Misc Posts
Here are a mix of all my random/miscellaneous thoughts and ideas that I feel do not have a specific home with any other categories. Hopefully my random thoughts inspires some of you!
77 Misc Posts since 2010
Week 23 Bumpdate
Hey hey everyone!
I know I’m posting much later than usual but I was having issues and momentarily lost this post! Hubs came to the rescue and recovered it but then we got preoccupied with painting the little one’s nursery! YAY! Hubs is upstairs painting now while I stay away from the fumes and rest, hehe.
Ever since I’ve gotten home from our Babymoon I’ve been busy busy organizing our house and trying to take care of projects that I’ve been meaning to finish for the past 1-2 years. It feels SO GOOD to finally be able to check these things off my things-t0-do list! Also, I’ve been trying to find an official place for everything in our house so that once Baby girl comes we’re a lot more prepared for the chaos, haha. Hubs has been working on preparing the nursery and he’s determined to get that room painted by tonight- exciting! I’ve made my final decision for the paint color so I’m praying that I’ll love it once it’s done! It’s really hard to decide on paint colors especially since the colors change depending on lighting! And seriously, how many types of gray can there possibly be???
Anyway, let’s move on to this week’s Bumpdate!
I love this photo idea!
How far along?
23 weeks
Size of baby?
11.5 inches – the size of a large mango- yum!
Total Weight Gain/Loss?
Hopefully still on track… Maybe I should start weighing myself again. I’m just afraid I’ll faint once I see the number, haha. But I guess that’s a good way to make sure that I don’t gain any excess weight during this pregnancy.
Maternity Clothes?
100% maternity bottoms and maybe 50% maternity tops. I hate feeling constricted so today I’m lounging in my maternity leggings and a stretchy top!
Stretch Marks?
It’s becoming more apparent that my pregnancy body type is more like Kim Kardashian- big boobs and big hips on a short body. I might have developed some more stretch marks in those two areas over the last week or so. Still none on my belly.
Best Moments?
Being in Kauai with my love and now being back home and ramping up into nesting mode!
Movement?
Baby girl was moving around SO much last night! Hubs could totally feel her crazy moves through my belly. Fortunately after he told her to go to sleep she calmed down and we were all able to get a good nights rest. 
Food Cravings?
I’m loving salads these days. I think it’s because I felt so deprived while we were in Kauai, haha. Hubs and I are trying to keep each other accountable to eat pretty healthy going forward. It’ll be a challenge when I’m going through my cravings but it’s what’s best for our little girl.
Anything making you queasy or sick?
Nope and loving it!!
What I miss?
Same as always- Sushi and unlimited coffee
Symptoms?
I’ve been pretty symptom-free for the past couple weeks and it’s GLORIOUS! I’m also starting to feel more spurts of energy throughout the day although I still need my breaks, of course. I’m taking advantage of this time to work hard at prepping the house and nursery!
Labor signs?
Nope!
In!
Off!
I’m sleeping really well now that I’m finally back in my own comfortable bed! And my middle-of-the-night bathroom runs are becoming less consistent, woohoo!
My mama and I will probably be going fabric shopping this week to start some of the projects I have in mind for the nursery. I already can’t wait for the nursery to be finished (when it has barely begun, hahaha).
22 Week Bumpdate – Babymooning in Kauai!
Aloha everyone!
Hubs and I have been basking in the beauty of Kauai for our Babymoon this week and we’re LOVING it! We’ve been eating good food and exploring different beaches around the island. Hubs is also having so much fun in our open-top Jeep rental, I think a part of him wants to buy one even though it’s super impractical in rainy Seattle.
Here are a few photos I’ve snapped on my phone so far. I’ll get some more off my camera later on perhaps once we’re home and I have my own laptop to work off of.
Kauai Waffle from Hanalei Coffee Roasters
It was yummy but we decided we probably wouldn’t go back for seconds
Hubs working on the beach!
Hanalei Bay
Our favorite lunch place so far!
Chicken in a Barrel – Sampler Plate
I was laying on the beach today when my phone alerted me that I’ve started week 22 of my pregnancy! I’ve been so preoccupied having fun that I completely forgot!
Here are my bumpdates for the week!
How far along?
22 weeks
Size of baby?
