Preparing For Greyson

The weeks are flying by and it's really starting to sink in that in a month or so I'm going to be a mama to TWO BOYS. Slllightly freaking out a little bit here. My mom thinks I won't make it past the first week of December bc I'm so huge (Thanks Mother. #typicalbluntAsianmom). I feel like I've forgotten how to take care of a newborn. So little, so squishy. I'm used to my rough and rowdy wild child that I'm more anxious about myself than how C will react to his brother. Is it really like riding a bike? REALLY? I haven't done anything since we're going to have so much going on with the move. I've washed some clothes and that's about it! It's true, 2nd child syndrome is a real thing.

This pregnancy has been completely different from my first. Caden didn't really give me a hard time outside of migraines, but this baby has been kicking my butt, literally. Compounded by an active toddler, my body is ready to shut down. Everywhere aches, I'm beyond exhausted, and I feel like my belly button will just burst open. The doctor says I'm measuring on the bigger side for how far along I am and he will probably be bigger than Caden. OH YAY. I feel kind of bad; little dude is probably so squished up in there. Somedays I feel like he's trying to kick his way out. Regardless of how crappy I'm feeling, I muster up all the energy I can to make our weekends and 1 on 1 time with big brother worthwhile before he's no longer my only child.

It's going to be a monumentally stressful time for me with the move, the adjustment of another dependent little human, the parentals all up in the mix, and the hormones, oh gawd, the hormones...I can already feel the beginnings of a melt down and mommy guilt building up in my toes, but I'm trying extra hard to take it all in stride. But deep down, I'M TERRIFIED people. I've already told the husband to have a plate of sushi ready for me to inhale at the hospital after delivery and if he knows what's good for him, he better remember! At least we're more fortunate this time around in that D's able to take 6 weeks off for paternity leave instead of just one with Caden. He'll be able to spend a lot of time with C and take a lot of my plate with the mounting list of things to do for the move.

Caden is not only ridiculously spoiled with our time and affection, but with his grandparents, I worry so much about how he'll feel. We've done all the books, the constant reminders that this is "his baby" to get him ready for Greyson. All signs are pointing to a sucessful transition so far, but I've probably just jixed myself  by typing that and putting it out there in the universe. Lately, he's been talking and playing with a teddy bear he has and you guys, it's so adorable. He shares his cars (unheard of), reads his books and sings w/ Teddy. However, D and I overheard him saying "Do you want a spanking Teddy?" the other day and we completely lost it. I guess Teddy wasn't listening and being a bad bear. :)

A lot of moms have told me that they just can't believe how much their hearts have expanded to love another child after their first and I guess it's something I'll just have to wait to experience. We've been so so blessed to have such a happy go lucky, confident, funny, handsome little guy I just can't imagine having another kid completely steal my heart as much as this one.

Halloween 2014

I hate Halloween. It's such a pointless holiday IMO. Maybe it's the fact that my parents never let us go when we were growing up bc of the irrational paranoia and fear they had that someone would try to poison the neighborhood kids aka my brother and me.

Clearly, it would be wrong of me to deny my son the tradition of Halloween. I'll let him decide what holidays to hate himself. Last year he was still young and didn't really understand the concept, so I must admit I was a little psyched he was so pumped about wearing a costume. I'm thrilled he's starting to expand his interests into things other than cars and trucks and happily obliged to Spiderman.

C was a regular old pro at trick or treating (although it took a few houses for him to understand he could only have what they gave out and he couldn't go shopping in their candy buckets lol) and I loved seeing him keep up with the big kids and not getting spooked at the scary houses.

I'm actually kinda looking forward to next Halloween. Greyson will be old enough to tag along so OBVIOUSLY I need to find matching costumes for the boys...and maybe Daddy :) I guess Halloween is not so bad after all.

