Week 35...Oh so close...

We're really counting down the weeks until our baby arrives. It is hard to believe that 8 months have passed by and we're entering our ninth month ever so soon. The changes are huge, and Mimi would be the first to say, "Can we have this baby yet?"

Sleep has been a big issue for Mimi lately. At least the past two nights, and maybe more than she has not mentioned, she has woken up in the middle of the night an been unable to fall back asleep. Every woman who had a baby is telling me that they have gone through this. I really do believe it is natures way of preparing the mother for motherhood. Getting them ready to wake up in the morning when the baby cries. Waking them up to attend and getting the woman (an man) used to the routine. Last night was the one few times I heard her get up in the middle of the night and I woke up too. I tried (in my sleepy tone) to get her to come with me to eat a bowl of cereal and try to get up with her. She just told me to go back to sleep. Bear in mind, this was at 5:00 am. I have no idea how much longer she was up before that, but she eventually went down to the living room and I heard her talking with her mother. I was glad that her mother was up already, so that Mimi could have some company at that time of the morning. I know that when the baby comes, I'm going to be up with her to help with the baby. My only question is, how am I going to get used to waking up at all hours of the night. I think we're both going to be so tired. Ugh, just the thought of being tired is making me tired, and I just got up and am having my first cup of coffee.

Today is the baby shower that Evelyn is hosting for her. I'm excited because this is a time for Mimi to celebrate the work she has done thus far of carrying the baby girl. Plus, we finally get some payback for the times that we gave baby gifts. We're not done yet since we're going to make sure we do the red egg and ginger thing after the baby is born. Oh ya, we have people still to get in touch with. I'm really thankful for people like Evelyn who are so caring. She is with her son Thomas and he is only a little more than a month old. She must be so tired and needing to feed so often and yet she was willing to host this baby shower. God bless her heart. We've gotten some gifts already. Cynthia already gave us some nice stuff off of the registry. Hee-jung sent us a baby carrier. Kristi sent us some items off the registry too. Selina gave us some clothes and bibs. Even Debbie Chiu gave us some baby things off the registry. Oh ya, and Melissa gave us the car seat carrier, which my parents already bought for us. I guess we're going to have to return it and we'll use that money to purchase the baby monitor. Good thing we can return them to babies r us as needed.

So I have been reading more and more about the phases of labor and delivery. The reason I keep reading over this material is that I feel I need to know what to expect with the baby on the way. In some ways I feel like I'm preparing for a test or practical examination and I'm going to be graded. I know it sounds so Asian of me, but there is that pressure. I think it has something to do with how I grew up and my own father drilling it into my head to study hard, study hard. There was the pressure for perfection. Did I every attain that level of perfection...no. I was an average student, and by average I am talking about B's and C's with a few A's scattered in the mix. I was in no way every very smart nor did I have much confidence in what I was doing. I'm still surprised that I made it this far in life regarding education. I did know that when I eventually worked I would do a good job because I am a dedicated and hard working employee and I have the desire to climb the ranks with increased responsibility. Why did I go off on this tangent, I think it is because I have work on my mind right now. Anyway, I am trying to learn more and more about what parenthood is like so I can be as prepared as possible. There are still more things to complete, like getting the baby room/office finalized. The crib and changing table/dresser are the two last things we need before we're ready to go. We're also considering to look at mini vans since the car industry is taking a hit. We'll look sometime this weekend and if we decide to stick with one car over the other then we'll install the car seat into Mimi's car since it is the most reliable of the three.

During my last post I was talking about the transition I was making to having Mimi's mother back with us. I have to say that I'm feeling much better about where we all are. I think we've all gotten into our routine, though there have been some additions that we were not anticipating. We got cable tv installed into our home for her mother. Now I know that I'm complaining because it costs an arm and a leg these days, but I have to say that even the first day of having it, I just wanted to watch and watch. There were so many things on tv and I knew that it would suck my time away. That is why this morning, I made it a point to not go directly to the tv and to do my journaling for the baby. So yes Mimi, as you're reading this, I do like it but I'm trying to stay balanced, and when the six months are over we'll drop down to limited basic like we planned. We don't need extended. I also have to say that it is a real blessing to have Mimi's mother cooking for us every night. I can come home and exercise and join the dinner. Mimi has been on liver transplant so she has been getting home super late. Kitchen wise, her mother keeps the place in order. I just have to take care of the other areas of the home. Today is my day to clean up.

So I finally booked the tickets for my parents to come and help us out. They will fly in on January 31 and leave on April 7th. That is a pretty long time and I think Mimi is wondering how that will be, just as I was worried about having her mother return. I realized I'm really going to have to talk with my parents and give them some guidelines to work with. I think my dad will be fine, by I can see my mother wanting to impose her thoughts and traditions on us. I'm just going to have to kindly decline and redirect the conversation. I did tell my father last night that I have a gardening project for him. It entails planting some flowers and or/fruit trees in the back. That would be pretty cool if he was able to take care of that, with our input as well. I do want to give him an element of freedom, but just not where he makes some fantasy land out of the flowers and other toys. That just gets a little weird. We'll have to work out a budget for the gardening and go from there.

And finally, we're approaching week 37 which is essentially when the baby is full term. At full term we can have the baby and she will be fine, or fully developed. Mimi asked her OB whether she could induce earlier, like a week. Sounded like her OB said it was ok, and that we should pre-register for the admission. I guess this means if we induce, the baby will come earlier and maybe not have her birthday on Christmas. I think Mimi is very much ready to have this baby and get back to her normal weight. I know it has been hard, and given that she is on her feet most of the day, I can understand that it would be even more difficult. Many times I worry about her, that the way she works so hard and pushes herself might be detrimental to the baby, at least in the earlier stages of the pregnancy. I know I just need to keep quiet and pray for the baby, because I feel that if I nag that only adds more stress and pressure to Mimi and it is already hard enough.

Well, we're getting closer and closer and pretty soon, I'll have to print this up for Mimi to read when she is in the hospital. At least that is my plan. Who knows if she'll even want to read all of this. I guess if she doesn't than I will since it is my chronology of the past 9 months leading up to this day. God has been very good to us and I have no doubt that He will take care of this baby girl we have.