skippeeahn's Xanga

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 06:00:56 GMT

Hi everyone! Hope you’ve all been doing well~! We’ve just been busy here as usual. I know people say this all the time but I seriously don’t know how time goes by so quickly.

9 Months!

Dear Evan,

Now 3/4 of your first year of life has passed. At times like this I reflect and can’t believe how much all of our lives have changed in such a short period of time. I guess I just wanted to take a minute to say thank you for bringing so much joy into our lives.

* You’re always trying to stand now…it’s like your full-time job.

* You got your first real cold. I was so heartbroken when you couldn’t eat well because of your plugged nose. You also started to go from 3 naps to 2. It was a really difficult time because the two of us were quarantined at home alone for a week with no help. You were so fussy and grumpy that for a bit I forgot how much of a happy and mellow baby you normally are.

* You were playing by yourself all the way across the room from Daddy…but when Daddy showed you the tadpole book your face lit up and you crawled back really fast!

* Now you can flip the pages of your books on command. I’m so happy you love books!

* You tried tofu and puffs for the first time.

* Daddy tried to bench press Mommy and we were laughing so hard we woke you up and you cried. Sorry!

* We have to watch you really closely now or else you’ll get into everything!

* Mommy left you for one of the longest stretches of time. I was worried but you were really good and followed the schedule. Whew!

* Mommy & Bella went on a girls’ day out to the park. Next time we’ll take you too so you can see the beautiful view of Lake Hollywood from the park.

* Aunt Connie & Trystan came over and we went out by ourselves to a restaurant for one of the first times. I was proud and thought to myself…Am I starting to get the hang of this mommy stuff??

* We had a picnic at the park for Aunt Sue’s birthday. It was so fun just hanging in the sun with good friends and yummy food.

* This was another month of adventures – we visited Ella, went to Audrey’s 1st birthday party, Aunt Gina, Uncle Albert & Hershey visited, went to Gavin’s 2nd birthday party, went to Adventureland with Caitlyn, you were reunited with Nathan, had lunch with Mommy’s old co-workers, a Cheesecake lunch with your gorgeous gal pals Abbie & Eleni, lots of bonding with your grandmas & grandpas and celebrated Uncle Steve & Aunt Srivitta’s engagement.

Mommy is a big cheeseball. I found that the lyrics to this song truly embody what I wish for you.

I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow

And each road leads you where you want to go.

And if you're faced with a choice and you have to choose

I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.

I hope you never look back but you never forget

All the ones who love you and the place you left.

I hope you always forgive and you never regret

And you help somebody every chance you get.

Oh, you’d find God's grace in every mistake

And always give more than you take.

But more than anything, more than anything,

My wish for you

Is that this life becomes all that you want it to,

Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,

You never need to carry more than you can hold.

And while you're out there getting where you're getting to

I hope you know somebody loves you

And wants the same things too.

This is my wish.

Love,

Mommy

Swagbucks – Amazon Gift Cards

Sorry for the delay! You’ve all been so awesome about signing up for Swagbucks that I’ve been getting a big bunch of gift cards. Thanks so much! always_ss, I’ll be sending you a $5 Amazon gift card! I want to share another $5 gift card so audreysmommie, I'll be sending you one too!

Favorite Lens x 2

Bella was trying to get under the covers in bed and knocked my camera to the ground. My favorite lens shattered – the Canon 50mm f/1.4. I use it like 90% of the time. I went the next day to get another one because I couldn’t live without it. I have other lenses (even one that costs more than 3 times as much) but I always go back to my trusty 50mm. Thought I’d share for anyone in the market for a new lens. One of my friends was new to the DSLR world but he got this lens and his photos look so good!

Canon has three 50mm lenses and I’ve only heard great things about all three – get the 50mm f/1.2 if you have $1,600 to spare or the 50mm f/1.8 if you’re on a tight budget. If you’re in between…get the 50mm f/1.4!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I won a little contest for submitting this quote…

“Eat, drink & be scary!”

8 Months + Anniversary!

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 03:15:07 GMT

Hi buddies! How’ve you been? The last few weeks were up and down…luckily, mostly UP. However, the downs really make you realize how hard being a mom is sometimes. Hope you’ve been doing great~!

3 Year Anniversary!

Just Married – Italy, Bora Bora, Michigan & NYC

Anniversary 1 – South Africa and London

Anniversary 2 – Punta Mita

Anniversary 3 – Home Sweet Home

What happened to the travel bugs? We decided on taking a staycation this year. We didn’t want to stress about planning a vacation, the logistics of getting ourselves there with a baby and losing time packing, preparing and in transit. We figured we’d save a lot of time and money by staying home and just spending time together. I found that it really doesn’t matter where we are as long as we’re together. We could have fun at some fancy resort but we could also have a blast just lounging around at home doing nothing.

One of the days we went to show Evan where we got married. It was so relaxing just laying around on the grass staring at the gorgeous ocean and scenery.

