I walked to and from work all throughout pregnancy. It is about 20 minutes each way. I am definitely slowing down now and it probably takes me 10 minutes longer. It is still nice to move a little bit though.
Starting at around 30 weeks, I went to prenatal yoga. I went to Bernal Yoga once and then Yoga Tree Potrero the rest of the times. Yoga Tree Potrero is super convenient. It is close and parking is easy. The class can get a bit full and crowded. I think most prenatal yoga classes are the same. At least the Bernal and Yoga Tree teachers taught very similar things. Of course we start with breathing, then strengthening which is basically arm work, warrior poses which are hip openers. It is not really a workout but stretching and relaxation. I forgot to mention that the first time I went to class, I was surprised that we spent a lot of time introducing everyone in the class. We said our names, how far along we were, and if we wanted to work on anything. I think it is meant to foster community. It was also neat to see how different people who were the same number of weeks pregnant could look so different. Everyone's body is different.
We also took a Prenatal Partners class. There were so many couples there. It was actually with the teacher who taught the Bernal Yoga prenatal yoga class. I thought it was neat. It is totally different from a prenatal yoga class. She taught the partners how to help the moms through labor with massage.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
the nursery
We debated keeping the full sized bed since space was tight if we added a crib. In the end we kept the bed in case visitors come over. I can also sit on it to nurse. Gliders are expensive. The bed will do just fine. We ended up doing a lot more re-purposing than we had intended. There was a desk/table in a nook that we make into the changing area. We moved the drawers our of our closet and into this bedroom for baby clothing storage. We had to get either get closet organization or more drawers for our own closet and ended up going the cheaper route with some ikea drawers.
The main issue with the room now is that it is way too hot. We added some blackout shades but it is still too hot. We considered a ceiling fan but not sure that it will cool it enough. Another big thing we did was change out the carpets in both rooms. It was a mess for a while since we had all the bedroom furniture in the dining room for a while. The new carpet is nice though and definitely makes the room feel new. Stephen painted a wall a grayish purple color. I accidentally bought eggshell so Stephen had issues with the sheen and getting an even coat.
Before
Saturday, January 31, 2015
the baby shower
When it came to planning our baby shower, we knew we wanted our friends and family to be there. My husband and I started planning ourselves and then delegated tasks to some willing friends. The main tasks for us was finding a place and also food.
The venue was a bit of a pain. We were not willing to spend that much but needed a space that could fit everyone in San Francisco. We were estimating about 40 people so our condo was out of the question. We wished our condo had a community room so we actually booked a day at a friend's community room. We had been to a baby shower there before. Weather was awesome while we were looking for a venue so my husband had his heart also set on the mini SF Giants field. We also booked there. It was just a mini baseball field with no real restrooms and tables or chairs so it seemed like it would be a lot of work to set up. Not to mention if it rained then we would need to move the location last minute.
Carol had been to a baby shower in the South Beach Harbor Community room so she helped us look into that. It was the right size and right price, so we confirmed that location. It was perfect. It was close to home, had a playground right next door, had tables, chairs, and a restroom, and tables outside for people who wanted to be outside. The only issue was parking. We tried to mitigate it by scheduling the shower on a Sunday so that at least street parking would be free. It was also hard to find since it is actually Pier 40A and lots of people ended up at Pier 40. Also Pier 40 is not next to Pier 39.
We decided to go with City Smokehouse for catering and it was a hit. We had chicken, beef brisket, mushrooms, beet salad, rolls, and mac and cheese. People loved the BBQ and it was super easy. It is not cheap though and we had contemplated just doing Costco roasted chickens and some Trader Joe's frozen food. We had so much food leftover. Next time we don't need to order the same number of servings as attendees. We still have leftovers frozen.
The theme was dictated by the Paperless Post invite Jacqueline helped us find and send out. It actually matched our wedding invitations. The e-card had woodland creatures on a wooden background.
Cynthia organized all the games and desserts with the help of my mother-in-law
The venue was a bit of a pain. We were not willing to spend that much but needed a space that could fit everyone in San Francisco. We were estimating about 40 people so our condo was out of the question. We wished our condo had a community room so we actually booked a day at a friend's community room. We had been to a baby shower there before. Weather was awesome while we were looking for a venue so my husband had his heart also set on the mini SF Giants field. We also booked there. It was just a mini baseball field with no real restrooms and tables or chairs so it seemed like it would be a lot of work to set up. Not to mention if it rained then we would need to move the location last minute.
