Hi hi!  Hope you’ve all been doing great!  After a few weeks of bed rest and limited activity I’m finally starting to venture out.  Here’s a recap of our April~ can’t believe it’s already May!

Evan + Bella

These two make me laugh all the time!  Evan is almost fully potty trained now so diapers have become a toy, lol.  He buried Bella in diapers while she was sleeping.  When she woke up he apologized (Sorry Bella!) for laughing at her.   

Easter 2011

Learning Sympathy

Evan made some new buddies while playing basketball.  Seth got in trouble from his dad for not sharing the ball so he ran off to cry.  Evan followed him and tried to make him feel better.  These moments are what totally melt my heart~ to know that my little guy is growing up to be such a good person and learning how to sympathize. 

22 weeks

I’m now 23 weeks but here are a few photos from last week!

 You will always be my first baby love.

Homemade Cocktail Ring

Can you tell which ring is homemade and which one is over $3000?  Even if a cocktail ring were $100 I wouldn’t want to pay that much for just a fun little toy.  So~ I made a ring out of one of the embellishments in my stash!   

[left to right:  Kate Spade $125, my little creation, Barneys New York $3,675, Kate Space $125]

I’ll be back with more updates but for now I’ll be busy catching up with what you’ve all been up to!  

Hi buddies!  Thank you all sooo much for the kind words about our new addition!  I’m so happy I can share this journey with all of you.  My OB put me on bed rest because I was having too many Braxton-Hicks contractions.  I’m just waiting to see a specialist this week.  You would think bed rest means lots of REST but it isn’t actually that great when you’re stuck in bed all day~ lol! 

Mammoth Memories

Anyways, I wanted to share some photos from our trip to Mammoth back in February.  Way back we planned this trip with friends not knowing that I would be pregnant and at the height of my morning sickness.  Although I was really sick we still had a blast!  What a difference just a few years makes because the last time we were in Mammoth was before any of us had babies!  Here are some of my favorite memories this time around…

* Evan seeing snow for the 1st time!

[I brought along 5 pairs of mittens/gloves and my baby bear refused to wear any of them.  We had to go buy a $25 pair of new gloves so his hands wouldn’t freeze.]

[Animal encounters.]

[This really nice man asked if Evan wanted to take a photo in his cool truck!]

* Spending quality time with family.

[We have a rare family photo thanks to the kindness of a stranger who asked if we wanted a photo.]

* Making memories with some of our dearest friends.

[Hilarious!  Evan the Snowman!]

[Mama Bears + Baby Bears!] 

[The boys had a blast together.  It was so sweet seeing a brotherly bond forming.]

* Our first time having Evan sleep with us! 

[I was so excited I couldn’t sleep!]

Point & Shoot

I fell in love with my point & shoot camera again on this trip!  It snowed and it was hard to take my DSLR when I was all bundled up.  Most of the photos above were taken with my point & shoot~ a Panasonic Lumix LX3.  Here’s the LINK to a newer & better version.  It even has a “snow” setting!  Most of my DSLR photos were yucky because it’s actually hard to take photos in the snow.  The brightness of the snow made my photos backlit…or maybe it was just user error, lol!  Just to show you an example~ can you tell which photos are from the point & shoot or DSLR? 

The left photos are my DSLR and the right ones are my point & shoot.  Of course, the DSLR photos look better (especially when enlarged) but I was surprised at how little the difference mattered to me.  The DSLR photos are sharper and the colors are more vibrant but for this trip all I needed were some nice snapshots for my memories so the point & shoot would’ve been good enough.    

Winter Goodies

I know winter is over~ I meant to give these away ages ago, lol!   The ear muffs are from Japan.  I bought the knit beanies for the adult favor bags at Evan’s birthday party and had extras.  They’re just from Forever 21 but I thought they looked so “handmade” and cute.  If you like them let me know and I’ll send one to you~!  [Gone~ to the first 5 people who said they wanted them!]  Hope you’re all having a fabulous week! 

Hi hi!  Hope you’ve all been doing great!  I can’t believe it’s already April.  I have so much to share but not enough time!  One of the greatest pieces of news for us has been finding out the gender of our little one.  Scroll through the photos and you’ll get your answer!

Brother or Sister?

Our baby bunny is a…

Did you guess right?

