said. So, Jacob is just gonna have to sit this one out. We'll miss him so much but it's better (for everyone) that he stays home with grandma&grandpa. He wouldn't remember going on a trip at his age anyway and it would be torture for us to take him on the plane and tote him around romantic Paris.

We're leaving in less than 48 hrs to Paris and staying for 7 nights - woohoo!!! I am SO excited to be immersed in the beautiful parisian culture. My college friend so happens to live in Paris - it'll be fun traveling around Paris with a local.

If we're ambitious enough - we might take a day excursion outside of Paris. Bootie suggested that we go to Champagne Valley which is only an hour away. Since I can't drink - it'll suck for me, but maybe i'll have a few sips anyway (boy do i really need it) haha.

The Big Apple!!!

Sorry for the delay! I only had time to quickly post on facebook before i dashed off to take JAcob to his tumbling class.

At10am, with our hearts pounding wildly, we checked and saw what we've been waiting for and what Chuperman has prophesied in his dream last night. This is what we saw:

Match Results: Congratulations, you have matched!
Pgm Code: 1428110C0
Emergency Medicine
Maimonides Med Ctr-NY

Both Chuperman and I had a gut feeling we'd end up in the Big Apple. I will be toughened up for sure living city slicker style in NYC. On the otherhand, perhaps I can bring with me some sunshine and warmth to all the hardened souls in NYC. Notorious for my happy-go-lucky giggling and attitude, I'm going to count on my sense of humor to get me through the rest of the year.

Surprisingly, I'm pretty neutral with the match. I didn't cry or anything. I was just relieved that we didn't match to PA or CT! If it's anywhere in the EC, i'd want to live in the Big Apple - hands down.

Now on to our next step: looking for housing and figuring out what to do with our furniture. We have to figure out how much it'll cost to move our furniture out there or probably just buy furniture out there.

After we come back from our fam vacay to Cancun in late April, Chuperman and I will make a separate trip out to NYC in May to look for housing!


Girl Scout cookies!!
My order of GS cookies were finally delivered from a GS mom coming from Balboa to my doorstep just minutes after finding out that we matched to the Big Apple. It's already going fast hahahaaa. Oh how I love my peanut butter tagalong sandwiches and caramel delights (somoas)!

1 more day til Match Day!

Today is officially the last day of the Calm before the Storm.

The suspense is overwhelming -- Match Day is tomorrow!

Just some background on Match Day:
It has already been decided where Chuperman matches. On Monday, we found out that he did indeed match. They actually could have told us right then and there but they're making us wait another 3 days so that those who did not match can scramble for a program. Agonizing right? They already know, but why can't they just tell us earlier! Then tomorrow at 10am pacific time is going to be the big unveiling for each person's match!

In 21 hours we will find out where we'll relocate to. In 21 hours, I'm probably going to be crying out of joy or sadness/stress, or just in quiet state of shock, prob a mixture of all the above. In 21 hours, i'll prob poo in my pants like Jacob. Chuperman is taking the day off tomorrow since it's Match Day. This is a huge deal (bigger than St.Patty's day by far haha). No matter what happens, we've (i've) decided that we should take Jacob to Disneyland to blow off some steem(we gotta take advantage of chuperman's day off and the fact that im still relatively mobile). Although, we might be too frazzled to make it out to DL. We do have to take Jacob to his "tumbling for toddlers" class at 10:30am tomorrow (just mins after we find out!).

Last Plea: No matter what happens/ where we end up I pray to God that we'll be able to transition to our new city smoothly. Our new city has already been decided. It's up to me to adjust to the news tomorrow. I need to remember to keep an open mind and a positive attitude. It will no doubt be a physically & emotionally challenging ordeal for me to move to a new city, deliver #2 baby, recover from childbirth, and probably nursing a newborn, on top of caring for a toddler, without help from our families or nanny, and with Chuperman working insane hours. I pray that God give me strength to get me through the rest of the year and that I can stay sane through it all! Lord, help me to be like water and just go with the flow of life. Help me to look at the big picture at all the wonderful things in my life. Help me to be good strong mother to my babies and good wife during the next few years of transition and motherhood x's 2! Have faith in God.