11 inches – the size of a spaghetti squash. I’m definitely starting to feel the extra weight in my protruding tummy especially when I’m walking too fast, haha
Total Weight Gain/Loss?
Let’s say I’m still on track! We’ve been eating a lot of good food but I feel like I’ve also been really active playing on the beaches and lugging around lots of heavy things in the sand.
Maternity Clothes?
I’m mostly wearing M-L sizes in regular beach wear (normally I’m a small) and I wear my maternity maxis in the evenings. It was hard finding a cute “maternity” swimsuit for this trip! All the ones that I saw were 1 piece or tankinis that weren’t very cute. I ended up buying regular bikinis in larger sizes and it’s been working out just fine.
Stretch Marks?
Still have them but I’ve been paying less and less attention to them. I’m still applying my lotions diligently but I think I’ve grown to accept these little marks of motherhood. Surprisingly, I don’t even feel self-conscious in my swimsuit on the beach!
Best Moments?
Being on our babymoon, of course! Our goal for this trip is to relax, relax and relax! We’re trying to actively enjoy everything that’ll change once our little girl arrives like focusing on each other, sleeping full nights and easily traveling around.
Movement?
Yup, Baby girl is still moving around a lot especially when I’m hungry/eating. Although I have to admit that I haven’t been paying as much attention this week since I’ve been so busy vacationing!
Food Cravings?
We’ve been eating such yummy food lately I guess I’m not really craving anything in particular.
Anything making you queasy or sick?
Nope!
What I miss?
Same as always- Sushi and unlimited coffee
Symptoms?
I’m so thankful that I’ve had absolutely NO symptoms on vacation! Well I guess I tire more easily and can’t be as active as pre-pregnancy but nothing that’s hindering our trip.
None
In!
Off now.
I usually don’t sleep well the first 1-2 days somewhere new but I’m hoping tonight I’ll have great sleep!
Let’s see- Hubs and I are heading out to our first Luau in a couple hours which will be super fun. Also, I can’t wait to get home and start working on Baby Girl’s nursery!
Finding a Fast and Easy Beauty Routine for New Moms (Or if you’re just in a rush!)
As I’ve been working on my baby preparation check list I realize that I could really benefit from coming up with a go-to, easy hair and makeup routine that I could do on the fly during those early sleep deprived months after Baby’s arrival. I know myself and I know that if I don’t have a habit ingrained in me I’ll most likely default to the no makeup, low ponytail look (which is my default look right now, haha). Maybe what I’m trying to achieve is unrealistic but can you blame a girl for wanting to look good as she enters motherhood? 
I don’t know if getting into the habit of a specific beauty routine is going to work once Baby arrives but I don’t see the harm in trying!
While I normally look to Pinterest for inspiration and tutorials, I think in this case Youtube is my best resource. Here are a few makeup tutorials that I’m liking right now. Most likely I’ll use these looks as inspiration and come up with something of my own.
This girl is so adorable and I love her look especially the pink lips!
This look is pretty similar as well – brown eyes, pink lips.
This girl is blessed with a full lash line so she doesn’t need any eyeliner for bold eyes! Lucky!
I still have yet to try out my new Too Faced Boudoir Eyes palette! This is a really good tutorial for when I’m ready to start playing with it. I’d definitely simplify the look since I don’t find it simple enough.
These makeup tutorials are just for some inspiration. There’s no way that I’d bother with things like highlighting and probably even bronzing when I’m sleep deprived and just trying to survive.
And onto hair! I’d love to learn how to french braid my own hair before Baby arrives! And I think it’s time to bust out my hot rollers again. I’m thinking I can place the rolls into my hair and then work on my makeup while the curls set. Yay for multi-tasking!
I found this good tutorial on 10 different french braid hairstyles for longer hair.
She makes it look so easy!
I’m loving the side french braid with low bun – the first combo she shows in the tutorial.
This look could also be potentially really fast and easy. Plus it doesn’t require french braiding!
So now onto the part of actually experimenting and trying these looks out! I’ll let you know how it goes!
How long does it normally take you to do your makeup and hair? Let me know in the comments below!
Wishing you a beautyfull day!
21 Week Bumpdate
21 weeks!
10.5 inches – the size of a banana! I had to do a double take today since my app told me that our little girl was only 6.5 inches last week! It’s another one of those times where I wish I could just look into my tummy to see how big she really is!
