Week 37: Monkey Baby, Group B Strep, Platelet Count, and MLOA

Monkey Baby

We made it through week 37, which means that baby Lucas will be born in the Year of the Monkey. Good thing because we bought some monkey themed items so it would feel a little silly if he ended up being a sheep baby instead of a monkey baby! Jeff and I are not particularly traditional when it comes to New Year's customs - mostly because a lot of the traditions are superstitions rooted in religious beliefs that conflict with our Christian beliefs. But when we can, we try to incorporate our Chinese heritage in a way that doesn't conflict with what we believe.

Here are some of the monkey items we bought for Lucas:

Monkey Lamp

Monkey Boppy cover

Jellycat Monkey

Group B Strep and Platelet Count

While everything has gone relatively well in my pregnancy, there have been a few hiccups. Unfortunately I tested positive for Group B strep - my doctor says it's no big deal, I just need to be on antibiotics when I get to the hospital for delivery. My platelet count is also on the low side of normal, although not low enough to need to see the hematologist to make sure I can get an epidural (which I definitely anticipate needing!) or a c-section (which I hope I don't need, but would like to have the option of in case of a medical emergency!). These are all supposed to be common conditions for pregnant women so I'm trying to stay relaxed about it. The most important thing is for Lucas and I to stay as healthy as possible.

MLOA

My leave is finally coming up! Since I've completed most of my baby prep, I don't have too much planned. I do have a box of hand-me-down baby clothes from our generous friend Joy to launder but most of those are 6+ months so there's no urgency to wash those. Assuming I don't go into labor early, I'm hoping that means I have a little bit of time to relax, attend prenatal yoga, catch up with friends, and potentially blog more about my last few pre-mom days. But I won't count on having that time because obviously, time doesn't belong to me now. Ready or not, he's coming whenever he's ready!

Diaper Stockpiling: Pros, Cons, and How-To's

Why I've Been Stockpiling

One of the first things I bought for baby Lucas was a pack of size 3 overnight diapers while I was still early on in my second trimester. Yes, definitely overkill but Donna sent me a link to a 50% off diaper promotion and that was one of the few sizes left by the time I got to it! But that got me thinking about stockpiling diapers since I'm such a planner. Just like I'm never short of toilet paper or feminine products in the house, I don't intend to be out of diapers. Imagine being with a newborn and no diapers in the house - trying to wrangle the newborn to the store with me to pick up some diapers definitely does not sound like a  good time!

Cons of Stockpiling

Unfortunately, now that I have nearly 1,000 diapers in Lucas' closet, I have read some arguments against stockpiling diapers:

• You can never be sure which brand will work best for your baby until you actually try them on him.
• Stockpiling often involves buying the jumbo box to get the best unit price - but if it's a brand you've never used before, you may only use one pack and find out the brand doesn't work for your baby and now you can't return the half used jumbo box.
• Amazon makes it pretty easy to get relatively cheap diapers within a day or two so you don't really have to obsess that much beforehand.

How to Mitigate Against Stockpiling Risks

So...973 diapers later, I've given my stockpiling a rest. I still don't think it's a bad idea to stockpile diapers (assuming these diapers work for Lucas!). I doubt new moms have the time to be exploring brands, clipping coupons, and calculating unit cost the way I have been. I just think there are a few key ideas to keep in mind while stockpiling diapers:

• Buy a variety of brands, sizes, and types of diapers. 
• Buy smaller packs versus jumbo boxes to prevent waste (this one is hard to do though - the best deal tends to involve the largest boxes!).
• Keep receipts taped to boxes so that you can exchange for a different brand or size if needed.

How Many Diapers Do I Need?

This one is really tough, since the answers vary so widely across the internet. This is expected since every baby is so different. All my real-life mommy friends told me to avoid premie and newborn sizes so I focused most of my buying efforts on buying sizes 1-3. I do have one pack of newborn diapers thanks to a free sample but otherwise, I didn't go out of my way to buy newborn diapers. I was pretty deliberate about trying to buy less than the recommended amounts, just in case. 