8 Months!

Dear Evan,

Here’s an old adage that I’d like for you to always remember -- treat others as you would like to be treated. From the janitor at work to the president of the company you work for, from your doctor to the checkout stand guy at the market…just be nice and respectful to everyone. Mommy tries to always do that. You’ll definitely come across people who don’t make it easy but I just try to put myself in that person’s shoes. Sometimes just being yourself may bring a pleasant surprise. I bought your playzone play area from someone on Craigslist. Other than the fact that she was a bit curt, it was nothing out of the ordinary…just a typical transaction. However, a few weeks later I got an e-mail from the woman saying that because I had been so nice to her she’d like to give me another set for free! One set goes for like $100 plus tax & shipping. Wowee.

You are sooo fast these days that Mommy is having trouble keeping up with you!

You can now stand up and sit up by holding on to something.

You love tapping on things and you’ve trained Mommy to repeat after you!

You can wave HI & BYE!!!

We celebrated Aunt Connie’s birthday and Abbie’s birthday.

Your Uncle Thomas & Aunt Jenn got married.

Avocados became your nemesis. Whenever we tried feeding it to you you’d start jibber jabbering (probably trying to vocalize your dislike) and then you’d spit it all out.

Mommy & Daddy celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary.

We had lots of play dates and visitors – Asher S’s house, Asher B’s house, Desmond’s house, Bennett in Torrance, Sophie @ our house, a family dinner for Uncle Eric, a Bloomies date and Jean’s family, Grace & Jina’s family came over.

We had our family photos taken in Century City.

You’re always trying to feed yourself!

I’m really loving this bond we’ve worked hard to create. What will I do when you grow more independent and don’t need Mommy as much? Eek! Please try to stay a baby a bit longer!

Love,

Mommy

8 Month Check-up

Weight: 19 lbs 13 oz (32nd percentile)

Height: 27.5 inches (40th percentile)

Head circumference: 45 cm (53rd percentile)

Swagbucks Update

Thanks so much to all of you who signed up for Swagbucks!! I really hope you get the hang of it and start getting some Amazon gift cards. I wanted to thank you for signing up through me…I got so many Swag Bucks just through referrals so I was able to get more $5 Amazon gift cards. Just let me know if you signed up and started using it…I’ll pick someone and send you one of the $5 Amazon gift cards. It’s only $5 but still~ just a tiny token of my thanks!

If you missed the whole Swagbucks discussion then here’s the link to my previous post. If you want to sign up here's the link. Thanks!

Family Portraits

Here are some photos from the super talented Youkeun Oh! It was really windy and cold that day but he managed to make it seem like we were all happily basking in the sun. I really can’t rave enough about Youkeun. I’m always so critical when it comes to photos with me in them but I actually really love these! He was able to capture us as us…being goofy, laughing and just so happy together.

Youkeun’s awesome wife and baby made us the “E” and it turned out to be a perfect addition to the shoot.

By the way, if you’re interested in working with Youkeun then mention that you read about him here and he’ll give you 10% off. Not only is he talented, he’s sooo nice! Here’s the link to his website.

7 months!

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:48:07 GMT

Hi everyone! Can you believe summer is already over? I feel like it just flew by and now people are already talking about the holidays. Anyhoo, hope you’re all doing well~!

7 Months!

Dear Evan,

Well, here we are buddy. We made it through a super busy month. This month was filled with busy days driving all over Southern California meeting old and new friends.

You had your first solids – rice cereal. We were so excited and were all ready to film and take photos of the big moment when you took that very first bite…but then you flipped over the bowl all over Mommy! We couldn’t stop cracking up as Bella circled you like a shark trying to steal some food.
We went on playdates all around Southern California from Tustin to West LA.
Daddy came to babygroup with all of the other daddies to see what we do every Tuesday.
You got to spend quality time with your aunties and uncles who love spoiling you with attention because they don’t have babies of their own yet.
Your buddy, Ella, was born on July 24, 2009. We went to visit her in the hospital and she looked so tiny next to you!
You got your first 2 teeth! One day I looked and I was so surprised to see a tooth. The second one came in just as quickly so all of a sudden you had TWO bottom teeth!
You can do “jam jam” (open and close your hand) when we ask you to if you feel like it.
We participated in a research study on baby development at UCLA. You’re doing your part to contribute to the betterment of babies everywhere.
You’re able to sit up by yourself for longer periods of time but you still topple over sometimes.
You’re doing a modified crawl everywhere now – you push yourself around with your arms. One day you’re going to realize that crawling with your hands and knees is a whole lot easier than pushing your entire weight around with your arms!

Every single day is a new adventure for us. You’re constantly learning new things and changing. The best moments are when I see something click in your head when you realize you can actually do a certain thing and then a smile just lights up your entire face.

Love,

Mommy

Swagbucks – Money For Online Searching

So I follow a ton of these mommy and money-saving blogs and I kept hearing about Swagbucks. I finally decided to take a look and sign up. Before recommending it to people I wanted to try it for a few months to make sure it’s worthwhile. I’m glad I signed up because in the past 2 months I’ve already gotten $60 in Amazon gift cards. I know it isn’t that much but hey~ it was all for just searching the internet which is something I always do anyways.

