Two Year Anniversary & Baby Checkup

Happy Anniversary to my darling husband! Yesterday, March 18th marked our two year anniversary. I can hardly believe that it has been that long already. It seems like not too long ago that we just got married. Anyhow, it has been a wonderful, peaceful, and fast two years, and we look forward to spending many more happy years together along with Sweetpea as a new addition to our family this summer. We haven't really had much quarrels during our marriage; we've always gotten along pretty well... I wonder if kids will change that some :p As for what we did to celebrate, we didn't really do much yesterday since we had a carseat safety class in the evening from 7-9; we just ate at Shari's for dinner since that was one of the few places around that was still open late in the area. Not to worry, we'll be spending time in San Francisco this weekend, visiting some of the sites, as well as later visiting family while we are there. Because I'm getting bigger and starting into my third trimester, it'll likely be our last trip before the baby comes. It should be fun.

Today was our glucose test appointment. I had to drink the glucola fruit punch drink 45 minutes prior to the appointment; I got about a half way through and told Junior I didn't want any more. It made my throat feel uncomfortable and wasn't all that tasty; maybe, it's all that sugar in there. The doctor says the baby must have had a party this morning after I drank that. I'm not sure if she was too awake yet at the time, but she sure has been kicking and moving a lot more lately. Everything seems to check out okay in terms of my measurements and stats, and the doctor said that we should not be hearing from them if the results of the glucose test is not of concern, so pray that the test results will be good.

Recently, I decided to look up our engagement photographer online to see what she's been up to; it seems that she has a new website and new name for her photography business "Kiss of Life Photography"; there's a couple shots of us in the will you? section of the gallery if anyone wants a peek at a few pics from our session :) For those of you who didn't get to join us for our wedding, I'll leave you with some highlights as we walk down the urcia family memory lane.

Valentine's in Hawaii

Daddy had a conference in Hawaii, and mommy and I got to tag along during Valentine's week. It was like a babymoon for them before I make my appearance in June :) Auntie Grace and Uncle Wowwings also joined us in Oahu for the first part of the week before going to Kuai Thurs (valentine's day) morning. It was beautiful, sunny, and warm on the islands; quite a change from Seattle weather. During the morning, both mommy and daddy had to work, but afterwards they were free to enjoy the sites and sounds of Hawaii. We ate at a nice restaurant by the beach; we hadn't made a reservation ahead of time, but we decided to wait and hope that we'd get a table. After a while, we were seated on a table for two with a nice view of the ocean. One side of the restaurant was open, so you can feel the cool breeze, hear the waves of the ocean, and see the glowing light from the tiki torches; with the soft music in the background, the atmosphere was perfectly romantic for Valentine's day. Here's a picture of mommy and daddy as they sat in the waiting room, and here's a picture of mommy and me in the restaurant lobby.

For appetizer, we ordered a yummy coconut lobster dish. Then, mommy and daddy shared a seafood pasta, since mommy and I were in the mood for pasta.

Daddy wanted to get something for mommy, so he said they can try their luck and purchase a pearl in a oyster and pick out a setting for it while they are in Hawaii. This was one of the fun highlights of our trip. First, there was the oyster selection.


Then, they tap the oyster three times,
ring the bell, everyone says "Aloha", and the oyster is opened up to reveal a beautiful shiny pearl.

It turns out that we got the second rarest pearl, according to the vendor. I believe it was a golden toned akoya pearl. Even though there were many nice settings to choose from and different varieties from rings to earrings to necklaces; mommy wanted a really simple setting, so they selected a simple 14k gold setting for a necklace. This is how it looks like in the end. We'll try to share more pictures of our adventures in Hawaii later on when we get a chance.

Burp Cloth Projects

I finally got a chance to do some of the burp cloth projects that I mentioned in the previous post. There are several different kinds that I'd like to try, including the flannel ones with the curves, if I can find time. It's ridiculous how much some baby items can cost; the burp cloths go anywhere from $8-25 each at boutique stores and there are plenty of other items that are actually not too difficult to do if you have some basic sewing skills. Anyhow, here's my first attempt at the ribbon burp cloths that I've seen for $8-15 each at boutiques; I figure why pay a fortune if you can make this simple project yourself... and it was actually pretty fun to make especially after seeing the finished product. I did have one mishap while making these. I think being pregnant has made me a bit more clumsy and absent minded at times, and I ended up with a small boo boo on my finger... ahh, such is the labor of love. Below are personalized burp cloths I made for my coworker, Auntie Ang, and their new arrivals. Other than one of the ribbons on one of the burp cloths being slightly crooked, I'm pretty happy overall with how they turned out. I'll post up more pics of other attempts as I get to them and as I get to other projects. Meanwhile, you can also check out my friend Grace's blog under the July 27, 2006 and August 1, 2006 entries to see how she took matters into her own hands to create nifty baby room letters.