Here are some of the guidelines I found across the interwebz versus what I've currently bought:

Size	Toys R Us Guide	Thrifty Frugal Mom 1	Thrifty Frugal Mom 2	Moola Savings Quantity	Southern Savers Quanity	My Current Stockpile	Southern Savers Price/Unit
NB	160	216	252	100	0	36	13 - 16 cents
1	160	160	280	1200	840	311	11 - 14 cents
2	870	640	560	600	560	402	14 - 16 cents
3	870	684	1368	1200	1512	224	16 - 19 cents

I've been using the price/unit from Southern Savers blog as a guide but that was posted a few years ago and prices tend to be higher in the Bay Area so I don't beat myself up if I can't meet it. For example, I have found newborn diapers to be the most expensive size to purchase. But otherwise, it helps me understand if I'm getting a relatively good deal or totally ripped off - I'm looking at you, Jessica Alba! Your diapers may be honest but they're very expensive, even with 50% off coupons.

Stockpiling on Wipes

On the other hand, Jeff has let me go nuts with stockpiling on wipes, since there is no dependency on size and they are so much more versatile in usage. I don't think I'll be obsessing as much about what kind of materials are cleaning Lucas' hands or tables before eating. So far, I have almost 3,000 wipes of different brands. I find that a unit cost of $0.01 - $0.03 is relatively reasonable (although I'd expect wipes on the higher end of that range be specially formulated to be gentle, sensitive, etc.).

I don't think I'll be able to be as diligent about documenting my diaper purchase prices and usage going forward but hopefully this has saved me some time and money so that I won't be as frantic and desperate to buy diapers at any price for as quickly as possible once I have a crying, stinky baby. That has been my ultimate goal of stockpiling diapers (versus thinking that I'll never have to buy another diaper again). Although I did see an ad for infant potty training lessons yesterday...I had to force myself to walk away from that! I am definitely way too much of a planner sometimes. :)

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!

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

Week 27: Black Friday Sales

Black Friday sales extend way before and beyond Thanksgiving these days, so it feels like I've been shopping forever! The best deals I found were on diapers.com, although often their sale price was the same or even higher than Target and Amazon's regular prices, so it's important to always check. I do like that diapers.com has the most flexible return policy, with up to a year for returns. Many of these items won't be used for months at the very least, so it's nice to know I have some flexibility in case I buy things that are the wrong size or I end up finding an even better deal in the meantime.

Here are some of the good deals I managed to snatch up. I'm posting earlier this week so hopefully you can catch these good deals before they expire!

• Chicco Keyfit 30: 25% off on diapers.com, which comes out to $149.99+tax. This is one of the top-rated infant car seats from Consumer Reports and at 25% off, it's the best deal I've found so far for this seat (compared to the Amazon and Target registry completion discounts of 10-15% and the Buy Buy Baby / Bed Bath and Beyond coupons of 20% off one item). Keep in mind, this papyrus color is more beige/tan than gray, as the picture implies but that doesn't bother us. We like that it's relatively gender neutral just in case we end up with baby girls in the future, or we lend it out to friends with baby girls.

• Baby Jogger adapter: 45% off on Amazon, which comes out to $32.94+tax. This is so that the Chicco Keyfit will snap into our Baby Jogger City Mini GT stroller. We've already installed the adapter with the Keyfit onto our stroller to make sure it fits well - so far so good, even though we've only tested it in the confines of our smooth-floored living room. 
• Baby Jogger City Mini GT: 20% off on Amazon, which comes out to $279.99+tax. Luckily, Bryan and Sandy were able to get a price adjustment after the $70 price drop!

• Chicco Nextfit: 25% off on diapers.com, which comes out to $224.99+tax. This is one of the top-rated convertible car seats from Consumer Reports. Like with its infant carrier counterpart, this is the best deal I've seen so far. I didn't even realized at first that we needed both an infant carrier and a convertible car seat. I thought we could make due with just a convertible, since they can fit children from 5 lbs all the way up to 65 lbs but the experienced moms told me that the infant car seat was pretty necessary for the ease and convenience of carrying the baby in and out with minimal disturbance when they fall asleep in the car seat (which they are likely to do anytime they are in the car).