[2012 - 1st Halloween as a baby dragon]   [2013 - mommy's Prince Charming/Dictator]   [2014 - Spider-Man]

Texas State Fair - 2014

My parents worked 7 days a week, almost year round when my brother and I were growing up. It was a typical childhood for immigrant families, work hard...and well, work hard. We didn't have any family vacations until much later on in our pre-teen years, and going out was just my dad taking us all out to eat lunch on Sunday afternoons. However, one place my mom always took us was the State Fair once a year when it opened in the fall and is a fond childhood memory for me.

As a Dallasite, the State Fair became an annual tradition of ushering in the new season with ridiculous fried foods and overpriced rides and carnival games. I love it and we've been keeping that tradition w/ Caden and soon Greyson!

feeding the animals at the Children's Barnyard - I was surprised they had zebras and a baby giraffe along w/ farm animals

I've never seen an alpaca before! such a funny looking creature

a ham for the camera as usual

cute farm area for kids to learn how to be be a farm hand; their chores like milking cows, collecting eggs, and harvesting vegetables earn them money where they can go to the general store!

C & Daddy were in heaven at the car show - such a boy!

Daddy & C selfie on the rollercoaster - my little man had no fear this year!

one last ice cream before we head out!

Back from the Dead

Damn February was a rough month! I can't believe almost a whole month has passed without a post, but we were strugglin' here at the Ngu house. We all got an awful strain of the flu and then baby boy got an ear infection and strep!  I think I've lost part of my left lung with all the coughing,  but we're finally on the mend, thank you baby Jesus!

We managed a few things before we all got the plague:

• I took the plunge and chopped off 5 inches and it's been so nice not having to run a straightener through my hair every morning. I think it makes me look younger too, so that's alway a plus!

• Pinterest strikes again and I made some cute little treats for little man's class. Apparently, goldfish was a popular pin because he got almost a week's supply of them from all the other kids! Valentine's Day is also the hubby's bday so grandma graciously watched C for us while we had a nice date night at one of MY favorite spots in Dallas,Victor Tangos. (it's only fair that I get to choose on Vday right?). 

• It was also Lunar New Year this month so we took C to his first hoi cho or Tet festival at church. It usually involves lots of foods, music, gambling, and games for the kiddos. Look at how proud he looks after winning two fishies! 

• This. Thank you Netflix for making a bed bound wknd bearable.

• And last but not least, my BFF had her beautiful baby boy! Welcome to the club mama! Can't wait for our boys to be BFFs too!

The weather should be nice again this wknd barring any random snow/ice/sleet storm that we've been experiencing here in Texas and I'm ready to finally enjoy some QT w/ family and friends and join the rest of civilization again. This guy surely is!

C's Big Boy Room

We are planning on doing some updates & renovations to our house the latter part of the year, but one project I'm especially excited for and have already started planning is transitioning Caden's nursery into a big boy room. I had so much fun planning his nursery and am pretty smitten with the outcome. Most everything was handmade with love by either my mom or myself from the curtains/valence, the mobile, artwork, bedding, I mean everything!

Too bad he never slept in his crib and it was merely decoration for the room :( Yes, we cosleep, but that's a whole 'nother blog post!

I found this image online on BHG and think it's perfection. Crisp, clean, and yellow is so cheerful. C is a neat freak like his mama so I'm not worried about so much white in the room. We have a lot of yellow pieces already that I can recycle and the addition of the navy makes it a great transistional big boy color from the teal he has already. I can easily add/rotate in another accent color.

I'm also loving the pops of orange and the awesome sputnik light fixture in this inspiration picture. Either way, the dark blues are really speaking to me. I can't wait to start shopping for C's room soon!

Weekend Recap

We made a quick overnight trip to Houston to visit one of the BFFs. The last time we were there was 1.5 years ago and her little one was only a couple of months old and C was due to see his cousin Caroline! How sweet are they?

We are planning on taking a group roadtrip with some of our friends to Destin this summer and the 10+hr drive is literally making me break out into nervous pit sweats. C does ok on longer car rides, but anything over an hour is risky business. We thought this trip would be a good prelimnary test run. 4 hours is not too bad.

sometimes you have to bust out the big guns - dum dums

[ iPad, & Hot Wheels - check. ]  [coffee - check. ]  [ Alien that C INSISTED must stay on the headrest- check.]

