Here are some pictures from our outings:
*Strolling around our neighborhood*
*At the mall*
*Goofing around at a park*
*At the VASF pharmacy picnic at San Bruno Park*
*Walk to Ocean Beach*
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Out and About
Now that Gideon is more than a month old, we've been taking him out and showing him off to the world. That, and we want him to get used to the cold San Francisco weather too. We started off with just little walks around our neighborhood (I had to adjust to walking around too) and then quickly graduated to the mall and parks! Gideon has been great on all of his outings so far. He even stayed calm and quiet (and asleep) during church. I was a little worried that he might cry and disturb the meetings, but he was great (even when he needed to eat and have his diaper changed)! I think he saves his crying and outbursts for home though. We've noticed a trend of him coming home from an outing, waking up, and getting upset. Maybe our little man likes being outside! We can't wait for him to be able to control his neck. We'll feel more comfortable taking him out and Eugene can then start using our new Ergo Baby.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Residency Class 2009-2010
We're done! Okay...I still have 3 weeks of residency to make up, but it's still time for celebrating! I can't believe that a whole year has gone by already. I can still remember a year ago, June 2009, starting residency and feeling completely and utterly overwhelmed. We sure have come a long way. From clinics, to medicine, to projects, to meetings...we have all survived. Here's to the Class of 2010!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
One Whole Month
At one month, Gideon:
* continues to work on his tummy time exercises *
* seems to be looking at our faces with purpose now *
* is quite a heavy boy...he eats like a monster! *
* continues to work on his tummy time exercises *
* seems to be looking at our faces with purpose now *
* is quite a heavy boy...he eats like a monster! *
To celebrate, we were going to have a big huge gigantic party at our place, but realized that we were too sleep-deprived to accomplish such a task. Instead, we just threw together something quick and small and invited family and two of our close friends over to celebrate. We took our first family picture and even made red eggs!
**Gideon's red eggs and cake**
**Our cousins the Chins**
**With great friend 'Auntie' Olga**
**First family pictures**
Friday, June 11, 2010
How do you wear your baby?
Finding the perfect baby carrier took us quite a while. We originally purchased a sling, but after all those recalls and warnings, we returned it. We received a Baby Bjorn from my sister-in-law, but I was always wary about using it since it hurt my back back in 2009 when I tried it with my little niece inside. I researched various types of carriers and wraps, but could never decide on the best one. I asked around quite a bit and got advice from my mommy friends. We finally decided on a baby wrap called "Sleepy Wrap" recommended by my friend Angela. We tried it for the first time this week with Gideon and ... I LOVE IT! It doesn't strain my back, it keeps Gideon close to me, and after trying it last night while he was being a little fussy and wouldn't sleep...it helped calm Gideon down and made him fall asleep!!! Thank you Angela for the recommendation!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Trading one for another
Throughout my pregnancy, I was looking forward to no longer being pregnant. The only thing I enjoyed about being pregnant was feeling my little boy move inside everyday, including the hiccups! Now that I'm no longer pregnant and am a mommy instead, I have come to realize that being pregnant and being a mommy are not all that different in certain aspects. I basically just traded one thing for another...
I no longer throw up...but I must now deal with spit up.
I no longer wake up every 2 hours to pee...but I do wake up every 2 hours to feed.
I no longer have a limited wardrobe...I am now just limited to my PJs.
I no longer carry a load in my belly...but I do carry a load in my arms.
I no longer crave random foods...but I do eat random foods whenever I have the time to eat.
Regardless of the similarities or differences, one thing is for sure...I love the outcome of pregnancy and so far, the ups and downs of new motherhood. I love my little boy and the look on my husband's face when he sees his little boy. I love our little family of three!
I no longer throw up...but I must now deal with spit up.
I no longer wake up every 2 hours to pee...but I do wake up every 2 hours to feed.
I no longer have a limited wardrobe...I am now just limited to my PJs.
I no longer carry a load in my belly...but I do carry a load in my arms.
I no longer crave random foods...but I do eat random foods whenever I have the time to eat.