And no, the Oreo McFlurry at McDonalds is not the same thing… not that I wouldn’t happily eat one of those too, haha!
This week’s Baby goals?
I feel like I’ve made a lot of decisions on what products I want on my registry/want to buy so I suppose my next goal will be to start looking into birthing/new baby classes. And also to start reading some parenting books.
Oh and another thing- I’ve been looking to really nail down a set makeup and hair routine so that it’ll become a fast/easy habit for me once my little girl gets here. I’ll tell you more about it tomorrow!
Wishing you a beautyfull day!
Are you on a Budget?
From an early age my parents instilled some financial rules into me that I carry to this day. For example, never spend beyond your financial means and also never ever have to pay interest on your credit card (always pay it off fully every month). Those rules worked out well for me and I feel like I’ve always been very responsible with my income versus spending. Not to say I didn’t make any mistakes along the way… I had to learn the hard way of recognizing when you’re paying for everything in a relationship and basically supporting another full human (that is not your spouse), haha.. But that’s another story.
After getting married, Hubs and I decided to create a joint account. It worked out well since I made sure that a small portion of my salary was being allocated to my personal account AKA my shopping account. But now it’s nearly been 1 year since I’ve left the corporate world and I have to admit I’ve been feeling a lot less financially independent. Let me clarify that it’s nothing that Hubs does to make me feel this way but I just naturally feel like I shouldn’t be buying this or that especially since Hubs doesn’t spend very much on himself and I’m not bringing in an income. But a girl has got to shop, right?? I’m a firm believer that the average girl just requires more $$ for upkeep than the average boy. I never realized that having some financial independence would be so important to me!
Cutest little piggy coin pouch!!
A while ago I was talking to another stay-at-home mama and she told me that she’s on a monthly allowance now that she’s no longer working. I really liked the idea of having a small portion of money to spend without feeling the guilt of spending away our family fortune. So I brought up the idea to Hubs and he was all for it.
So here’s my dilemma now. How much should I budget for a month’s worth of shopping, lunches out, coffee dates and etc? I figure it might take a month of evaluating how much I typically spend but now that I have the green light I’m a little nervous to implement the budget! haha!
Are you on a shopping budget? How much do you think I should budget for? Let me know in the comments below! Your input would be really helpful!
Wishing you a beautyfull day!
To the daddy of my daughter <3
Let me tell you a little something about Hubs. Before we fell in love he never wanted to get married or have children. He pictured himself living the life of a super successful entrepreneur driving around expensive sports cars and how I like to put it, live for himself.
4-5 years later he’s a completely changed man. He now works hard to support and provide for his family and dreams with me of having 2-3 wonderful kids. 2 weeks ago he traded in his 2 door/stick shift car for a 7-seater family SUV in an appropriate family car color too! haha
So proud of my little girl’s daddy!
I’ve watched my Hubs transform from a rough-and-tough single guy to a more gentle and loving husband and soon-to-be father. I love listening to him talk to our little girl through my belly at night. A lot of times I end up laughing at the silly things he says to her but it touches my heart and makes me love him in ways I never had before.
Hubs, I love watching you transform into a daddy and can’t wait for our little girl to meet you. I know you’ll fill her life with so much joy, laughter and love. I love you and can’t wait to see you in a couple hours!
<3
20 Week Bumpdate – Baby’s Gender Reveal!!
Hey everyone!
I know I usually post Bumpdates on Wednesdays but yesterday was such a whirlwind! Hubs, my mama and I left our house bright and early for my 8:30am appointment since this was our first appointment with my new “doctor” aka the midwives. I was calmer than I expected but still so excited to SEE baby again. The appointment went well. The midwife said that my weight gain and measurement is right on track (whew!) and Baby’s heartbeat is strong. She also told me that I CAN sleep on my back (until I start getting uncomfortable) and I’m allowed to take baths at home, praise the Lord! That alone made me so glad that I switched doctors, haha. It was also really great to hear that I’m doing a good job as mama and to keep up whatever I’m doing! I have a feeling that “whatever I’m doing” is actually sleeping a ton, haha. We did have one hiccup with the ultrasound appointment but they quickly fixed the problem and got us scheduled in. I’m pretty positive that I would have burst into tears if they told me that I wouldn’t be able to get the ultrasound that day. Overall, I’m really happy with the switch and feel a lot of peace about giving birth at this hospital with a midwife!
