Quick returns

The mall was super crowded today but luckily I was able to get in, return or exchange and get out. I was wrong a few days ago when I said I didn't have any Christmas returns, clearly I did and didn't realjze it at the time. Oh well

Central heating

It's cold!! Central heating is keeping us warm today in all parts of the house. Thank god!

Ergo

Seriously the Ergo is so useful. I get to clean up or do things around the house while putting Chloe to sleep without the crying and fighting. Amazeballs!!

Ergobaby

When I'm feeling 'lazy' and don't want to fight Chloe to sleep I use the ergo. I can usually lull her to sleep while in the ergo and I'm walking around.


--
- Cher

No returns

I'm glad I don't have any gifts to return and I don't have to fight the post-Christmas crowd. 

APAP

I *think* Chloe is teething again which is causing her to wake up every other hour in pain or irritation. She's inconsolable for 8 minutes then will fall asleep in my arms for the next 2 minutes. But when we give her Tylenol (APAP) she'll sleep for up to 3 hours at a time! Not the best but significantly better than 45 minutes at a time!

Mary

Being a mom and having given birth makes me thankful for all the mothers in the world and today especially thankful for Mary, Jesus' mother. Without her we wouldn't be celebrating Christmas!

Fireplace

Using the fireplace during the winter really puts me in the Christmas spirit. Even though it may not warm up the living room too much it definitely warms my heart.

girl time

Tonight is my gift exchange with my girlfriends!  I'm so excited bc it's been so long since we got together and I definitely want to just hang out and be with my girls.

Ramen to go

It's hard to go out to eat when Chloe goes to sleep early so it's nice when restaurants will package up the food to go.

3 day sales

$1 macarons at Whole Foods!  All bc there was a 3 day sale this weekend!

Extended family

Today was our extended family Christmas party and it was lots of fun food family and presents!! Since Chloe is under 18 she gets gifts which made it even more fun bc we got to participate in the gifts this year. It's always nice seeing everyone and watching the kids open their gifts. 

My trooper baby

Chloe had her first venipuncture today and she took it like a champ. She is so amazing. I love my little girl. 

In store pick up

I'm glad there is still an in store pick up option because sometimes you can't wait for standard shipping. 

Amazon

Some items are just cheaper on amazon and when you add Prime shipping it's a no brainer to order from them!

Last minute meals

It was one of those 'I don't know what to eat' nights and somehow Alex & I magically got fed.  We ended up eating left overs and turkey chili which wasn't so bad.

Parking lots

I had brunch in dtLA today and the restaurant said it was 'street parking' but I drove around and around and couldn't find anything!  There was a $5 flat fee lot super close to the restaurant so I ended up parking there.  Not having to walk far and knowing that my car was (relatively) safe was definitely worth the $5.

Open areas

Today we had our annual Troy Phi Christmas party which was held at Kat & Chris's house.  In addition to seeing everyone and having lots of fun, it was nice that there was a large open area that was carpeted!  Chloe was able to crawl around and climb and she had lots of fun playing with the other kids.

The power of the boob

6am Chloe wakes up and won't go back to bed. 8am she starts rubbing her eyes but won't stop crying when I try to put her to sleep. 805 i try to breastfeed her 815 she's full and asleep. 820 I'm asleep. Sweet!!! 11am we wake up again. Thank you boobies!!!

Coupons in the mail

Today I got an oil change at the Toyota dealership for $24.95! All thanks to the mailer coupons my mom kept. The service associate said, 'The whole time I've worked here that's the lowest coupon I've ever seen. Good job'

Gas < $3

It's been a long long time since I've paid less than $3/gallon of gas. I'm quite content with my gas purchase today. 

Hospital food

When I don't pack lunch and I'm not craving anything in particular i often go to the cafeteria at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital. It's close, quick, cheap and I actually like the food there. It's a good fall back place when I need something to eat. 

1 MA

Today didn't go as horribly and I thought it would bc there was 1 MA who was vitalling all my patients. Hooray!! I am always thankful when we have that kind of help. 

Christmas spirit

I'm glad that at least once a year people show their holiday spirit.  Usually people are happier, more friendly and more giving during this time so regardless of which holiday you celebrate, it's a great time of the year.

Breastfeeding bond

There are definitely times when it's hard and tiring still breastfeeding but whenever I feed her I cherish the bond that we have. Time goes by so fast and she's only this small for a short period of my life so I'm lucky that I get to be part of these moments with her. 

All the small things

I'm glad there are people who think of and solve the small problems in this world. It's always great to think 'big picture' but it's the small things that make it all work. 

No rain today

I know we need rain but today I brought Chloe to the doctor to get her cough checked out and I'm so glad it wasn't raining on the way there. 

12/3: Saran Wrap

I forgot the caps to the bottles so I was worried I wouldn't be able to pump at the day conference I was at but then I thought of asking for Saran Wrap to put between the bottle & the pump part. It worked!!

God

I was merging onto the 5 freeway today and I turned my wheel a little to match the curve of the road and I spun out!! I had to think about what to do but wasn't able to actually do any of it. Thankfully I ended up facing the right way in the road and didn't hit anything at all. I can only thank God for keeping me safe during those scary seconds. I know we need it but I HATE THE RAIN!

12/1: ginger

I felt so gross yesterday and I think the only thing that helped me was the ginger and chicken broth that Alex made me. 

12/1: ginger

I felt so gross yesterday and I think the only thing that helped me was the ginger and chicken broth that Alex made me. 

Shelter

It rained today!! Thankfully I didn't have to go out in the rain for too long and was able to seek refuge in our house for most of the afternoon. 

Accurate dosing systems

I've only seen it on OTC tylenols (and generics) and I know Target offers it for their liquid prescriptions but it's amazing and ridiculously useful. There are seriously no bubbles ever when you use it. Here's an example I pulled from Google images. I wish all pharmacies would offer this for their liquids!

Naps with my daughter

Especially on the days when Chloe wakes up super early I have to remember that I'll only have this moment in time once and I need to be grateful that I get to experience this with her. It also helps when we get to take naps together later in the day.

My families

My small family of 3, my Wu family, my Purificacion family and all of my extended family. I am so blessed. 

Booger baby

Chloe always has boogers and is drooling. She is my little booger baby. I'm thankful I was able to spend a few awake hours with her today.

11/25: early bedtime nights

Today Chloe fell asleep on the way home from daycare so when I put her in the crib I had the whole evening to prepare dinner and bake. It's kinda nice sometimes. 

Coffee

Bc Chloe woke up at 430 and wouldn't go back to sleep

Baby wipes & antibacterial gel

Alex changed our water heater today so we didn't have water for most of the day. I used baby wipes and antibacterial gel to clean my hands and to keep Chloe clean.

Violy Barco Purificacion

Without her I literally wouldn't be here. Without her I wouldn't be half the mother that I try to be. Without her Chloe wouldn't laugh as much as she does. Without her we would be lost. 

Happy Birthday mommy! I love you so much and thank God everyday for your presence in our lives. I hope you know how much you are loved and how much we appreciate everything you do. 

Disney Annual Pass

We're at Disneyland and the wait times are single digits!

Mother Nature's gifts

Driving to work early this morning wasn't so horrible after I saw a beautiful rainbow. 

Sharing coworkers

YUMMM! My coworker just shared some of his cookies 'n creme candy bar with me.  I haven't had this in many years and it's totally helping me get through the afternoon.

11/17: Long sib lines

I was on campus today for a speaker series and I ran into 2 of my little sibs!  Granted, they are my supergreatgrand-sibs (greatx3 and x5) but it was nice seeing them!  I'm thankful that our sib line stays in touch decently well and that I was able to catch up with them.

Mini fortress

Alex has built a mini fortress in our living room to keep Chloe away from the 'dangerous' things. It's our way of babyproofing the house without adding gates at weird angles etc. It's actually quite useful. 

Extra sleep

It's Saturday!! Alex doesn't have work today so he watched Chloe play in the morning and let me sleep some more. I've been feeling under the weather so the extra sleep totally helped!!

Layers

It's getting colder so I've been wearing more layers and I've been putting on more layers for Chloe also. Hopefully she stays warm enough and doesn't wake up bc of the cold. 

Post-sleep time

Chloe is such an active baby that I can't get much done during the day while I'm watching her.  I have to get most of my 'big' projects done after she goes to sleep.

Alex

Alex was a post-birthday celebration super trooper today. He willingly and without complaint drove from Anaheim out to KP Sunset this morning. It took him 1.5 hours one way and he had to wake up early too! Thanks honey!

My momma

30 years ago my mom brought me into this world and has loved and supported me everyday since then. I am so thankful for her today and all the other days of my life.

Hot stones

Today I got a hot stone massage and it was sooooo blissful. My shoulders and back feel so much better!! 

High chairs

Chloe is super active and so it's nice when we can use a high chair in the restaurant so I don't have to hold or carry her the whole time. It's also helpful so i can use both hands to eat!

Chloe's easy labor

Well, her relatively easy labor. Stories like this (http://blog.longreads.com/2014/11/06/a-birth-story) scared me when I was pregnant but now having gone through it, I cannot be more thankful for my experience. 