Swagbucks is an online search engine where you do searches (like with Google or Yahoo) and you periodically win “Swag Bucks” which you can later redeem for prizes. It’s really simple. I think the hardest hurdle for me was to break my habit of automatically going to Google to do searches.

PROS:

It’s like getting paid to do internet searches! Who doesn’t like free money?
The search engine is powered by Google & Ask.com.
It’s really easy once you get into the habit of using it. I feel like I could get even more Swag Bucks if I tried harder (like following them on Twitter, referring people, etc.) but I haven’t done a lot of that stuff yet.
It’s fun! Sometimes I’m just randomly doing a search and I’ll win a Swag Buck and it’ll put a smile on my face.

CONS:

Sometimes the search results don’t seem as thorough as the ones I’d normally get from Google. For example, I’ll see that Swagbucks has 4 pages of results while Google has like 10. Not really a problem for me since I’m not doing any kind of real serious business sort of searching.
Even though the results are from Google & Ask.com I find that it can be a little odd sometimes. For example, I’ll type in “yelp los angeles” and the actual Yelp link shows up as the 2nd link.

TIPS:

It doesn’t help to just sit there and type in random things to search. I’ve tried that, hehe.
Install the toolbar so you don’t end up forgetting to use it. Plus, the toolbar gives away free Swag Bucks sometimes.
I don’t do this but the bloggers I follow do – they sign up for the newsletter, Twitter and Facebook and get free Swag Bucks like that too. Those guys must be doing something right since they’ve already gotten hundreds/thousands of dollars in gift cards/prizes.
Instead of typing in a web address like Gmail or clicking on my favorites, I’ll just type it into the toolbar and then click the link. Yes, it’s one more step than necessary but I’ve won a bunch of Swag Bucks that way!
Just go for the $5 Amazon gift cards which cost 45 Swag Bucks each. I think you get the most bang for your Swag Buck that way. I just get the code and enter it into my Amazon account and it’ll be there the next time I buy something.
You get Swag Bucks for referring your friends!

Sign up here >> [Click me!] and let me know if you like it and if you have any questions!

Random Rumblings & Questions

* I’m sooo behind on everything Xanga~ posting, commenting and messages. Sorry for always being so tardy in keeping up with you guys! Hopefully I’ll be able to catch up soon. I had one simple goal when Evan was born…to post at least once a month so I could chronicle his growth. Evan is already 8 months and I’m just getting around to doing his 7 month post! *sigh* Sometimes I feel like there are sooo many things I want to do but I just don’t have enough time to do them. Can you share how you keep up with Xanga -- posting, your subscriptions, commenting??

* I’ve been hearing rumors that Xanga might be shutting down. I hope not! Are you staying or is there another good blogging site you’d recommend?

* Any suggestions on nice gifts for 1-year-old boys/girls & 2-year-old boys/girls? What are some of the best gifts you’ve received or given? I love giving gifts so I usually spend a great deal of time and effort trying to pick out the best gifts. I wish I could still do the same but it’s getting harder now that it seems like birthdays are coming up every other week!

* THANKS and have a wonderful week!!

Quick Update~!

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:01:41 GMT

Hi! Thanks so much for taking the time to give me your input on sleep, churches and vacuums. I really appreciate it!

I just posted Evan’s film from Fifty Foot Films on a protected post!

For the Dapple gift packs...Congrats to yun_bug (she was the first to say she was interested plus I love her, hehe) & tubecozy (I picked randomly and she’s also quite awesome). Okie dokie, hope you’re all doing well~!

Michigan, 6 Months & Dapple Baby

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 13:42:52 GMT

Hi there~! I’m so excited because we just received this film we made of Evan’s birth. I love it and I love Fifty Foot Films!! Once we get a web version I’ll share the link on a protected post. Hope you’ve all been enjoying Summer 2009!!

Now this is what I call ROFL…

Michigan

Michigan was all about Sandy & Marvin's wedding. Sandy & Marvin were married at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. It was truly a beautiful and memorable wedding. Sandy & Marvin are so perfect for each other. I know they’re going to have a fabulous life together. Here are some of my favorite photos!

Wedding rehearsal & dinner

We stayed across the hall from the bride & groom so we could see them through the peephole!

Getting ready for the big day

Evan loves his Auntie & Uncle!

Evan actually slept walking down the aisle even with the thunderous applause he received!

Family!

The drive-in movie exhibit played a slideshow (that's me & Sandy in the pic!)

We stayed at the Best Western circa 1920, hehe. One of the coolest parts about being in a museum after hours is having access to all of the exhibits.

Evan in his tux! Thanks to my Xanga angel March_Bride who helped me get this tux!

If you’re planning on traveling with your little one here’s a site (Travel Mamas) that has some great articles and tips (info on air and road travel, checklists, useful links).

