Browse Category: life

morning updates

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Ever since I started working again, Jes has been taking KK to school and picking her up everyday.  There are some mornings when she’s really good and will get dressed on her own and stay out of trouble while he’s on a call and Mirian is taking care of Peanut and Andrea.  Some mornings, she’s been an emotional rollercoaster in the morning. One tiny thing will set her off and she’ll give Jes the silent treatment on the train ride to school.  It’s usually because Jes said “no” to something ridiculous like she wants to wear something inappropriate for the weather outside (like rainboots when it’s 70 degrees and sunny outside) or she didn’t get to press the elevator button. I usually get an update after drop-off and today was pretty funny. It also shows how some mornings just don’t go as planned.

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This morning, I had bought doughnuts for my co-worker’s going-away breakfast and brought back doughnut holes for KK. She got two balls and some milk while I was packing her lunch. Unfortunately, I forgot to give he the yogurt too and she ended going on a snacking frenzy while Jes wasn’t paying attention.

Crappy Winter

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So far, this has been the crappiest winter we’ve ever had in terms of getting sick. In just this year alone, here’s how we stand as a family:

Me: 2 (mostly coughing and congestion)

Jes: 3 (fever, coughing, congestion, stomach problems)

Peanut:2 (coughing, congestion, stomach bug)

KK: 2 (fever, coughing, stomach bug, ear infection, possible pink eye)

And it’s only mid-February!!! Each illness seems to last longer than usual too.  Both kids have been prescribed a 10-day course of antibiotics and albuterol.  This is a first for KK, which means it must be bad.  I suppose it has much to do with being in Preschool.  Her teacher says that the class size is smaller this week because so many kids have been home sick.

On top of all this, Mirian and her daughter have also been sick, which complicates things even more. For example, last night, she texted to say that she has an ear ache and it was getting worse. So, I’m home with Peanut today again.  She already called in sick because of a fever a couple weeks ago. At this rate, I should just work Part Time.

Last Day of Leave

IMG_6604Today is my last day of maternity leave.  It’s been a good run.  I’ve been off work since June 27 so it’s been almost 7 months – the longest period of time that I’ve ever not worked.  Unfortunately, a lot of it is quite a blur.  Sleep deprivation has had a lot to do with it but it’s also because raising two small children is a lot more work and chaos than I imagined.

A part of me is relieved to be going back to work.  I don’t know why because the work sounds hard and not as fun anymore.  Likely it’s because I miss seeing my friends.  I’ve missed our day-to-day antics and sometimes a weekly text message just doesn’t cut it. I’m thankful that I work at a place where the people miss me. I’m also looking forward to the additional income.  We’ve been doing fine while I’ve been off but it will be nice to have that little extra money to save and use for what we need or want.

A bigger part of me is very sad for more obvious reasons. I’ll really miss my baby boy.  But now that he’s turning 6 months in 10 days, I suppose it’s time for him to explore the world without me around.  He’s a social little guy and will love being taken around to the park, the library, and wherever else Mirian decides to go.  He’ll also learn Spanish and play with other kids. I went out quite a bit these past months but not to the same extent.  He’ll also get more attention since her time will be devoted to him and not to the laundry or dishes.

IMG_0010I’ve also had some quality time with my first born.  I admit, we’ve had some rough times but it’s been worthwhile. She’s become more independent, strong-willed, and opinionated (aka 3 years old) and I have had less energy, less patience, and less time for her.  It was nice to have had that full month with her before Peanut was born but I just wished I wasn’t 8 months pregnant.  All she wanted to was for me to run with her outside or play with her on the floor.  Both were very hard at that point in my pregnancy. It was nice to be able to walk her to school, pick her up, and just be there when she needed a little extra time to warm up. I’m also so thankful that the addition of a little brother has been positive for her and that she has completely embraced her role as a big sister.

One of the advantages of being off was that I was able to travel more frequently and for longer periods of time.  We were able to take a long weekend in Napa, go to Vancouver for a week, spend a week in Cerritos, play in Hawaii for a week, and then stay in Southern California for 10 days for the holidays.  I never felt rushed to head home and I didn’t have the same sense of anxiety that I normally do when I know I have to return to work the next day.  All these trips were so memorable and gave us some needed time as a family of 4 and with our extended family as well.

I suppose I’m ready to embark on this next stage.  It’s back to full-time work and hopefully I’ll find a way to balance family and work in a way that doesn’t drive me insane.  Wish me luck!