Sweet potato

Maybe it's luck but I fed Chloe sweet potato at dinner last night and she slept 7 hours straight! Finally! We'll try again tonight and see how it goes. Cross your fingers everyone!

Late naps

Chloe took a third nap later in the day so she was able to see Alex and we were able to go out for dinner!

Reliable students

Sometimes I get students who I don't trust as much with our patients, other times I get students who I know will do a good job and I know are very reliable. The second type of student is always preferred.

Coworkers

Today I was able to have lunch with my coworker who I don't usually see. It was nice to catch up with her over a yummy meal.

Chris Rock

Chris Rock hosted SNL this past weekend and his opening monologue is just what I needed to hear after a rough night.  SO funny, check if out (on YouTube) if you weren't able to catch it.

"Ain't no bling on Jesus"

No traffic

My sister had the baby!!!! Bradley Ian Ma was born early this morning at 1am (previously 2am). Thankfully there was zero traffic on the freeway otherwise he would've been born in the car!! JK but not really. 

Daylight savings

So I can pretend to get an extra hour of sleep. I do however get an extra hour of playtime with Chloe :)

Last minute costume

I decided I could dress up as a dwarf while I carried Chloe during trick or treating. She is going to be Snow White so thankfully I had most of the costume stuff at home already.

Days off

I got to spend today playing with and napping with Chloe. I am so lucky I get days like this.

Days off

Today I got to play and take naps with Chloe since it is my day off. Spending time with her makes me smile.

Early patients

My patient showed up earlier than scheduled so we were able to see him earlier as well!  It's great when things go smoothly in clinic.

Training

When Alex has training he drops off & picks up Chloe from daycare. It saves me so much time and sanity since I'm not constantly worrying that I'm going to be late. I'm going to be so sad when the trainings end.

Sleep skills

In reference to Alex's ability to put Chloe to sleep and my ability to fall asleep quickly. They're both huge blessings that I should never take for granted 

Hairbows & pink shoes

I've decided that is how people can definitively tell that Chloe is a girl, when she wears a hairbow or her pink chucks.

Headphones

Otherwise I'd have to read subtitles while I watched Hulu+ on silent. Not cool. 

To go

We set out for Calexico tonight and Chloe fell asleep in less than 1 mile away from our house. Thankfully we were able to get food to go. We ended up getting ramen which means we felt super ghetto eating in the car. Oh well, we're full and Chloe's still asleep. Let's hope she sleeps straight until we get home!

Recliners

When I'm off I tend to spoil Chloe in that if she won't sleep in her crib then I'll hold her while she's sleeping so that she gets a good nap in. My mom does the same and today we found out how useful a recliner is while holding a sleeping baby.

Extra beds

Bc a queen size is kinda small for 2 adults and a kicking baby. 

Advanced clinical pharmacy

It still baffles me that in so many other states pharmacists do NOT have the ability to practice clinical pharmacy.  Or their practice is greatly limited.  I am so thankful to be practicing in California, especially southern California and for my wide scope of practice.  I am thankful that we have pharmacists here who can see a growth in the profession and by in large are trying to encourage that growth.

Sensitive mode

I stopped using my Sonicare because it would hurt my teeth sometimes but I got a new one recently and it has a Sensitive mode! Now I can use it and my teeth won't hurt!

Good health

Bc the alternative is not a happy thought. 

Body heat

My poor baby threw up soooo much today and while she was sleeping! It was so sad to see her so sad and tired and sleepy. We had to bathe her but she was so cold even if the water was pretty warm. Thankfully we washed her real quick then Alex took her out and held her to his chest so she could feel his body heat. The whole ordeal made me so sad for my little girl. I'm blaming the rice cereal! 😢

Quick packing

When you've packed enough times that you can do it within 30 minutes.

Extra bows

I wanted to make a red bow for Chloe's hair and I looked in my closet and found something to work with! Phew! It all worked out in the end.

Coffee

It might not work to wake me up but I'll drink it anyways.  I'm SO SLEEPY today!  At least right now I am.  I don't want to be at work or function in any way so I'm hoping this coffee will kick me in the butt.

Hot water

It's SOOOO cold in the office!!! I'm drinking hot water to warm up otherwise I'd freeze!

Columbus Day

There was very light traffic on the way to work today! Score!!

Papá

Happy Birthday Alex!!! Chloe and I are extremely thankful to have you in our lives. We love you! 

Our Wolf stove

Because I'm able to have multiple things going on and I don't feel like I'm running out of room or rushed when I cook. 

Hospitals

My BFF had her baby!!!! Miss Audrey Jane Flores was born today at Cedar-Sinai in LA. I'm beyond excited for them and for their families!! Chloe has a BFF!!! 👭

Visiting friends

Sandeep & Radhe are visiting today!! Other than being glad to see them, I'm usually thankful for any visitors bc it forces me to clean up or at least tidy up around the house. 

Powerful range hood

Otherwise my house would SMELL!!

Quick email replies

I LOVE it when people reply quickly to my emails.  It lets me check off the task/item from my mental list and I'm not sitting around waiting for an answer.  It's very considerate and helps make me more efficient.  Thanks to those who do it!

Pocket recipes

Those recipes that you keep in your back pocket for the days when you don't know what to cook or don't want to think too hard about cooking.  Tonight it was chicken adobo.  Yum!

Prunes

To prevent constipation in my baby. Gross but important 

Early bird friends

Thanks for being awake early and grabbing breakfast with us Todd!!

Days at home

Sometimes I don't realize how hectic my life is until I get to spend a day at home doing nothing but spending time with Chloe

Accessibility and reach ability

The new iPhone 6 is fairly large for my hand and it's been hard trying to figure out a way to make it work. I enabled the accessibility function and now it's easier to type one handed. 

Ps. The new auto suggest feature is cool too. I only typed ~25 letters for this whole post!

Training days

Alex has a training at Downey, so he was able to drop off and pick up Chloe today. It's nice not having to worry about being late to work but also knowing that my daughter will not be stranded at day care or stay there and be the last baby to be picked up.

Rice cereal

I fed Chloe rice cereal yesterday in the evening and then a little while later breastmilk and she slept 10 hours straight!! The first time ever! So excited and very amazed by my daughter. 

Hulu+

Stupid DVR didn't record my show but thankfully I have Hulu+ so I got to watch it anyways =)

case & screen protector

I was so worried I would drop my new fancy iPhone that I didn't use it for a week bc I was waiting for a case & screen protector.  I finally got them yesterday and set up my phone!  I'm so excited to play with and use my phone.  It seems really big so hopefully it doesn't fall out of my hand.

Random online posts

I totally agree with these 2 posts!

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/apartmenttherapy/thekitchn/~3/rQ928D1XQzg/the-power-and-virtue-of-small-unexpected-gifts-weekend-meditation-176771

http://www.amyreesanderson.com/blog/love-your-parents-we-are-so-busy-growing-up-we-often-forget-they-are-also-growing-old/

Good co-resies

Good food. Good friends. Good times. Good baby. It's hard to ask for much more than that. 

Amazon Prime

2 day shipping!!

Deanna from handy book

I tried a cleaning service today and Deanna from Handy book came to our house to clean. She was very friendly and considerate esp with Chloe so I'm glad it worked out. 

Amanda at Skanvas

Bc she was super professional and made chloe, Lola and myself very comfortable today. 

Good students

My 4th year student for the past 6 weeks was very impressive and in my opinion, very good.  I tried to encourage her to apply for residency but who knows.  It's always a pleasure working with good students.

Fall line up

All the TV shows are coming back and I'm very excited.  I'm thankful that I have things to watch, a TV to watch them on and a couch to fall asleep on.

Surprise packages

The previous email said my iPhone would arrive early October but today I got a confirmation that it's already shipped! It's arriving tomorrow!

6 hands

Today we fed Chloe rice cereal!  It was her first 'solids' meal and it got pretty messy.  She kept trying to grab the spoon or stick her hands in her mouth or move her mouth to the spoon.  Plus she was sliding down in the high chair.  We ended up having Alex hold her while I fed her and my mom would manager her arms or wipe her face if need be.  Overall it was an adventure so we'll see how it goes again soon!

New old dentist

Since I got married I tried 2 different dentists close to my house but after a huge dental debacle last month I decided to go back to my pre-wedding dentist in Los Alamitos. It's far but at least I know they do a good job. 

Happy movies

There are times for serious movies, times for action movies but sometimes you just want a simple happy movie.

Lola

My mom came over today to help me watch Chloe which was more like she watched Chloe and I got to take a nap.  THANK YOU MOM!!

Open appointments

I've witnessed first hand how much it sucks when your doctor doesn't have any open appointments for walk ins. Today I was able to call in the morning for a primary care appointment at 10:30! Hopefully this cough goes away soon!

Movie nights at home

We haven't watched a movie since Chloe was born so it's nice to relax at home and catch up with DVDs. 

Time to cook

It's hard to find time to cook when all I want to do is play with Chloe when she's awake. Today she went to sleep early so i got to spend time in the kitchen!

Quiet time

This morning Chloe woke up and just hung out in her crib for a good 15-20 minutes.  It's great when we can enjoy a little bit of quiet time in the morning.

