guess who's back.
back again.

ah yes, my cyst is back. i suppose, tell a friend!! sorry, i guess i have eminem stuck in my head. :)

my wonderful and lovely cyst has made a 5th visit during my pregnancy which was quite a bit more than i was hoping for!! the odd part is that it's not a pregnancy related thing, but usually happens to men around the 18-24 age. i suppose that once you have it, since it's likely to come back so often, it's not like i should complain about how many times it's returned since i haven't had the major surgery yet.

i was in quite a bit of discomfort on friday evening while at a dinner party, and found it once james and i returned home. i was really upset at the time, crying and saying, "i don't have time for this now!!" ahahahahhahaha, oh pregnancy hormones, how you make me giggle (later on)!! i was dealing with finishing loan docs, organizing all of patrick's wonderful presents from friends, trying to sort our painters for our new condo, and figuring out when we could actually move in. i didn't want anymore on my plate!! unless it was a cupcakes, but that's a different story...

the whole weekend felt wasted since i couldn't walk or sit for very long. you really have to be laying on your side to not experience total pain. it's also very difficult to be 8 months pregnant and experiencing this. you already feel uncomfortable because no position you sit or lay in feels good. you feel pressure from this child inside of you who has dropped. you can't breathe even though said child has dropped. you can't eat a whole lot at once sitting since your tummy is all squished up inside of you. all of a sudden, these pregnancy symptoms/pain/discomfort feel like NOTHING compared to the ache at the bottom of my spine.

last night was by far the worst day i've had pain wise. ever. in my life. i've had other surgeries where they've given me vicodin and morphine for pain management. if you are late on those doses, you really start to feel it, but last night was 10 times worse, and i could only take 2 tylenol every 6 hours. i will spare you the details of what happened, but the pain is away!! i went to the doc today to possibly have a quick surgery, but thank jesus that it was not required.

my hopes and prayers for this situation are that it doesn't return, and i'm able to go these next few weeks without pain, or it flaring up again. it seems to be setting in faster and more hardcore with each visit. the good news is that once patrick is born, i will be able to be put under and have the more major surgery to totally remove it. i am looking forward to that day, and thank everyone for their warm emails, and for keeping me in your prayers!! xoxoxo!!

happy note!!

i walked over to our local starbucks this afternoon to grab my pregnancy delight, aka a decaf nonfat iced latte. mmmmmm, heaven in a little cup!! as i walked in, there was an older lady in all white who gave me a huge smile. i smiled back and went to the counter to order my drink. after i was done, she gave me the "come over here" hand signal, so i walked over to her table.

she said to me, "i just have to let you know that you're the most beautiful pregnant woman i've ever seen, and i'm an ob. i wish that all my girls looked like you do, and you just keep it up!!"

i told her thanks, and tried to hold back happy tears when she kept going. she said, "your baby must be so happy thanks to you, and i can just see the most amazing glow around you. i wish you the best, and hope your husband takes good care of you!!"

"yes, yes he does, this is probably why i'm so happy," i replied.

hehehehehhehe!!

what a random happy event that totally made my day!! here i was thinking that a little cup of iced coffee would please the pants offa me this afternoon, and this woman i've never met before who was on her break from work makes my week. i don't care if she says this to everyone...bless her heart if she does...but it really meant a lot to me as a woman, and absolutely as a pregnant woman!! in an old shirt and sweats!! :)

feeling better!!

after the 4th return of a cyst to my lower back, i finally had it partially removed a week ago. my pregnancy has been incredibly wonderful so far, minus the painful cyst which is not pregnancy related. the location is just horrible, barring me from sitting or exercising at all. i think it's just overall frustrating to be on your side and not moving around when all i want to do is play and feel healthy!!

luckily i could get it partially removed with the help of a surgeon and some local anesthesia. the local was a bit painful to receive, and it took about a week before all of the healing/bruising/pain was gone.

i am so blessed to have medical services nearby, and i'm feeling back to normal. well, as normal as a pregnant woman can be!!

back to life as i know it, which now means getting things ready for a condo we've just purchased here in mountain view!! i can't wait for the contingencies/inspection to pass so i can start picking out colors for paint/carpet/flooring, and organize the little one's room before his arrival!! it MAY all just happen in time!! :)

i've been lagging lately in my posts here. i'm sometimes not sure i always want to blog about everything i do. should i do important things? fun things? i swear, indecision is a symptom of pregnancy that nobody talks about.