Regardless of the similarities or differences, one thing is for sure...I love the outcome of pregnancy and so far, the ups and downs of new motherhood. I love my little boy and the look on my husband's face when he sees his little boy. I love our little family of three!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Original Due Date = June 8
Our sweet little boy's original due date was yesterday, June 8. Rather than wait until his actual due date, he came to see us 3 whole weeks early. That means, we got to spend 3 weeks extra with him! We wanted to celebrate by doing a re-enactment (per Eugene's idea), but with Eugene playing the part of the pregnant wife and me the excited husband. Obviously, that did not work out. Instead, Gideon had more tummy time and we also gave him a bath. I think he enjoyed both quite a lot!
Here is a recap of the events of each week since Gideon entered our lives:
Week 1: Gideon was still jaundiced and underweight, so we were feeding him up a storm -- 2-2.5 oz of breastmilk every 2 hours! Gideon slept A LOT so all of the pictures of him were of sleeping pictures. Gideon weighed 6 pounds and 6 ounces at his first doctor's visit on 5/21/10.
**sleeping in his crib**
**at the lab for a bilirubin test**
**sunbathing to get rid of his jaundice**
Week 2: Gideon started getting visitors this week. The Chins came by as well as lots of aunties (because my pharmacy school friends are pretty much all girls). We also started tummy time to get Gideon's upper body strength up. Gideon's favorite tune to fall asleep to while in mommy's arms: Brahm's Lullabye. Stats this week:
weight = 7 pounds, 10 ounces
length = 20 inches
**at the doctor's office...finally fits his clothes!**
**second tummy time**
**visit with auntie betsy**
Week 3: Gideon continues to increase his upper body strength and control through tummy time. Look at the difference a week makes! Gideon is also awake and alert for longer periods now, especially in the late afternoon to evening times (hopefully we'll help him turn that around to the mornings and afternoons so he and we will sleep better at night). Gideon is able to focus more on mommy and daddy when we hold him...and...I think he can tell when I hold him now. :)
**more tummy time**
**disco dancing in his crib**
**lifting his head all by himself...and then with some help**
**bath time**
**tummy time**
**tummy time**
Here is a recap of the events of each week since Gideon entered our lives:
Week 1: Gideon was still jaundiced and underweight, so we were feeding him up a storm -- 2-2.5 oz of breastmilk every 2 hours! Gideon slept A LOT so all of the pictures of him were of sleeping pictures. Gideon weighed 6 pounds and 6 ounces at his first doctor's visit on 5/21/10.
**sleeping in his crib**
**at the lab for a bilirubin test**
**sunbathing to get rid of his jaundice**
Week 2: Gideon started getting visitors this week. The Chins came by as well as lots of aunties (because my pharmacy school friends are pretty much all girls). We also started tummy time to get Gideon's upper body strength up. Gideon's favorite tune to fall asleep to while in mommy's arms: Brahm's Lullabye. Stats this week:
weight = 7 pounds, 10 ounces
length = 20 inches
**at the doctor's office...finally fits his clothes!**
**second tummy time**
**visit with auntie betsy**
Week 3: Gideon continues to increase his upper body strength and control through tummy time. Look at the difference a week makes! Gideon is also awake and alert for longer periods now, especially in the late afternoon to evening times (hopefully we'll help him turn that around to the mornings and afternoons so he and we will sleep better at night). Gideon is able to focus more on mommy and daddy when we hold him...and...I think he can tell when I hold him now. :)
**more tummy time**
**disco dancing in his crib**
**lifting his head all by himself...and then with some help**
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Retracing our steps
Now that we're home, it's time to retrace our steps and recall everything that happened on D-day...delivery day that is.
At 3:38 am on 5/17/10, I woke up to some pains in my side. Since I was last hospitalized, I was quite used to pains in my side so I paid no attention to it and quickly fell back asleep. At 4:44 am, I woke up to the feeling of...peeing myself. To make sure, I walked to the restroom, sat down on the toilet, and to my surprise, a gush of fluids came rushing out. I was half awake so it took me quite a while to realize what was happening. "Hm, did my water just break?" I waited for the fluids to stop flowing in order to walk back to the bedroom. "Eugene, I think my water just broke." (Sleepy Eugene: Huh?) My mom had sent up some hospital bed pads for me for the exact purpose to not wetting the bed when my water broke, so I grabbed one, placed it on the bed, sat down, and proceeded to call Kaiser. While waiting for the nurse to pick up, GUSH! The water was coming out so quickly that I seriously thought I was going to wet the whole bed! Eugene helped walk me to the restroom, but I couldn't even make it all the way. So much water was coming out so fast that I just fell plop right down onto the floor outside the restroom.