Sunday mass

Wonder eyes

I love when Chloe looks at something or someone with such wonder in her eyes. She does it a lot when she looks up at the trees and when she looks at Alex. She is such a curious and sweet little person. I'm so blessed to be mommy to this child. 

Dr. Cousin

It's nice having a cousin who's an optometrist!

My days off

So I can recuperate, nap and best of all spend time with my baby!! I love these days. 

When Alex can pick up Chloe

I am able to relax driving home bc I know that Chloe's already at home and I don't have to rush to pick her up from daycare.  It doesn't happen too often bc of his schedule so I'm extra thankful when the timing works out.

Nasal Saline

My nose is stuffed up but when I use nasal saline and blow my nose it helps.  I can breathe!

Acetaminophen

My baby has a fever and super boogers but is all smiles and giggles still! She's so resilient it amazes me. I'm still thankful for APAP for keeping her fever in check. Relatively. 

Repurposed meal items

This goes for actual food too but today I blended the leftover strawberry lemonade with ice and it was delish!

BFFs

Today were having a baby shower for one of my BFFs, Jenny-Anne. I'm super excited to see them and celebrate and hang out! I'm thankful for the past 17 years of their friendship. 

A sleeping baby

Few things are more precious than a sleeping baby. I'm so thankful for the times that Chloe falls asleep easily and sleeps peacefully.

First look

One of my favorite times of the day is when Chloe wakes up for the day and sees me for the first time. Her smile is so big and she looks so genuinely happy to see me. I am so thankful that I get to live that moment every day.

Washed bottles

I was waiting til after dinner to wash Chloe's bottles but I ended up falling asleep on the couch instead. I woke up at 11, frantic bc I still had to wash her bottles. I walk into the kitchen and there are her bottles, washed and drying on the rack. WOO HOO!! I was so grateful that I didn't have to do them late at night.

Recovery day

I'm working on Thursday this week so I took today off!  It was a nice day to recover from the travelling and long weekend.  To bad Alex couldn't recover with us too!

No traffic

The Tses

Thanks for hosting us this weekend!

Quick changes

It's the worst when the baby's crying bc she's hungry and sleepy but it need to change her diaper and clothes still. I'm glad when it all works out quick and easy. 

Alex

Because he let me sleep while he drives us to SF. 

Easy naps

There are some naps when Chloe goes to sleep super easy. She closes her eyes, no fuss no muss. Other times she cries and writhes and flails her arms like I'm torturing her. Yah...those first ones are nicer. 

Group naps

Because everyone knows how I feel about napping. 

Reschedules

I will always be thankful for patients who respect my time enough to call beforehand and reschedule their appointments if they're unable to make it. 

> 30 min naps

At daycare Chloe has only been napping for 20-30 min at a time when she usually can sleep for 40-120minutes. So when she gets a good 50 minute nap in I'm happy and thankful that my baby isn't going to be too cranky later that day.

how things work out

It's like God knew I had a HA and wasn't feeling good today and told my patients to stay away.

Alex's day off

I think I had a migraine today so I'm glad Alex was off and he could take care of Chloe while I took a nap. 

8/23: Emmy Kate Ma

Thank you for showing me the simple joys of being a toddler.

My own sewing machine

I've been able to make lots of fun things with my sewing machine and I love that I don't have to go to my mom's house or borrow hers!

Target REDcard

On top of saving 5% I get free shipping which is awesome! I end up saving a good amt of money each time I shop online. And it's a debit card so it doesn't affect my credit! Definitely worth it. 

Extra hour of sleep

530am and my adorable baby is awake and wants to play. This tired mommy wants to sleep. After 15 minutes of feeding her and 15 minutes of trying to get her to sleep in her room, I brought her into our room hoping she'd fall asleep in our bed. Nope! Thankfully Alex stepped up and brought her outside to play so I could sleep in peace. She slept after 15 minutes of playing so he got some rest too but that extra hour of sleep was awesome!

Chloe

Chloe looks so peaceful when she sleeps. I know that when she wakes up she'll be her happy self and I can't be more thankful for such a wonderful baby. 

Online recipes

I like looking up multiple recipes for the same thing and comparing them to see what they have in common and different techniques.  I usually end up using a mixture of different recipes in hopes of making the best 'dish' possible.  I guess we'll see how my sangria goes!

A simple dinner

Sometimes i can't ask for much more than that. 

My refrigerator water dispenser

It works great with my water bottle!

Living close to a BFF

We used to at least! It's nice being able to walk over to hang out with your friend esp your BFF.

Lola

Lola's here so I get to take a nap while she plays with Chloe! Hooray!

7 hours

Chloe slept 7 hours straight last night and I went to sleep relatively early so I felt pretty good when I did have to wake up.

My Friday

Bc today is my last day of work for the week!! To celebrate I will listen to my NKOTB greatest hits CD or my Disney princess cassette tape :)

A slow day

It's nice to have a slow day in the office once in a while.

My job

because it's flexible, it's comfortable and I get to do what I love.  It's hard to ask for more than that.

Jumper cables

Uh oh! Car troubles (not ours) this morning but thankfully we have jumper cables and were able to restart the car. 

Grandparents

Alex's parents are here for the weekend which means my arms get a break from holding and bouncing my Chloe bear. I don't mind doing it but after 10 minutes my arms hurt!!

Mom & Brandon

I'm so thankful my brother is here to visit and take care of my mom while her ankle heals. I'm always thankful for how good my mom is with Chloe and all the help she gives me even while she's recovering. A truly amazing person. 

Jen Salmingo

Jen is so supportive and positive and such a great friend to me and Alex. I'm so glad we're still good friends!

Early patients

My 3pm patient came at 2:40 and so I got to leave super early today!! Hooray!!

Cooked food

It's great when you come home and there's cooked food already!  Thanks for cooking dinner tonight Julie!

A relatively easy baby

Alex and I have been beyond blessed with how relatively easy Chloe has been.  I cannot be more thankful for the past 4.5 months.

a clean house

Today Alex & I did a major de-cluttering, purging and cleaning of the house.  There's a lot more storage now and I feel less anxiety when I walk around my house.  YAY!

I'm not currently pregnant

The menu at dinner tonight looks delish and is full of non pregnancy friendly foods

8 hours of sleep

Not for me but for Chloe!  She slept 8 hours straight last night and I was so proud of her =)

AC

It's hooooot and Chloe gets super sweaty so I'm so glad we have the air conditioning and fans on!

Prompt vitalling

It expedites the appointment and makes things more efficient!

Little reminders

Today was Chloe's first day at day care. =( SUPER SAD FACE!  I know she'll be ok, I know she'll love it there but it just makes me so sad.  I've been giving myself little reminders that she'll be ok so that I'll be ok.  I think I just need more time to get used to it.

Date night

It's our two year anniversary today!!  Julie agreed to watch Chloe for the night so we could go out to dinner.  I'm glad we got to spend the evening together and enjoy our alone time.  I can't believe it's been 2 years already!  Time flies when you're having fun.

Alex's arms

This weekend Alex was amazing at putting Chloe to sleep and since we were traveling a lot, he would hold her in his arms while she slept. I have never been more thankful for his arms bc otherwise I would be ridiculously tired. 

TSA family line

We almost missed our flight this morning but we got to go in the TSA family line and made it just in time!!

The ergo

Today I watched Emmy and Chloe and it wasn't so bad bc I had Chloe in the ergo while we walked around and played with Emmy. Super useful!

Time with Chloe

I'm so glad I get to spend the next few days with my baby. I miss her when I'm at work!!

My job

Ambulatory care pharmacist positions are hard to come by so I'm thankful I have a job in a field I love.

Jing Tikosky

Today I had a meeting at the QHC corporate offices which they recently moved to downtown LA.  I carpooled with Alex today and he dropped me off in downtown and thankfully Jing agreed to take me back to the clinic.  My alternative was to take public transportation which wouldn't have been too bad but not ideal.

Social media usage

I'm not a huge social media person and I'm glad that Alex isn't either.  We're on the same page in terms of usage and fuctionality for social media.

Fully cooked meals

It's great and handy to just heat and serve food for dinner. Especially if you're tired and don't want to think about what to make.

Sharleen Higa

Because she was my first friend when I started 1st grade and I remember being so nervous and shy back then. 

Ergobaby

I used it today to do chores around the house when Chloe was being clingy and didn't want to be put down. So useful!

A calm afternoon

Chloe got 3 shots at her doctor's appointment today =(  Last time she slept all day after her appointment but today she took a long nap around noon and was back to her normal self afterwards.  We had a relatively calm afternoon today since I was worried she'd start bawling randomly bc of the shots.  

Carpool

Today Alex & I got to carpool to work together! Hopefully we can carpool more often in the future =)

Thai food

Thanks for bringing home dinner Julie!  The thai food was delicious!!

Early days

This week continues my light schedule so today I was able to leave work really early.  I'm thankful I was able to spend time with my baby before she got cranky.

Forceps

Today I dropped a skinny metal rod when I was changing the battery in my mom's car. Luck would have it that the rod did not fall straight through but got lodged somewhere difficult to see and reach. Luckily there were forceps in the tool box and we were able to reach the rod, pull it up a little so I could grab it with my fingers. Man was it tricky!!

