Stroller after they outgrow the baby car seat stroller

When baby girl was 3 months old, we had to take a trip back home. Thus the need to get her a stroller which I didn't expect to get so soon. Without knowing which one to get after looking online for a while, we decided to go check it out in the local store. That way we can actually have baby girl to try it out to see which one she likes better. It doesn't seems like such a good idea once we got to the store since there were too many options in the store ranging from cheap to really expensive. After spending more than two hours at the store we finally narrow down to 2 strollers. It would either be the Maclaren Techno XT or the City Mini. After considering the pros and cons we decided to get the Maclaren cfor the feature where the baby foot can stay straight when lying down considering she is only 3 months old. Plus she seems happier when she sit in that stroller :) which is the most important point for us. Next time if you are trying to buy a stroller, narrow down your choice and let your baby pick out the one s/he likes. That way hopefully they will like sitting in it when you take s/he out in the stroller. Happy shopping.

SHE

I'm at 25 weeks today. 2 days ago had my monthly doctor's checkup and finally baby decided to co-operate and we found out the sex of our baby. We are welcoming a baby girl into our home in 15 more weeks.

Since I was eating non-stop in my first trimester, at the end of the first trimester I had already gain over 10+ pounds. Of all the materials I have been reading about pregnancy, most pregnant women would have better appetite during their second trimester. I'm totally opposite in this case, I don't feel hungry most of the time once I started my second trimester. I have been eating for the sake of eating so the little one inside of me acquires all the nutrients she needs to grow up healthy. Nonetheless up until 2 days ago I still managed to gain weight and right now I'm already up 19 pounds. I really can't imagine what my weight will be at when I'm in my 40th weeks.

Good news is baby is healthy, already weigh about 1.5 pounds now and the most recent blood sugar test turns out ok too. I guess staying off sweet stuffs actually helps. Haven't really start doing any shopping yet for baby, probably should starts soon before I get too big to go out and about. Next task, need to work on the list of what to buy.

Filoli Mansion and Gardens

My in-laws are here to visit and we have been going out every weekends exploring places around here. After 10 years around the Bayarea and passing by this place whenever I go to Half Moon Bay, I haven't been to this place called Filoli Mansion and Gardens (http://www.filoli.org) at all. On Mother's Day, we decided to take a trip there since they have a flower show going on that weekend.

Probably it was Mother's Day, the place was so crowded and we have to wait a little bit to get a parking spot. Before I go in to explore, I was thinking to myself, why would so many people want to come to this place to visit. I got my answer after I go in. It was actually a beautiful place with 36,000 square foot Georgian country house and spectacular 16-acre English Renaissance garden. The garde is really well kept garden that has many varieties of flower in full bloom at this time of the year. Since there was a flower show on-going that weekend, we get to see a lot of fascinating flower arrangement that was display throughout the mansion.

If you are a flower lovers, it is a good place to visit. It is also family friendly, it is actually a very nice venue for kids photography as well.

Ribbit year till now

I haven't been keeping myself too busy this year as I'm trying to keep myself stress free if possible. The only thing I have been doing more this year is reading a lot more books which I haven't been keeping up with the past few years. This year will be a memorable year for me and hubby as we are going to have a baby thus the stress free life if possible.

Really excited about the baby coming into our life and at the same time a little worry about it as well. I believe we are both prepare to welcome a little one into our lives already, probably just the first timer phobia since I'm not 100% sure we are able to cope with it. Everyone I have been talking to keep telling me that things will be ok and we will learn as we go along. I'm trying to stay positive.

I'm already at 23 weeks as of today, belly is getting bigger and rounder as well. As usual the first question I will be getting from people who know that I'm having a baby is whether the baby is a boy or girl. My baby is still playing hide and seek with me thus I haven't find out yet. All I really wish for is for a healthy and happy baby. Boy or girl does not really matter to me in fact.
So far (touch wood) everything has been going on smoothly for me, no morning sickness for me at all. When most pregnant women are busy with their morning sickness I have been busy eating. I always know that I'm a big eater, nonetheless I never realize that I can have even bigger appetite. I was always hungry in the first trimester, need to fill up every couple hours to make sure that I didn't faint in the middle of the day. My belly didn't show until around 16 weeks when people start congratulating me without me sharing the good news.

This year seems like a good year for having baby, so many friends and co-workers around me are going to welcome new baby into their lives as well. I hope all babies will be healthy.

2 years of life

I'm trying to think really hard, what major events happens for the last 2 years, it is really not easy to just have it pop up.

Let's see...