Eugene and I sat on the floor and just began to laugh. "I guess we're having a baby today!" I was delirious and excited when the nurse finally answered the phone. Everytime I answered a question, more water would come gushing out. "Oh, more water!" I think the nurse laughed at me too. We were instructed to take our time; take a shower, eat, go to the hospital once we're ready. Since my contractions weren't painful yet (I was used to contractions every 10 minutes or so), we took our dear time. Eugene showered while I texted all our family and friends. Then I showered while Eugene put all our food in the freezer and cleaned up the kitchen. We REALLY took our sweet time. Painful contractions started around 6-6:30 am so I asked Eugene to start hurrying up, but I was honestly NOT in a big hurry. I think we may have finally headed out around 8 am.
By the time we got to the hospital (8:30 am), my contractions had gotten pretty painful. I could barely talk during a contraction, which now felt like the worst period cramp ever, but worse. I was wheeled up to the Triage Room in Labor and Delivery, but since I was "huffing and puffing" way too much, the nurse took me straight to a delivery room. "How much pain are you in right now?" "I'd say about an 8." "And what pain level are you comfortable with?" "A 5!!!" "Would you want an epidu..." "YES!!!"
The doctor came to our room at around 9 am to check: 4 cm dilated and fully effaced. (Remember, I was 3 cm dilated since my last hospitalization at 34 weeks) Two hours later before getting the epidural: 6 cm dilated. "Wow, you're moving at a very quick pace. Let's get you the epidural while we still can." Meanwhile, I was in so much pain, all I could think about was "why did I do this to myself?" and "why did Eugene do this to me?" and "I want my mommy!!!"
I finally got the epidural around 11 am - 12 noon and let me tell you this...it was ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL! All of a sudden, I thought my contractions stopped! I felt no pain and was on cloud 9. I even asked Eugene if I was still having contractions because I couldn't feel them at all! Things quickly changed around 1:30 pm...I suddenly had the urge to bear down. In other words, I had the strange feeling that I needed to have a bowel movement. Really bad! I told the nurse beside me who quickly called the doctor: 9 cm dilated. Wow! It's time to start pushing!
I officially started pushing at 2:00 pm and was determined to set a record...pushing only for 1 hour since I got dilated so much so quickly. At first, I didn't really know how to push though. I couldn't feel the pain of the contractions, but I could feel when contraction was coming so I knew when to start pushing (3 consecutive pushes for 10 seconds each with each contraction). However, I just didn't know how to push. It wasn't until an hour later that I finally figured it out. It really was like pushing for a bowel movement, but not really. To encourage my pushing, the nurse even wheeled in a mirror to show me the baby's head coming out of me. They asked me if I wanted to touch the head of the baby... Uh...no. I just wanted the baby out. I could feel the pain of the ring of fire and even playing Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" in my head didn't help take the pain away.
Finally, after 2 hours of pushing, Gideon Elijah Wong came out to greet us at 4:01 pm. The doctors quickly placed him on me and I couldn't stop crying. This is our little baby! This is our little Gideon! This is the life that we created whom I couldn't wait to meet for almost 9 months! I could hardly contain myself, yet the whole time I thought...hm...he looks kinda hairy and dark.