Now the ultrasound! It was AMAZING seeing Baby again and this time Baby actually looked like a real baby not just a blinking heartbeat! I couldn’t help but laugh seeing the legs and arms twitch and move on the screen. So precious! I loved our ultrasound technician because she described everything she was looking at and measuring and didn’t mind answering all of our questions! Plus she was super friendly! We didn’t have to wait long to answer the big gender question. In the beginning she asked me what I was guessing and I told her that everyone thinks it’s a boy but I have a feeling it’s a girl and she responded that Mother’s instincts are usually right. My “mother’s instincts” were feeling a lot of pressure after she said that, haha. So she went ahead to view the area and she said “Ready? It’s a girl!”. YAAAY!! At that moment I was flooded with so much joy I couldn’t help but cry, haha! I know I’m pretty sure I would have been happy either way but I really could only imagine this baby being a girl especially since that’s what Baby always was in my dreams. In your face Chinese calendar and old wives tales! hahaha! Our little girl’s measurements are all on track! The doctor later told us that she has long arms and is a bit bigger than average which is rare to say to Asian families. That’s definitely her dad’s genes! I just hope she’s not TOO big when it comes time to push her out, haha. For the rest of the appointment and day I felt like I was walking on clouds. It helped that the weather was gorgeous too!
Here are some of my fav photos from the ultrasound. They also made us a DVD of the whole session which was awesome to watch again last night! I love seeing my little girl already!
The bottom photo is of her two little feet! Adorable!
Let’s move on to the weekly questions now!
20 weeks yesterday!
6.5 inches – size of a small cantaloupe but maybe bigger since the Doc says she’s above average!
This week’s Baby goals?
I’ve decided on which crib we want so now it’s lots of little things to decide and research. Seriously there is so much research involved in shopping for a new baby! But it’s all pretty fun and exciting so I don’t mind. :]
Wishing you a beautyfull day!
Old Wives Tales – Predicting Baby’s Gender
It’s interesting- probably 80% of our friends and family are predicting that Baby is a boy! I guess at first it was a little disappointing because I’d love to have a little girl but in the end I’ll be happy with either since this is our first. I just know I HAVE to have at least one daughter eventually!
Since we only have TWO DAYS to go before we find out I thought it would be fun to go over some of those old wives tales to see what they say Baby’s gender will be!
If you’re carrying baby high = girl
If you’re carrying baby low = boy
Honestly too early to tell on this one…
If you’re carrying baby weight in front = boy
If you’re expanding horizontally = girl
BOY
Acne and other skin ailments = girl
Clear skin = boy
If stretch marks count as a skin ailment then definitely a GIRL
Dry hands and cold feet = boy
Soft hands = girl
Without applying tons of lotion I have naturally dry hands, BOY
Craving sweets = girl
Craving salty/sour = boy
I crave sweets and salty off and on… so… mix? haha
Chinese Birth Chart (supposedly 90% accurate or something ridiculous like that) = BOY
Mayan Method: Age at conception and year baby was conceived
If both even or odd = girl
If one is even, one is odd = boy
age 27, year 2012 = BOY
Husband packs on sympathy weight = girl
Husband’s weight stays the same = boy
Hubs says he has gained weight although I can’t tell by looking… = GIRL
Morning sickness = girl
No morning sickness = boy
Definitely GIRL
4 points for Boy, 3 points for Girl
So even the old wives tales lean towards BOY more than girl…
A part of me wants a little girl so I can prove everyone wrong, hahaha!
Plus it’s just really hard to picture myself having a baby boy!
I guess we’ll find out really really soon.
For you mamas out there, did the old wives tales predict your kids’ genders correctly?
What would you guess my baby would be?
Let me know in the comments below!
Wishing you a BEAUTYFULL Monday!
19 Week Bumpdate
Hey everyone! Happy Wednesday!
I’m always so excited for Wednesdays because it means I’ve hit another week in Baby’s development! I can’t believe we’re already at week 19 meaning by next week we’ll be halfway done with pregnancy! It’s super exciting yet also very scary to think about the whole birthing process (deleting from mind now). For now I’d like to just concentrate on seeing Baby and my belly grow and feeling the little kicks get stronger and stronger. :]
19 weeks today!