at any rate, i'll start with my birthday celebration!! james and i decided to head to disneyland since it's free on your birthday and since my special day fell on a sunday this year. it was such a perfect place to be while pregnant, too. of course i skipped a few rides they suggest pregnant ladies do not ride, but did all the fun ones!! i just had a blast going at my own speed, and taking breaks when i needed to. it was also so much fun to again go to the blue bayou for lunch. it's a great way to break up the day, relax, and enjoy the a/c for an hour or two!!

i fell in love with the fireworks show at the end of the day, but i was pooped at that point. our hotel was a little over a mile away, and we had walked to disneyland to avoid parking there. i had heard that if you take a little nap in the middle of the day while preggers, you can really enjoy the whole day since you can of course go back anytime during that day. james and i walked to the park in the morning, walked back for a nap, walked back in to enjoy some more fun, and walked back when we were finished. that alone was about 4.5 miles of walking while about 5 months pregnant...not counting all the walking we did in the park. needless to say, i was pooped that night!! but all in all, it was totally worth it, and i suggest it to all pregnant ladies!! like i said before, just do things at your own pace, and you'll have a blast!! it doesn't hurt that james and i act like 5 year olds once we're in the park!!

my life in pictures

well, not really. just a fun mosaic about me!!

QUESTIONS:
1. What is your name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What is your hometown?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. What is your favorite movie?
6. What is your favorite drink?
7. What is your dream vacation?
8. What is your favorite dessert?
9. What is one word to describe yourself?
10. How are you feeling right now?
11. What do you love most in the world?
12. What do you want to be when you grow up?



here were my silly answers:
1. jeannette
2. flautas
3. fremont, ca
4. pink sparkles (tee hee!)
5. duh
6. note the purple straw. this is not from starbucks. ice blended yumminess from the coffee bean.
7. paris
8. strawberries and raspberries smothering a small scoop of vanilla. this was as close as i could get.
9. giggles !!
10. tired. i was going to say pregnant...but more tired right now.
11. love love love <3
12. my answer has always been: a mommy

DIRECTIONS:
- Go to Google image search.
- Type in your answer to each question.
- Choose a picture
- Use this website ( http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/mosaic.php ) to make your collage.
- Save the image for use in this note.

totally. spoiled. rotten.

i met up with my mommy yesterday to get a bit of early birthday celebrating in, and man we know how to have fun!! please keep in mind that fun while pregnant means something a bit different to all!!

we started off by seeing monsters vs. aliens. my mommy picked it out and i went along thinking it would be another cute kid movie. also, it was in 3-d which didn't excite me much. growing up, i couldn't understand how kids were viewing things in 3-d with those annoying red and blue glasses. my eyes are kinda jacked up, so every time i tried to peer into the glasses, i either saw a totally blue or totally red screen and missed out on all the OOOOHHH and AHHHHH moments. the glasses for this movie are clear which makes for a very excited netties!! i was able to view my first movie in 3-d and felt like a kid again. or as always. :)

after that, we headed over to palo alto to do some major shopping. nordy's likes to reward good shoppers with gift certificates, so naturally, that's where we started. i found some cute yet inexpensive scarfs and lots of comfy shirts in BP. i was about to pay when my mommy stepped in and said she'd pay because it was my birthday present. happy birthday to me!!

we had a ball at the perfume counter even though my crazy sense of smell was in full force. we found my mom a great bvlgari scent that reminds me of her putting on paris while getting ready for an outing. they're so similar and rosey; i just loved smelling it!! i got the newer juicy scent as it was something i could stomach, at least for the day.

we also got some essentials at victoria's secret, kiehl's, and of course sprinkles!! i honestly don't think i've eaten a cupcake since i've been pregnant, and it was great to enjoy one for dessert. i split a red velvet and peanut butter chip since i can never decide between the two. oh cupcakes, how i've missed you!!

all in all, it was an incredibly fun and girly day, but i was beat by the end. i didn't end up napping, but i feel like i'm totally unprepared for kids if i can't even take care of myself after a day of shopping!! granted, i'm not a big shopper to begin with, but goodness gracious me. how will i handle things with multiple kids?? the older i get, the more i appreciate my mom and how she was able to do it all. :)

my grandma's obituary

i'm not sure why, but the local newspaper took out the line about her being the happiest person in the world. i'ma go down there and smack em!! anyway, here's what the fam put together about my granny. and yes, the .5 great grandchild is my baby boy. :)

