May you all have a wonderful, safe, happy and healthy 2006...

 

Linda xoxo

I don't recall ever being this tired, this achey, this much in discomfort when I was pregnant with Sophia.  A lot of people has asked me if the second pregnancy is the same as the first.  My first and quick response is, HELL NO!  It's a little different, but the pains will always be there no matter what.  My feet hurts.  My legs tire very easily (walking up the train station stairs makes me really winded).  I try not to sit on the floor as getting up results in a loud grunt.  I try not to bend down as my back is already in pain (I usually tell Sophia to pick things up or I kick stuff to the side or pray Phil will help pick it up- not).   Even getting up from the bed is chore- my wrists get weak when I put pressure on them.  And sitting is tiring too (my arse hurts after awhile).

 

Sophia, I dealt with constant nausea for about six months (maybe even more), achey wrists (I had to take links out of my watch because my wrists shrunk!), not getting seats on the train (I even marked down how many times I was offered a seat- many made believed they didn't see me, continued to read their book/magazine or closed their eyes.  But those who did offer, it was hands down WOMEN, NOT MEN!) and having a c-section (and later it was losing my gall bladder).

 

I caught the taping of Martha Stewart show- the one that I was on a few months back.  I saw myself in the beginning of the show for about a good five seconds.  Not sure if I'll be shown again...

The tree has cometh down. 

Almost every year around this time, Phil's sister, Agnes and her family comes up to visit from Maryland.  Usually they just come up for the day, but for the first this time, they decided to stay for the night.  There were thoughts of them staying over here, but I nixed that quickly.  It's not like we have two bathrooms or extra space.  Our apartment is rather small to offer a family of four.  And why inconvenience me?  Don't they know I make frequent stops to the bathroom in the middle of the night???  Talk about uncomfortable!  THANK GOD my sister-in-law Janice offered her place to them (she's staying at her mother's for the week).  She's the best.

 

Now that family is in town, there's just a flurry of constant activities.  Dim sum, brunch, dinner, kids in the house, shopping- catering to everybody's whim.  It's so tiring and I'm mentally exhausted.

 

I am so ready to start the new year. 

Merry Christmas!

I went shopping with a kid in tow.  Thank goodness the weather held up- it was in the 50s.  Perfect weather to shop (and to drag Sophia out).  I really didn't know how Sophia was going to behave especially when there was a lot of walking involved.  (Actually, my father was supposed to watch Sophia BUT because it's his birthday, he went out last night and his friends got him WASTED.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY Daddy!)

 

We took the train to the Apple store and picked up a gift certificate.  Total madhouse there, but luckily I was on the express register.  Then we picked up a winter jacket for my dad at Eddie Bauer (Sophia chose the olive colored jacket).  That's when Sophia decided she had to pee.  I told her to hold it when we had just a couple more blocks before we got to Daffy's, my mother's favorite store in the whole wide world (I have zero patience shopping at this store- you have to literally go through each and every item in order to see if you like it).  Sophia was good about holding it and we managed to get to the bathroom without any accidents.  I bought my mom a gift certificate.  I was done SHOPPING.  HALLELUJAH!

 

I promised Sophia pizza (she likes hers with pepperoni) so we hit the pizzeria and shared a side salad as well.  She started picking on the shredded carrots and next thing you know, she was eating the lettuce (she normally doesn't eat it), cucumbers and tomatoes.  One day she likes salad, the next day she doesn't.  I swear her taste buds change every day.

 

Sophia was such a good girl outside, she became a monster when we got home.  She wouldn't nap and I was dying for one.  I think I passed out on my bed before she fell asleep on hers.

 

At least shopping for Christmas is over.  But the best part has yet to come- the day AFTER Christmas.  Everything 50% or more off.  Wee!

I'm not sure how I feel about having Johnny Damon as a Yankee.  As he follows the footsteps of Wade Boggs (who indeed help us win the World Series in '96- I WAS AT THE GAME!) and Roger Clemens ('99), perhaps this could be a sign the Yankees will win a World Series this coming year.  Aww yeahhh!

 

But I might have to forgive Johnny Damon for being an ex-Red Sox.  Afterall, he's half Thai, so I gotta cheer for my Asian brother!

