11 week Ultrasound
After waiting over an hour after our scheduled appointment, we finally got to meet our doctor. He’s pretty laid back, very friendly and approachable, and Jeff and I like him both very much.
He did an ultrasound and a pap smear.
The little baby looks so much like a gummy bear!
The ultrasound showed that the baby was 42.4 mm CRL (crown to rump length).
And the heartbeat was a fast 175 beats per minute.
The next appointment with the doctor is at 15 weeks.
Christmas This Year
Here is our Christmas tree (its fake and prelighted!) with all the presents under it. We were shy this year and didn’t take any photos of us opening presents. We don’t get too many presents from other people, mainly its presents to and from each other…
Jeff got me a slow cooker, a flat-panel tv for the bedroom to replace our tube tv, a couple books, and a wok.
I got him a lot of work clothes (pants, shirts, belt) and his “main” present was tickets to see comedian Daniel Tosh in San Francisco in January.
From his parents we got so much stuff! An amaryllis plant (its growing…. slowly), a cute Christmas figurine display thing, a backgammon game, some flashlight and candy stuff, and im sure some other things i just cant remember.
Jill, my sister, got me lotsa food snacks from Hawaii! Yum! Actually my mom and Aunt also sent me some of that stuff too.
Susan got me these super super cute kitty measuring cups! Jeff’s brother gave us the glass etched candle holder. Taylor made a crochet cover for a beautiful vase… handmade of course
We got some other gifts too but those where the main ones.
For dinner we headed over to Torie’s Dad’s place in Marina. We usually go there for Christmas if we’re in town because we don’t have anywhere else to really go and they have a small family as well so we like to celebrate together. They had a yummy and moist ham (my fave!), stuffing, and some tamales. I made a side salad. Cheesecake for dessert! We exchanged presents afterwards.
Here is Torie’s Dad Victor, Torie, and Orlando (her husband).
Amy (Torie’s Sister) opening our gift to her (fuzzy slippers).
Jeff and I (with my eyes sorta closed! LOL)
Amy has a cat named Sasha (who looks like a lot like Henry!). Torie is knitting. BTW how come every girl i know seems to knit? I dont think i could ever get into that… who knows though.
So overall a very chill Christmas! We’re happy to have each other, our health, and our wonderful family and friends.
Butters’ Adoptiversary – 3 years
Today marks 3 years since we have adopted good ole’ Butters from the Salinas Animal Shelter. Usually i make him his own little party hat or crown or something to wear, but i was lazy and bought him a little santa suit from PetSmart instead. At first we put the suit on him while he was drinking water (distracted).
I was suprised he actually kept it on without shaking his head around or acting all weird trying to get it off. He continued to drink his water after it was on. Then it kept falling off (just because he was walking around – not because he was trying to get it off).. so Jeff helped him put it back on.
Then he started to actually pose for me with his head resting on the present! How precious! LOL! We fed him some wet food for dinner, and just gave him extra pets as his “present”. No other toys or anything because we’re saving it for Christmas. Happy Adoptiversary Kitty! We love you!
First Ultrasound with a Heartbeat!
Technically this our ultrasound. Our first ultrasound showed an empty gestational sac at 5 weeks and 6 days. The doctor was a little worried but told me to come back in 2 weeks to see if “the pregnancy was viable” – i.e. heartbeat.
Two weeks was FOREVER! but we finally made it and there’s our little baby – heart beat flickering away. Doctor said was too early to measure the heart rate but it was great news that it was there and beating. My husband Jeff came with my to the appointment. I was nervous but hopeful there would be good news.
Our next appointment is Jan 6th, and we meet our actual OBGYN which is another doctor in the same practice. We got a packet of information to read at home before our next visit regarding what to do during pregnancy, and the myriad of tests that can be done for your baby before its born. Oh my! So many decisions. We’re beyond excited though!
Cookie Exchange 2010
The second annual cookie exchange happened on Sunday, December 12, 2010. We had the same categorize for prizes but way less rules this time! Last year i just copied some rules from a web site and then everyone was like so overwhelmed – this year the only rule was that they had to be homemade.
Here are the entries! I forgot to take a photo of Carrie’s cookies but hers is in the above photo and they are the ones in the blue box, called “Present Surprises” with Andes mints in the middle.