We’re so excited and happy!  I can’t wait to get advice (and hopefully hand-me-downs?) from all my mama friends who have daughters.  I’ve loved these little girls for so long and now I actually get my very own! 

[This is what happens when we try to get a photo of the 3 of us – Evan tries to run away and Bella falls asleep, hehe!]

Evan & Bella

Of course, I need to give some blog time to my other kiddos~ Evan & Bella!  I’m just so happy about their growing friendship.  Now that Evan is talking more I see him interacting with Bella even when we’re not right there with them.

* When he’s eating and a piece of food is too hot he’ll say~ Bella, blow!  

* If we’re doing a family hug he’ll want her to join so he’ll yell~ Come on Bella! 

* If she’s begging for food he’ll say~ Bella, stop!  

* He also sets up photo opps and then yells to her~ Come on Bella!  Anjuh, anjuh (sit, sit)!  Picture, picture!

Hi buddies!  Hope you’ve been doing great!  I was supposed to find out the gender this week but my appointment got rescheduled to next week.  In the meantime, I wanted to post some events I’ve been meaning to share!  What do you do when your best friend is about to get married?  Try to throw her the best shower in the whole world!

Details

Location:  Cecconi’s West Hollywood [a great restaurant but the lighting is rough for photos!]

Hosted by:  Gina’s bridal party

When:  August 2010 

Color scheme:  Yellow, gray & marigold

Cupcake favors:  Chef Meichih

Flowers:  Super talented Emmy

Paper details & décor:  Me

Accessories Buffet

The restaurant wouldn’t let us bring in outside food so we couldn’t have a dessert buffet.  I decided to set up an accessories buffet instead which included hairpins, headbands and brooches.  Initially I thought I could just buy them but then realized it would be way too expensive.  Pretty hairpins could go for up to $25 each! 

Over the course of three months I tried to make one or two accessories a day so that it wouldn’t be too overwhelming at the end.  Luckily I started early because I ended up breaking my right wrist and only had one arm to work with! 

[For the table set up I actually used old dishwares that I got from Goodwill and other thrift shops.]

Some of the accessories I made via tutorials and the others I just tried different things until something worked, hehe.  Here are a few of the tutorials:  fabric flower hair clip, rose barrettes, chiffon & tulle flower, linen flower and lace/ribbon rosettes.     

Photo Booth Fun!

We set up a mini photo backdrop so that people could take photos with Gina.  The backdrop is just a piece of fabric.  I got the frames for a dollar each at thrift shops and just spray painted them. 

[I know a laptop isn’t a traditional bridal shower gift but this was one thing I knew she needed the most!]

[Evan cracked us all up.  After seeing everyone taking photos he grabbed a frame and went to the backdrop so he could have his photo taken too!]

My Loves

[It’s so cute that my mom & Gina’s mom are such close friends too!]

[Gorgeous Gina!  Her mom is so pretty & young too.  I always tell Gina they have fabulous genes.]

[The photographer and his assistant.  The only boys allowed at the shower!] 

I think everyone had fun!  Most importantly, I was happy that Gina knew how much all of her family and friends loved and adored her.  

Baby 2! 

Hi everyone!  We are expecting baby #2 this summer!  I’m already 15 weeks but I’ve been so sick I haven’t even been able to properly announce the great news. I’m due in early September but my doctor said 2nd babies often arrive early so I’ll probably have an August baby! 

The past few months have been so hard because I’ve had really bad morning sickness plus a continuous string of flus/stomach viruses/colds.  Hope this now explains my absences from the online and real world!  

Silly Duo

Evan & Bella are still the same silly duo.  I don’t think they really know how much things will be changing around here this summer.  At first whenever I lifted my shirt to rub my belly and say “baby” Evan would do the same to himself…lol!  The other day though he came up to me and rubbed my belly and said “hi baby”…yay! 

Here they are playing around.  Evan was eating a snack and Bella wanted some.  He pretended to give her one but it was really a wood block!

Cabin Fever

Since Evan & I have both been sick on and off we’ve had to spend a lot of time indoors.  Luckily this little pool kept the baby and furbaby occupied!

[How to keep a two-year old entertained.]

Blurb Giveaway!