Now I know for next time...I will most likely deliver early again and I know how to push more effectively. One thing I would change for next time...get the baby's room and all of baby's stuff ready way more in advance. Maybe by 30 weeks. :)
At 3:38 am on 5/17/10, I woke up to some pains in my side. Since I was last hospitalized, I was quite used to pains in my side so I paid no attention to it and quickly fell back asleep. At 4:44 am, I woke up to the feeling of...peeing myself. To make sure, I walked to the restroom, sat down on the toilet, and to my surprise, a gush of fluids came rushing out. I was half awake so it took me quite a while to realize what was happening. "Hm, did my water just break?" I waited for the fluids to stop flowing in order to walk back to the bedroom. "Eugene, I think my water just broke." (Sleepy Eugene: Huh?) My mom had sent up some hospital bed pads for me for the exact purpose to not wetting the bed when my water broke, so I grabbed one, placed it on the bed, sat down, and proceeded to call Kaiser. While waiting for the nurse to pick up, GUSH! The water was coming out so quickly that I seriously thought I was going to wet the whole bed! Eugene helped walk me to the restroom, but I couldn't even make it all the way. So much water was coming out so fast that I just fell plop right down onto the floor outside the restroom.
Eugene and I sat on the floor and just began to laugh. "I guess we're having a baby today!" I was delirious and excited when the nurse finally answered the phone. Everytime I answered a question, more water would come gushing out. "Oh, more water!" I think the nurse laughed at me too. We were instructed to take our time; take a shower, eat, go to the hospital once we're ready. Since my contractions weren't painful yet (I was used to contractions every 10 minutes or so), we took our dear time. Eugene showered while I texted all our family and friends. Then I showered while Eugene put all our food in the freezer and cleaned up the kitchen. We REALLY took our sweet time. Painful contractions started around 6-6:30 am so I asked Eugene to start hurrying up, but I was honestly NOT in a big hurry. I think we may have finally headed out around 8 am.
By the time we got to the hospital (8:30 am), my contractions had gotten pretty painful. I could barely talk during a contraction, which now felt like the worst period cramp ever, but worse. I was wheeled up to the Triage Room in Labor and Delivery, but since I was "huffing and puffing" way too much, the nurse took me straight to a delivery room. "How much pain are you in right now?" "I'd say about an 8." "And what pain level are you comfortable with?" "A 5!!!" "Would you want an epidu..." "YES!!!"
The doctor came to our room at around 9 am to check: 4 cm dilated and fully effaced. (Remember, I was 3 cm dilated since my last hospitalization at 34 weeks) Two hours later before getting the epidural: 6 cm dilated. "Wow, you're moving at a very quick pace. Let's get you the epidural while we still can." Meanwhile, I was in so much pain, all I could think about was "why did I do this to myself?" and "why did Eugene do this to me?" and "I want my mommy!!!"
I finally got the epidural around 11 am - 12 noon and let me tell you this...it was ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL! All of a sudden, I thought my contractions stopped! I felt no pain and was on cloud 9. I even asked Eugene if I was still having contractions because I couldn't feel them at all! Things quickly changed around 1:30 pm...I suddenly had the urge to bear down. In other words, I had the strange feeling that I needed to have a bowel movement. Really bad! I told the nurse beside me who quickly called the doctor: 9 cm dilated. Wow! It's time to start pushing!
I officially started pushing at 2:00 pm and was determined to set a record...pushing only for 1 hour since I got dilated so much so quickly. At first, I didn't really know how to push though. I couldn't feel the pain of the contractions, but I could feel when contraction was coming so I knew when to start pushing (3 consecutive pushes for 10 seconds each with each contraction). However, I just didn't know how to push. It wasn't until an hour later that I finally figured it out. It really was like pushing for a bowel movement, but not really. To encourage my pushing, the nurse even wheeled in a mirror to show me the baby's head coming out of me. They asked me if I wanted to touch the head of the baby... Uh...no. I just wanted the baby out. I could feel the pain of the ring of fire and even playing Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" in my head didn't help take the pain away.
Finally, after 2 hours of pushing, Gideon Elijah Wong came out to greet us at 4:01 pm. The doctors quickly placed him on me and I couldn't stop crying. This is our little baby! This is our little Gideon! This is the life that we created whom I couldn't wait to meet for almost 9 months! I could hardly contain myself, yet the whole time I thought...hm...he looks kinda hairy and dark.
Now I know for next time...I will most likely deliver early again and I know how to push more effectively. One thing I would change for next time...get the baby's room and all of baby's stuff ready way more in advance. Maybe by 30 weeks. :)
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