6 Months!

6 Month Check-up

Weight: 17 lbs 3 oz (44th percentile)

Height: 26.5 inches (52nd percentile)

Head circumference: 44 cm (56th percentile)

Evan is no longer a giant bear…he’s an average bear! Our dr. said it’s normal for his growing to slow down at this point. The good part about this is that he won’t keep outgrowing his clothes so fast. He also said that Evan is super strong~ that he’s doing things babies do at like 8-9 months. I credit that to his magic play mats, hehe. Evan is one of the youngest in his baby class but one of the first to start pushing himself up and start scootching around. I kind of wish he’d stay stationary a bit longer. The constant movement makes it harder for me to keep up with him and for him to sleep through the night.

6 Months!

Dear Evan,

It seems like I just blinked and half a year has already gone by! Half a year in any other part of my life may have passed without much thought but these past 6 months will forever be documented and memorized in my heart and mind. Sometimes I find myself just daydreaming about when you were born…the first few months…what you were doing just the other week. Nothing anyone told me could have prepared me for this extraordinary love and awe I have for you. How you became YOU is just mind boggling. Here’s a look back at the last month…

You look like you’re always doing baby yoga when you’re on the floor. It’s so funny! You’re a master at the downward dog pose. It also looks like you’re doing push ups…up and down…up and down. It’s awesome when you do this during the day but not so awesome when it makes it harder for you to fall asleep and stay asleep. So many times at night I’ll find you doing your push ups and crying. It’s a sad but cute sight.

We celebrated Daddy’s 1st Father’s Day.

I love how your sense of humor is developing. One time you kept cracking up at Bella when she was jumping around like crazy and squealing.

You learned how to throw the ball!

You now turn on the mobile in your crib by yourself to stay entertained until I get you.

You’re now starting to learn how to drink from a sippy cup and a regular cup.

Our sleep schedule is still a bit crazy. Last night you cried for an hour before going to bed and then you woke up at 4am and cried for half an hour. I didn’t know what to do so I just prayed to God asking him to let me know how I can help you. I know this is just a phase though so we’ll tough it out together.

You moved up from size 2 to size 3 diapers!

The past few weekends you’ve been spending quality time with Grandma & Grandpa while Mommy & Daddy have been going on date nights.

You love grabbing your feet with your hands.

You get bored so easily now that I feel like I need to constantly keep you entertained. You’re the prince and I’m the court jester!

You, my darling Baby Bear, make me want to be the best person I can possibly be. As imperfect as life can be sometimes…the moments when you look up at me with your puppy dog eyes and softly touch my face are just perfect. I hope the next 6 months don’t go by as quickly so I can relish this time we have together. Happy 6 Months!!

Love,

Mommy

Dapple Baby

When it comes to baby items I will research a product to the end of the internet spending countless hours reading reviews and finding out everything I can about that product. That’s what happened with Dapple. I could probably be a spokesperson for the company, hehe.

From the website: Dapple is a line of natural-based cleaning products for households with children. Dapple products are baby-safe and baby-specific -- using ingredients found in nature that are also proven to tackle unique baby cleaning challenges, from dried milk on bottles to sticky fingerprints on toys.

I admit I’m a bit of a germaphobe. However, when it comes to baby items I can’t stand the thought of using products with harsh chemicals in them. I was so happy when I found Dapple because their products are exactly what I was looking for. I also love that this company was started by two moms! All of their products use natural-based ingredients that are environmentally-safe, biodegradable and free of parabens, SLES and phthalates, as well as synthetic dyes or fragrances.

Toy & Surface Wipes and Toy & Surface Cleaner Spray: I love these!! We have a ton of toys and I’m always trying to figure out the best way to clean them. There were actually some toys we had for months but I didn’t give to Evan until we got Dapple. I needed to be sure they were CLEAN! I also use these to clean Evan’s play mat, swing, changing table, board books, carseat and anything else Evan spends a lot of time touching. The travel size wipes are awesome because I keep it in my bag to clean toys Evan flings on the ground and to wipe down tables at restaurants.

Baby Bottle and Dish Liquid: We’ve been sterilizing bottles and pacifiers since Evan was born but with the Dish Liquid I feel better about just washing them. The Dish Liquid worked so well at removing milk residue that it made me think maybe we don’t always need to sterilize everything.

I love using Dapple products so I bought a bunch to make gift packages for friends. I set aside two for you! Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll give away 2 sets of Dapple products each including 1 full size Toy & Surface Wipes, 1 travel size Toy & Surface Wipes, 1 travel size Baby Bottle and Dish Liquid and a coupon.

If you didn’t want to read my essay on Dapple here’s one sentence to sum up why I love this stuff…Dapple products are safe for babies, green, pediatrician recommended and don’t leave yucky/chemical residue on baby stuff! If you’d like to buy Dapple products you can find websites and stores that carry them on the Dapple website.

Questions

Could you please recommend a good vacuum? We have hardwood floors and carpet.

Can anyone recommend a Christian and family friendly church in LA?

I know sleep + baby is a boundless topic. However, does anyone have any tips on how to get a 6.5 month old baby to sleep soundly through the night?

THANKS!!