 

Go Yankees!

The strike is FINALLY over.  I'll get my husband back and for Christmas, I'll get a nice winter coat, compliments of TWU.

 

I tried to find my winter coat at Century 21 but they didn't have anything I liked.  Looks like I'll have to schlep up to Macy's after Christmas for better selections.  BTW, Century 21 was not crowded at all.  Infact, it was pretty dismal.  The streets on the way there were pretty empty too.  It was a bad sign for retailers, that's for sure.

 

Since the transit system will be up tomorrow, I'm going to make an attempt to get my Christmas shopping done.  I know, I should have gotten it done earlier since I don't really have a job, but being sick, pregnant, transit strike and the cold weather all affected my shopping spree. 

 

At least now everyone can enjoy their holidays...

It seems as though the second day of transit strike fared better.  (Then again, what do I know?  I don't even have a full-time job to commute to!) Traffic seems to flow better today in my neighborhood, that's for sure.  (Mind you, I live inbetween two major bridges and have a full view of them.)  Last night there were a lot of cars stuck in traffic in my hood at 9p.  I thought the traffic would never clear up.  Tonight, it was pretty quiet around 8p.  Yesterday was a test run, today it looked as if the kinks were fine tuned.  Now if the helicopters would stop hovering around my neighborhood so early in the morning, I'd probably sleep better.

 

Do the transit workers know what they just did?  They just fucked everybody's holiday party.  They just fucked the mom and pop stores that depend on us consumers to spend during the holidays.  They just fucked the restaurants that was to cater the parties and they depend on diners to sit and eat.  Especially the elders, who depend on mass transit to get to their appointments, drugstores or even the grocery stores.  And the hard-working masses that depend on the holidays to make it in the red or just break even are not even close to it now.  Thanks, you dumb ass morons.  Bah humbug to you.

 

They have some set of balls to complain about how unfair and rough it is to be working in their environment.  You've got to be kidding me.  NYC Police officers, firemen, sanitation workers, teachers, all city workers have it just as bad (if not worse) than they do.  They all have unions representing them as well.  Their contracts ALWAYS go up.  Have you ever seen them walk off the job?  NO.  Instead, they protest, rant and rave like what most law abiding citizen would do. You don't see them cause fucking chaos and endangering people's lives in the city.  

 

The transit workers can eat shit for all I care.  Give them the middle finger and fire these lazy mofos and hire ones that wouldn't mind having their pay and pension.  Whiney bitches.

My sister Judy and her husband Rolly are on vacation in Honduras (Rolly is Honduran) and are having a grand ol' time.  I would be too if I wasn't sitting in 20 something degree weather.  Here's an excerpt of her e-mails:

 

day 1:  we´re in la ceiba now.  didn´t take the ferry.  so we saved about $30!  woohoo.  weather is hot and sticky.  mountains are beautiful at airport.  clouds look like you can pick them from out of the sky and eat em like marshmallows.  just glad to be on land and ready to head to the jungle river lodge, we´re waiting for the driver to come git us.  so far peeps are nice.  will catch ya when we can. 

 

Lesterhead posted something what I had thought about this morning- about surviving some disasters in NYC.  Pretty funny and odd how I've avoided being at work for all three- 9/11, the blackout and now, transit strike.

 

9/11- I never made into work.  I was home when it had happened.  My boss told me to go in, but Phil's gut instinct was to stay put (he was home), so I listened to hubby and luckily I did.

 

Blackout- I left work early to go to the hospital at Union Square to get my blood taken for my laproscopic surgery (removing my gall bladder).  From the hospital I walked home, which took me about 45 minutes.

 

Transit strike- I lucked out once again, being semi-unemployed.

 

Funny part of it all, my ex-colleague, Melissa, IM'd me and said the temp service we signed up earlier this year FINALLY called her- they were very desperate to get temps.  Finally because they never called her ONCE for work!

 

BTW, if there's anyone to blame, don't blame the mayor.  He's got nothing to do with it.  It's the governor!  And the transit workers (read Lester's opinion- I wholeheartedly agree with her)!