Flu Quandary

Last week, when I arrived in Virginia, I started thinking about flu shots again especially with traveling and everything, I really don't want to get sick. I've been hearing that it is recommended that pregnant women should get a flu shot, but then I decided to do a bit of further research to see what is being said about it. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends it for women pregnant during the flu season. Seems that some say it is better and safer than not getting one at all, since it may have adverse affects on the baby if you get sick and your temperature gets too high or if you catch pneumonia. On the other hand, I found out that one of the concerns people have is associated with the same concern about vaccinating children. Many of the vaccines contain a preservative called "thimerasol" which has mercury in it which is linked to autism among other things. Well, it seems that pregnant people can ask and opt for thimerasol-free vaccines but not all places carried it. I had seen a sign at the Krogers here that they still had vaccines, and I was considering it until I found out more information and found out they didn't have thimerasol-free ones. I also checked my local doctor's office and was told that my best bet was to call the local health department, which it turns out only had enough dosage for a small child. The lady at the health department did still recommend getting it stating that flu season is far from over and that regular ones should still be safe according to CDC. I then decided to call my doctor in Washington, and it seems that the office directs their patients to the local pharmacies, so I would have to check around to see if any of them had it... which may not be likely at this point as many places seem to have the normal vaccine for regular people... so much bother. One of the things I read in a post on babycenter says the following that is also disconcerting, "The data that the CDC uses to cite that Thimerisol is safe was done in 1930 by the doctors at Eli Lily who make Thimerisol. No follow up tests in the US have been done to counter their claims. Thimerisol is banned in Britian, Japan, Denmark, Russia, Austria and in all of Scandanavia. They have no Autism in those countries. The national autism association's website points to thimerosol as a cause for autism. http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/thimerosal.php" Is it really safe? what do my pregnant friends think; did you guys get flu shots while pregnant? There seems to be lots of uncertainty that at this point I may just forego it and just try to be careful. Prior to me coming back to Tech, it seems that there was an awful outbreak of the flu on campus. The flu vaccines given this year was a different strain than the one that actually broke out! Thank goodness the students are on spring break this week, lessening my chances of catching something bad. Anyhow, Sweetpea and I are excited to be going back home to Washington tomorrow. Hopefully, baby and I will be safe and sound up till delivery and beyond. any thoughts on this subject?

Checkup & Boutique Shopping

We are in week 25 now. I can't believe it; only a few more months before we meet Sweetpea. Well, we had our doctor's appointment for a checkup last Wednesday, and Sweetpea seems to be growing right on schedule. We got to meet with the nurse practitioner this time, since the doctor likes everyone to meet with the practitioner at least twice during the pregnancy. In this visit, I got my belly measured and was given a small bottle to drink (choice of orange or fruit punch flavor, neither looked that great) for the glucose test on my next visit. I wasn't sure if this visit was the sugar test visit, so I didn't eat breakfast beforehand and was pretty hungry, but it turns out I'll be getting the test on my next visit.

It's nice to confirm that the baby is okay before long trips. I'm in Virginia this week and next. Before leaving, I got a chance to stop by and check out a baby boutique called The Tender Thistle which is closing. From the ads, I knew some of the brands they carried Bunnies by the Bay, Trumpette socks, Peanut shell, Melissa & Doug, Dr. Seuss, Kalencom and OiOi diaper bags, etc. I was disappointed to see that most things are only 25% off, but I did purchase a couple things. I always thought those socks that looked like babies had shoes on were adorable, and I couldn't resist, so I got Sweetpea a pair of Trumpette socks. They normally sell for $6 a pair but I found one baby ballerina socks in peach on sale for $2. Aren't they cute? Now I can add these "footwear" to the two Robeez shoes I got her :) Another thing that drew me to the store was the trendy nursing covers advertised, they carried the award winning Bebe Au Laut Hooter Hiders (funny name). I became more fascinated as I did some research. It's carried by Nordstrom and other baby boutiques. When I first saw it, I thought to myself, I can make this... but then, I'm not sure if I'd have time. One of the unique things about the cover was that it has a boning on top that allows moms to keep watch of their baby. I thought it would be nice to have, so I don't have to hide every time the baby needs to be fed. I called Sweetpea's daddy and he said for me to go ahead and get one, so I have a nice little treat for me. I was originally thinking of getting the Yoko print, but someone else claimed it by the time I went back to pick one up, so I selected Windsor. They also carried nicely patterned Peanut Shell slings which I'm also fascinated by, but I think I'll hold off for now. As I mentioned, there were actually a few baby items I've come across that I think I can make including baby slings, nursing covers, and burp cloths. I saw the boutique sold burp cloths with simple ribbon sewn on two sides for $8. Stay tuned for future posts to see what baby crafts I undertake.

