We went to R's first birthday party today. She and her mom wore beautiful white dresses. They both looked so beautiful. Another friend was there with her daughter, L, who also turned 1 today. She was wearing a pink pettiskirt and 1st Birthday t-shirt and looked adorable as well. The party was held at the Seoul club and it was our first time to go. The club is really nice. It has an outdoor pool (when it is warm), saunas (family and adult), meeting and banquet rooms, restaurants, tennis and racquetball and more. The food for the party was the Seoul Club Buffet. What a nice spread! There was a wide range of options and everything was great!
The room was decorated with balloons which are always a big hit with the kids. Eva was punching herself in the face with the balloon she was holding and then laughing hysterically. Ian was running around like a madman with a bunch of balloons. He got them all tangled up. He jumped on his mass of balloons and hid under the table and ran with the balloons. Our friends that moved to Taiwan were back for the party and Ian and E were running around together quite a bit.
R had an assortment of items to choose from to predict her future career. Despite her father urging her to pick the piggy bank, she went right for the paint brushes. An artist!
The cake was a Minnie Mouse cake from the bakery at the Hyatt. They custom made it. It was really pretty until they started hacking it up to serve it after the candle was blown out. Then Ian said,"That mouse is dead!" Other children started repeating it.
Everyone went home with red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting in cute little boxes. I ate my cupcake and then Eva's. Tasty!
We have a wedding to go to tomorrow and another birthday party on Monday. I just realized we are flying soon. Yikes!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Warm Winter Apple Snack
It is cold and grey in Seoul today. I gave Eva some Apple Cinnamon Baby yogurt and it reminded me of the apple snack I ate almost daily the last month of my pregnancy with her. So I made it.
1. Slice apple into thin slices.
2. Toss apples with cinnamon.
3. Microwave for a few minutes until soft.
It is kind of like a low calorie apple pie filling. It is quick and simple. I like eating warm foods in the winter.
If you have more time, you can bake it in the oven. If you want more sweetness (and calories), you can add honey or sugar.
1. Slice apple into thin slices.
2. Toss apples with cinnamon.
3. Microwave for a few minutes until soft.
It is kind of like a low calorie apple pie filling. It is quick and simple. I like eating warm foods in the winter.
If you have more time, you can bake it in the oven. If you want more sweetness (and calories), you can add honey or sugar.
Recycled Eva
Dress: Clothing Swap
Onesie and Shoes: Hand-Me Down from Ian
Leggings: Hand-Me Down from friend R
Socks: bought new from Target
Piano: Hand-Me Down from friend P
Recycling is great! I had to sneak the piano out of my friend's house today so that her son wouldn't see it leaving. He is 3 and though he still plays with it sometimes, there are other, more relevant large plastic toys taking up space in my friend's house so she is trying to clear some things out.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Lighting Up My Life
The tree is up! Ian and Eva immediately started banging and throwing our ornaments around (the majority of which are Egyptian glass). Miraculously, none of them broke. However, Curt broke two ornaments while attempting to stop the kids from breaking them. We left the bottom 2 feet of the tree pretty bare and used some fleece blankets under the tree to give the ornaments a chance of survival.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Birthing is a Journey: A Woman Who Serves
From the DONA website:
The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who serves" and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.
I have been asked to serve a friend on her VBAC journey. She, herself, is a certified doula. She does not need me to give her information or resources about birth or VBAC or labor coping techniques. She has read and researched much more than I have. She has attended many births as a doula and has put many techniques in practical use. So why does she need a doula herself, and why me?
Support.
Every woman needs support in her pregnancy and birthing time. Her knowledge, goals and family situation may vary, but every woman needs support. In Amy's case, she has great knowledge and a supportive husband, but she has special circumstances since her first birth was by cesarean with an inverted-T incision. It can be difficult to find the right provider for a VBAC when you have a low, transverse incision, but an inverted T makes it even harder. The importance of creating a birth team, cannot be underestimated.
I am not a certified doula, but I did go to great lengths to birth Eva. I know what it is to wear the scarlet letter that a prior c-section represents to many doctors. I know what it is to believe that I can birth my baby even when it would be more convenient for everyone else involved (other than me and the baby) to submit to a major abdominal surgery. I know the courage it takes to prepare and to believe when most people around you don't understand, or worse yet, don't believe. I know how it feels to do everything you can and then surrender to the process.
So I will serve. I will listen. I will cheer. I will encourage. I will surrender to the process of her birth. I will trust that I will have the right words at the right time, the right touch at the right time and know when to just sit quietly in the corner and do nothing but be present.
I am honored to walk this road with her and for the next 9 months, I will serve in any way I can.
The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who serves" and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.
I have been asked to serve a friend on her VBAC journey. She, herself, is a certified doula. She does not need me to give her information or resources about birth or VBAC or labor coping techniques. She has read and researched much more than I have. She has attended many births as a doula and has put many techniques in practical use. So why does she need a doula herself, and why me?
Support.
Every woman needs support in her pregnancy and birthing time. Her knowledge, goals and family situation may vary, but every woman needs support. In Amy's case, she has great knowledge and a supportive husband, but she has special circumstances since her first birth was by cesarean with an inverted-T incision. It can be difficult to find the right provider for a VBAC when you have a low, transverse incision, but an inverted T makes it even harder. The importance of creating a birth team, cannot be underestimated.
I am not a certified doula, but I did go to great lengths to birth Eva. I know what it is to wear the scarlet letter that a prior c-section represents to many doctors. I know what it is to believe that I can birth my baby even when it would be more convenient for everyone else involved (other than me and the baby) to submit to a major abdominal surgery. I know the courage it takes to prepare and to believe when most people around you don't understand, or worse yet, don't believe. I know how it feels to do everything you can and then surrender to the process.
So I will serve. I will listen. I will cheer. I will encourage. I will surrender to the process of her birth. I will trust that I will have the right words at the right time, the right touch at the right time and know when to just sit quietly in the corner and do nothing but be present.
I am honored to walk this road with her and for the next 9 months, I will serve in any way I can.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Sewing Project
Though I have had some small sewing projects in school, I never really learned to sew. I can't cut or stitch a straight line and I am not mechanically inclined, so getting proper tension on the thread, threading the machine, winding the bobbin, all big obstacles to sewing. Before Ian was born, I made a crib skirt and quilt with the help of my mom and friend, Heather. My mom is much more precise about laying out the fabric correctly and pressing the seams. That paralyzed me even more.
I've had a simple pillowcase dress pattern for months that I have been unable to get myself to make for the reasons listed above. I think I am finally starting to realize that it doesn't matter if it is perfect, I just need to do it. The pattern is very forgiving as is the cotton fabric, so I am trying to just get it done. The pattern was a PDF so I got it printed and put together and then I cut it out. Now it is pinned together and ready to be stitched.
So the question is, how long will it take me to wind and load the bobbin, thread the machine and stitch?
I've had a simple pillowcase dress pattern for months that I have been unable to get myself to make for the reasons listed above. I think I am finally starting to realize that it doesn't matter if it is perfect, I just need to do it. The pattern is very forgiving as is the cotton fabric, so I am trying to just get it done. The pattern was a PDF so I got it printed and put together and then I cut it out. Now it is pinned together and ready to be stitched.
So the question is, how long will it take me to wind and load the bobbin, thread the machine and stitch?
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