I was just commenting to my friend Norm on e-mail how Sophia LOOOOVES to screw with Phil when it's time for bed.  She'll scheme and plot out ways just to get Phil to rescue her out of the crib.  First plan is to scream out she has to pee.  Second, poo.  Most of the time, she doesn't have to do either- I make sure she uses the bathroom before she lands in her crib.  Third, can be a toss-up- gotta blow her nose, got a booger, gotta clip her nails (I forgot to add this to her obsessiveness), ANYTHING just to see if Daddy really does rescue her. 

 

When Phil works at nights, she doesn't DARE to mess with me.  Maybe once in a blue moon, she claims she needs to poo and she actually does.  She knows who will put her in the corner without a moment's notice.  She knows who will whack her bottom.  She knows who will raise her voice.  And she knows who will threaten to call Santa and tell him to not give any presents and leave coals in her stocking.

 

Don't mess with Mama.  Mama ain't no fool.

The baby is HEAD DOWN!  Hurrah!  That means I can try to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after C-section) although I could still end up having a C at the end.  Anything can happen.  (If you're curious to know in which direction the baby's facing- look here, under LOA.) 

 

I also filled out a form to have my tubes tied (sorry Mi-chelle, my belle) ONLY if I end up having a C (my insides would be open anyway- gross huh).  If I have a VBAC, Phil is getting snipped (sorry boys).  I just don't want to take the chance of having that "mistake" child even if it is a blessing or a miracle or God saying, "The third is a charm to have a boy."  Fuck that!  Definitely not coming from my coochie.  Don't people understand the chances of having a child with health risks is high once the mother is over 35 years old?   Besides, I'd like to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary in three years WITHOUT kids in tow (as long as Grandma and Grandpa will agree to babysit for a few days- hee hee).

 

Wow, less than six weeks, this kiddo is O-U-T.  Thank God.  She can take my boobs temporarily, but I'd like to have MY body back.

I'm slowly recovering from the cold/cough.  All I can say is, THANK GOD FOR MY PARENTS.  They took care of her most of the past weekend, giving me the chance to rest (and watch nonsense TV).  I accidentally took one too many Sudafeds (they're not perforated in single doses, they're perforated in TWO doses- WHY?).  Hopefully it didn't hurt the baby.

 

Sophia has several quirky obsessions that are pretty funny:

 

That's all I can think of in my clogged head.

 

Gotta get ready for my doctor's appointment.  Getting a sonogram to see if the baby's head is up or down.

I've succumbed to taking Robitussin and soon, Sudafed (all are okay to take when one is pregnant).  In addition to my cough/cold, my sinus is acting up which is giving me a throbbing headache on my head and eyes. 

 

The worst part about being sick- I can't kiss Sophia nor could I smell her (it is an addicting scent). 

The runs have finally ceased but the cold/cough got me good. 

 

I'll be holed up in the house, transit strike/snow/sleet/rain or not.

 

I jumped ahead too quickly.  The stool is still loose.  Back on the crackers/pedialyte/toast/gatorade diet once again. 

 

Crap (no pun intended).

Phew.  I am feeling much MUCH better today.  Infact, I was so hungry last night, I had mint chocolate chip ice cream and Chex Mix.  Mmm.

I lied about the Chinese tea (it's supposed to work, but it hasn't).  The runs are still within me.

Ah, it's that time of year.  No, not Christmas or New Year's.  It's the nominations for the Golden Globe Awards.  I am such a award show whore, it's not even funny.  I love to see what the ladies are wearing and I love cheering on my favorite actors (both genders) and films.

 

Bummers Gong Li wasn't nominated for Best Supporting Actress in "Memoirs of a Geisha."  And bummers to "2046" that wasn't nominated for "Best Foreign Film" (if you've never seen any of Kar Wai Wong's films, a must see are "In the Mood For Love" and "Chungking Express").

 

Ecstatic that Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain) and Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy) are being nominated for their work (Sandra better win.  Has anyone noticed the resemblence between her and Lucy Liu in Ally McBeal?  Okay, Lucy was being portrayed as the stereotypical Asian "Dragon Lady", but Sandra is playing a character similiar to a DL.  Hardcore on the outside, mushy on the inside.  I can go on analyzing about this, but I'll stop.)