Maui Wowee & 4-5 Months Already

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:11:32 GMT

Hi~! Sorry for being MIA…we’ve been super busy. The past month has been SO awesome!! Andy decided to change jobs. The best part was that his original contract had a non-compete so he wasn’t allowed to start the new job for 30 days. It was so fun hanging together as a family every single day. I took a tech break…unintentionally at first since we were so busy but then I decided to continue the break so I could focus all of my attention on family time. In the beginning I was nervous about not being online all the time but then I got used to it, hehe. Andy is back to work so I’ve been on my own again…its been tough adjusting (hence the lack of Xanga time).

Maui Wowee

Four Seasons Maui

First of all, I want to tell you something that you should always do (if you don’t already)…always ask for a complimentary upgrade at your hotel. It never hurts to ask. You just might get lucky! We got a 1-bedroom suite (over $1,000/night) for the price of the lowest room plus one night free.

I’d highly recommend the Four Seasons Maui if you have kids (and even if you don’t). Here are just a few of the awesome perks:

* From the moment we arrived they knew Evan by name and even how old he was.

* They set up the room to be completely baby-friendly -- crib, organic bath set, bath tub, even sponges spelling out his name, Diaper Genie, changing station, swim diapers, playpen, toys, etc.

* They remembered my birthday throughout our entire stay -- 2 cards, special sweets each day and beautiful orchids!

* We forgot our tripod so they got us a rental through a professional photographer.

* The service is just so good. I always feel like there isn’t anything they couldn’t or wouldn’t do for us.

Favorite Moments

* The plane ride wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Thanks so much for all of your super helpful tips!

* Evan slept for 12 hours straight each night!

* Hanging at a secluded beach watching the waves.

* Not having to change a single diaper!!

* Evan was taking a nap by the pool but we wanted to move to the beach so two staffers actually carried his playpen (with him in it!) all the way to the beach.

* Eating super cheap but yummy food at all the local spots.

* Taking Evan swimming for the first time!

* Since Evan went to sleep early, every night was like a slumber party. We watched movies, talked and ate junk food like ramen.

* Having a family come up to us and say Evan should be a baby model, hehe.

* Driving through black lava and feeling like we were on Jupiter.

* My new Gucci messenger bag! [Thanks trueclassic for the Wailea shopping tips!]

* I love how now that we have a baby people are so open to sharing their stories and experiences with us.

* Being goofy.

* Doing nothing most of the time and just spending time with my two favorite boys.

4-5 Months Already

4 Month Check-up

Weight: 16 lbs 2 oz (71st percentile)

Height: 25.5 inches (68th percentile)

Head circumference: 42.5 cm (53rd percentile)

5 Months!

Dear Evan,

I know I’ll say this every single time but the past few months have truly been the most amazing months of my life. Seeing all of the infinite changes in you and watching you grow has been so life changing. So here’s a short recap of the past few months.

* We went to Maui and Michigan. You were such a good boy for us on both trips. Thanks!

* Aunt Sandy & Uncle Marvin got married! You slept the whole way walking down the aisle.

* Daddy changed jobs so he got a whole month off to hang out with you.

* You love greeting your loved ones (and strangers) with a huge grin.

* You were sleeping through the night but then somewhere along the way you started getting up a bunch of times in the middle of the night. That’s where we are right now. Mommy is tired.

* It is so hard to keep track of you now that you’re rolling around like a pro. I’ll leave the room for just a minute and come back to see you all the way on the other side.

* We celebrated Mommy’s birthday and Mother’s Day.

* You love grabbing everything, including Bella’s fur.

* Daddy sang you 4 songs and you sang along to the one you knew~ Twinkle Twinkle.

* You are so so so happy when you wake up in the mornings. I think we all need to learn to approach each new day with that kind of attitude.

I don’t know how time just slipped through my fingers so quickly. I’m so happy that Daddy got to spend so much time with you during his break. We literally spent every single minute together for like 5 weeks. The simple moments are what I loved most…those moments when we would just sit on the couch or on the ground together just being silly and talking to you…and seeing a big tuft of white fur passing by or lounging near us. It’s as if time froze and I’d have no idea what time it was or if there was something else I had to be doing. Baby Bear, you make us so happy!

Love,

Mommy

Animoto

You’re going to love this new program I found! Being a packrat sometimes has its perks. I was going through an old Oprah magazine and saw a review on Animoto. Animoto is an online program that automatically generates slideshows that are customized orchestrations of your images and music. The company was created by TV and film producers so it really does feel different from other slideshow programs. It’s like magic!

Here's something I made... [here or below]

30-second videos are free OR one full length video is $3 OR $30 for a one year all-access pass to unlimited full length videos.

Click here and use this code for $5 off the one year all-access pass >> sdjmwcax

I actually didn’t have a promo code but I wanted to buy the all-access pass so I created an extra account to refer myself so I got 3 free months of all-access. I want to share the extra account with someone who is interested. I’ll pick randomly!

Anyways, I’d love to see what you make. Add me as a friend!

Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend!!