1- We had 2 new additions in the family, my 2 very beautiful nieces of whom I adores. Muacks Qing and Sophia.
2- Learned how to do a S-turn for snowboarding after years, oh well I guess I'm just slow at sports.
3- Spent couple weeks over Christmas in 2009 at my sister since she gave birth to baby Sophia. Caught up with an old friend whom I haven't seen for years, spent some girly time with her shopping, eating and exploring New York. Skipped the countdown at Times Square since I didn't want to get my butt freezed up, so just watched it on TV.
3- Celebrated Dad's 80th birthday last year with a buffet dinner at home, met relatives that I haven't seen in ages and gosh how time flies because I didn't know there are so many kids now in the extended family and elderly has more white on their head now too.
4- Took a trip to Taipei, Taiwan for my wedding photoshoot last year. Once in a lifetime, even though I didn't have a big wedding celebration wanted to have something to remind me of the significant event in my life. People there made it a fun time too.
5- Took a trip to Bali, Indonesia last year, however what people normally remember from a trip to Bali didn't happen for me. All I remember was kids crying :).
6- Got married last year, FINALLY. With a small celebration as I'm too old for those fancy wedding planning.

So far that is all I remember for major events that happened in the last 2 years. I might keep coming back to update this post from time to time when I recall something new.

Continuing On

I haven't been back to this space for over 2 years now. Thinking about it, I'm not sure whether I should continue or not as we always have excuses in our back pocket when we are lazy to do something. However I figure, lately my memory is getting worst, so probably it would be a good thing to start writing down bits and pieces of what happens in my life so that couple years down the road I can look back and find out what I do during a specific time and day of my life even if it is not a constant update.

So, I will continue on from here...

Caution Roadblock Ahead

Recently, my department is undergoing a re-org since we have a new VP. At this point I still don't know who I will be reporting to going forward, at least we are assured of there is not going to be any WFR for now. With all projects, deadlines and people projects, it feels so stressful all the time. In addition to that now I have the re-org to think about.

Don't get me wrong, yes I'm thankful that I still have to get up every morning to go to work considering the current economic situation out there. Not for one second I'm not thankful. However I'm feeling that I'm at my life roadblock right now as well trying to figure out what to do with my life going forward because it seems to be pathetic right now as the conversation (one that I had with a co-worker I have know for a long time) below depicts it.

co-worker: how much PTO do you have now?
me: 100 i think
co-worker: that's good. save it for september......
me: why september
i might go crazy before then though
since it is still 4 months away
co-worker: ya ya. you said that before
you're gonna be here for 9 years
just like my bitching
me: next month it will be 9 years
co-worker: bitch bitch bitch.......still stays here......
me: hehe
at least i have moved a dept
co-worker: now it's worse cause we have mortgage
that's true. i'm still doing the same freaking job
how depressing

Need something new, something fresh to prevent my mind from rotting away. Any suggestions?

Spring brings good news, happy news ...

... got woke up by a phone call on Saturday morning, granted that it was already time to get up since it was 10.30 a.m. already :P however I was so grumpy because the first thought that came to my mind was that people from work was calling me again.

My grumpy hello wasn't greeted too well by the person on the other side of the phone, my big sister. As always, the first word that blurted out from her was, 'What time is it already, and you are still in bed?' and on it goes. Oops.. I shouldn't had been that grumpy and asked for a lesson early in the morning.

Next thing you know, she became bubbly and told me that I'm going to be an 'Ah Yi' again. I paused for a minute or two and my mind just didn't catch what she was trying to tell me. So, she repeated herself. Ah... then it clicked, she is having a baby. Indeed it was a good morning, a true blessing since she has been hoping for a baby for years already. It somehow remind me never to give up hope in anything that you do even if the chance is so slim that it will ever happens.

Not sure whether it is going to be a boy or girl right now, all I know is that we will be welcoming the baby sometime in December. My heart is so happy just blogging about this.

Rising Sales Tax coming April 1st.

I have been hearing about the issue of raising sales tax in California however I didn't realize that the law was passed already until today and will be effective until either mid-year 2011 or mid-year 2012 depending on the outcome of a vote that is going to happens around May 19th this year. I always wonder where does all those taxes money that we pay every year goes to, especially when California is one of the higher tax state around the country.

With all the economic issues that we are having right now, it is as if there is not enough effect on our daily life, now we have to add on this 1% hike in sales tax. 1% doesn't seem that much however it is over 10% hike from previous sales tax rate.

Now it is time to think of more ways to make an extra buck to cover the 1% sales tax that need to be pay everytime I visit the checkout counter at every store. We just can't catch a break these days.