Carol had been to a baby shower in the South Beach Harbor Community room so she helped us look into that. It was the right size and right price, so we confirmed that location. It was perfect. It was close to home, had a playground right next door, had tables, chairs, and a restroom, and tables outside for people who wanted to be outside. The only issue was parking. We tried to mitigate it by scheduling the shower on a Sunday so that at least street parking would be free. It was also hard to find since it is actually Pier 40A and lots of people ended up at Pier 40. Also Pier 40 is not next to Pier 39.
We decided to go with City Smokehouse for catering and it was a hit. We had chicken, beef brisket, mushrooms, beet salad, rolls, and mac and cheese. People loved the BBQ and it was super easy. It is not cheap though and we had contemplated just doing Costco roasted chickens and some Trader Joe's frozen food. We had so much food leftover. Next time we don't need to order the same number of servings as attendees. We still have leftovers frozen.
The theme was dictated by the Paperless Post invite Jacqueline helped us find and send out. It actually matched our wedding invitations. The e-card had woodland creatures on a wooden background.
Carol took the lead on most of the decorations. Jacqueline also found and bought supplies. Jess did drinks
The baby shower was fun. It was great to see all our close friends and family.
Friday, January 30, 2015
the gender reveal
So it has been a while since I wrote. I cannot believe that my due date is almost 2 weeks away! Time flies but this last leg definitely felt super slow.
Since then a lot has happened. we did an informal gender reveal where we didn't find out the gender right there during the ultrasound appointment. We had the doctor and the sonographer circle the gender on a note and sealed it until we could open it at dinner.
We went out to dinner that night to Aveline. We used to watch Top Chef religiously and the chef at Aveline was a fan favorite on one of the seasons that we followed. It was nice that we were not in a doctor's office and no one was explaining the anatomy of the baby to us. We were having dinner and chatting about the baby between courses. I looked at the note second so I saw my husband's reaction first. I had actually thought it was a boy, but it's a girl!
Since then a lot has happened. we did an informal gender reveal where we didn't find out the gender right there during the ultrasound appointment. We had the doctor and the sonographer circle the gender on a note and sealed it until we could open it at dinner.
We went out to dinner that night to Aveline. We used to watch Top Chef religiously and the chef at Aveline was a fan favorite on one of the seasons that we followed. It was nice that we were not in a doctor's office and no one was explaining the anatomy of the baby to us. We were having dinner and chatting about the baby between courses. I looked at the note second so I saw my husband's reaction first. I had actually thought it was a boy, but it's a girl!
Friday, October 24, 2014
the books
i have been doing some reading on pregnancy and parenting.
The first book I read was How Eskimos Keep Their Babies warm. It was a collection of one mother's experiences in different parts of the world. It didn't get too deep into parenting philosophies but was interesting to learn about how children are in other parts of the world.
The next few books were given to me by a friend who has kids. What To Expect When You're Expecting is in a question and answer format. I read through what was relevant to me. If you have a question about your pregnancy, it is probably answered in this book. She also gave me The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy. It is a bit dated but some things still apply. I am still reading the Baby 411 book but this one is not that fun for me. While reading it, I feel like there is so much to remember. It includes lots of tables about what weight the baby should be at what age or how much they should eat or how much they should sleep or what developmental milestone they should've reached. Stresses me out.
I also read Bringing Up Bebe and enjoyed it quite a bit. It is one American mother's point of view on French parenting. It is easy to read, funny, and relatable. I like a lot of the discoveries she documents. I am not sure I can implement them but the book resonated with me.
Then I read Parenting Without Borders. Also interesting to read about how other countries deal with parenting.
Some others I want to read are Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, and Happiest Baby on the Block. There are some on my list I might not get to: Brain Rules for Baby, NurtureShock, No Drama Discipline, and The Whole Brain Child.
The first book I read was How Eskimos Keep Their Babies warm. It was a collection of one mother's experiences in different parts of the world. It didn't get too deep into parenting philosophies but was interesting to learn about how children are in other parts of the world.
The next few books were given to me by a friend who has kids. What To Expect When You're Expecting is in a question and answer format. I read through what was relevant to me. If you have a question about your pregnancy, it is probably answered in this book. She also gave me The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy. It is a bit dated but some things still apply. I am still reading the Baby 411 book but this one is not that fun for me. While reading it, I feel like there is so much to remember. It includes lots of tables about what weight the baby should be at what age or how much they should eat or how much they should sleep or what developmental milestone they should've reached. Stresses me out.