• Huggies diapers and wipes: 30% off on diapers.com - varies depending on size, type, etc. I'm still trying to figure out how to stock up on diapers! I've found some good resources but will have to cross-check to figure out what works best for us. Still, I did buy a bunch of these. If they're the wrong size, I will be within the one year window for exchange to the right size.
• Bravado Seamless Nursing Bras: 30% off on diapers.com, which comes out to $34.30+tax. Donna raves about these bras, as does everyone else on Amazon and moms tend to start wearing these while pregnant to get the most wear out of them. So far they seem okay but nothing amazing. I also can't figure out what size I should be wearing as I feel like I'm in between now but I can also get by with my old bras plus a bra extender. I may have a better opinion on these later on!

• 64GB iPhone 6s in Rose Gold: $299.99+all the random fees and a 2-year contract with AT&T. I know everyone complains a ton about AT&T but I've been using them for over 10 years across 4 different cities on both coasts with no issues whatsoever. This is probably my only non-baby purchase, although it honestly is very much baby-related! My 5S is only 16GB so I'm almost always out of space. I doubt that as a new mom, I'll have the time, diligence, or memory to constantly back up my phone to ensure I can capture new pictures of him. Plus, I want to make sure I can take high quality pictures of baby Lucas. According to target.com, this same model was on sale for $249.99 in-store but the store I went to wouldn't honor the price. She insisted that they don't do 2-year contracts even though their website says they do and she told me just to go to att.com. One of the few times Target has really let me down!

Whew! This is the most I've ever spent on Black Friday. I guess it's a good sign of growth that I wasn't just splurging on myself? :)

WW24: Reading & Registering

More Reading

I like the no-nonsense approach of Eat Sleep Poop. It tells you the info you need to know without going to overboard in one direction or the other. While a lot of it talks about things I haven't had to deal with yet, like a real live baby, it gave me practical advice about blood cord banking and things that I need to buy in preparation for baby. So far so good! His parenting style and approach seem pretty practical and reasonable.

The Happiest Baby on the Block was highly recommended by a lot of moms so it was one of the first on my reading list. This is probably one of those books that I won't understand the value of until baby Jemily is out, since it's basically all about how swaddling, shushing, swinging, and two other techniques I can't remember off the top of my head. I wish I had gotten the DVD version instead so that I could actually see how to swaddle, swing, shush, etc. instead of attempting to visualize and interpret through words.

Registering

Our co-ed baby shower is next month so we set up a registry. I've registered at Amazon and Target per other mommy recommendations. The registry completion discounts are great for both at 10-15% off! I guess this explains why I saw a jumbo bag of Doritos on a friend's registry? Hehe. The gifts have already started rolling in from our generous friends and family. We're especially excited by this awesome stroller by Baby Jogger:

Despite the name, it's not  a jogging stroller but it gets rave reviews. I'm baffled by how the generosity and love we're already being showered with. Baby Jemily is already so so loved...what a lucky boy!

Week 21: Maui, Maternity Shopping, & More Musings

Maui

I just booked a trip to Maui for next month! We don't anticipate that we'll have the opportunity to travel much after baby Jemily arrives so we decided to squeeze in one more vacation before his arrival. While I would have loved to travel to Europe, ultimately I wasn't sure if I could handle such a long flight. Plus, I wanted to be in an English speaking country just in case I end up needing any kind of medical attention.

We haven't been to Hawaii since our honeymoon in 2008 so we're excited to go back. We've both been working hard since we started new jobs a few months ago so we could both use a break to relax and recharge. If you have any Maui tips, please share!

Maternity Shopping

I gained 5 pounds this past month! Given that I didn't gain much weight in the first half of my pregnancy, my doctor's not concerned about my overall weight gain. Still, this new weight gain means that I've had to finally succumb to maternity clothes. Trying to fit into some of my regular clothes has been a total joke! Sadly, it's really hard to shop for maternity clothes. The selection in-stores is scarce and I'm never quite sure what your size should be when I order online. Am I really going to still fit into a size small?