Every single day runs into the next and before I know it another week has passed!  I go through periods where I don’t use my computer for days and then I lose track of time.  I had a huge vet bill for Bella’s chocolate fiasco then I had to pay a $100 late fee for my annual state bar fees!  To top it off~ I bought a bunch of Groupons for Blurb photo books that I won’t be able to use because I’ve been too sick.  Well, so that at least one thing doesn’t turn into a waste of money…

I have two $60 gift certificates to Blurb to share.  Please let me know if you’re interested and if you’ll be able to use it by the 3/7 deadline.  I’ll pick two people randomly!  [Update:  Congrats to soxpax and spiritedsherry!  I’ll track you down and send you the gift certificates.  I’m so happy people will be able to make good use of them!]

Keep Shoes Photo Shoot

Back in January, I did an auntie + nephew + shoes photo shoot for my sister-in-law and Evan.  Her friend works for Keep Shoes and gave us great deals on shoes!  You can see all of the photos here on my sister-in-law’s fabulous blog.

Evan’s Friends

One thing I love about Evan is that he’s a friendly little guy.  He has a really diverse group of friends.

One day he’ll hang with his toddler crew…

[A hot July 2010 day.] 

Another day he’ll do lunch with his lawyer buddies…

[Lunching in Century City.]

You can also find him playing games with Javier Bardem while waiting in line at Michaels. 

[Evan & Javier]

And, of course, you know his love for his furry friends.

Soon!

I hope you’ve all been doing great~!  I’ll be back soon with lots of updates.  Have a fabulous week!  I’ll leave you with a quote that always makes me smile…

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. – Marcel Proust

[Bella, circa 2008.]

Just wanted to say~ Happy Valentine’s Day and thanks for all the “get well” messages!  Hope you had a wonderful day with your loved ones.  I’m still sick so we just had a low key day.  I’ll have to live vicariously through you so please tell me what fabulous things you did for Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s x 3

Park Day

Evan & Bella love going to the park together!  My in-laws have a really nice park near their house so we love spending time there.

[Same expression, different year.]

Valentine’s Through the Years

I love holidays so I was a bit sad we wouldn’t be able to do anything this year.  I started looking through old photos and I realized we’ve had so many great celebrations that it’s okay if we miss a holiday here or there.  More so than the cute color coordinated outfits or fancy meals…Valentine’s Day is about appreciating all of the people you love.  A special day to take a look at those around you and be so thankful that they’re healthy, happy and that you have the privilege of loving them.  

[2008 - Before Evan when it was just the three of us.]

[2008 - Pregnant with Evan in Taiwan.]

[2010 - Evan was at home while we had a major sushi feast!]

Oh No… 

I was just about to post this entry and I got some bad news.  Bella ate some chocolate today.  We didn’t think it was that serious but our vet said we should take her to the emergency room.  I just got a call from Andy saying that it’s more serious than we thought.  They said we could leave her there (for $1600) or monitor her at home all night.  We’re going to start by watching her at home.  We have to take her out every hour and make sure she doesn’t fall asleep.  I’ll be up all night praying for my little one.  I’m trying to stay positive but I get so scared thinking about what could possibly happen.  Please pray for Bella…she has to be okay.    

[Update:  Thank you so much for your prayers!  We made it through the night.  Now the more time that goes by the better she’ll get.  What a fiasco!  I got so scared when the doctor said things like heart attack and brain aneurysm.  Thank goodness she’s doing well now and I can stop closely monitoring her in about 7 more hours!]    

[A photo from our 1 year dating anniversary and another photo 7 years later!]

Hi buddies!  We have been so sick over here in Skippeeland~ Evan has had a cold on and off and I’ve had a stomach virus.  I feel like I haven’t done a single productive thing in the past few weeks.  I’m so sorry for all the late responses to e-mails/messages.  I know waiting more than a week to respond to a message is unthinkable in “Internet time” but I just haven’t had the energy to be on my computer at all!  Thank goodness for my awesome in-laws who one day drove 2 hours in traffic to get to our place early so I wouldn’t have to wake up and for my mom who changed her work schedule last minute to help me.  Thanks to my friends who take the time out of their busy schedules to check up on us even though it seems like we’ve been sick for ages!  Thank you, thank you…

Family Dance Party

Since I’ve been so sick my poor little guy has been cooped up for so many days at home with a sick mama.  One day I was so sad that we had to miss a birthday party that I cried!  We tried to make it up to him by taking him to a family dance party so we could dance our worries away.