Bonus: My gel manicure was not harmed in this adventure. 

Friendly arms

I wouldn't have been able to eat if it were not for the extra arms of Tina & Frances today. Thanks for carrying Chloe while I ate guys!!!

Good ol TV shows

I was able to catch up on the DVR'd shows today while Chloe slept. I watched Girl Meets World and I was happy to see that the show had a good family feel to it. I wouldn't mind Chloe watching shows like that when she gets older. 

My in laws

My in laws are visiting and it worked out so well bc I started work this week and they were able to watch Chloe when I went to work. They're really good with her and I'm glad they got to spend so much time with her. 

Loving parents

Today my patient told me about his kids in Guatemala that he put through school by 'asking for donations' on the streets in LA.  He was so proud of them and their accomplishments.  He said, "I only spend what I need to stay alive and send the rest back to Guatemala for them so that one day when I go home my kids will have a good life and can take care of me."  He might not be the best patient in terms of his disease states but he is an amazing parent.

Date night

Yesterday Alex & I had to attend a baptism class at the church and since Chloe was asleep at home w/ his parents we went out a little earlier and had a mini date night.  It was nice just being alone and just the 2 of us for a few minutes.

A light schedule

I'm SO tired today and I miss my baby and there's random loose ends I need to figure out.  Based on all that, I'm super thankful for the light schedule today.  

3 day weekend

I have to go back to work tomorrow!!  While I'm super fortunate that Alex is letting me go part time, it's still sad to leave my baby for ~10 hours. So today I'm thankful that we had a 3 day weekend this week so that I got to spend 3 days in a row with Alex & Chloe before going back.

Leftovers

Today I had to eat dinner really quickly so I could make it to a movie w/ my Mom & sister so it was great that we had leftovers in the fridge!  I'm so glad Alex doesn't mind eating leftovers either.

The american dream

It provides hope and inspiration and gives people a reason to work hard to achieve their own dreams.

The dishwasher

Bc I'm reminded why I used to yell NOT IT when I was little and throw a fit when I lost. 

Momma bear

My mom came over to hang out and it's amazing the things I can get done when there's someone else to watch Chloe! She's so good with her too (duh she's a Lola). I love my mom!

old recipes

It's nice searching my inbox and finding old recipes that were recommended to me by my friends.  Super useful!

Girlfriends

because even after 16 years of friendship, girltime is always a good time.

Nanay Ming

She was a strong, family oriented, funny, kind hearted, loving woman. Thank you for taking care of me when I was little and for all your sacrifices for our family. I love you and miss you.

Sunday naps

Today we had a great Sunday nap, even Chloe slept for 2 hours! It was definitely rejuvenating but now I'm not tired when I should be. Uh oh!

Marriage & family

Marriage 'means that for as long as we were together, I would be part of something larger than myself.' That also includes being part of our little family. I am grateful for that opportunity and blessing. 

Boiled vegetables

They're so easy to cook, easy to eat and a quick way to add vegetables to any meal!

Universal remote

I finally figured out how to program our cable remote which is a universal remote.  Now instead of 3 separate remotes we only need 1 for the sound, tv & cable!  As Julie said last night, "One remote to rule them all..." It's super handy esp when I'm holding Chloe and want to turn on/off the tv.

My mom

MY MOM'S BACK FROM THE PHILIPPINES!! She came home earlier than planned and I'm so happy and excited that she's back!  I will never be able to express how thankful I am for my mom and now being a mom myself, it makes me even MORE thankful for her!

Piano gym

Chloe can seriously play there by herself for an hour. Ok maybe 30 minutes but that's still pretty awesome. 

A happy baby

MOST of the time we have a happy baby. It makes things more enjoyable, makes being a mother so much easier and fills my life and my heart with joy.

Girl time & Alex

My girlfriends are usually super busy so it's hard to get together but today I was able to catch up and have brunch with 2 of my BFFs! It was great hanging out, catching up and having simple girl talk.

Big BIG thanks to Alex for letting me have some Chloe-free time. Now back to my baby!

Chloe

I'm thankful that my baby girl is healthy and usually happy. Most of the time I feel like I hit the mommy jackpot; she sleeps and eats relatively well and isn't too fussy. I'm thankful I get to spend 2 more weeks with her before I restart work. 

a/c in the car

It's HOT outside today!  I went with my cousin, niece & nephew to USC for a school tour and parked on the street, not under a tree, so the car was pretty hot when we got inside to go home.  THANK GOD for the a/c!  We cranked it up and sped home to get inside the air conditioned house.

4G

The internet's down, we don't know how to fix it and yao's at work. Thank goodness for our cell phones so at least I can google troubleshoot options and post to my blog. 

Happy hour

Alex got home early again so we went to happy hour. I had just fed Chloe and she was going to drink a bottle the next time she ate so I had my first glass of wine is almost a year!

Leftovers

For some reason I've lost my desire to cook recently. So I usually eat leftovers for lunch and thankfully Alex always leaves or has something in the fridge for me to eat. Otherwise I think I'd starve!

Orientation

Today Alex had orientation and they got out early! He was home by 4:15 which is unheard of! We were all very happy to have him home so early.

Chloe's papa

Thank you for playing with me, burping me, feeding me, cleaning up my poop and loving me even more after I throw up on you. Thank you for being the #1 man in my life. I'll always love you even when I'm a teenager and get moody. - Chloe

Sunday street parking

Because it's free!!!

Simple times at home

Tonight we put Chloe down at 730 when she was tired thinking she was going to nap but it's been 4 hours! It ended up being a nice simple evening at home, we ordered sushi, a movie on demand and actually cuddled on the couch. 

Piano gym

This piano gym has totally been occupying Chloe recently!! It's great bc she stares at the rings and kicks her feet. I don't know if she realizes the music is coming from her feet but it's nice bc it lets me know that she's still kicking and having fun. 

My only question is what animal is this supposed to be? 

Bath time

Chloe loves being in the warm bath. She's always splashing and kicking and smiling. It's a great time to connect and really enjoy my baby.

Liri Wu

Liri is staying with us for the week and it's so nice having her here! She's been super helpful in cleaning up the kitchen and helped me put away the groceries from Costco while Chloe slept. It's been nice having another adult to hang out with during the day.  

Coca Cola

I'm so amazed by all the innovative things Coca Cola is coming up with recently. I've always preferred Coke over Pepsi and these ideas reinforce my brand loyalty. I'm thankful that they are a big company that still tries to think of ways to help the people and make an impact in ADDITION to making money and selling more sodas. 

Sleeping on the drive

Specifically when Chloe falls asleep when we drive somewhere. More specifically when she falls asleep early in the drive and maximizes the amt of time she's asleep. 

Air conditioning & ice

It was 100+ degrees in Calexico this weekend! In the car it was hot, in the shade it's hot, it's just plain hot. Thankfully the AC was on and we picked up an iced tea for the drive home

Packing ahead of time

It's Chloe's first trip to calexico! We're going home for my MIL's birthday and I'm very glad I packed all our stuff up on Friday during the day. Today all we had to do was clean out Alex's car and load up our stuff. Now on our way to the grandparents!

Allrecipes app

Tonight I cooked Brussels sprouts 2 ways thanks to the allrecipes app. I made roasted apple & Brussels sprouts and a stir fry of sprouts, almonds and pistachios. Yum!

6/5: visitors

One of the best things about visitors is they usually want to hold Chloe. I love holding her but after multiple hours (throughout the day) of holding, swaying, rocking, etc my arms get tired. Tonight Nicole & Jericho came to visit and Nicole held Chloe and she fell asleep! Chloe looked super comfortable and Nicole didn't mind so it worked out great!! Thanks for visiting guys!

Julie!

Today Julie watched Chloe while Alex & I went to dinner, baby-less!!! It was the first time we've gone out without her and it was kinda weird but also very nice at the same time. I am very thankful that Julie offered and wasn't kidding when she said it!

Chux

We put down chux on Chloe's changing pad to catch anything while we change her diaper. Usually the mess comes from her bottom but today she threw up after I had changed her! Thankfully the chux absorbed a lot of it and it wasn't a completely gross mess. 

Relaxed

I'm thankful I'm relatively relaxed so I can make enough breastmilk for my baby. I was always told that if you're not relaxed and always worried then you won't make very much milk. 

Google maps

We're looking for a day care for when I go back to work :( I've been putting the locations on google maps and it's awesome that it automatically shows me how long it'll take to get there. 

Spa day

I'm so excited and thankful that everything worked out and today I get to go to the spa with Jen & Sammy!! 

Poker nights

I'm so glad we were all able to get together to have dinner, watch the game and end the night losing at Poker to Tiffany. It was lots of fun and good to just hang out with friends.

Alex's sleep skills

Tonight Alex put Chloe to sleep and even laid her down in her crib!! I need to practice that!

The old me

When I was pregnant I prepared food and froze it for the days post-baby when I wouldn't be able to cook. Today I ate the lasagna I made a few weeks ago so I thank the old me for taking the time to cook and feed the future me.

A/C

It's getting hot again. Good thing we have A/C bc most of the time Chloe is sleeping she is swaddled too. 

Sidenote: I have to consciously remember not to call the air conditioning 'air con' so as not to sound fobby. This post almost tricked me twice. 