Things we've learned from this mini road trip:

• internet connection is precious - we tethered our phones so C could access videos on his iPad but of course, that connection is spotty and often slow. We had a few meltdowns and I totally sympathized. It's equivalent to toddler dial-up connection during his Barbie: Life in a Dreamhouse video marathon (uhh, he is totally into Barbie videos lately, but that's another post one day). I'm thinking we need to spring for the data plan during the trip.

• bring lots and lots of snacks - and not just pork rinds and gummi worms. Kids eat when they get bored too (except they don't gain 10 lbs like we do), and plying them with sugar while strapped in a car seat probably isn't the best idea. Lots of fruit, cheese, crackers are mandatory to survive. And of course, a handful of dum dums never hurt nobody. Pick and chose your battles people!

• a little comfort goes a long way - i know sometimes it's not always possible, but if you are getting a rental for a road trip, get something w/ some leg room. It makes for more efficiency in packing things in and out of the car, easier for emergency diaper changes on the road, less crampage of limbs. I mean, you're on vacation! Make it comfortable!

• sunshades are a must - I love, love, love Aden & Anais muslin swaddle blankets. I got these before C was born (before Prince George was rocking it) and use these babies for everything. Swaddling, nursing cover, car seat cover, blanket, you name it. It's one of C's loveys now, so he has to have it with him at bed time. But you can see in that picture how easy it is to just put one up to block out the sun. 

• Be prepared to sing your heart out - because sometimes your kid just wants to hear Mommy and Daddy sing Old MacDonald 10x in a row

• New toys/distractions - When we took C on his first flight, one of the best tips I received was to wrap up lots of new toys for him to open every hour. Hit up the dollar store for this. Half the fun for the kids is just tearing up the paper. We didn't do it on this trip, but will definitely be doing this for Destin. However, on the way back, one of our friends gave him a new set of Hot Wheel cars so it definitely made the last hour of the trip a smooth ride. Thank you Uncle James! :)

• Load up on cleaning supplies - With all the snacking and toy unwrapping, you'll need to stock the car with plenty of wipes and a large trashbag to keep everything clean and organized. Keeping the clutter and grubby hands to a minimum will help you keep your sanity!

What are some tips you have for a successful aka tear-free road trip?

High Five for Friday

TGIF PEOPLE!

This week has been dragging ass! It was our first full week back to work after the extended break from the daily grind, throw in this polar vortex of subzero temperatures, and a sick babe and we have had the longest week in the history of life.

Despite all of the above, there were still some silver linings during the week.

one. The hubs won his fantasy football league and gave me 1/3 of his winnings just because. Score! Extra shopping moneys from my sugar daddy.

two. I''m fortunate to work for an awesome company that takes all their employees on an annual trip. Last summer, we went to Aruba. All 185 of us, plus our spouses. It's been confirmed that we'll get to go again,most likely this quarter! This will be my 7th trip!

three. discovering a new coffee place that makes a really delicious Spanish latte. and cream cheese danishes. Thank goodness none of my resolutions revolved getting skinny.

four. C is finally all better from his cold and is sleeping like a normal human! Oh sweet sleep.

five. We are kicking off the weekend by taking a little roadtrip down to Houston to visit friends. Good food and great company awaits!

Hello, 2014!

2013 came and went in a flash. I'll admit, I have a pretty shitty memory, but seriously, where does the time go and what did I do all year? 2014 already??

My favorite quote about parenting is that "the days are long, but the years are short". Oh how that rings so true. Husband and I sometimes high five each other and chest bump at the fact that we've kept C alive and healthy for 2 years. Why is a house plant so damn hard?!