I found these Gap jeans really snug when I tried them on last month so I knew there was no way they could last me throughout my pregnancy. Clearly I'm not the only one who thought that! The reviews seem to reflect similarly. I just got these Old Navy jeans, which are definitely more comfy. They were 40% off so while I don't have high hopes for them, I'm just hoping they're not terrible!

In the meantime, I think I'm just going to have to order some stuff online and hope for the best. I really love the look of the maternity dress that Kate Middleton wore:

But since I'm having a winter baby, I know I need to find more warm weather maternity clothes! But so far, everything seems to be sleeveless. I guess they assume pregnant women are generally really warm, regardless of time of the year? I need at least one nice dress, since we're attending a wedding, having a shower, and a photoshoot in the next few months. It'd be nice to not look like a ridiculous encased sausage for those occasions!

More Musings

• I briefly thought about placenta pills but after the reaction I got from asking around about this, I decided that this was a no-go. There just isn't any evidence to show that there's really any benefit to this and the very unscientific, anecdotal evidence I've heard thus far just isn't convincing enough for me. Plus, this isn't a regulated process so there's no way to know what is getting added to the pills - what if it's not even my placenta?! Eek.
• I haven't been keeping up with my reading - hopefully I'll get back on track next week.
• I booked a photographer for a maternity shoot! I have a few months to decide but I need to figure out a location.

Week 20: House Projects & Purchases for Jemily

House Projects

Now that we're halfway through the pregnancy, we're starting to get serious about all the work we want to do on the house, since we won't have the time or money to do them when Jemily is here. We're updating the guest bathroom to be more kid-friendly and adding a new fireplace, fan, and overhead lighting to our living room so that it'll be a cozier, warmer space. We also need to figure out a way to add more storage to our kitchen, since we don't currently have anywhere to put bottles or any other kind of baby stuff. It might not seem like a lot but the costs add up quickly and it takes awhile to get it all done. Hopefully, we'll have everything done by the end of the year!

Purchases for Jemily

We've started researching some of the big ticket items, as well as smaller things that we'll need for Jemily. So far, I've only purchased the following:

• Breast pump: I guess this technically isn't a purchase since I was able to get this fully covered by insurance - go Obamacare! My insurance coverage is pretty good so I had a lot of options to choose from. I ended up choosing the Spectre S2 through Byram Healthcare since I read a lot of great reviews about this model compared to the Medela, which is probably the most common model used by moms. I was surprised by how quick and easy the process of getting one was. I got the list of covered providers through my insurance company, filled out an online form through the Byram Healthcare website, and received the pump in the mail after 10 days. Awesome!
• Crib: Jeff had to make a trip to Ikea for bathroom stuff so I told him to pick up a crib while he was there. The Ikea Sundvik crib is one of Consumer Reports' top rated cribs and only $119! Safe and cheap seems like a win-win to me.
• Wipes and diapers: These purchases were opportunistic. Epantry had a diaper and wipes promotion for $1.99 (they were basically free, the $1.99 was the shipping fee) while Amazon had a 50% off sale for select Huggies diapers and wipes. Part of me feels ridiculous for already buying diapers when my baby is only 20 weeks in utero but the other part of me can't pass up on the good deal. :)
• Baby's first outfit: Jeff couldn't resist buying a cute Superman onesie!

I have some ideas for some of the other items but I want to do a bit more research. I've been basing most of my decisions for the big ticket items like strollers and car seats off the Consumer Report ratings since I think safety trumps all else but Jeff also wants the big items like the stroller and the car seat to be light and convenient to carry around too - and the combination of those two characteristics in one item don't always exist. Also, baby items can be so expensive! Am I a terrible mom for not being willing to spend the $900 on the Uppa Vista stroller that every other mom seems to buy and swear by? That just seems insane to me!

Big Ben, London, March 2011

Week 16

Strangely enough, I still don't look too pregnant, even though I can't wear pants anymore. I can barely zip them up now so I've pretty much given up on the rubber band trick. I can't quite commit to maternity clothing yet so I'm just wearing lots of loose and stretchy non-maternity clothes and hoping I can hold out for as long as possible. Maternity clothing just doesn't seem very versatile or prudent when you calculate the cost per wear!