Ate's house close by

I had to go to a shoe store in Fullerton today so I asked Ate what she was doing so I could stop by. Instead she offered to watch Chloe at her house while I ran my errands! It worked out wonderfully and I was much faster at finishing my errands.

Aligned interests

I'm glad that Alex and I have similar interests overall. The things we enjoy doing and don't like doing, the way we travel and the things we want to see in life.

Good homilies

I love coming to church and hearing a good homily. That's how it was today. To top it off the priest recognized the babies and kids in the church and commended us for bringing them to church and growing their faith. It makes me love my faith even more. 

Long weekends

I think a lot of ppl went out of town since this is a long weekend. We went to dinner last night at 730 to a usually very packed restaurant and when we got there it was relatively empty! Thanks??

Happy outside baby

Today we visited my workmates and Chloe was such a good baby! She was getting tired and cranky towards the afternoon but I'm probably to blame since she didn't get a proper nap in.

Netflix

MAN!  Scandal is/was one CRAZY show!  I didn't know what it was about only that it was really good and created by Shonda Rhimes.  I started watching it a few days ago when Chloe fell asleep on me during the day and since that usually means I can't move for an hour or 3 I turned on Netflix and clicked on Scandal.  INTENSE is all I can say and THANK YOU NETFLIX for having A LOT of episodes and for autoplay so I don't need to keep clicking on the next episode.

Alone time

Today Alex let me go out and spend time alone while he watched Chloe. While I didn't do anything exciting on my own it was nice to have some time to myself.

Vaccinations

Today Chloe got 3 shots at her appointment and while it's super sad to see her cry I know that it's better overall for her and other kids to get the vaccines. Gotta prevent the spread of disease!

Swaddling

It's crazy how calm babies are when their arms/hands are pinned down against their bodies.  Swaddling Chloe allows her to sleep without being held and frees me up to do other things like eat!

8am starts

Alex has been working the closing shift most weekdays so it's very rare when we get to spend afternoon hours with him.  Today he started at 8am and was home by 515 so that was extra nice!

Girl time

Chloe and I had lunch w/ 2 of my BFFs today (Jeanne & Jenny).  We were celebrating Jeanne's graduation from business school and just catching up.  So much is going on in our lives that it's nice to relax, hang out and hear all the exciting things that are happening and things that we need to plan!  It was great to have time with my girls.

Early breakfasts

Brandon's back! Well he was back for a few hours before leaving for Vegas for his birthday. Since he was only available early this morning we got together and had breakfast in Fullerton. It was nice to hang out and see him, eat good food and take super cute pictures of Emmy and Chloe. I'm thankful for each moment I get to spend with my family. 

Alex's work ethic

Alex is such a hard worker and such a team player when it comes to his work. I'm so thankful for how hard he works and I hope our kids have the same dedication when they grow up. 

This little girl

Pardon the poor quality photo but this little girl is my everything right now and I can't be more thankful for that.

Outdoor seating in the shade

Its hot outside but thankfully we went to get brunch early enough where it wasn't blazing and we were able to sit in the shade. When we were done we ran inside into the ac.

Music

Music seems to calm my baby down so I'm quite thankful for it. 

Garden fresh vegetables

Almost everyday Alex will go outside and pick some vegetables for us to eat. Today we had kale, zucchini and snap peas! Super yummy and the freshest food I'll ever eat!

This moment

Everything about this moment and this picture makes my heart explode with happiness. I can't be more thankful for the day that I became a mom. 

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

My mother

Happy Mommy Day mom! Thank you for feeding me like 12 times a day, cleaning my poop and dirty diapers. Thank you for bathing me and dressing me and holding me until I fall asleep. I'm sorry I scratch you, spit up on you, wake you up with my cries when your are sleepy. I'm sorry for being fussy when I'm sleepy and I don't want to sleep. I'm the luckiest baby to have you as my mum. 

I love you! 

-Cdub

ps. daddy loves you too! but he told me not to tell you.  

Long naps

Recently Chloe has only been napping for 20-50 minutes at a time (vs. 2-3 hours before). We know she's sleepy but for some reason she just wants to cry and stay awake! She's napping right now and she's getting close to 100 minutes! Hopefully she wakes up well rested!

Surprise visits

Brandon's here!! Surprise Mom!! My brother drove down this weekend to surprise and celebrate Mother's Day with us! I'm glad he's willing and able to make surprise visits if he wants to. Such a great start to the weekend!

Good timing

Today I put Chloe down with enough time to eat lunch and she woke up right when I finished. I'm glad it worked out.

Co-sleeping in the morning

Most of the night Chloe can sleep soundly on her own in her bassinet. However around 7am she starts making lots of noise and movement (while still asleep) and will cry a little and sometimes cry and love enough to wake herself up. But if we pull her into bed with us (usually cuddling with Alex) then she'll sleep another few hours! It's a good trade off IMO. 

Other people's pictures

Yeaterday I told Julie that I only have 1-2 pictures of Chloe and I and she said she had a few on her camera! Nice!! She sent me some pictures she had taken of us while we were napping and other times while around the house.

Mint chocolate cupcake

The one thing I REALLY wanted after I gave up chocolate for lent was a Mint Chocolate cupcake from Dots cupcakes in Pasadena. I'm thankful that we were able to take a trip out to Pasadena today so I could get my cupcake! Yum-O!

My boobs

Because otherwise we'd have to warm up bottles in the middle of the night while trying to calm a hungry baby. Not fun. 

Alex's days off

Alex has been working super hard recently and just finished a 10 day stretch. I'm glad he's off for 3 days and we get to spend time with him even if it's just lounging at home. 

Spacious restaurants

We went to Kopan ramen in Fullerton last night for dinner and were able to bring our stroller inside the restaurant with lots of space to spare! It worked out well since we were seated in a corner of the restaurant.

Picnic in the park

Alex spoiled me for lunch today. We picked up In N Out (I was craving it) and instead of going home to eat it we stopped at the park! We had a nice family lunch and we got to enjoy the fresh air and shade. He even kept a squirrel from annoying us!

Grandma's help

Lola came to babysit Chloe for a few hours which was great! She was a good girl and slept the whole time but when she woke up I was able to make dinner, bake cupcakes and clean up a bit too! I'll never take anyone's help for granted ever. 

Live customer service

It's so great when you can talk to an actual person when you call a customer service center when you have questions.

Julie Wu

Julie has been extra helpful since Chloe was born and I don't think I give her enough credit. I'm thankful that she takes care of dinner or lunch but also that she likes spending time with Chloe. There are times (like tonight) when she'll hold and rock Chloe and try to calm her down when she's being fussy. We're so lucky that she's here with us!

Good timing

Today I brought Chloe to church with me. Last time she was asleep by the time we got there and slept through the whole mass. Today she was awake when we got there but fell asleep in the beginning and woke up right as it was ending. It was great timing!

Date night

Alex brought me (and Chloe) out on a date tonight! It was nice getting out and having dinner at an actual restaurant.

Good days

Some days are really rough with Chloe and other days like today are what I consider a good day. I'm thankful that we have more good days than bad days. I'm thankful that today was a good day. 

Women's lounge

Today I breastfed in public (with a cover) and in the Nordstrom's women's lounge. It was probably one of the best places to breastfeed in public for the first time. It's discreet and comfortable at the same time. 

Extra cars

I'm glad my parents have extra cars at home since our car died while visiting them.

SwaddleMe

One thing I'll never learn how to do is swaddle a baby properly or tightly. I know how you're supposed to do it but I just can't get it right or tight enough where her hands don't move. SwaddleMe wraps are so easy to use and almost as effective. I can see her arms moving a little but it still has the desired effect. Hooray!

NoseFrida

It sounds gross and is kinda gross when you use it but MAN, it totally works!! We've been trying to clear up Chloe's boogers with the nasal aspirator bulb but it wasn't really working. Two of my friends use this and it got amazing reviews online so I figured I should try it. I enlisted my mom's help in holding her while I sucked out the boogers and it was kinda crazy seeing how much stuff came out of one little nostril!! I wish I took a picture but my mom made me rinse out the tube between nostrils. It's that fascinating kind of grossness.

Oh man, I think I've become one of this moms who's obsessed with their babies boogers and poops.

Family gatherings

Today we celebrated Easter & my sister's birthday!  We went over to their house and Johnny grilled up some yummy food and we all just hung out.  My sister hid some dyed eggs for Audrey & Emmy to find and made all the kiddos Easter baskets too!  It felt like we were in a William Sonoma catalog!  It makes you appreciate all the times we get to spend together and celebrate life.

Extra arms

It's amazing how refreshed you feel when you're not holding and walking around with a baby all day. I'm thankful for everyone who held, rocked and carried Chloe today. Thanks for your help!!

Jesus

Today Jesus died on the cross for all of us and our sins.  I'm thankful for his sacrifice and for his guidance each and every day.

grandma's house

My mom offered to watch Chloe today at her house while I went to the mall and ran errands by myself!!! It was pretty weird walking around without Chloe and not having to shop for pregnancy-friendly clothes! I even found it weird not having a belly while walking around the mall. All in all I got so many things done and had some much needed personal time. Going to grandma's house is awesome! 