 

As you can see, I am very excited for my fellow Asians being recognized for their hard work on the screen.  It's been long overdue!  Asians reppin' (that's the ghetto side of me)!

First of all, I'd like to say, Happy (belated) Anniversary to my parents who just celebrated their 36th year!

 

I couldn't join in the family festivities last night.  Actually, make that a "we" couldn't join everyone.  I had a bad case of diarrhea, Sophia, her runny nose and Phil, his usual cold/cough he's been infected with.  I didn't want to get Judy and Rolly sick before their big vacation trip to Honduras, otherwise I would have sent Sophia over (they love her to bits).

 

As for the diarrhea (or vomiting) remedy, here it goes:  You should drink Pedialyte (the kids drink) to re-hydrate yourself.  Gatorade is a good alternative, but I think it has too much sodium in it.  Eat only dry crackers, plain toast, bananas or rice.  And the best (and cheapest medicine), buy yourself a can of Chinese black tea (not sure if the Lipton Orange Pekoe works).  I swear to you, it works instantly.

 

By the way, my wedding band and engagement rings are officially off my ring finger.  My hands swell from time to time.  Fun.

Sophia had been sneezing quite often over the weekend.  She probably caught it while she was at the Christmas kiddie party on Wednesday or at Kaela's birthday dinner on Thursday (apparently, Kaela was sick but neither parents informed me when Sophia gave her a birthday kiss- how rude!  I fucking hate that!).  But today, I knew she had caught the cold.  Goddammit.  Not only is she sick, Phil is too (the boy needs to learn how to wash his hands with S-O-A-P at work) .  That would only mean in a matter of time, I will be too.  Double goddammit.

 

Anyhows, Saturday we drove out to Dyker Heights in Brooklyn to check out the Christmas decorations that crazy homeowners decide to go all out.  Some of the decorations were very nice, a few were absolutely amazing.  Sophia kept commenting, "Oooh, preeetty."  I was busy checking out the houses- they were GINORMOUS.  Not that I could ever live in a house that big (I'm afraid of my own shadow), but it was just too beautiful to not admire.  After viewing a block of the Christmas decorations, Phil noticed he had a flat tire (turned out a nail was stuck in the tire).  It must have happened when we parked it the car to take a closer look at the houses because the car wasn't driving lopsided on the way over.  We managed to make it to a nearby gas station to pump some air into the tire, at least temporarily until we made it to L&B Spumoni Gardens (food portions were huge and the famous spumoni was yummy-licious).  Phil called my parents to have them pick us up while Phil replaced the busted tire with a spare tire (he didn't want us sitting in the car with a spare tire).  What an evening.

 

Sunday, we went to another Christmas kiddie party.  They had a magician that performed tricks on a rabbit and two doves which Sophia loved (she was the first one to run up and touch the rabbit).  I was very surprised Sophia sat in the midst of kids surrounding her and fought her way to sit up front.  Infact, when the magician was taking a break, Phil went over to ask if she wanted water or juice, she shooed him away, totally mortified her father was checking on her (ya know, she's got an image to upkeep).  She didn't care for the magic tricks- I think she was too young to understand the jokes or she was impatient Santa was taking way too long to distribute the presents (every half hour she was asking me where Santa was).

 

Thank God the Christmas parties are over with (actually I was invited to two more but declined one and still deciding on the other).  I still need to send out Christmas cards and purchase Christmas gifts for my parents, sisters and Phil.  Ahh, the Christmas holidays...gotta love the rush.

For the third time in one week, it snowed.  And I still don't have a proper snowsuit or snowboots for Sophia (they're all from last year and it's too small for her).  It seems to be a hot commodity on EBay and I refuse to pay for a used snowsuit over $30.  Snowboots, I haven't found one that I liked, but I'm waiting to see which snowsuit I buy so at least it sorta matches her outfit.

