Monday, December 28, 2015

Week 30: Baby Shower Recap and Being Pretty and Jealousy

Baby Shower Recap

I mentioned a few weeks ago that our awesome friends threw us an amazing baby shower! Here are a few pics of the awesome dessert and hors-d'oeuvres table. 


Love this diaper cake, especially with the little booties on top. Also, a sneak peek of the reusable bags that Katie had made as favors for the guests.


There was also a ton of food we forgot to take pictures of: some large trays of salad and pasta from Bucca di Beppo and 5 pizza pies from Delfina. Delfina states that they can do half-baked pizzas on their website but they misheard when we ordered so they ended up baking them fully and taking 20 minutes longer than they promised. I am currently on a Delfina strike because of I'm still miffed at how the server nonchalantly said "oh yeah I didn't hear that you wanted half baked...sorry it took so long." Don't cross a pregnant woman!

Nonetheless, the shower was just right for us - we didn't want to go overboard by inviting too many people. Katie's house can only fit so many of us! Plus I didn't want to seem too gift grabby. In our current stage of life, we can broadly categorize our friends into three buckets:

- Friends with kids, who have their hands full trying to manage their kids
- Friends without kids who are happily enjoying their kid-free stage 
- Friends without kids who are really hoping to have kids soon

Maybe it's just me but it feels awkward to celebrate this stage in life with other friends, particularly since most can't relate. I feel like they have other things to worry about, the last thing they're thinking about is showering us and our new baby. I'm just not good at having the attention all directed at me and my growing bump!

Being Pretty and Jealousy

I was listening to a Fresh Air podcast with Jennifer Lawrence this week - I don't particularly love her but she actually made a few good points that stuck out in my mind as good parenting tips. Haha...go figure.
  • She grew up thinking she was ugly but it didn't matter to her. If she ever had a daughter, she wouldn't want her daughter to obsess over being pretty either. She'd want her daughter to question "Who cares how you look? Why does that matter?" I love that! If I ever have a daughter, I hope she will grow up this self-assured so that she doesn't care about her looks either.
  • When girls in school were mean to her, her mother would say "Oh they're just jealous of you!" Her brothers would then say "Don't tell her that! Maybe she's just an *sshole!" While a bit harsh, I think it's kind of awesome and true most of the time. I have always hated how parents always claim other kids are jealous of their perfect angelic wonderful kids who don't need to change at all. Regardless of jealousy, it doesn't mean that your kid isn't a jerk!

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Week 29: Tips for Flying in the Last Trimester

Boston 

I spent the past week in Boston for work. While most of the time was spent working, my colleagues and I did get to enjoy some New England cuisine and a bit of Boston. We indulged in some delicious seafood at the Atlantic Fish Company and decadent desserts at Max Brenner - both conveniently located right across the street from the Prudential Center. 

The Atlantic Fish Company has great service! I loved the flavor of my spicy lobster linguine but found the clam chowder too heavy and salty.

Max Brenner, on the other hand, was disappointing. The dark hot chocolate with marshmallows was great but small, the molten lava chocolate cake was dry, and the waffle was stale. I suspect I should have tried the fondue or crepes instead! So I'd be willing to give them another try. 


On our last day, we took some time to walk around drizzly Boston. Here's a view from Boston Commons:

Flying in the Last Trimester

Pregnancy wise - it's a lot harder to fly at 29 weeks! Here are some tips to make flights more bearable at this stage:
  • Having an aisle seat is critical for the frequent bathroom trips and much needed stretching breaks.
  • Bring sufficient food. Since my flights to and from were 6-7 hours, I made sure to always have a sandwich and fresh fruit. Don't count on purchasing in-flight options, which will consist of lots of cheese and cold cuts.
  • If you're flying alone and bringing a carry on, make sure you're able to lift it up into the overhead bin yourself. Don't assume strangers will help you because no one offered to help me and I'm very visibly 7 months pregnant! I ended up bringing a duffle bag because my roller bag is pretty heavy. I need to invest in lighter luggage!
While it pains the wanderlust in me to say this, I'm glad this is probably the longest flight I'll need to take for awhile. Flying while very pregnant is tough, and flying with a baby won't be any easier!



Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Week 28: Maternity Wear

Maternity Wear

I've mentioned that maternity wear is difficult to shop for. There are not too many items of maternity clothing that fit well, are comfortable, and work across all 9 months of pregnancy - which is really unfortunate because it makes maternity wear even less versatile. Ugh.

For example - this H&M dress fit well in my second trimester but now that I'm in my third trimester, it's not quite as stretchy and comfortable. $29.99 is a bit high for a very plain H&M dress that's not made of particularly good material!


The one pair of maternity jeans I've bought are these Old Navy maternity flare jeans - they're comfortable except they keep sliding down so I'm constantly tugging at them all day long. The 2.5 star reviews on the website are pretty accurate!


Interestingly enough, the items that fit the best are my non-maternity clothes. Maybe because they have proven to be most versatile and comfortable. I loved this Jersey A-Line dress pre-pregnancy and continue to love it through my pregnancy - I even wore it to our coed baby shower this past week.


While these boots aren't technically maternity wear, the low heel makes it safe for me to wear throughout pregnancy. I was surprised how comfortable and cute they are, considering they're from Target. Boots have a way of looking saggy around my ankles, which I find super unflattering.  I've been looking for boots at a higher price point for awhile and I haven't found a pair that fits well as well as these Target Merona boots. They don't look or feel cheap at all - they are definitely worth the $28 I paid for them. I'm almost tempted to pick up a second pair in grey or black. I just worry that boots made of synthetic material will stink up my feet so I'm trying to resist the urge to stock up on cheap shoes. 

Baby Shower

Katie and Tzui graciously hosted a shower for us this past weekend! I don't have the pictures yet but suffice it to say, it was amazing. I loved getting a chance to catch up with a bunch of my favorite people at the same time, while eating delicious treats until I was stuffed to the gills. I'm so touched by how much baby Lucas is loved!

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Week 27: Other pregnancy tidbits

I realized that my last few updates haven't really mentioned too much about my actual pregnancy so here's a quick rundown:
  • At my 26 week checkup, my doctor said that I was a bit underweight at +10 pounds but she's not too worried. Most of the weight gain is supposed to take place in the last trimester so I have some time to catch up to the goal weight gain of 30 pounds. 
  • I definitely don't feel underweight - my bump is much larger and more noticeable these days! I also can't sit up as easily anymore - I have to remember to roll onto my side to get up more comfortably.
  • If I'm lucky enough to ever get pregnant again, I hope it's a summer pregnancy. Summer maternity clothes are easier to manage with loose, flowy non-maternity dresses. I had no trouble dressing for Maui! Winter maternity clothes are harder because pants, leggings, and tights are necessary to keep warm and I definitely can't wear the non-maternity version of those clothes. Unfortunately, I can't find maternity version of these items that are comfortable and well-fitted. I also can't zip or button up any of my jackets anymore so I have to make sure to wear warm bulky scarves to keep my torso warm.
  • My belly button is still an innie for now but quickly filling in. Should I start counting down the days until it's an outie? 
  • I've been using stretch mark cream for almost 3 months now. I know that I probably won't escape stretch marks since my mom has them but I'm hoping to at least try and mitigate their effects! I'm not sure if it's working as I notice some faint white stretch marks in my hips and butt - I know I've had some of those stretch marks since puberty but I think pregnancy may have added a few. Maybe they would be red and angry looking without the stretch mark cream? I was using a jar of Mama Mio Tummy Rub that Donna generously gifted me - since it ran out, I've been using Body Merry cream, which is about half the price but doesn't smell as good. Maybe it's just me, since I don't love smelling like cocoa butter. At least it's rated highly on Amazon! 

  • My platelet count is still normal but on the low side. Again, my doctor isn't too worried but noted that this is something she will continue to monitor. Not sure if I should be trying to have some more vitamin K in the meantime to boost my blood clotting abilities?
All in all, I've had a really positive pregnancy experience. I'm enjoying the experience of growing a child and feeling him form, grow, and move around inside me. I can understand why some women go through post-partum now. I'll miss having Lucas safe inside me, knowing where he is at all times and knowing that my body is giving him everything he needs to grow and thrive. Plus, he can't cry or need a diaper change when he's in utero. :)

Maui, Hawaii, November 2015