Laguna Beach:
It's a gorgeous day today. 70 degrees, sunny, breezy, what more could you ask for. I'm excited to take Jacob to Laguna Beach after his nap. It would be so therapeutic to listen to the waves crashing. I wish I could get a pre-natal massage at the Montage!! Maybe mother's day? *hint hint hint* =P

Glucose Screening Test:
This morning I had the pleasure of taking a 1-hr glucose screening test. As some may recall, during the last pregnancy with Jacob I had gestational diabetes. I failed the 1 hr glucose screening test AND the 3 hr glucose tolerance test. It was a very annoying condition to have. I hope I pass this time so that I won't have to take the 3 hr glucose tolerance test.

3 more days...!

until Match Day: Chuperman and I just found out that we matched into a residency program but it won't be another 72 hrs until we find out to which program, state, & city! In a few short months, there is a big chance that we'll be relocating to a metropolis such as NYC or as local as LA or in the middle-of-nowhere-USA in central CA, PA or CT with 2 babies in tow! I know that in the grand scheme of things, relocating a family is a part of life and that really we are so blessed. A lot of people in this world don't even have running water and cannot feed their families - and I'm worried about adjusting to a new city in the good ole USA. I should be more thankful for everything that life has offered to me. Just a bit nervous that our fate for the next 3-4 yrs will be decided in 72 hrs!

If I was into biting my nails I think I'd have to get curlex to cover up any unsightly short nail beds.



Moving right along - I'm about 23 weeks pregnant, feeling pretty good overall, the nausea seems long gone, but unfortunately I've gained a few more lbs at this point compared to my 1st time around. Yikes. My mentality is totally different this time around. Given that it's still hard for me to cope that I'm indeed pregnant AGAIN during quite possibly the worst time, my discipline is pretty much out the door and I resort to eating anything and everything that is in arm's length or that I'm craving - anything that will get me through the day.

Speaking of which, I had this vivid dream that I was hanging out at the model homes of Crystal Cove trying to buy cookies from these 2 Girl Scouts haha. Random place to find girl scouts right? Maybe b/c I'd love to live in Crystal Cove one day.. HAHA.. in my dreams!! In real life, I put an on-line order in for 4 boxes of Caramel Delights (samoas), 1 box of PB Tagalong cookies, and 1 box of Thin Mints. I have been patiently waiting but seriously - Where are my GS cookies! And why don't Girl Scouts ever come to my door to solicit business anymore? I use to be a GS who sold GS cookies to my neighbors, so I feel that it is my duty to support Girl Scouts by buying their irresistible cookies haha :P

Anyway, back to some observation regarding my 2nd pregnancy.
I've noticed that being pregnant with Jacob I could feel his lil hiccups. But with #2 baby, no hiccups yet or maybe I don't notice it, but I do feel kicking and punching. It should be pretty funny to see Jacob's reaction to his new younger sibling. I think he'll be jealous if he see's Chuperdaddy holding another baby hahaha.

Jacob's 1st DL trip!

We caved and bought the Southern California Annual Passport (2nd level). I got mine with parking. The weather was a bit overcast but fortunately it did not rain. We were supposed to go to DL after Jacob's nap at around 3-ish and meet up with all sorts of friends (babies: joey, tyler, and other passport holders) but then Jacob's sleeping schedule has been soo off these past few days. I think the likely culprit is teething since he's drooling more, biting his fingers, and is having trouble getting to sleep - then we resorted to giving him baby tylenol at night (after 45 mins of straight crying). Jacob usually sleeps from 8pm-8am, then naps noon-2pm, but these past few days he hasn't been able to fall asleep until around 10:30 pm and this morning he woke up at 10am! So this totally threw off our original schedule of going at 3 since now we had this huge gap in the middle of the day. Even though Jacob had a routine going on for him, his schedule is still unpredictable especially with teething, growth spurts, etc etc.

So after we fed him and got things ready, we finally drove off to DL at around noon. We parked at a far parking lot (next time we need to find a closer one) and walked a great distance to get to the entrance. TIP TO SELF: next time im going to wear SNEAKERS for sure (today i stupidly wore sandals which gave me a blister). After standing in line to buy our annual passes we didn't get into the park until almost 1pm! ANOTHER TIP FOR FRIENDS: you can purchase these annual passes online - i knew we could do so online but it simply slipped my mind (excuse for absentmindedness: i'm pregnant:P )

We were pretty much at DL for less than 4 hours. We were able to stroll around through main street, hang out in fantasy land, then we headed to Frontierland where Chuperman agreed to go on Winnie the Pooh ride as a family. We were a bit paranoid that our Bugaboo would get stolen but thankfully nothing happened to Jacob's transportation. It was so much fun going on the ONLY ride of the day hahaa. This was Jacob's 1st amusement park ride ever and I think he liked it! He wasn't scared or anything, just gazing at everything with great curiosity haha.