Rainy Days

[Did you notice that Bella is showing off her rainy day look in the background?]

When Evan was just a wee newborn I saw the cutest rain outfit on sale for $25 at Target.  I had to wait a long time for Evan to fit into these and for when it was actually raining.  He did throw a major tantrum when I tried to get him to wear the boots but as soon as we got in the rain he was a happy camper.  I really wanted him to experience the carefree wonder of walking around on a rainy day. 

Resolutions

So…have you been keeping up with your resolutions?  I read somewhere that a big chunk of people have given up on their resolutions by February.  I hope that’s not the case with you!  This year I made some very specific resolutions~ thinking that would help me keep them.  Here are just a two:

Easing up on gift giving…

If you know me well you know that one of my favorite things to do is give people gifts.  I’m always on the lookout for gifts for my friends.  If I find something great then often I’m buying 5 of the same item!  Over the years though I’ve realized that not every gift is liked or welcomed~ lol!  I think I expend too much time/energy/money on this gift giving thing.  I need to limit myself.  I’m only going to get gifts if I’m pretty sure the person will like it and if I can give it to them right away. 

Here’s another part of my problem…I buy all these gifts and sometimes the timing isn’t right or for whatever reason I have boxes filled with unclaimed gifts.

[White fluffy dog not included.]

Okay, so now do you see why it’s a problem?  Well, I’m going to fix it!  Part of my resolution is to give away every single item in all 4+ boxes.  I just want to make sure I find the right owners.  I’ll post stuff here when I can!  Now, please tell me one of your “issues” so I’m not so embarrassed about revealing my gift giving problem!

Limiting Facebook…

I think Facebook is an awesome way to keep up with friends and share photos BUT I also see how much of a time vacuum it can be.  As a busy mom I realized I couldn’t fully devote my time to both Facebooking & blogging.  I had to make a choice and I chose blogging.  My blog is my virtual scrapbook and memory keeper.  I can look back at posts from years ago and your comments can still make me cry and laugh.  I cherish the connection between my posts and my friends who comment. 

So, I apologize in advance if I can’t be one of those Facebook buddies who can comment on every single photo and status update right away.  I’ll try when I can but I realize I’m bad at time management and I need to impose rules on myself so I can be more productive.  My rules are…(1) I can only Facebook if I have nothing pressing waiting for me (like Evan, chores, etc.), (2) if it’s someone’s birthday and (3) I won’t feel guilty about it.  I think the last one will be the hardest~ lol! 

Goldwyn

Meet Goldwyn.  I adopted him way back when I was working at a law firm and our client, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM), had a private sale.  From the moment I brought him home he’s had a special place in Bella’s heart.  

Thanks!

Thanks for listening to my rambling!  Can you tell I’ve been cooped up and out of touch?!  I hope you’re staying healthy and planning something great for Valentine’s Day!  

[My friend Sam said the cutest thing~ that we had to take a photo of them together since it might be in their wedding slideshow one day.  I laughed so much!  Thanks buddy~ for even thinking of marrying off your beautiful princess to our little prince!]

1.11.11

Dear Evan, 

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY!!!  I can’t begin to tell you how much we love and adore you.  You make our lives so full and happy just by being you.

* You love letters.  You go around trying to read everything~ signs, shirts and even objects that look like letters.  It’s so remarkable seeing how fascinated you are with learning new things.  I hope you always hold on to that wonder and willingness to learn.  

* You are so confident in your decisions.  Yes, you want more blueberries.  No, that’s not the bear you requested.  Yes, you want more milk.  No, you don’t want to leave.  I love seeing how you process information and form opinions.

* When we ask you what your favorite book is you exclaim confidently~ “Bible!”  We pray that your dedication to the Bible and your faith in God will always be strong and guide you throughout your life. 

* You yell “hug time!!!!” and run over to give Bella the biggest full body hugs.  You love animals, especially dogs.  You’ll go up to dogs and know how to crouch down and gently pet them under their chins.  Gina Eemo called you the mini Dog Whisperer.  