Jeanne Eva Wilson (85), formerly of San Lorenzo passed away on Wednesday, April 8, 2008. Jeanne's big heart got too tired and finally let go. She is survived by her loving children, daughters: Eileen Boyce (Ken), and Mary Ann Bryant (Jeff), and her son Rob Wilson (Beth), six grand children: Stacy, Jeremy, Jeannette, Erik, Caitlin and Megan, 4½ great grandchildren: Sienna, Landon, Audriana, Warren and one on the way. Jeanne is also survived by her recently deceased sister, Betty Mann's, children: Julie, Denise and Debbie. Jeanne was born on Feb 29, 1924 and as a leap year baby officially celebrated her 21st birthday last year with her first "legal" drink alongside her legal grandchildren. She grew up in Oakland attending Oakland Tech High School (Wildcats) where she made and kept many lifetime friends. Her maiden name was Katz so she was literally a wildkatz. She married Jim Wilson in 1947 and they eventually settled in San Lorenzo where they raised their family. Jeanne led an active life including teaching swimming to adults until 2007. She worked for 50 years as a swimming instructor for the City of San Leandro, and was recognized for 65 years with the Red Cross as a swim instructor. Jeanne was also recognized with a presidential citation for teaching swimming to military nurses during WWll. She loved to travel and took many trips to Hawaii and Europe including visiting relatives in Belgium and France. She was also quite a talented artist with her watercolor paintings gracing many homes. Jeanne loved her family and friends, and took great pleasure in her interactions with them. She was a very special lady who left behind wonderful memories for those who knew her. Jeanne requested that a memorial service not be held. This request and her obituary are just like Jeanne, a lack of self-importance with a good dose of humor. Donations in her name may be made to the American Red Cross.

it is with a very heavy heart that i blog about my grandmother's death.

as i blogged below, she had made this total 180 degree turn after being admitted to the hospital on sunday when she was told she only had a few hours to live. yesterday, my mom came over to mountain view to hang out with me for the day. we knew my granny's friends and some more family members were visiting along with a few more tests, so we decided to give others some time to be with her now that she was up, talking, and very happy.

actually, our first item of business was to get a mani/pedi. the moment my mom picked out her color, her phone rang. it was the discharge nurse at the hospital telling my mom that my granny was being released and asking when could she pick her up. my mom just said, "well, i'm out with my daughter now, so i'll have to call you back when we can figure out a few more details." we also thought that there was no way she should be released so early, so we decided that wednesday would be a better day for her.

this morning, right as my auntie and uncle went to pick her up from the hospital, she complained to the nurse that she was feeling short of breath. a few minutes later, she stopped breathing and peacefully went to heaven.

i wanted to take some time to remember one of the most important ladies in my life, and the wonderful things she did that made her my wonderful grandma.

*she would make red cabbage special for me because she knew i was a weirdo who would eat it all up.

*i'd always call and say, "it's your favorite graaaanddaaaaaughter!!" and she always knew it was me. :)

*she came to all the grandkid events and always supported us. she used to take pictures at my swim meets or water polo games and make copies for me by the next day.

*she was born on leap year day, and just turned "21" last year. my brother, cousin, and i took her out for her first "legal" drink that night. someone from the local newspaper came and wrote a story about it, and the waitress asked for her I.D. she loooved it!!

*she reminded us of how things were when times were tough and how well we have it now. she also reminded us of our past and what sacrifices our family made to be where they are today. a little past helps define who you are today, and i won't forget that.

*she always gave us money at christmas, but the best part was it always came in some really cheesy container. this year, she gave the girls little jeweled purses that i kept on my dresser.

*her house always smelled like gardenias, and for the longest time, she had the most amazing raspberry bush in her backyard. when i was younger, she'd give me a bowl and have me pick some fruit for her. i'd always come back with a red face and half a bowl since i liked raspberries the most.

*she knew what made her happy. she loved random hole in the wall dim sum places or some ice cream for dessert every night. she said ice cream every night made her happy all day long.

*she loved having me over to spend the night when i was little. my mom would throw me on bart when i was like 7, and i'd ride up to her station and she'd take me out for dinner and we'd have little slumber parties.

*i loved going shopping with her and my mom. we'd go out for a nice lunch and a stroll through nordy's where i'd proclaim to everyone that we were triplets.