Bonnie’s Classic Chocolate Chip
My Chair Spice Sugar Cookies
Rita’s Smore Cookies
Rita’s Peanut Butter Cookies (yes she did 2, what an overachiever!)
Wayne’s Rosemary Shortbread Cookies
Hunter’s/Renee’s Cappuccino Chocolate Bites
Renee’s Cashew Caramel Cookies
Torie’s Lace Cookies
AND THE WINNERS ARE…
Wayne – Most Creative
Carrie – Most Spirited
Rita – Best Dressed
Renee – Most Popular (actually my cookie won most popular but i didn’t want to “win” since i am the host, so she was runner up)
Inside of the prizes i made freezer-paper stenciled black aprons with a cute little cookie guy on it. Here is Wayne, proudly displaying his apron and sash (LOL!)
After prizes were announced we all grabbed the extra cookies.
This time around as far as “other” food i made easy stuff – Crab Rangoons which everyone always loves and it makes a whole bunch. I actually baked instead of fried them this time and it turned out good and probably a lot healthier. I fried up some sausages (easy), and heated up some Parmesean Bites from the freezer (costco) then i made some Egg Salad sandwiches and Turkey Cranberry sandwiches— thats about it. Made my Guava Pineapple Punch and everyone had a great time! Little more low-key this time around but still a fun tradition to have every year.
Thanksgiving at Our House
Jeff and I decided to do Thankgiving at our house this year since we normally would go to Taylor’s — but she doesn’t live here anymore! Luckily Tehani decided to stick around this year and wanted to help bake the turkey! So i wasn’t as overwhelmed to host the dinner. I also invited Angie and her 2 girls, and Pat drove down from Oregon. Tehani brought along her 2 friends from school, Tetsuko and Megumi.
Tehani bought and baked the fresh turkey and also made the stuffing and green beans.
Pat and Jeff added the leaf to our dining table since we were having 7 adults and 2 kids at the table. First time we had to do that since we bought our new furniture.
The day before Thanksgiving i made some fresh cranberry sauce. Jeff wanted me to get “the stuff in the can” so i got that too .. =)
Basting the turkey .. its looking good! The turkey didnt come with the cool pop out thermometer…
but it did come with some free feathers.
Angie and her kids eating some salmon for appetizers before partaking in dinner. How cute are their matching pink tutus! Gotta love girls.
Turkey is done! Took about 5 hours… I didnt bother buying a special turkey pan because i didnt want to store it! But it’d be nice one day, to get one.. so we can make the gravy straight from the pan with all those drippin’s. The suction technique was a little messy but we did find a good solution to get them to a pot (ladle and baster combo!)
Green beans and stuffing. (The lighting is bad, i opened the curtains thinking that would be good but .. not so much….) I made some additional stuffing in the slow cooker which turned out quite tasty as well.
The Orzo Radicchio Salad was a hit with the girls at the dinner. It is soo good, i agree! Thanks to Taylor of course for the recipe.
I just grilled some squash for more veggies… figured it would balance out the rest of the meal – mashed potatoes, turkey, rolls…
Here’s the turkey! Jeff carved it for us. Head of household kind of duty.
Here is Jeff and I in our lovely (but messy) kitchen!
Here is the spread again!
Tehani cooked and fed butters the heart of the turkey! LOL! He was hesitant at first but then dove right in.
We’re really not formal around here – everyone just walk around the table and grab your food! No “pass the potatoes please” – too much trouble.
Here’s the plate! We all stuffed our faces and it barely looked like we made a dent in the spread.
Jeff wanted to make a fire really bad after dinner, so i let him. LOL. You like that? “I” let him.. muahaha. I like fires and all its just that it gets super smokey in the dining room whenever we light one. But it was nice. We all fell asleep after dinner next to the cozy fire.
Food coma! Even Butters in the corner, see?
My first apple pie…looked good on the outside but…
It was gross on the inside. I didnt take a picture, because i was so disappointed! I used the wrong apples… half green, half braeburn but i guess i should have just stuck with all green. It was way to watery on the inside…. still tasted good. Just not the right consistency. And a side of pumpkin mochi here… but i don think anyone really ate it or dug it this time, not even me. I went through an effort making it too because i originally used the wrong kind of pumpkin and had to start over. I’ve decided to stop making my pumpkin mochi starting next year. Kind of sick of it and i always have way too much left over.