 

Wednesday night, we went to Phil's office Christmas kiddie party.  It was an indoor playground for kids- two mini-trains and a small race car kids can ride on.  Plus one of those thing-a-ma-jigs where kids jump in and be smothered with the gazillions of multi-colored balls (we had a hard time getting a static-hair Sophia out, she didn't want to leave).  I was very surprised Sophia wasn't afraid of Santa.  She constantly waved to Santa and wouldn't leave until I told her to come out of the room where Santa was getting ready.  Santa was giving out presents to all the kids in a small room.   It was very crowded and I didn't want to get claustrophobic, so Phil went in with her.  I watched through the window from outside.  Sophia was extremely disturbed all the kids were getting gifts but her, so she stuck her two little arms out and opened her hands and said to Santa in Korean, "Choo say yo" meaning, "Please give it to me."  Santa didn't hear her- I guess it was too noisy and he was busy distributing gifts.  It was so farkin' cute, I wish I had my camera on hand (the bag was inside the room, oh well).  She didn't realize she had to wait until Santa called her name. 

 

Couple of movies I would like to see before the Golden Globes/Oscars or before I give birth:

 

-Brokeback Mountain (Ang Lee better be nominated for Best Director this time around- he was shut out for Sense and Sensibility)

-Narnia (LOVED the book as a child, but not sure how I'd feel about seeing it translated by someone else)

-Pride and Prejudice (LOVED the original Firth/Ehle mini-series.  Not a huge fan of Knightley though I do like MacFayden from MI-5).

-Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

 

Not sure how I feel about seeing Memoirs of a Geisha.  I loved this book.  And once I heard Hollywood was going to make it into a film, I felt they would fuck it up.  The casting is all wrong.  Why did they cast Zhang Ziyi as the lead actress and not a Japanese actress?  Okay, I do know why, but still, they might as well have casted Nicole Kidman or Renee Zellweger as lead and paint their faces like how Jonathan Pryce taped his eyelids as an Asian man on the Broadway show in "Miss Saigon."  And they had Gong Li and Michelle Yeoh as geishas?  Where are the Japanese actresses???  For lead actor, instead of Ken Watanbe, they should have casted Takeshi Kaneshiro (he was awesome in House of Flying Daggers and oh, so very H-O-T).  There are no subtitles in this movie (from what I understand), how strange considering it takes place in Japan.  I heard Gong Li was awesome portraying as a mega-bitch geisha- something worthy to see.  Her name has been buzzing around for Best Supporting Actress in the Golden Globes and/or Oscar. 

 

Anyhow, those are my two cents for the year.

It was definitely like old times at Sylvia's (ex-CEO of Elektra) gathering.  It was held at Rhone (same as last year's), in the Meatpacking district.  It was pretty dark inside, a bit hard to see people's faces unless you were sitting/standing at the bar.  The DJ played some great tunes, making some people dance (I heard SR was dancing with Rich B- eww).  Thanks to Sylvia, the bar was open (I had a cranberry seltzer- oh what fun)!

 

A lot of the people I was hoping to see wasn't there, especially the marketing ladies (Heather C and Randi).  I knew Michelle and Dana wouldn't make it, but there was still a bit of hope they would make a surprise debut.  Brian (my boss) ACTUALLY came out to the shindig (he generally doesn't attend these gatherings, he'd rather be home).  His exact words were, "I thought it was time."   We got to catch up while I drove him home. 

 

It seemed like everyone was doing well.  Those who were still in the music industry said the people they work with aren't even close to being like the Elektra people (most of us would concede we were very family oriented).  Everyone who saw me, congratulated me, patted my belly (it didn't bother me that they touched me, it's strangers who touch me, bothers me!) and was genuinely interested to know what I've been up to (and vice versa).  All in all, most of the people I saw, I was very happy to see and to chat with. 

Today I had an appointment with the doctor for my monthly checkup.  I gained eight pounds within the past month (oink!), which makes it a total weight gain of 23lbs.  The doctor said I am a good candidate to have a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) since the first time I had a C because Sophia was breeched.  She booked me for a scheduled cesarean for the first week of February just in case baby girl doesn't want to come out on my due date.  The doctor also suggested if I wanted my tubes tied (OHH YES I DO- THIS BODY AIN'T A BABY FACTORY!), this would be a great time to do it since I'm right there.  I was hoping Phil would get it done instead of me, but we'll see.  For this month, I have to see the doctor's every two weeks and every week in next month.  My next appointment the doctor will do a sonogram to see whether the baby is head down or head up.  I have a feeling the baby is head down - I feel different when I carried Sophia and a bit heavy down there.