I also read Bringing Up Bebe and enjoyed it quite a bit. It is one American mother's point of view on French parenting. It is easy to read, funny, and relatable. I like a lot of the discoveries she documents. I am not sure I can implement them but the book resonated with me.
Then I read Parenting Without Borders. Also interesting to read about how other countries deal with parenting.
Some others I want to read are Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, and Happiest Baby on the Block. There are some on my list I might not get to: Brain Rules for Baby, NurtureShock, No Drama Discipline, and The Whole Brain Child.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
the maternity clothes
For the first couple months, I was able to wear my normal clothes. My tops were not tight fitting so I have been able to wear the same tops.
From week 15-20, I actually wore some DIY maternity jeans. I made two jeans with elastic inserts. Then one pair of black pants with a different type of elastic insert. And finally one pair of jeans with a full panel. The elastic insert jeans worked quite well for a while but then there started to not be enough room. I moved to the full panel but because I cut too much they don't fit right and fell down. I would constantly have to yank them up which is unsightly and a pain. For my black pants, I used a seam ripper and opened up the sides and back seam and added elastic there. They are also ill-fitting and fall down when I walk.
At Week 21, I gave in and bought a pair of maternity jeans from gap. they are full panel and very well made. They dont fall down, are comfortable, and look great. I've also been wearing my lululemon leggings but at times even those dont sit at the right place on my belly.
I had really hoped to not buy maternity clothing but now my shirts are starting to feel tight. next purchase might be maternity shirts
From week 15-20, I actually wore some DIY maternity jeans. I made two jeans with elastic inserts. Then one pair of black pants with a different type of elastic insert. And finally one pair of jeans with a full panel. The elastic insert jeans worked quite well for a while but then there started to not be enough room. I moved to the full panel but because I cut too much they don't fit right and fell down. I would constantly have to yank them up which is unsightly and a pain. For my black pants, I used a seam ripper and opened up the sides and back seam and added elastic there. They are also ill-fitting and fall down when I walk.
At Week 21, I gave in and bought a pair of maternity jeans from gap. they are full panel and very well made. They dont fall down, are comfortable, and look great. I've also been wearing my lululemon leggings but at times even those dont sit at the right place on my belly.
I had really hoped to not buy maternity clothing but now my shirts are starting to feel tight. next purchase might be maternity shirts
the news
i had an irrational fear of something bad happening or of miscarriage so it took us a while to feel comfortable enough to tell people about the baby. it really depends on how comfortable you feel and everyone is different. We waited until about 14 weeks until we told our parents and even then it was a bit rushed.
we were going to guernville/healdsburg for the weekend with my college friend and his wife and we knew that during the weekend, they would figure that I was not drinking wine. So on our drive up to meet them for dinner, we called our parents. My parents seemed happy and my mother-in-law seemed more concerned. Everyone will react differently.
A lot of people will have a lot of advice. Don't eat watermelon. Don't eat cheese. Don't eat spicy stuff. Don't eat this or that. Those are personal choices as well. They key for me is really cleanliness. If I think the food is clean I will eat it. Of course, even when I think it is clean, it may not be. So far in my pregnancy, I had one cold and then two small bouts of diarrhea. Nothing serious though.
I didn't have morning sickness so I was able to wait before needing to tell my boss. Once I told her, I told my actual manager as well. It was weird, when I talked about being pregnant, I would tear up. Damn hormones.
we were going to guernville/healdsburg for the weekend with my college friend and his wife and we knew that during the weekend, they would figure that I was not drinking wine. So on our drive up to meet them for dinner, we called our parents. My parents seemed happy and my mother-in-law seemed more concerned. Everyone will react differently.
A lot of people will have a lot of advice. Don't eat watermelon. Don't eat cheese. Don't eat spicy stuff. Don't eat this or that. Those are personal choices as well. They key for me is really cleanliness. If I think the food is clean I will eat it. Of course, even when I think it is clean, it may not be. So far in my pregnancy, I had one cold and then two small bouts of diarrhea. Nothing serious though.
I didn't have morning sickness so I was able to wait before needing to tell my boss. Once I told her, I told my actual manager as well. It was weird, when I talked about being pregnant, I would tear up. Damn hormones.
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