The thanksgiving was a success. As Tehani called it – our Rookie Thanksgiving! I am so glad to have had her help and will be sad she will not be here after December! I am lucky to have had childhood friends live close by, they really do feel like “family”.
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I am Pregnant!
Today Jeff and I found out we are pregnant! I “peed on the stick” and it came out with the two-line plus sign in a matter of seconds. We are very excited, and cannot wait to share the news with family and friends. For now we are keeping it quiet which will be very hard over Thanksgiving as we visit with everyone and … i have to avoid alcohol! I am not usually a drinker, but still, having to decline and make up a reason why i can’t drink will be hard. I am a terrible liar!
Since its still early i am feeling great and no symptoms except for some very light cramps, or not even really – just pulling in my abdomen. How crazy is this all going to get in the next 9 months!
Meet Baby Evan
After i recuperated from traveling to Japan, i drove down to San Diego to visit Patti who had her baby on October 19th. She is all alone while her husband, Chris, is deployed on a ship sailing around the world (stationed mostly Iraq i believe).
Since i only had a weekend i didn’t have much time to spend with them but we did get a chance to take some lovely portraits of her 2-week old precious baby. This was my first time taking portraits.. and of a baby! It was pretty fun and i love the way the photos came out. Here are some of my favorite shots.
Itty bitty feetsies!
He was cooperating pretty well even though he was shivering most the time. =)
Mommy holding her baby.
So innocent…
Patti and i thought this shot was funny, he looks like he’s showing his guns!
I was very impressed by how relaxed and comfortable Patti seemed to be as a mom! I was nervous for her to be all alone with a newborn, i don’t know how she does it.. but she does! Way to go!
Before I got to Patti’s house that weekend i stopped by Christina & Jim’s to visit and have dinner. Here are some photos of her baby Daniel who was born in September (2 months old), and her daughter Maddie who is 2 1/2.
We made Mustard Chicken with Apples and i was really yummy. Maddie helped us cook a little bit. She’s so entertaining and cute. When i got there she was butt-naked running around the house, it was kinda funny.
So a long weekend filled with kids n’ babies. It was actually a lot more fun and relaxed than i thought it’d be… but i’m glad to be able to drive home to my no-kid house and veg-out without anyone depending on me. LOL!
Halloween 2010
Tehani invited us to her school’s Halloween Party which is held by this building right next to the ocean. Jeff and i don’t normally celebrate Halloween but figured, what the heck! When do we ever get invited to such fun events?!? So we went to the Halloween store a couple days before the party and i found the perfect costume – RAINBOW BRITE! And Jeff found some cool skeleton gloves in Japan that he wanted to wear so he got this outfit to match. Except while we were getting ready i had him help hair spray my hair with glitter and he took off his gloves and left them on the bathroom counter! Oh he was so bummed about forgetting them and i felt real bad too! But we forgot about it quickly and had a great time at the party.
My friend James came to the party too – can you guess who he is?
On Halloween night, Jeff passed out candy to the kids wearing his costume, complete with the gloves, and the added “Giants” shirt in celebration of their World Series win.
Leaving Japan
Our last day in Japan we had the morning to have breakfast and say goodbye to my parents. We went to the top floor of our hotel for a continental breakfast and great view of the city. Food was just ok… curry, eggs (not very good mind you), bacon, some fruit and what not.
After breakfast i had a couple hours to kill and decided to go shopping. I found a little mall area and bought a bunch of jewelry and food snacks. There was a really small vendor right by the door selling these Peek-a-boo Cakes. OMG sooo good! They are like waffles with flavored whip cream in the middle! I ate 4 of them while waiting for the plane at the airport.
Here is a pic of our passport stamp! I forgot to take a photo of all our yen.
Here is the snacks and Japanese dolls i brought back for the work crew. Shoyu (soy sauce) kit kats anyone? They actually tasted good, it was like white chocolate with a little savory taste.
Here is the stuff i bought while in Japan. Lots of snacks and kitchen items. All cute of course. Lots of cat things.
And i bought a lot of bags for my lunch since i like to bring homemade lunch everyday to work. Look at the camera bag i bought! Hehehe, so cute!!!
We had a wonderful time in Japan and i would not mind going back one day!