 

I've been asked if there will be a shower thrown for me.  I told my mother and sister to NOT throw one because I didn't want to feel like I'm begging for gifts.  If people want to give, fine, I can't stop them.  But I don't want to throw a party in order to make someone buy anything for us.  I did register a few stuff (pacifer, breastmilk bags, etc.), but it was intentionally done to remind myself what needs to be picked up. 

 

I'll post more later about last night's "Second Annual Elektrifying Christmas Reunion Party."  It's naptime for me...

Snape killed Dumbledore!!!!!!!!!!!!

My mother just phoned to tell me she spent over $1000 on Frette bedding.  Nuts.  That's at least five days in a private room at the hospital!

 

And my sister bought Sophia Tims (I don't like the way it looks- it's so...ghetto).

 

Okay, I'm a bit jealous everyone is spending like money grows on trees.  Man, being partially unemployed and frugal sure sucks.

Yesterday I attended May's baby shower at a yummy-licious restaurant called Dips.  I had so much cheese fondue (perfect way to get the calcium in me), I thought I'd die in heaven.  For dessert, they had beautifully decorated cupcakes from Cupcake Cafe AND chocolate fondue (not that I'm a huge fan of chocolate, but they had rice krispies, strawberries, bananas, brownies, pineapples to dip in the chocolate). 

 

Someone had asked me if I knew everyone at the party.  It was definitely strange- I did know bits of people here and there.  One group I knew from my childhood, another from a high school crowd, one woman is my friend's wife, one woman knows my sister Judy and I met May (the shower being thrown for) through Norm (Norm is in the same year as Phil, so we all hung out in the same crowd and known him since junior high school).  It was indeed a small world and how everyone is connected!  By the way, May is looking GREAT- her bump is round like a little soccer ball while my bump is oval shaped.  And we're due about nine days apart from each other!

 

I had intended to leave early- just so I could go home and get some rest and nap (I am on a nap routine- if I don't nap, I get extremely tired and cranky- but that's nothing new).  Turns out, I stayed there much longer that I anticipated, chatting away and stuffing my face.  The party was very nicely done and I walked away with a prize too (guess how many diapers and decorations are in the diaper cake- it was 240 and I guessed 200- aww yeah). 

 

By the way, my parents bought Sophia a $400 train set from Lionel.  I don't see the facination in it.  Maybe I just think $400 is just way too extreme to have a stupid train running around in a small apartment.  Or maybe I just find it silly to spend $400 on a toy train (supposedly it's the best kind out there).  Infact, I told my parents $400 would get me a private room in the hospital (I shouldn't have said that- I know my dad would pay for it in a flash if I wanted one, but that too is just a waste of money, unless of course, your neighbor is annoying).  I think secretly my father has always wanted to have a train set of his own.  Dork.

 

Snow's a-coming tonight and Sophia doesn't have a proper snowsuit.  Her 2T snowjacket from last year is too small.  Nor does she have winter boots (although I think my sister Kim is going to buy her Tims later...another waste of money when I can buy one off of EBay for less than $15).  I better find a snowsuit quickly on EBay.

 

I think I've turned into a frugal machine.

And Robin (Lesterhead) has added another pickup story:

 

"Don't forget our lunch at "A Friend at Hand" pub in London, when those nasty old drunk men were all over us!"

 

Great.  I must REALLY do attract old men.  Eww.

This is what Heather L. had to say about our drinking episode years ago:

 

"The first time it was you, Marisol, Debbie and me on the Upper East Side.  The second time (that I got picked up by old men) was when you and I were at the Heartland Brewery next to the NBC building.  Remember those two old men?  I felt like such a second wheel.  Just these two old men totally chatting you up and I was an afterthought."

 

It was slowly coming back to me.  One old guy kept talking about a company he owned.  Plus he kept talking about himself non-stop.  He looked about in his late 40s, early 50s (I could be wrong), not very good looking in my book.  I think they bought us a round of drinks (by this time I was getting way tipsy).  As for the second guy, I can't remember if he was younger (I think he was), but he didn't talk much.