Baby Buys

Because we had been planning for our pregnancy, I had told daddy ahead of time that I would purchase an aerobed I had seen on sale if I was pregnant. I figured that it would be nice to have extra sleeping accomodations when family come and visit our little Sweetpea. Unfortunately, when I found out, it was no longer available, but I did see something else that may come in handy. So, my first baby gear purchase after being officially pregnant was the Supreme Snuggle Nest in green with white polka dots. I figured it would be easier for us when the baby is born, and while I recover, to have the baby in our room at least for a couple months. And, from what I read, this also helps the baby transition to their crib easier because they don't feel as lost in their crib. Daddy and I were pretty excited when it arrived; we set it up on our bed and imagined and talked about how tiny Sweetpea is going to be. We were still letting the thought of being parents sink in :)

Another major item that we have out of the way is our car seat and stroller. We spent hours researching and visiting Babies R' Us, Merry Go Round, and other baby stores to test them out. Our pick? We decided to go with the Chicco (Pronounced Kee-co, not chico) Keyfit 30 travel system. It was rated number 1 in Consumer's Report for safety, ease of use, and fit to vehicle. When we tested it out in the store, it really was very intuitive and easy to use; the base contains a bubble level and easily adjusts up and down, so no need for towels to prop up the car seat for proper fit. For those who haven't heard of Chicco carseat or strollers, the company, design, and fabrics are Italian, but I think they may outsource their work to Asia. Anyhow, Keyfit 30 came in four colors; we thought we might like Atmosphere, but we didn't really like the color when we saw it at Merry Go Round, and daddy thought Race looked to bright red for him. We got to see a different model stroller in the Adventure color while we were in Virginia for the holidays and ended up deciding on that. On second thought, Poetic might be nice as well, but we had no reference other than online pictures since no store seemed to carry it yet. Here's a link to the travel system's features. Thank you Ta-ee and Uncle Philip for giving us the travel system for Christmas.

For those who are curious or in the market, here are the results from the latest Nov 2007 Consumer Reports (earlier report published that year was actually faulty, govn't caught the error). The top 3 seats were: Chicco Key Fit followed by the Britax Companion and Peg Perego Primo Viaggio. The "best buys" were Baby Trend Flex-Loc and Graco Snug Ride with EPS. Here's a link to the report ratings.

My latest buy? A lamp for our nursery. I had been eyeing a lamp from Pottery Barn kids and saw this on sale at TJMaxx last week. Here are pictures, the first two are the ones from PB and the last, our new lamp. It's a bit harder to see the swoop in the lamp shade since we haven't removed the plastic, and you can't hardly see the gingham in the PB pics but you can see it clearer on the enlarged view on their website but they are pretty much similar style and can grow with the kid(s) :)


Well, hope some of the information has been useful. There are still quite a few things that we need or would like to get for the baby. Those bundles sure do add up.

First Diaper Change

There are many things that mommy and daddy have never performed on babies before. Cutting toenails and fingernails is one action. We always argue as to "who will cut sweetpea's toenails!" Just the thought of holding sweetpea's tiny little hands and chipping away at her finger/toenails just makes me shy away because her fingers will be so fragile. Maybe some of you can give pointers out there!

Daddy did get to visit his two nieces this past week. One was 1 1/2 years old and the other was 2 1/2 years old. While the older one was potty trained, the younger one was not. I had the opportunity to babysit on Monday for them. Well, with babysitting comes the change of diapers. One thing that daddy has not performed before is changing diapers. But this past week, I was able to do my very first one! With my sister's help, I was able to remove, clean up, and change my niece's diapers. But it was just #1. The first time was just gross doing it because I never really handle other people's underwear... So the next day comes by and I babysat my two nieces by myself. I had to change the younger one's diapers 4 times and three of the times were #2! It actually was not as bad as I thought because it was not mush like I expected. It was more solid and manageable to look at. And it did not super stink, which was a relief...