--
- Cher

2 parents

Early this morning Chloe was having a hard time going to sleep. I had been awake for 30-45 min already feeding and burping her so Alex offered to put her to sleep so I could go to sleep. My response was, That's why God gave babies 2 parents.' Might not be the exact reason why but I'm thankful there are 2 of us!

e-filing

It's great not having to worry about filing our taxes today or the actual deadlines. Hope everyone had a good tax day!

4 consecutive hours of sleep

When Chloe was just born she was a champion eater and sleeper, she would sleep for 3-4 hours at a time!  Recently she's only been sleeping for 1.5-2.5 hours at a time and I would be happy if she slept for 3 hours at once.  Last night she slept for 4 consecutive hours which means WE slept for (almost) 4 consecutive hours too!  It totally rejuvenates you to have that many consecutive hours of sleep.

Outings on our own

Up til now I've never gone out of the house on my own with Chloe.  I was worried I wouldn't be able to lift or use the stroller properly w/o Alex or that she would break down or that *I* would break down.  Today I successfully dressed her up, took her to church with me and since we were already out of the house I decided to go visit my dad (and mom) in Cerritos!  It was a nice little outing that we had.  Hopefully I'll be more confident about bringing her places soon.

20 minutes outside

It's hard to find time to go outside and enjoy the nice weather.  It's been really pretty, really sunny and not too blazing hot but I'm usually indoors napping, eating or feeding Chloe.  I'm thankful that I got to go outside for at least 20 minutes today.  It's nice to get some vitamin D.

Rite-Aid ice cream & visitors!

Sometimes it's nice to have visitors come over and hang out.  It's even better when they bring rite-aid ice cream with them!  Thanks for coming to visit Mom, Ate & Emmy!

Healthy weight

Today Chloe had her 3 week follow up and her first appointment with her pediatrician! She is a healthy 8lbs 5oz which means she can sleep as long as she wants whenever she wants now! We'll see what her weight gain is like at the 2 month mark!

bath time

Maybe it's timing or maybe it's true but Chloe seems to sleep really well after a bath. Hooray for baths!

Pee pads from the hospital

Because it would be gross if the poop got everywhere while changing her diaper on the bed. 

Skin to skin and tummy time

Over and over I fall in love again with my adorable baby girl. Today I'm thankful that she's still small enough to have skin to skin time with me and she can do her tummy time while lying on my chest. It's so precious and I know she's going to grow up so fast. I'm trying to appreciate everything about her and these small moments in time.

Prayer

There are times when praying helps with everything in your life. 

Burp cloths

Bc babies spit up and throw up a lot 

Video monitors

Yao got us a video baby monitor for our baby shower and it's so useful! Now I can see if Chloe's awake or asleep and what's happening in her room. It gives me peace of mind being able to watch her without physically being in the room. 

Outings

Cabin fever is real and while I can't say that I have cabin fever I can imagine what it's like and the want and need to go outside. Today I'm thankful we went on an outing to Brea downtown for lunch. It's nice getting fresh air.

One handing typing

I can type way faster (on my iPhone) with both hands but I'm also thankful I can type decently well with just 1 hand. I'm able to post and search for things while I'm holding Chloe in the other hand/arm. 

Help at night aka Alex

Single mothers to newborns get super major props. Last night after Chloe's 3rd feeding I was just so tired I had to wake Alex up for help. I don't even want to imagine what it's like without someone there to help you in the middle of the night. 

Naps!!

Waking up every few hours at night is starting to take its toll on me so today I'm super thankful I got to take an hour nap during the day. Hooray for sleep!!

Home cooked dinner

Tonight my parents came over and cooked pork sinigang for us for dinner. It was delicious and according to Alex 'it hit the spot.' Never underestimate the power of a home cooked meal.

Church

I'm thankful Alex let me go to church today while he watched Chloe :)

living in so cal

EARTHQUAKE!!!  I'm thankful that I've lived in southern california almost my whole life and I'm used to earthquakes.  The only difference is now I'm worrying about my daughter's safety also.  Thankfully she's slept through them all and probably chalks it up to someone rocking her to sleep.

Semi-normal life

Thus far our lives haven't changed too drastically with our new baby.  She's been a wonderful addition to our lives but overall our life is still semi-normal.

Falling asleep quickly

I've never been more thankful for my gift of being able to fall asleep quickly. 

Similac app

Since baby Chloe has taken up all of my life almost everything I'm thankful is baby related, sorry but not sorry. Anyhow, today I'm thankful for the Similac baby app which let's me time and keep track of all the feedings, sleeping and pooping that my baby does. It's super useful and pretty straightforward to use too!

In-store pickup

Walmart has a better version of the in-store pickup but at least Target has it now too!  It's so convenient to shop online and have it ready at a local store within a few hours/days!

Lactation consultants

KP is big on breastfeeding. It makes sense why and I'm all for it too so it's great that they offer lactation advice and have lactation centers. Breastfeeding is the most unnatural natural thing which makes the lactation consultants even more helpful!

Alex Wu

The first few days of having a newborn are rough, that's a no brainer even to those who don't have kids.  I'm so lucky and thankful that Alex has been supportive, helpful and all around wonderful during these past few days.  I know he's going to be an amazing father and I don't think I'll ever be able to fully express my gratitude for having him by my side on our new journey in life.

Breastfeeding pillows

Specifically the My Brestfriend pillow. Also thank you to my sister for helping me figure out breastfeeding and latching!!

Lots of family

Especially the kind who cook and bring us food! Thank you to everyone who visited us and brought us food and gifts!! Very much appreciated.

Epidurals

Because labor blows without one!!

Homegrown heirloom tomatoes

It's almost officially tomato season and Alex has a lot of heirloom tomato plants growing all around the house. Today he picked a small tomato and it was super sweet and delicious! I'm thankful that he puts so much time and effort into growing such nutritious and yummy tasting food for our family. 

Supportive parents

Today while I was in the waiting room an old lady told me that she should have kicked her daughter out when she turned 18 so that now that they're both older the daughter would appreciate and treat the mom better.  She sounded bitter and a little angry but she was totally serious about what she said.  It instantly made me thankful for how supportive my parents are and have always been (especially my mom) even after I turned 18 years old.

3rd rest day

Today is my 3rd day of rest since work and now I'm ready for Chloe to come!  Well, as ready as I'll ever be.

A cool house

One of the nice things about our house is that even if it's super hot outside the inside of our house is cool but still bright. It's nice to enjoy the sun but be able to come inside and cool off. 

Rest days

I think I've said this already but this past week has been pretty draining on me since I've had multiple appointments and still went to work afterwards. BUT now I get to rest today and every day until the baby's born!! I plan on really relaxing the next few days and then incorporate more exercise and other random things here and there to help the labor and dilation along. We'll see how it goes!!

Last days

Today was my last day of work! I'm officially on maternity leave and I'm so ready to rest before the baby comes. As I was leaving work today everyone (including my patients) were wishing me the best and praying for me. I'm so thankful that my last day was filled with people who care about me.

dinner's out

It recently dawned upon Alex that soon we won't be able to go out to dinners whenever we want and definitely won't be going out to dinners for a while after the baby's born!  I've been trying to think of places that I will miss during the first few months that Chloe's here and we'll try to go to those places ASAP.  The plan is to eat at Bestia tonight and the back-up plan is Maccheroni Republic so we'll see how that goes!  Cheers to our last few dinners sans baby.  Typing that makes me excited for the baby to come, despite not being able to go out to eat that often.

Prayers for our family

Today one of my patients was so happy and excited that I was having a baby.  He gave me all this advice about respecting each other and setting a good example for her and while it might technically be inappropriate, I didn't mind since it was good advice (IMO).  He's Catholic and he's part of a missionary group and before I left he read his own prayer of protection and repentance that he carries with him and wished me the best of luck.  It was very touching that he cared so much and I'm thankful that there are so many people who are praying for Chloe, Alex and myself.

Simple healthy recipes

Last night I made rosemary, lemon salmon w/ vegetables in a parchment bag!  I've had something similar before but I've never tried to make it at home.  It was super easy to make and tasted good while still being healthy.  After he scarfed it down, Alex said, "That was so healthy I feel like I gained a year of life."

half-days

Some days I feel like it's a waste to drive out to LA in traffic only to stay at work for a half-day but other days, like today, I don't mind one bit.

2 consecutive days off

With my husband!! Alex rarely gets Saturday AND Sunday off so it's nice being able to spend 2 days off with him and sleep in for 2 days next to him :)

Helpful workers

Today I accompanied Alex to Home Depot where we ended up with two carts, one for lumber and another for the flower pots and bags of soil & compost he wanted. As I was pushing the lighter cart to the cashier lane one of the HD workers came up to me very concerned and said that he's going to get someone to help me put the bags of soil in my car and that I shouldn't go anywhere until he gets back. He was so concerned bc he didn't want the preggo lady to do any heavy lifting! I quickly pointed out that's what Alex was for and he calmed down and even made sure Alex was strong enough to move the stuff for me. It was super nice and thoughtful and I'm so glad there are helpful and genuinely concerned people in the world still. 

more babies!