 

Heather said, "Then we went outside with them.   I think they had a football.  They were stupid."

 

I remember the football because they were tossing it around outside the NBC building.   They were stupid- stupid in a way to think they were gonna score on a beautiful Georgia woman and a drunk Asian chick who kept talking about sports.  I think the old guy gave me his business card (which I tossed).  Heather and I had a good laugh about the evening as we walked to the train station.

 

Sigh, good ol' days...

This is what my friend, Heather L. said about my "Pick Up Line" post-

 

"Those old men love you!"

 

Years ago, I went out with a bunch of my colleagues at Elektra- Debbie, Victoria, Heather and I (or was it Marisol and not Victoria?  Heather, please clarify).  I don't recall what happened that night except we were barhopping around the Upper East Side.  I do remember a much older man, probably in his 50s-60s, had asked me if I would like to join him at another bar (I think he owned a bar next door).   It wasn't like he was chatting me or the girls up.   He just came over and out of nowhere, invited me (but I think he also asked the girls except they refused to believe that).  The story stuck for years between Heather and I.   I can't help it if old men at bars just find me irresistible!

I'm in the elevator with an old man, on my way to the laundry room when he says to me, "You have nice feet.  Has anyone told you that?" 

 

Did he just try to pick a pregnant woman up?

Sophia loves singing Jingle Bells these days.  But with her kiddie voice, it sounds more like, "cha siew bow, cha siew bow, chahn bow, sahn yewk bow" (various Chinese buns), with the help of my dad's lyrics.  It's a lot more funny if you heard her sing it.

 

I'm obsessed with looking for a snowsuit and/or snow jacket and bib on EBay for her this winter.  I don't want to pay $70 at the stores for a snow outfit that she'll only wear for a few months.  I know baby number two will be wearing it too, but still, it's nuts how kids totally outgrow their clothes in one season. 

 

Our Christmas tree is up, thanks to Grandma and Grandpa (my parents).  They came over last night to put it up and decorate it.  It's a small one, a 4ft balsam (I think).  My mother had some old Christmas decorations she made over 10 years ago.  You would never guess they were handmade unless you look at closely.  She also made the angel by hand.  If you turn the angel upside down, you'll see an old 7up bottle.  My mother is one crafty woman.  Too bad none of her daughters (including me) inherited the skill or even have the eye and hand for it.  Maybe except for learning how to put a cigarette in our mouths.  HAHAHAHA.

When I go to sleep, I am forced to lie on my left shoulder (they say it's healthier for you and the baby).  It's hard to sleep in that position when I'm used to sleeping on my right shoulder.  I guess the baby feels the same way.  Not even one minute on my left side, the baby starts kicking and jumping around like she's on a trampoline.  I ignore the kicks and try to sleep.  Still kicking.  I put my hand on my belly and I can feel there's a lot of squirming going on.  I feel a part of her bone, perhaps part of her leg or arm.  She moves it away.  She is very determined to get her way.  I give up the fight to sleep on the left side and switch to my right side and miraculously, the kicking ceases.  I can go to sleep now.

 

The dark line (medically known as linea nigra) on my belly is starting to appear.  The line will go away after I give birth. 

 

Sophia's never been much of a crier from the minute she was born (I even had to ask the doctor and Phil why hasn't she cried when she came out).  Whether I spank her arse or put her in the corner for a time out, she never shedded a tear.  But for the past few weeks, she's been super sensitive.  The minute I raise my voice at her, the floodgates open and come pouring out.  I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the baby coming, but I'm assuming it does. 

 

I've been trying to find a pre-school for Sophia to enroll in January.  With the winter weather coming, it's definitely going to keep her indoors with me- so not good.  I'll need all the rest I can get.  But now I'm screwed because of my poor planning.  Where we live, either ya gotta be in the lower income or high income bracket, not in between, in order to afford to send your child to a good daycare.  And since we're practically living on one income these days, frankly, we just can't afford to send her to the best school.  Hopefully we can get her in summer school (in order for her to enroll for the fall, she would need to enroll for the summer).  I'll have to go back to work to make some extra cash and have the nanny care for the baby. 

 

Oh, did I mention the nanny is leaving us next October???  We are so fucked.