*she taught swim lessons/classes with the red cross for 50 years, and i always remember her taking me to her classes when i was younger. she used to teach classes to ladies her age, and it was always a hoot and a holler with her.

*she travelled more than anyone i knew, and could count each and every time she went to hawaii...which i believe we figured out was 17 times.

*she used to play music from the 40's or 50's on her old radio when she'd make me breakfast in the morning.

*she told me that if i didn't sweat the small things in my marriage, i'd be the happiest wife.

*she really loved everything about life and always was laughing, helping others grow, giving, and loving.

some of the last things i'll remember about her was from the day we spend with my mommy on sunday. we stayed at the hospital pretty much all day. she went from not being able to communicate to talking to us be the evening. my mommy and i chatted next to granny while she was resting, and every now and then granny would pipe up and we'd ask her some questions. we bought her a little stuffed animal which she loved and gave lots of kisses to. hee hee!! we also made sure to give her a few pieces of chocolate when nobody was around and my granny thanked us profusely. when we were leaving, i told her to relax and pretend she was on the beach, just relaxing. she got the biggest smile and later told my aunt that she had great dreams of hawaii. :)

on a final note, my auntie had a great little story to share with me. when i was younger, my aunt apparently said something about how sad she was the my cousin meggie wouldn't get to meet my grandfather who had passed away the year before. i was 8 at the time and said, "don't worry, auntie...grandpa is in heaven picking out the right baby for you." today my auntie told me that my granny was up in heaven, picking out the right baby for me. :D

feeling very thankful...

i received a call from my dad very early on sunday morning, telling me that my grandma had been rushed to the hospital. he also told me that the doctors said she wouldn't make it through the day. james was such a dear sweetheart and drove us quickly to castro valley to visit with my granny before it was too late.

from my understanding, she had pressed her life alert button at around 4 in the morning because her heart wasn't feeling well. they call her back and ask what's wrong so they can call 911, or i guess they do it automatically if she's not able to answer the phone. she was able to talk, and said her heart wasn't feeling right. when the paramedics arrived, her heart rate was at 20 bpm, and they resuscitated her in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, not knowing my granny had a DNR note at the apt complex.

i saw her in the emergency room, and she looked out of breath with an big oxygen mask on her. the docs said her heartbeat was back up to normal, but that she had pneumonia/water in the lungs, and moved her to ICU. after about an hour there, she looked quite better, so my family decided to go ahead and treat the pneumonia and take other blood tests to see if they could find out what was wrong with her, as she looked to be getting her color back.

at about 1pm, they took the oxygen mask off, and just gave her a small breathing tube for her nose, and her breathing levels went back to normal. she also opened her eyes when we were talking to her, and started saying words, then phrases. she also wanted water (which she never ever drinks) and my mom and i may have snuck her a small piece of chocolate to suck on. :D

my mom visited her this morning, and she was sitting up, eating a normal breakfast, and chatting. thankfully, she doesn't remember much of yesterday. i'm incredibly grateful that the ambulance workers were unaware of her DNR note, because if they had known that, she probably wouldn't be with us right now. we still have no idea what happened, and are waiting for results, but it just boggles the mind that she could go from so uncertain, back to her normal self in about 24 hours. here's hoping, wishing, and praying that she makes a full recovery, and they can find out what happened to her, because my granny is the best!! :)

it's quite odd to feel like i'm already starting to show!! my tummy isn't able to be sucked in anymore, and i just look really fat. i totally want a shirt that says, "i'm not fat, i'm pregnant!!" it's silly to have just a slight belly at the moment. i want all or nothing, silly baby!!

it also feels like my tummy is expanding and stretching from time to time. it feels kinda hard when i touch it, and i don't want to stand up straight. i just hunch over while it's pulling and try not to look too out of place. hee hee!!

other than that, things have been very well with me!! i've been enjoying the time off, and getting to see parts of australia that i haven't seen before. i'll have to do a down unda update in just a bit!!

time for a little update!!

i've been having a hard time figuring out what i've wanted to say on my blog after i found out i was pregnant!! james looked at me on the evening of january 1st and said, "you're pregnant. go take a test." i took 3, not believing that he could tell so early on that i was preggers!! and yes, all 3 were positive. :)

only being a day late, i was kinda in shock that i really did have something growing inside of me. james and i had just started trying, and i thought that it may take some time. i am over the moon with joy, excitement, and just a tad bit of anxiety. i keep having dreams that the nursery isn't painted yet!!