This week, I'm feeling overwhelmed by all the things we need to research and prepare for so I'm trying to get organized. The list is neverending but so far, here's what I'm trying to prioritize:

- Redo the guest / baby's bathroom
- Look into getting a nanny for the first month (月掃）
- Determine longer-term childcare options (nanny or daycare)
- Decide on blood cord banking
- Start downloading and reading parenting books
- Purchase the big ticket items:

• Car
• Crib
• Stroller
• Car seat
• Er...everything else?

On the plus side, I've found a prenatal yoga class and I've signed up for a bunch of parenting classes for us to attend. Who-hoo - two things off the list! Too bad I still have a lot more to go...

Kyoto Imperial Palace, August 2015

Week 14

Even though I've been diligently taking my prenatal vitamins for months, my hair and nails aren't growing any faster or more beautifully. But at least it's not worse so I'm not complaining. I'm also moisturizing my belly and hips, hoping to prevent the dreaded pregnancy stretch marks. In the meantime, I'm finding it harder to dress my bump. I am trying to incorporate pants back into my wardrobe with the rubberband trick but I'm going to need new pants altogether in a few weeks! Buying maternity clothes is really hard. There isn't that much available and whatever is available isn't particularly versatile or stylish.

Physical changes aside, I'm so relieved and excited to finally be out of the first trimester. That means we can start telling people - particularly my boss, who I'm hoping to talk to about this tomorrow. Hopefully that conversation goes well - wish me luck!

Pescadero Beach, September 2015

The Little Blue Box

Katie generously gifted me with a beautiful Tiffany's necklace for helping with her wedding. The necklace is a gorgeous, classic design that I love - it's the same one that Jeff got me for our one year dating anniversary 12 years ago! Yes, we've been together for a long time. :)

Katie had already included a gift receipt just in case, and graciously assured me that she wanted me to exchange it for something I don't already own. Here are some other beautiful necklaces that I'm considering as an alternative:

The Villa Paloma Flower

The Elsa Peretti Bean

I love the feminine design of the flower, as well as the simple, timeless design of the bean. I'm leaning slightly more towards the flower, only because I've never seen that on anyone in real life before. Both are beautiful options though! I'll have go to the store in person to check out how they look on me.

Renting Dresses

As I've been scouring the internet for that perfect bridesmaid dress for Allison's wedding, I may have found the answer in my bridesmaid dress for Katie's wedding. Katie generously took care of the dresses for us by renting them for us off littleborroweddress.com. For $50 per dress (plus shipping), the dresses are a really good deal. The fabric quality isn't inferior to my $200+ J. Crew bridesmaid dresses and the dresses come in a wide array of colors and styles. Katieeven ordered a few extra styles in each  size so we would each have more than one dress to choose from. I haven't decided yet but I'll probably wear one of these:

If I wear the first dress, I'll need to figure out the right undergarment so my straps don't peek through all night. The second dress is a true wrap dress, so I'll need to make sure the bow is tied tight or the whole thing comes apart! I think I just convinced myself into the first dress, as I really don't want to spend the whole day nervous and fidgety with the bow. Luckily, they're both pretty and flattering!

I'm trying to decide if I should do the same for Allison's wedding. While $50 isn't a negligible cost, it's still cheaper than the dresses I'm finding now for Allison's wedding, which I'll realistically never wear again...unless I find that perfect, versatile, rewearable dress in the perfect shade of light pink! Ha..fat chance? 

Bridesmaid Dress Shopping

I've recently been hunting for a bridesmaid dress for my dear friend Allison's wedding. This is the first time a bride hasn't dictated the dress for a wedding I've been in so it's been a lot of fun trying on different dresses. I love having an excuse to shop! ;)

She's given the bridesmaids a lot of different colors to choose from (yay!) - blush pink, nude, beige gold, and peach. I'm looking at gold or pink right now, since I think gold would contrast better with my pale-ish Asian complexion but I haven't found a lot of gold options that fit within Allison's guidelines. On the other hand, I'm finding a ton of light pink options as the spring season kicks off. Here are a few I've tried on so far:

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I looked ridiculously matronly in this dress - it made me look like a grandma! I guess it didn't help that it was a bit big and long on me.