I'm thankful and excited for everyone who's getting pregnant and having their babies in the next few months!  It reminds me of the happiness that couples, friends and families share when a new baby is brought into their lives.  I'm thankful that my friends who want to have kids are able to conceive and I'm thankful that their kids are going to be born to great people and into loving families.  Such an exciting time!

tests and more tests

I'm thankful that in this day and age we have lots of monitors and new 'inventions' in healthcare that can look and monitor us and what's going on inside our bodies.  Specifically prenatal care and all the bells and whistles that can come with it.  Thus far I've had great care from KP; lots of appointments but most of them have been on time, with great medical staff and have run pretty smoothly.  I just keep praying that everything continues to be smooth from now until she comes!

Ashes at work

The clinic I work for is faith based, specifically Caltholic based. What's nice is we close early on Good Friday and someone comes to the clinic to distribute ashes on Ash Wednesday!  It's nice especially when it's hard to coordinate the mass times bc of traffic and work. 

Surprises!!

WOW!  At lunch today my coworkers threw me a surprise baby shower!!  I am SOO SOO thankful to have such wonderful and caring coworkers!!  I can't say thank you enough for all the well wishes, advice and everything else they've literally showered me with.  We're so lucky to work with a great group of people!  Thank you so much!!

Life

I can't be more thankful for what I have in my life right now. Tomorrow our baby is officially full term! I am so thankful for how my pregnancy has been this far and I cannot express my gratitude for all the support and excitement from my coworkers, friends, family, and especially Alex.

My life is so blessed and I am so thankful for everything.

Time to cook

I spent a good portion of the afternoon prepping and cooking multiple meals. Some to freeze for the future and of course dinner for tonight. Since I have the time now I figured I might as well get these things ready for the upcoming times when I might not be able to cook! 

no video games

I'm thankful that Alex (and I) don't get sucked into video games on the computer, iPhone or even game consoles. For me is mostly bc I suck at games but it's nice bc it frees up time for us to talk and catch up!

Being dry

it's raining!!! I'm glad it's raining since it's been super drought-y but I still don't like being in the rain. Thankfully I was able to stay inside and dry for most of the day! 

Stay warm, dry and safe everyone!

frozen food

This week has not been a good 'cooking' week but we had a lot of leftovers from the weekend that we still have food to bring to lunch the next day.  But this morning there was not much in the fridge to pack for lunch so I opened the freezer and pulled out some chicken tamales from Costco!  They're wrapped and pretty filling so I paired them w/ salad and ta-da!  Lunch!  I wanted to pack lunch today since it's supposed to rain and I didn't want to have to deal with all that.

Heating pad

Usually my back hurts in the afternoon but today it started hurting around 10am!! Needless to say, I came home very tired with back pain. I turned on my heating pad and now am sitting much more comfortably with significantly less pain in my back. Woo hoo!!

KP classes

There are some things that are nice to learn and/or review in preparation for our new baby.  Today Alex & I took a baby care basics class at KP which might not have been SUPER helpful but it was interesting and good to know.  I'm glad KP offers these types of classes to expectant mothers/families but also other classes such as Eating with Diabetes and how to stay healthy etc.  It's good for all the members!

Progress

I heard on the radio that Jason Collins played his 1st game yesterday at the Staples Center as the 1st openly gay NBA player.  They played the clip of his introduction on the radio and the whole crowd was cheering!  It's nice to hear and know that society (at least in LA) is becoming more and more accepting of change and differences in general.  I'm thankful that there is progress in this country!

sleeping in

Today I was able to sleep in and it felt WONDERFUL!  I've been waking up early during the week and it's been a little difficult to go back to sleep so today was nice to just relax and lounge in bed for a while.

great celebrations

Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate with us at our baby shower today!  I'm so thankful for my sister & mom who did most of the planning and for Johnny, Brandon, Dad & Alex who did most of the set up!  Yesterday was a wonderful celebration for the imminent arrival of our little one and we couldn't be more blessed!  Thank you so much!

generic options

I understand some ppl are more sensitive to medications vs others but I'm thankful that there are patients who are willing to try other generic manufacturer companies and don't INSIST on the brand name only.  I am more willing to help you find a manf. that works if you are also willing to work with me.  Thankfully for older drugs there are a lot of different options for the generic medications!

Good huggers

Sometimes all you need is a hug and I'm so lucky that Alex is a good higher. Even when we were just pharmacy school bf-gf his hugs were always comforting. I can always appreciate a good hug.  

Quick restaurants

Tonight we had to forgo our original dinner plans for a faster place since we got delayed in crazy LA traffic. We ended up going to a Thai place on Hollywood which wasn't super amazing but the good came out relatively quickly.

excel & google

Excel is so awesome when you want to calculate repetitive things but also want to track them.  There are always things that I know excel can do but I have no idea how to do them and so I turn to google for the answers!  Esp when it's an easy question most of the time I can find it and understand the steps on my own.  They're such handy tools!

Prenatal massages

Seriously one of the best things ever. I can't complain much about my pregnancy since I've been super fortunate but as the baby (and my belly) grow I've gotten more aches & pains especially towards the end of the day. Today Alex treated me to a prenatal massage on my day off and it was super wonderful. I feel so relaxed and my muscles are at ease. Definitely worth the time and money. Happy mommy = happy baby!

'old me'

Sometimes I do things in advance in case I forget to do them in the future.  When it comes time to do the chore/task/item in the future and it's already there and/or take care of I always thank 'the old me' since I knew the 'future me' would forget or appreciate it.  It's kind of confusing but helps me out immensely and I'm always thankful for the things the 'old me' did and/or prepared.

hard workers

Target.com is SOOOO horrible!  I've run into so many problems with their website, with their returns and with lots of other things in general.  Today I went to the Target store to to return shoes I had purchased on their website with my Target RED card.  I had the packing slip which says "bring for returns" and my confirmation email and my RED card.  The people at the returns desk were super busy but they were trying really hard to help me since none of the things they scanned were showing up to return my shoes!  They were on the phone with the target.com returns help desk for 15-20 minutes and pretty much got no where.

I was getting annoyed with how long the whole process was taking but I couldn't fault anyone but target.com since the girls in the store were working really hard.  Eventually they let me return the shoes for store credit which isn't a bad compromise.

other people driving

Today I was fortunate enough to ride back from Murrieta with Johnny & my sister and since I was super tired I was able to take a nap on the way home since Johnny was driving!  Similarly, Alex drove to Jenny's birthday party and I was able to close my eyes for a few minutes here and there.  Thank you so much guys!

Fridays & long weekends

It's FRIDAY!!  It's also Valentine's Day and it's also the start of a 3 day weekend!!  So many things to be thankful for today!  Enjoy your Friday everyone!  Be safe and eat some chocolate!

Carbs

There's something satisfying and comforting about eating carbs.  They're pretty bad for you (in general) but if you let yourself indulge every now and again it's wonderful.

leisurely lunches

It's nice to take a long relaxing lunch sometimes.  Enjoy the sun, the calm and really enjoy the food you're eating.

The end of the work day

Today was pretty rough in terms of pregnancy symptoms. By the last 2 hours of work it was getting hard to sit at my desk so I was VERY thankful when the end of the work day came around. 

everyone dear in my life

Death can be so sudden and so surreal and yet so permanent.  My thoughts and prayers go out to the people I know who've lost a loved one recently.  Times like this make me reflect and think about the important things in my life and my family is number 1 by far.  So today, I'm thankful for my family but also everyone else who's near & dear to me because I would be devastated if something happened to any of one you.

Today, please tell the important people in your life how much you care about them.  You can never say it too much but god forbid that one day it's too late.

PunchBowl.com

This website is awesome!  I've been trying to be better at sending thank you cards since it was very difficult to finish that task for the wedding.  Punchbowl lets me send cute, electronic, thank you cards in a fast and efficient and still personalized way!  Thank you punchbowl.com, I would send you a thank you card from your website if I could!

BFFs!

I can't thank these girls enough for all the time & effort they put into Chloe's baby shower!! Everything was super cute and the food was super yummy!! Thank you so SO SO much!!

Also, big thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate with me!!!

unexpected early shipments!

Woo hoo!  The email said expected arrival for my shipment was 2/11-2/14 but it was delivered today! Such a great surprise for a Friday!

Good trainers

Today in training on the new kaiser ePIMS in an actual live pharmacy. The people working here have been great trainers and its super helpful to work actual tasks and get tips from them. 

Wednesdays

At least for me, Wednesday signifies I'm halfway done with the work week. Almost there!!

Random compliments

Just as simple as that, random compliments made both parties smile and make the day just that much better. Thanks for the compliment little girl!

Quiet time

When I was little I read ALL THE TIME. I loved reading and loved going to the library to get new books to read. In the past few years (post-school) I've picked up my fondness for reading. Now I'm happy when I get some quiet time so I can read my book and just relax. 

Viewing parties

Unfortunately Alex has work today and while we're not big NFL fans, it's always fun to watch the SuperBowl. So I'm thankful that Jade & Jonathan have invited me over for their SB viewing party. Few more hours til kick off!!