Year in Review 2015

IMG_5856Happy New Year!! I can’t believe it’s 2016 already.  I don’t really know where 2015 went!  At this point, it’s all kind of a blur.  It must be the lack of sleep.  All the days have sort of blended in with each other.  I was either pregnant or taking care of an infant, which made it one crazy ride!

IMG_8256Best Moment:
Meeting my baby boy on July 31st.  He was born healthy and big.  He came out hungry and still has quite the appetite.

Best Meal:
Unfortunately, Jes and I don’t get out much anymore. Honestly, my favorite snack of the year was the night we brought Peanut home and Jes poured me a small glass of wine.  I drank that glass in bed with some Pringles.

IMG_9918The most memorable meal, however, was when we went to Morimoto in Napa with 6 adults and 5 kids.  It was in the middle of a heat wave and the A/C in the restaurant wasn’t working.  I don’t think all 6 adults were ever sitting at the table at one time and at least 4 adults had a child in their lap.  The meal was still really good but the experience was a little more chaotic than we would have liked.

IMG_2484Best Vacation:
It’s a tie between the two trips to Hawaii.  Both were with family/friends and both were really fun.  I feel fortunate to have been able to go TWICE in one year!! Runner up was our trip to Vancouver.

IMG_5005Other Highlights from 2015:

    Jes and I turned 40. We also celebrated our 20th anniversary as a couple.
    KK started preschool and took Yoga and Soccer classes.
    We went to Disneyland twice this year. Actually, KK got to go any extra time over Memorial Day weekend too!
    I spent half the year pregnant and the other half on maternity leave.  Both were hard.
    Jes started traveling internationally for work. In 2015, he went to Grenoble, France x2 and Shenzhen, China x1.
    Jia gave birth to twins.
    We have four fish tanks in our tiny home.

Lights and Kids

Boy, Light-up Night has really changed in so many ways.  Lightup2010It used to be a night of friends, cocktails, and hijinks. This is a photo from 2010 when Brother, Joy, and Mommy joined us.

IMG_3113Now it’s about wrangling kids, taking family photos, and getting home at a reasonable time to put everyone to bed.  Regardless, it’s still fun to be out there at the Embarcadero Center to see the buildings light up and watch the fireworks go off.  It’s my official kick-off to the holiday season since it always occurs the Friday before Thanksgiving.

IMG_3138This year, it was super convenient for me since KK’s school is just down the street from there.  What I’ve been used to is scrambling to get out of work on time, braving traffic across the bridge, parking the car at home, and then catching the train as quickly as I can to make it on time.  Last year, Jes was in France and this year was no different.  The difference for me was that I was lugging around TWO kids now.  I don’t know how those single moms do it!

IMG_3145This year, Ranee and Stephanie were on board and met up with us in time for the fireworks.

IMG_3067It was disappointing that the Hyatt did not have their usual lighting of the atrium but we still went over there to see the tree.

IMG_3144Get your fat pants, pumkin-spiced everything, and shopping lists out ‘cuz the holidays are here!

Mother of Two

IMG_0301Yep, that’s me now.  Once my mom went back to Cerritos at the end of September, I began my new life as a mom managing two kids.  So far it’s been ok but I’ve certainly had my mini meltdowns in the middle of the night when I’m exhausted and in the evenings when both of them are with me.

IMG_0491The morning routine is still slower than I want it to be but it’s made a significant improvement since we started a token system with KK.  She earns pennies throughout the day for good behavior.  It’s a behavior management strategy AND a way for her to get a beginner’s lesson on the value of money.  It had a rough start the first day as she was learning the game but now it works like a charm (most of the time).

I’m starting to get a little more done during the day but it only occurs when Peanut is napping well.  On other days, I just throw every chore out the window and basically sit in the rocking chair feeding or calming Peanut. There are some days when he will only nap if I’m holding him. Luckily, watching TV doesn’t really require any hands so if it’s on, it makes the time pass a little faster.

Going out on my own usually takes a little bit of preparation and forethought.  My options with the two kids are the following:

  1. Carry Peanut and take KK in the stroller.
  2. Carry Peanut and walk KK by the hand (this can sometimes result in a major meltdown if she doesn’t cooperate).
  3. Push Peanut in the stroller and have KK hold onto the stroller or my hand.
  4. Throw them both in the car and go.

Options 1 and 3 are probably the easiest so far – especially if we can take the train.  Option 4 would seem the easiest but Peanut HATES being in a slow-moving car.

Next week, we’ll be taking a flight to Vancouver with the twins and grandparents aboard as well.  It’s gonna take some planning, endurance, teamwork, and patience but if we pull it off smoothly, our family vacation should be a lot of fun.