6.0 inches – size of a heirloom tomato!
This week’s Baby goals?
I did finally decide on which car seat we’ll be getting so CHECK! I still have yet to decide on the crib. Once we find out Baby’s gender I’ll be better able to visualize the nursery and make more decisions.
Wishing you a beautyfull day!
Best Stretch Mark Cream During Pregnancy
Oh the battle against stretch marks! At this point I think it’s safe to say that I won’t be like the other 90% of mommy bloggers that get through their entire pregnancy with little to no marks. I guess I knew from the beginning that the odds were against me so I tried my best to do my research and prevent as much as possible. I didn’t find very many blogs that focused on best and favorite stretch mark creams during pregnancy (which further makes me feel like I’m the only blogger with this issue) so I thought I’d go ahead and share with you which ones I’ve tried and my thoughts. I hope this is helpful for you ladies out there prone to stretch marks!
The three stretch mark creams (and oil) are Sanctuary Spa Collagen Boosting Body Butter by Mum to Be, Bio-Oil and Mama Bee Belly Butter by Burt’s Bees.
The first stretch mark cream that I picked up was very early on in my pregnancy before I had done very much research. I was at the maternity store for the very first time looking for some maternity skinny jeans when I spotted their little display of different belly creams. I asked the sales girls which one worked the best and they recommended Sanctuary Spa Collagen Boosting Body Butter by Mum to Be.
Sanctuary Spa Collagen Boosting Body Butter by Mum to Be $15 (10.14 fl oz)
At first whiff I thought the smell was pleasant- sweet but in a good way. Trusting the advice of the sales girls I went ahead and bought it. Then that night I applied it all over and quickly realized that the smell was much too sweet once it was on. I decided to try to endure it and as you might be able to see I’ve made a pretty good size dent so far.
PROS
Of the three stretch mark creams that I’ve tried it’s the cheapest
It absorbs into your skin the quickest upon application compared to the other two
The scent lasts a long long time after application (this is a pro only if you like the scent)
CONS
I have grown to really dislike the smell. It’s way too strong for a pregnant woman’s nose
Not sure that it helps very much. I got several stretch marks before switching to the other two brands
I rarely use Sanctuary Spa Body Butter these days since I have other alternatives now. Since I don’t want to completely toss it I use it once in a while especially if my other creams aren’t nearby. I’ll continue to use this one as more of a touch-up during the day but I would not recommend it to other pregnant ladies at all! Definitely sniff and try on the sample before buying it!
Once I realized that the Sanctuary Spa Body Butter was no good for me I did a better job researching and decided that I needed to try out this highly popular Bio-Oil.
Bio-Oil Specialist Skin Care $27.99 (6.7 oz)
I picked up 2 bottles while Ulta had their 20% off sale! Score!
PROS
Highly recommended by other Mamas
Love the smell and don’t get sick of it
Supposedly the most effective based off reviews
CONS
It’s by far the most expensive option
Messy application because it’s an oil and you end up with an oily feeling bottle
Takes the longest to massage and absorb into the skin
Even though it’s expensive and inconvenient to apply I’m going to continue to use Bio-oil throughout my pregnancy and probably afterwards as well. I really enjoy the scent and in my mind it’s really helping prevent my stretch marks from getting out of hand (fingers-crossed). With the warning of the oily mess it makes, I would highly recommend this to other pregnant Mamas out there.
The last belly butter that I have tried out was picked up more as a supplement that I can apply during the day.
Mama Bee Belly Butter $13 (6.5 oz)
It was hard to open the airtight seal…
PROS:
Easy and clean application compared to the Bio-Oil
You have to massage it into the skin longer than Sanctuary Spa but shorter than Bio-Oil
Afterwards you aren’t left feeling sticky
Leaves your skin INCREDIBLY soft!
CONS:
It smells almost like plastic in the bottle and upon application but the smell does disappear after a while
Not quite sure how well it works based off minimal reviews
After trying all three stretch mark creams and oil out I’d recommend the Bio-Oil as your day/night time treatment and the Mama Bee Belly Butter as your mid-day supplement cream. You can definitely leave out the Sanctuary Spa Collagen Boosting Body Butter!
I hope this is helpful for you ladies in the beginning or middle of your pregnancy! Let me know if you have any other recommendations or questions in the comment below!
Wishing you a beautyfull day!