After Winnie the Pooh ride, I wanted to grab a snack for myself and baby #2:P, plus it was Jacob's snack time as well. We spent a good hour at Cafe Orleans. Luckily we had a great table with a nice view of the Mark Twain steamboat,etc. We had the best parmesan fries that came with this spicy ranch sauce. I also got the french onion soup which wasn't bad although I like Vie de France better. With an annual passport you get 10% off most DL restaurants. Hey, every bit counts! :P

Then we strolled around some more and made our way up to Toon Town. However, when we got there Jacob was fast asleep in his stroller. So we decided to stroll back down to Tomorrowland to ride the monorail around the park. Couldn't find an elevator for the monorail. At this point our feet were getting tired and decided to stand in line at the Bank on Mainstreet to take our passport pictures before we left the theme park altogether.

One thing that really shocked me was that DL was still pretty crowded today! I naively thought that DL wouldn't be crowded given these economic times and cloudy weather. I really didn't think that many ppl would still be buying annual passports.

Another observation: I am probably generalizing but it looked like most visitors were from socal in which I want to guess that most of them have annual passes. I barely saw any tourists. We also saw A TON of babies (some like 3 mos old) in infant carriers, baby bjorns and strollers EVERYWHERE. One can rent a disney stroller for $12.

More tips: outside water bottles and snacks are allowed into the park. prob can get away with taking a sub-sandwich in hehe. DL charges $7 for turkey legs! I guess they're pretty big legs hehe. $3 for churros... no thx, i'll get my $1 churro at costco. there are plenty of diaper changing stations in DL -- men's is prob less crowded.

Jacob's 1st DL ride! Winnie the Pooh Ride



Fantasy Land



Overall, Jacob had a great time. He really enjoyed all the live music and live entertainment. He would clap and smile and giggle. Jacob had fun ppl watching, especially watching other kids play. On the car ride home, Jacob was "talking" and talking, and kicking his legs (equivalent to a puppy wagging its tail when happy). He especially liked it when I sang the Winnie the Pooh song to him. (warning: pls don't ask me to sing the winnie the pooh song. jacob is the only person on this planet that hopefully appreciated my attempt at singing hahaha)

Looking fwd to our next DL trip with hopefully joey! and tyler and pearson and mommy&daddy's friends.

ooooooooooh BOY

hahaa.. yes, it is true. We are having ANOTHER boy! :P I'm super excited since JAcob just loves watching other kids play and playing with them. He'll even chase other babies down in music class. Who knows if we'll be brash enough later on to try for a girl given Chuperman's crazy schedule and the chance of possibly moving coast-to-coast with multiple kids!

Actually, I already knew the sex when I had an in-house U/S done at 15wks (I am now 20 wks) so I really wasn't surprised today when I saw the lil bebe's crown jewels again, but this time more clearly. During the 15wk U/S the lil bebe was totally crossing its legs but we were able to catch a brief glimpse of the sex. Today, as soon as the U/S machine turned on - the first image was lil bebe totally spread eagle with everything showing haha like he was saying "look at me, i'm a boy!"

I get a cursory U/S from my OB every time I see him which was today. I'm having an official anatomy U/S done with a technician on Friday.

I didn't think I'd be so happy after the U/S. I think today, which is exactly half-way mark at 20 wks - is the first day during this pregnancy where I'm actually excited to be pregnant (during 1st pregnancy i was naively excited) Everyday since I found out that I got knocked up again has been filled with a mixed bag of emotions comprising of regret, self-pity, and feeling bitter haha. But now after today's U/S, I'm really excited to see how Jacob reacts to a new baby bro! I think he'd be too young to really know what's going on. I don't think he'd be jealous cuz by the time he meets his younger sibling, Jacob will still only be 18mos. We'll see tho as babies are still quite unpredictable! haha. We're going to take Jacob to see his lil bro at the U/S appt this Friday;)