Skippee's Birthday + A Few Favorites + A Deal

Sun, 24 May 2009 17:36:07 GMT

Hi~! We’re back from Michigan! Evan & I are sick though. Boo. I still have to download my Maui & Michigan pics!! I have so many things to post about but not enough time. Boo. We’re off to Palm Springs…all of us sick bunnies…at least we get to catch up on sleep and rest together. Hope you have a great weekend!!

Skippee’s Birthday

The Big 3-0!

I don’t like being the center of attention so I’ve happily passed many birthdays quietly with very little fanfare. However, Andy and my friends made sure this one would be super special since I was turning 30! I had two different birthday shindigs! Thank you so much to my truly wonderful friends and Andy for helping me celebrate this big milestone.

Xanga Book

For one of my birthday gifts Andy made me a book of all of my Xanga posts from the past 5 years. I burst into tears when he gave it to me because I was so touched.

Andy had spent endless hours secretly putting this together for me. It was no easy feat as he had to do it 3 times to make it perfect! 3 TIMES!! The first one didn’t work because the chronology was reversed and the second one didn’t work because the quality wasn’t good enough. I’m sure once was hard enough but to do it 3 times…I was speechless. I can’t even fathom how tedious it was…it wasn’t just a matter of cutting & pasting…he actually had to create new layouts for each page and individually insert photos and text.

The Past 5 Years

The Xanga book is now one of my most prized possessions. It isn’t just a book filled with photos and writing…it’s my life and who I’ve become in the past 5 years. The joys, achievements, heartbreaks, festivities, amazing moments of life...all encapsulated into one book. Reading through the book made me realize that I’ve come a long way in the past 5 years~

I graduated from law school, passed the bar and went on my bar trip to Asia. [here & here]

I got Bella. [here, here, here & here]

I got engaged. [here]

I worked at 2 different law firms.

I got married. [here, here, here, here, here & here]

We honeymooned in Italy & Bora Bora. [here]

I got Gracie [here & here] and then she passed away [here].

I retired from law firm life.[here]

I was pregnant. [here]

In between it all, I traveled to New York [here], Las Vegas [here], Michigan [here], Korea, Taiwan [here], Hawaii [here] and Hong Kong [here] several times. I also traveled to South Africa [here & here], Koh Samui [here], Bali [here], Punta Mita [here], Cabo, Kansas City, Florida, D.C. [here] and Arizona.

I had a baby! [here]

Way back when I was a little girl I had a bunch of dreams…become a lawyer, travel the world, find the love of my life, have a fabulous wedding and have a baby. 30 is a special age for me because all of those dreams have come true!

A Few Favorites

Favorite Gift

I just received one of my all-time favorite gifts (other than the Xanga book) -- a pair of earrings. It wasn’t for my birthday, Mother’s Day, a push present, etc. Andy just gave them to me to say “thank you for being such a good mom to Evan” and “I love you.” I will never forget the words that came with the gift.

I’m ecstatic but a part of me feels guilty having something so extravagant when the economy is terrible and people are struggling. Once I get more comfortable with this whole thing I’ll wear them out more. For now…even wearing it at home makes me so happy because it reminds me of the meaning behind this gift.

Favorite Blanket

Is it weird that I’m in love with a blanket?? I first found out about the Aden + Anais blankets when I saw that almost every single baby in my mommy & me group had one. They said they loved it so I started my research. I was curious why these blankets are so great since they’re much more expensive than regular receiving blankets. I obsessed about them for a whole week – scouring the web for info. I finally bought a bunch and oh how I wish I knew about these before! Read Amazon reviews here.

The blankets are made from 100% cotton muslin breathable fabric. Muslin has a light, open weave so air flows through the material. I love how soft and thin the material is! There are so many different uses~ I use it mostly as a stroller cover, for swaddling, as a blankie to lay on the ground and even to entertain Evan since he likes looking at the patterns.

A Great Deal!

I’m so happy I can share another great deal with you! My friend’s friend has an online baby boutique called Eggy. They carry the Aden + Anais blankets! There are so many cute things on the site in addition to the blankets. The best part is that they offered me a special 30% discount! Enter fandf30off at checkout.

[Click me!]

100 Days!

Sun, 10 May 2009 07:11:00 GMT

Hi hi! We’re baaaccckkk from Maui!! Thanks so much for your thoughtful tips and comments. Will post photos soon but for now just a quick post on my baby bear! I’m soo behind. I like to post new entries after I’ve had a chance to respond to all comments/messages/e-mails but I haven’t had time~! We just got back from Maui this week and next week we’re off to Michigan. In between Maui & Michigan I have 4 birthday celebrations, 1 Mother’s Day celebration, 2 sets of friends coming over, 1 playdate, 1 babygroup session, 1 photo session and a ton of errands~ busy but fun!

100 Days

100 Day Celebration

We celebrated Evan’s baek-il (100 days) with a small bash. It was so awesome to have our closest family and friends with us to celebrate Evan’s big day. We don’t have much family close by so it meant that much more to have our friends there for us. They’re just like family too. I feel truly blessed. Seeing them all there for Evan made me so incredibly happy…happier than if it had been an event for me. If you love my baby bear, I will love you for life!