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Jeff loved the way this French connection looked on me. Unfortunately, the slits in the front across the chest were a bit too risque for me. I'd have to find a way to wear a bra that covers up without showing through, which is basically impossible! Also, I worried that it was a little too business-y looking otherwise.

(link)

A lot of the blush pink options I came across were lace, which Allison is a big fan of. I thought this one looked just okay on me - it's a little odd that the slip is nude colored underneath, so it makes it seem like I'm just wearing a see-through pink lace dress.

(link)

This Adriana Papell lace dress is the top contender thus far (big plus for having a pink slip!). It's gotten rave reviews from everyone I've showed it to so far. I like that it comes with cups sewn in at the bust - super convenient! Even better, the price just went down from $168 to $140 in Nordstrom so I should be able to get a price adjustment. 

I'm still shopping around for a bit just in case, since I still have a few months to go until Allison's wedding. While the sheath lace dress is beautiful, I have to admit that lace is not my personal favorite. It can be a very delicate material and it doesn't seem that versatile. I also hate that sheath dresses can be so unforgiving after a big meal. Hopefully I'll find the perfect fit and flare dress in the perfect gold or blush pink color before August!

Running Shoes

I'm embarrassed to admit that after 4 years of running, I have only recently acquired a pair of proper running shoes. I'm lucky that I haven't suffered any injuries wearing my old, flimsy Pumas! I didn't do much research for this purchase - I just walked into DSW, wandered over to the running shoes section, and started trying on a few styles. While I like these Nike runners, I honestly haven't noticed much of a difference while running. Will I start to notice more over time? Or is there something wrong with my feet?

Hopefully, these new shoes along with the new workout clothes I bought will be motivation for me to stay fit in the new year!

Maokong Gondola and Rao He Night Market

I've been meaning to make a trip out on the Maokong Gondola in Taipei for awhile now - I finally got the opportunity to go with my grandma in December. This excursion is definitely about the journey rather than the destination. The ride is about 25 minutes each way and the view along the way is lovely - particularly cool if you are in a glass floor gondola. On the other hand, the view at the top is partially obstructed and the food is not impressive by Taipei standards. I had heard there were a lot of great teahouses at the top so I was pretty disappointed to find only one teahouse close to the last gondola stop that was open - and a serving of tea was 180NT! That might not seem like very much since it translates to approximately $5 USD but that's a lot for Taipei. Grandma and I skipped out on tea here and headed to Ba Fang Yun Ji, where we had a meal of dumplings, potstickers, wontons, and vegetables for a total of 180NT.

A fuzzy silhouette of Taipei 101 on the right

Hello Kitty branding everywhere!

A lackluster ice cream crepe with peanut powder and cilantro

Jeff and I had a chance to catch up with friends over a visit to the Rao He Night Market this time around. The older I am, the less I am enticed by the cheap wares they offer. Even still, I can't always resist a great deal! Between the four of us, we got a selfie stick, an iPhone case ($3 USD), a cute top ($5 USD), and some tasty snacks.

Grilled mochi

White Elephant Exchange

Here's the loot that we scored from the gift exchange we went to on Friday!

Jeff loves the selfie stick he got - he started using it immediately to take pictures of the festivities. 

I got this awesome cake pop and donut hole maker. My first thought was that I could use this to make Hong Kong egg puffs. Elsa improvised by making a waffle batter from scratch. While it didn't taste exactly like the HK egg puffs, it was delicious. 

Not bad for our first batch! I promised I would learn how to make a chocolate version for our group. They are hoping I'll learn how to make all the creative cake pops - I told them not to hold their breath. :)

We ended up bringing the iPhone portable battery and bluetooth portable speaker. I'm happy to report that the gifts we brought were well-received - the portable battery even got stolen once!

Holiday Gift Exchange Ideas

While I've been shopping for myself, I have been shopping for others too. I have a few holiday gift exchanges coming up so I've been looking for unique, useful gifts that are under $20. Holiday gift exchanges are tricky because you don't know who will end up with your gift, so you have find something that's broadly appealing for less than $20. Mike is hosting one of the gift exchanges this year and he already said that only lazy people resort to gift cards, so there goes Plan B...