LA driver

When I was at USC main campus I was fortunate enough to have access to a car. Since this was pre-cell phone and pre-google maps I would get lost every now and again but I never minded bc I was able to learn the streets and freeways of LA. Now when I drive through LA I think back on those days of getting lost and use what I learned to help me avoid traffic!

plant stand with wheels

Alex bought me this platform with wheels for me to move the laundry without having to strain my back. Previously I've been dragging the baskets from the room to the garage and I know it's not good for the bottom of the basket but it would hurt my back if I tried to carry/lift it even with handles. Today I did all the laundry, folded it and even brought it back to the room and put it all away bc I had this thing! It was so easy to move everything and I felt so productive!

paper charts

Electronic charting is wonderful.  It makes SOAP notes easy to read, accessible by everyone, usually faster when documenting and portable.  But when the system is down everything stops...re-enter paper charts!  Bringing it back old school and back to the basics but they kept things going in the clinic today.

Very giving friends & family

THANK YOU to everyone who has sent us/Chloe a gift in the past few weeks!  We're so grateful and humbled by how much love people are showing us.

2nd dinner

Yesterday Alex & I were excited to try a restaurant called Hinoki & the Bird.  The executive chef was on Top Chef last year (Kuniko) and we heard good things about this place.  We battled traffic and opted to sit at the bar instead of outside where it was cold.  We ended up ordering the most common and recommended items but were very underwhelmed by them.  It was pretty disappointing and unfortunately for Alex, not enough food!  After paying the $9.50 for valet we headed back home but stopped in Little Tokyo for a 2nd dinner so Alex wasn't starving.  Thankfully there was easy parking, no wait and the food came out relatively quickly.

backseat naps

I don't know why but today I was super tired in the morning.  Luckily I had an extra long lunch break so I went to my car to take a nap.  Sometimes I try to sleep in the driver/passenger seat but what I realized is that my backseat is actually more comfortable now that I'm pregnant and should be sleeping on my side.  The grooves of the seats allow space for my shoulders & hips and my belly rests on the middle seat and is slightly supported.  It's so perfect!

large restaurants

Yesterday I had dim sum with my old co-residents and thankfully it wasn't super busy at the restaurant.  We ended up sitting and chatting for ~2hrs after we finished eating but there was always space in the restaurant so no one was making a fuss that we were just sitting there! PHEW!  That would have sucked.

dineLA and good friends

Sometimes the dineLA places can be a surprise in terms of service and food. Luckily last night the place we went to had good food but HORRIBLE service. I'm thankful that I was in good company and that we were having dinner with a good friend so it made the time lag between meals enjoyable and almost non-existent.

the pending weekend

I'm so excited it's Friday!!  I'm very thankful for this upcoming weekend since I don't have anything planned and nothing super pertinent to do!  Can't wait to relax!!

Free shipping

MANNNN I underestimated how much I rely on free shipping!  Good thing most places offer it and I reluctantly applied for the Target RED debit card so that I can get free shipping on target.com.  They got me!  I always thought about applying for it bc it's 5% off PLUS free shipping and it's a debit card so it doesn't affect my credit and it's better than the 2 or 3% back from my credit card.  At least that's my rationale and how I'm going to explain it to Alex!

Sewing machine

I'm starting to 'nest' which includes getting the nursery ready and washing all her clothes etc. In addition my mom and I bought super cute fabric for her future crib so I can make mattress covers! Today I busted out my sewing machine and made one mattress cover (for now), hemmed my lounge pants and fixed the hole in my shirt! I love having a sewing machine!! Hopefully I can sew the other 2 mattress covers and the nursing cover by this weekend.

Australian Open

When college football is over or if there aren't any exciting basketball games on it's nice to watch some tennis. I usually forget to watch the Australian Open bc it's so early in the year and I'm usually watching basketball during these months but since the Lakers are sucking it up I've turned to the Aussies.

MLK Jr.

Thank you Sir for your work against discrimination and equality for all. Also, thanks for the day off.

heating pad

My electric heating pad totally helped my back pain today! It's so awesome. I'm so glad we bought one at Target.

Cerritos

Today I had A LOT of errands to run and thankfully most of them could be completed in Cerritos!  I picked up my mom and we headed out.  We ended up going to Kohls, Trader Joe's, Nordstroms, Macy's, Express, Michael Kors, Forever 21 and lastly Target!  I returned some stuff and bought a few things but overall I only spent $8!  Good thing I was getting tired or else I could have done more damage.

Friday traffic

I spend a lot of time in the car so traffic is a large part of my life.  Today's traffic was pretty light and I'm thankful that I didn't have to use my Fastrak the whole way to get to work.

Happy Friday everyone!!!

Celebrations!

Celebrations give us time to get together, really appreciate each other and the things we've been blessed with.  Tonight we're celebrating Julie's acceptance to Western School of Pharmacy!!  While she may or may not go there, the acceptance signifies that her hard work thus far really did pay off!  I'm super excited and super proud of her.  We'll see where she ends up!

Quick recipes

While I was waiting for the chicken to cook I whipped up some lemon ricotta cookie dough! It worked out wonderfully in terms of time management bc the cookies are such a simple & straightforward recipe. It's so great when I can multitask and get dinner & dessert ready!

--
- Cher

1 hr lunches

It was suggested that I walk more but it's been difficult bc it's always dark when I get home and the lack of street lights makes walking around the neighborhood alone pretty sketch.  So today, I wore my tennis shoes to work (ugly I know) but walked for the first 30 mins of my lunch then came back and ate my baon for the remaining 30 minutes.  It worked out and I feel good and I'm glad I went walking today.  The idea is to keep this up at least every Tu & Th when I'm at the Hollywood clinic.

supportive husbands

Breastfeeding is obviously a womens-only thing but supposedly it can be super frustrating and very draining (haha).  Today Alex came with me to the breastfeeding class at Kaiser and there were a lot of other husbands/guys there as well.  I'm thankful for all the husbands in the world who support their wives and their decision to breastfeed.

$5 movies

The Calexico movie theatre offers $5 movies all day everyday!! The movies are regular, new releases too! Today we watched Frozen with Mom, Liri & Julie all for only $25!!!



--
- Cher

Chicken soup

When I was in pharmacy school I had a very severe case of TMJ. I ended up on a liquid diet for multiple months and drank A LOT of chicken soup. It sucked but I still like and appreciate chicken soup esp ones that are cooked with care and consideration. My MIL always cooks me soup when we come visit. Today's chicken soup reminded me of pharmacy school :)

--
- Cher

hot pan de sal

Especially the yummy middle/inside part of the pan de sal.  MMMM reminds me of rainy days in Long Beach growing up.

Engaged students

Not students who are engaged (to other people), I mean students who are engaged in what we're doing at the clinic.  It's great bc they ask new questions and look at things in a new light.  They always bring a fresh energy and are excited to work and see patients.  It can be refreshing and also gives me more energy to continue the work that I do.

California cold weather

Negative degree weather scares me...even < 30 degree weather scares me!  I'm definitely thankful that California rarely gets colder than 30 degrees and almost never gets into the negatives!  I hope everyone in the country who's experiencing colder weather finds a way to stay warm & stay healthy!  Good luck!

Update: I just found out that parts of Minnesota are colder than Mars!!!  WHAAAAAT?!? I'm never travelling to Mars (if our technology gets us there).

pomegranate seeds

One of my coworkers shared her pomegranate with me today and I have to say that I'm having a great time chewing the seeds one by one (or two by two) and spitting out the middle part.  It keeps me occupied while I'm doing random desk work and is a great way to make them last longer!  It's wonderful!  Thanks Natalya!

Free day

Sometimes weekends are so busy I can't get much done and I put it off til the next weekend. But today I had nothing planned and Alex had work so I got to finish all the chores I had been putting off! It feels good to check off so many things on my 'to do' list.

Surrey pedalers

Today I went surrey-ing in Huntington Beach with my college roommates!! Well, they biked and Alex & I rented a surrey bc biking is not preggo friendly. What I learned is surreying is not very easy esp when you're short and that my friends/husband are awesome. They let me ride in the surrey without having to pedal so I wouldn't get too tired. I am super grateful bc I thought helping pedal was hard, I can only imagine how hard it is pedaling for the whole surrey!! Gee thanks guys!!!

getting home early

Today I got home in time to go running/walking around the neighborhood! Then I started the laundry and sadly took down our Christmas tree ornaments :( I even got to vacuum before Alex came home! It was a productive 2.5 hours.

weight-less exercises

Since it's been slow at work and I got tired of reading my book I decided to work out a little at work (maximize my time).  I'm glad I learned some pregnancy-friendly exercises that I can do while at work especially since none of them require weights!

YouTube, Netflix, Hulu & my kindle

Today I'm dispensing and with the start of Obamacare on 1/1/14, there are at least 50% less patients that I'll be dispensing to today.  Thankfully I have other things to distract me and mind my time until 6pm tonight.  Let's hope I don't go crazy!

calming hands

Alex usually has this calming effect on our baby, when he puts his hands on my belly she usually calms down and kicks less/softer.  Yesterday however, she was doing somersaults in there and was moving and kicking pretty hard even when Alex put his hands on my stomach.  He was so surprised when he felt how hard she was kicking!  After a while she did calm down a little but it was pretty intense for a while.  I'm thankful that overall Alex has a calming effect on the baby =)