One of the best moments of the day was seeing our family friend who is 100 years old with Evan. The two of them together signify the true miracle of life.

The Winner is…

Hey jpjchen~ congrats! I’ll be sending you the Teething Bling necklace and bracelet! I’ll message you to get your address.

For everyone else~ check out the Smart Mom Jewelry website and type S-SKIPPEE at checkout for 25% off your entire purchase!

[Click me!]

A Grandma Bear with the Youngins

My sis-in-law is getting married next week!! I’m so excited and happy for her! She was recently in LA for her bachelorette party and I got to hang with the girls. I felt like a grandma bear next to all the youngins but they were all soo sweet and made me feel welcome. Check out my SIL’s post for more pics!

Happy Mother’s Day!

I leave you with a poem my friend sent me today...it totally touched my heart, especially since this is my first Mother's Day as a mom. Happy Mother’s Day everyone! Have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones!

Before I was a Mom,

I never tripped over toys

or forgot words to a lullaby.

I didn't worry whether or not

my plants were poisonous.

I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,

I had never been puked on.

Pooped on.

Chewed on.

Peed on.

I had complete control of my mind

and my thoughts.

I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,

I never held down a screaming child

so doctors could do tests.

Or give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night

watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,

I never held a sleeping baby just because

I didn't want to put him down.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces

when I couldn't stop the hurt.

I never knew that something so small

could affect my life so much.

I never knew that I could love someone so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,

I didn't know the feeling of

having my heart outside my body.

I didn't know how special it could feel

to feed a hungry baby.

I didn't know that bond

between a mother and her child.

I didn't know that something so small

could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,

I had never gotten up in the middle of the night

every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.

I had never known the warmth,

the joy,

the love,

the heartache,

the wonderment

or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,

before I was a Mom.

3 Months

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 21:39:27 GMT

Hey buddies! I can’t believe it...Evan is now 3 months old! The past 3 months have been a whirlwind of awe, laughter, tears, exhaustion and love.

3 months

3 Month Check-up

Our pediatrician is awesome. He loves Evan and he actually listens to all of our questions and concerns. He’s even interested in Evan’s sleeping and wants to help with that too.

Weight: 15 lbs 2 oz (85th percentile)

Height: 24.5 inches (71st percentile)

Head circumference: 41.5 cm (58th percentile)

Milestones

- Evan rolled over from tummy to back, yay!

- He has one good stretch of sleep at night. Yes, sleep is a milestone.

- He laughed out loud! Before he’d open his mouth really big and it looked like he was laughing but no sound would come out.

- He has almost full neck control...a lot less wobble wobble.

- He loves making eye contact with everyone, even Bella.

- He gets so happy when he sees me and Andy.

- He moved out...of our room. He outgrew the Pack & Play so he now sleeps in his crib. This is silly but I didn’t want to be apart from him so I considered moving the crib into our room!

- At around 12 weeks he started using a pacifier. This isn’t really a milestone but I can’t believe we survived without it for so long!

- His hand-eye coordination has gotten so much better. It was pretty much non-existent in the beginning. Now he’s able to grab things! Lately while I’m changing him he’ll be gnawing on one hand and the other hand will be grabbing the bottom of his onesie. So cute.

- He loves books. He’ll touch the pages with his hands and stare intently at the characters.

Bunnylicious First Easter

Winner

I’m a winner, hehe! I’ve won quite a few things this past year. I feel so lucky. Here are a few of the random things I’ve won...

(1) Baby Stuff - When I was on that show “The Doctors” I won a bunch of baby stuff like a video monitor set, pregnancy pillow, bathtub, blanket, bouncer and sleep positioner. I also won a back massager and a Eucerin gift set.

(2) My Brestfriend - I won a My Brestfriend breastfeeding pillow from Xanga’s Momaroo site.

(3) $100 gift certificate - I won a drawing at the Chelsea Premium Outlets and got a $100 gift certificate.

(4) Teething Bling - See below.

(5) Evan - I know I didn’t “win” him but then I just feel so lucky to have him that it’s like I won a prize, hehe. The day I had him was the luckiest day of my life.

Teething Bling

Evan isn’t teething yet but he’s in the grabby phase where he’s always grabbing my hair and jewelry. I stopped wearing my favorite necklace because he kept grabbing it and the pendant left an impression on the side of his face, hehe. I found the perfect idea for a necklace. It’s called Teething Bling.

Teething Bling pendants and bangles are made from the same material as teething toys. The material is free from phthalate, BPA, PVC and lead, non-toxic and dishwasher-friendly! It even has a breakaway clasp as an added safety feature.