Oriole recommended this garlic and ginger chopper. She's an avid cook so she loves this gadget - ever since she got it, she's been using it everyday. I have a lot of friends who like to cook so this could be quite handy. I saw this at Target in-store for only $5 so I don't know why it's over $10 on target.com.

I thought that a portable phone charger would be a super practical gift. I have one myself and find it to be a lifesaver for when I'm out and about. But is this gift too boring? I'm starting to wonder if everyone else participating in the gift exchange will bring this too!

I'm also thinking about portable bluetooth speakers. But I worry that this also falls into the uber practical (aka boring) category. Does everyone already have one of these? I may have to keep the receipt so that if I end up getting stuck with my own gift, I can exchange it for something I don't already own!

Finding Good Holiday Deals

It's been hard not to indulge in all the holiday sales going on. I was doing pretty well on resisting all the sales but this past week, I ended up getting a few things for myself.

I need more winter dresses so I picked up this dress from BR for 40% off. I'm a little nervous though, because the material looks like it snags easily. I like the fit, which is atypical since I typically look better in fit and flare dresses. I'm undecided if I'm keeping this one.

I also picked up this cute colorblock sweater from Gap for 50% off. I'm always in need of low maintenance sweaters so I love that this sweater is machine washable. Also, the light cotton material works well for California winters - anything heavier and I'm sweating profusely throughout the day! The color is more of a robin's egg blue than a mint.

I also found some good deals on workout tanks at the Lucy for $30 each. Cute, comfy workout gear makes me more motivated to workout. It's silly and shallow but hey, whatever works!

Fuschia studded flats

Since Jeff was out last weekend, Katie and I headed to the Livermore Premium Outlets for some quality girl time and catching up. I picked up this adorable pair of flats from Splendid for $30 (available at Last Call for $41). My outfits can be pretty vanilla so it's always nice to dress it up with a pair of cute shoes in an unexpected color.

Finding a good work tote

As much as I love European designer handbags, I am more muted in my choice of work totes. I don't want to stand out with something too flashy or expensive, as my work environment is pretty casual. Plus, carrying a laptop around can be pretty hard on a handbag so I don't want a fussy bag that I need to be delicate with. For awhile, I was using a Longchamp Le Pliage tote. I love that it's roomy and zips all the way close. On the downside, the nylon material is so flimsy, I'm always afraid the straps will break off at some point. To be fair, it's never happened so I guess I'm just paranoid. I also dislike how ubiquitous the bag is - every woman I know seems to have the same bag.

Last year, I decided I needed a sturdier tote, so I bought the Kate Spade Charlotte Street Reena tote. I liked how it was similar in shape and style to the Prada Saffiano tote, but at a much more affordable price point - especially since I was able to get the bag at 25% off during Bloomingdale's Friends and Family sale. I also liked how the handles are long enough for me to comfortably wear the bag on my shoulder. While it doesn't zip all the way closed, there are two large spacious zipper compartments and one small zipper compartment to ensure that my small valuables don't slip out of the bag. There is a snap closure for the main compartment but that's pretty useless in keeping anything except my laptop securely in the bag. I just wish it weren't black! I have so many black bags, I was hoping for a more interesting neutral color, like caramel or grey. It's currently on sale in yellow, which is adorable but I just can't pull it off!

When Ann Taylor had a 50% off sale last week, I couldn't resist ordering the Ann Taylor Gallery tote. It's a popular bag in the blogging world but I have yet to see it on anyone in real life, so it's a relatively unique bag in my social and professional circles. I also love how neutral the taupe latte color is and yet different from any other bag I own (which just goes to show how boring my bag collection is). While's it's a bit smaller than the Kate Spade Reena, it's sufficiently large to hold my 12" laptop and other necessities. Unlike the Kate Spade Reena, there are no secure zipper compartments, so it's not as functional for me. But I think I'm being too picky - for $59, this should probably be an obvious keeper!

Meanwhile, Jeff naively asks "Don't you already have a work bag? Why did you buy another one?" Some days, I wonder if he knows me at all. :)