* You’re slowly becoming trilingual.  My favorite word that you say is elephant, kokkili (Korean) and dà xiàng (Chinese). It’s so awesome how depending on what language people talk to you in you’ll respond in that language.

* It’s fun to see when you learn new tricks or clear new milestones but what’s more important is when we see that you’re learning to be thankful, developing a good personality and learning how to love.  One of my favorite things is when you see people that you love and light up.  Sometimes when you’re in bed and can’t fall asleep I can hear you naming all the people you love.  

* The one thing we wish for you in your life is that you find true happiness.  We want you to fill your life with people who love you and do things that you really enjoy doing.  Life isn’t always going to be easy.  There will be many disappointments and struggles but you can make it through anything with your faith, your own strength and the support of loved ones.

All I can say is…you are amazing.  Thank you for making me smile and feel like the luckiest person on earth when I’m with you.  Always remember that I’m here for you in all of your triumphs and failures.  Words can’t express how much I love you.  Happy Big Two to my baby bear.  

 Mommy

SHUTTERmoms Workshop Reminder

Hope you’re able to join us for the SHUTTERmoms workshop coming up on Saturday, January, 29, 2011.  Just wanted to remind you that the early bird rate is good until January 15, 2011.  Don’t forget to use the code “skippee” for an additional $10 off.  Please let me know if you’ll be there so I can make sure to say HI! 

The Party! 

We just had Evan’s 2nd birthday party last Saturday.  It was so much fun and the time just flew by.  I’ll definitely be back with a giant post on all the details and lovely moments.  For now~ here’s a preview from the super talented Tim Park!

Happy 2011!

A bit belated but hope you’re having a HAPPY NEW YEAR!  

Hello, hello!  I had an entire post written out before Christmas but never had a chance to post it.  Now it’s outdated~ lol!  Well, at least I made it back here before the end of the year so I’m happy about that.  I hope you’re having a wonderful time during the holidays!

Birthday Parties Galore

You wouldn’t believe how many birthday parties we attend!  I love it though~ being able to celebrate such happy occasions with our loved ones.  I wish I could take tons of photos but it often turns out that I have to chase Evan around instead!  Here are a few photos from recent parties…

Party Planning

This time of year is especially busy for us because of the holidays and preparing for Evan’s birthday party.  He’ll be TWO so very soon.  It makes me excited yet a bit sad to see that he’s growing up so fast.  This is the season that starts the trips to Michael’s, glue gun burns and endless crafts.

I want to say a special thank you to my amazing friends and family who have been helping me these past few weeks.  The top distinction goes to my husband who has been my seamster, master craft direction interpreter and the one who massages my cramped up hands.  Miny, Steve, Jean, Jane, Helen & Yuewen~ you’ve won my heart forever.  I can see how much you love Evan and that means the world to me.

Name & A Black Eye 

Me (to Evan):  What’s your name?

Evan:  Name!  

Evan hit his eye on a coffee table and got a black eye~ I hope it goes away before his party next week!

Santa!

We searched high and low to find a Santa willing to include our Bella.  The funny thing is that both Evan & Bella didn’t want to sit by Santa.  In the end, Evan made Bella sit in between him and Santa.  That’s what fursisters are for!

Here’s our holiday card!

Our Christmas isn’t complete without Teresa’s delicious cookies!  An incredible baker made these but she also happens to be a high powered attorney at a big firm.  Teresa is a woman of extraordinary skills!   

12 Months of iPhone Photos

I love taking photos with my iPhone and looking back at them~!  Here are some random iPhone photos~ one from each month in 2010. 

Good-bye 2010!

I can’t believe that 2010 is almost over.  The end of the year is always a perfect time for reflection.  I look back on all the triumphs and heartbreaks I’ve experienced this past year and I realize that the one thing that stands out in whatever situation I was in is the love of my family and friends.  I remember it all.  The kind words and the heartfelt gestures.  The hugs, the shared tears and laughter.  I don’t ever wish for fame or riches…all I wish for is what I have now.  Love.  That’s what happiness is to me.  My wish for you is that you find your happiness…no matter what form it comes in.   

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend ringing in the new year!  Thank you so much for your love and support during this past year.  You have all made my life so much better just by being in it.  Happy End of 2010~~ and here’s to a 2011 filled with Love!