I found myself on the website one day and saw they were having a contest to choose a new color. I submitted my vote. I was surprised to get a thank you reply from someone. I’m generally very “respondy” when it comes to e-mails. I’m always inclined to respond to e-mails even when there’s no need for a response…even just to say “thank you” or “you’re welcome.” In the law firm setting I felt like I always had to suppress that inclination but with my friends I can be as respondy as I want. Anyways, so when I got this thank you e-mail I wrote back to say “thanks for the thanks” and that I love their products and would share with my friends even if I didn’t win. Amy from the company wrote back to say they’d be happy to send me some of the products to try it out! Wow. All just because I was respondy!

I wanted to share my good fortune with you. If you’re interested let me know and I’ll randomly choose someone to send a necklace and bracelet set to.

I wish I had a ton to give out but I don’t. Good news is that you can still get a great deal. Just type in the code S-SKIPPEE at checkout and you’ll get 25% off your entire purchase. No restrictions. Yay!

[Click me!]

Travel Tips?

After our Vegas trip I was officially bitten by the travel bug. While I’d love to go to Antarctica and New Zealand…that dream will have to wait. We considered Korea but I couldn’t get my act together in time to get Evan’s passport ready. That limited us to the U.S. We’re going to MAUI! Last minute trips are exciting and spontaneous but they leave me feeling so unprepared and stressed leading up to them. Please help!

Any tips for traveling with a 3-1/2 month old? Any suggestions on what to do while we’re in Maui? Anything will help...even if just to say we’ll be okay, hehe. Thanks!!

Weeks 10-12

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 22:34:47 GMT

Hi! The past few weeks have been so busy! I realized I needed to update when some of my buddies thought Evan was only 2 months old because that’s the last time I updated, hehe! Evan is now 3 months old~~ wow, time is just flying by.

WEEK 10

Extreme Kitchen Makeover

You all know how I feel about my momma bear >> [past birthday post]. We had a huge surprise for my mom for her birthday. She deserved something like this more than anyone I know. We’ve redone other parts of the kitchen for her but there were a few pieces that needed upgrading. We got her a new fridge, oven and range hood and surprised her on her birthday. The oven was so old that we wanted to go sell it on Antique Roadshow, hehe.

We had to surprise my mom because she never does anything nice for herself. We’ve given her $ before to get new appliances but she won’t spend money on herself. I’m happy to report that the surprise was a huge success! My brother and I took my mom shopping in the morning while Andy stayed behind. Poor guy had to rearrange stuff in 3 fridges! By the way, always ask for a discount when buying appliances. We got 15% off plus free delivery from Best Buy all because we just asked for it.

WEEK 11

Confessions of a Mommy & Me Dropout?

Early on in my pregnancy my friend’s wife told me that I had to sign up for this mommy & me group. She said that some people sign up for the class as soon as they get pregnant even before telling their families. Not knowing any better I jumped on the waiting list. Fast forward 6 months later and I’m in this group. I had cold feet about going because I didn’t feel like I’d fit in. We got this e-mail the day before the first class reminding us that helpers aren’t allowed to attend the class. There’s even a clause about celebrities in the group and paparazzi concerns. What did I get myself into??

The group meets for 10 sessions at a time and is pretty expensive. The deadline to renew is next week. While I’ve learned a lot about developmental issues I don’t know if it’s entirely worth the $. Were you ever a part of a mommy & me group? I need advice~ should I continue?

Foreigner

Sometimes I feel like a foreigner in the mommy world. So much is new and unfamiliar. Instead of how many hours worked/billed, it’s how many hours the babies are sleeping. Instead of handshakes, it’s hugs. Instead of suits, it’s whatever I can squeeze into from my closet. Instead of fancy lunches, it’s quick fast food being gulped down in minutes.

I’ve recently been so fortunate to meet some of the Xanga mommies. I have to say a BIG thank you for making me feel so welcome and for being so nice. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Even though I’m such a mess and clueless, you have all been so sweet. It feels so comforting to hear other mommies say…it’ll get better, I understand, try this, etc. Most of my close friends don’t have babies so I’m especially thankful for my Xanga mommies. You girls are so well put together and gorgeous all while taking care of your little ones.

I have to say that I’m proud of myself. I’ve always been so afraid of change. I get nervous meeting new people and doing new things. However, I’m so happy that I’m stepping out of my comfort zone because I’ve gotten to meet so many amazing people.

Oh, so what’s the etiquette on posting other people’s photos? I want to share photos of other people or else my blog would get quite boring with only photos of me, Andy, Evan & Bella, hehe! However, I know that some people don’t like having their photos posted. If you ever see your photo and don’t want it up then just let me know and I’ll take it right down!

WEEK 12

Vegas – First Family Trip

We took our first family trip to Vegas. It was sooooo fun!

We stayed at the Encore Tower Suites. I loved the suite and location. It was great because there’s a separate entrance for the Tower Suites so it’s removed from the hustle & bustle of the casino floor.

It was so fun meeting the Vegas mommies. I wish you gals lived close by so we could hang out more!

Guess what? Evan rolled over for the first time @ 12 weeks. I missed it though because I was in the shower! THANK GOODNESS for our Flip Mino HD because Andy caught it on video. It’s so funny…my mom says she won’t believe it until she sees it on video.

Have a wonderful Easter weekend!