it looks like i'm about 11 weeks along right now, putting my due date at september 7th. my doc told me she'd give me a better idea of how far along i am for my next visit!! right now, the baby is 4.37 cm!! i had a doc visit today, and i didn't know what it was for, so i was drinking water all morning in anticipation for another blood/urine sample. turns out, i had my first belly ultrasound!! i was incredibly sad that james wasn't there, but got tears in my eyes when i saw the baby move their feet and also when i heard the heartbeat for the first time!! the ultrasound pics also are starting to look more like a baby, and less like a slug. that's always a good thing!!

james and i had a really fun valentine's day this year!! he took me out to the cheesecake factory earlier in the week so we could really sit down and have a long conversation with yummy food. i had the apartment all decorated, and it was super cute with pink and hearts!! on valentine's day, i made him breakfast in bed. then, we drove up to muir woods and went on a very nice and relaxing hike. it was raining on and off that day, and it was wonderful to walk under these huuuuge trees and not get more than a drop or two on us here and there. it was also fun to do a loop we hadn't done before and really get away from the tourist-y area. after that, we drove to the city for some lunch, and by the time i got home, i was pooped!! i'm starting to feel a bit tired here and there, so instead of cooking james his favorite meal, we had leftovers. don't worry, i cooked it for him the next night!!

tonight, i'm off to australia for 4 weeks!! i'm pumped to be back with james' family for the time and to enjoy the beautiful weather down unda!! hopefully i'll have some more time for some better updates!! :)

christmas fun!!

it was the first christmas for james and i as a married couple, and first christmas together in cali!! we had a blast, and here are just a few of the fun memories we had as a married couple!!

we really jazzed up our apartment this year and i went all out and got snowflake sheets (see previous entry) and snowflake plates. no, they don't match, but they are super cute!! :)

we took our second annual walk in the cold at night at fulton street in palo alto to see the pretty christmas lights. they're not amazing or spectacular, but we really like to go for walks, especially when one whole street is lit up.

christmas morning consisted of our own stocking and present opening, and we had so much fun!! so many yummy treats, tangerines, travel games, and cute nail polish were found in our stockings. james got an electric drill, other tool stuff, wall-e, and some clothes from me, and i got some adorable clothes and the tiffany ring necklace that i had given my bridesmaids!! we're also going on a trip to seattle to see the symphony in a few days which is the last party of our christmas celebration!!

after our own fun, we went to my 'rents house to eat traditional croissants and breakfast and open presents over there. it was the christmas of sparkles for me, with a gorgeous swarovski ring, sparkle converse, and sparkle clothes!! i think my favorite present was actually the coffee ice blended kit from the coffee bean. i am totally excited to make my own favorite chilled coffee drink from the comfort of my own house. purple straws included. james got a crazy huge tool set from my parents, and some more wii games and guns (pew pew!!), and my mom gets to ride in a zeppelin soon!!

once we were done with presents, we got ready for the rest of the fam to come over and have a big celebration!! it is great to see my cousins grow up, catch up with them, and have everyone open presents at the same time. my mom does such a great job at playing hostess. i have no idea how she's been organizing 3 different christmas celebrations each christmas day without being stressed. she's seriously the best!!

james' birthday is the next day, but i had surprised him with a surprise un-birthday party a few weeks earlier while all of his friends were still in town!! since alice in wonderland is his favorite movie, i thought i'd go with that as a theme for his birthday party, buying party decorations in disneyland last may!! he was totally surprised, and we all had a blast. i think the best part was that since it was in the evening, james' family was able to call in and see the surprise via the computer cam!! i'm so excited that they were able to be there to see his face and wish him a happy birthday. :)

luckily james has had lots of time off of work, and we've been spending lots of time together. the real only reason for that is because we've both had icky colds, and are trying to man up so we're ready for our trip to seattle!! james has booked us tickets to see my favorite song, beethoven's ninth, and we have a few days to hang out and see the city. i've been there once before for just 2 days, so hopefully we can see the fun things i saw last time, and a few new places as well. like the boeing factory. you read that right...james is pumped. and i'll do it cause i love him so. :)

all right, i think those are the latest updates from me. most of the pictures from the events i mentioned are found on my facebook page!! check em out!! :)