It's so easy to power through the same routine every day that we forget to enjoy the moments and each other. There are far too often times that Dat and I share just a few minutes at dinner before it is time to whisk C away to be bathed, and ready for bed. After that, it's clean up time and lights out for everyone. 

Which brings me to my #1 resolution. To be present. Wherever I am, I need to be all there. I need to step away from social media, emails, texts, the computer -- and just unplug when I get home. Sometimes it really frightens and saddens me that C will grow and and might not know the art of face to face conversation, or even the simple act of penning a letter or note to someone. Another reason I wrote him a letter on his 1st birthday to be read when he is 18.

Some other things I resolve to do, but in no particular order:

• save more money 
• work on my temper (as suggested by the Husband)
• cut out the soda
• be less dismissive of outdoor activities (also sugested by Husband)
• learn how to bake at least ONE thing from scratch
• read more
• laugh more

It's going to be a good year, I can feel it! We're excited, can't you tell!?

Christmas Present Pretzels

I can't bake.

I am unable to mix together simple ingredients, stick it in the oven, and make it edible. I've manage to mess up boxed brownie mix. True story. I swear I follow the directions to the T, but something ALWAYS happens. I blame it on my oven. That thing needs to be calibrated or something.

I baked a strawberry cake once for the husband....and it ended up looking like this: Someone asked me why I topped it off with condensed milk and peaches.

When I had C, I envisioned myself being super PTA mom, baking cookies and treats for the kids. I know my skills are severly lacking, but I'm determined to bake some decent chocolate chip cookies by the time C is in kindergarten. There is this one guy at work, whose mama makes amazing baked everything. People seriously almost knuckle up for some of her cookies and peanut brittle. Maybe I can work out an apprenticeship w/ her! LOL.

Anyway, I tried to make something easy for C's class as a treat for the last day of school before Christmas break. I found this cute treat on Pinterest, and thought to myself, "this looks easy! small steps, it's just melting chocolate and sticking an M&M on top!"

 

Lies!!!! I couldn't get those damn Hershey Hugs to melt. 30 minutes in the oven, and those damn things were pointy as ever, mocking my chocolate melting abilities. Calibration totally neccessary right??

So I moved onto Plan B. Cute, right? All you need is a bag of pretzels, some melted chocolate, and M&M's split in half. I showed my coworkers, and they thought it looked like monster toes instead. *sigh*

 

Caden's Christmas List

We're all guilty of over-buying our kids STUFF. I can't help myself. What's a little toy here and there when I'm at the store? With the amount of times I find myself at Target, those one or two hotwheels can definitely add up.

I'm not sure where I originally came across this idea, but I loved it and it stuck w/ me. The idea is simple; only 4 gifts for each child.

• something they WANT - he is obsessed with puzzles right now and I love how proud he is of himself when he completes one. Melissa & Doug make really quality wooden toys and I never mind splurging on these 

• something they NEED  - I'm dreading this one, but it's gotta be done. Potty training is upon us. 

• something to WEAR - it's like underwear, you can never have too many. and bc kids looks so darn cute in jammies. 

• something to READ - C's Godmama got him the LeapFrog Leapreader last year and he is now starting to really love books. These are so awesome so bc your child can move the reader around many different points on the page for different interactions.

 [ LeapFrog LeapReader Junior ] [ Melissa & Doug Puzzle ] 

[ Baby Bjorn Toliet Trainer ] [ Pajamas ] 

I've seen a few variations online and I think once C gets a little older we will incorporate these traditions:

• something to MAKE
• something to SHARE
• something to DO

And it Begins...

Christmas in less than 3 weeks! I SWEAR I'll get all my shopping done before Christmas Eve and will NOT take the easy gift card route this year!

Thanksgiving came and went in a flash. I came home from work on Wednesday and literally did not step foot outside until Sunday evening -- and that was because we were out of  food and we had to go on a grocery run. My food coma lasted almost 4 days, yall.

I love cooking for my family and I spent most of my holiday break in the kitchen. I'm no Julia Child, and my husband never complains, so it must be decent if they keep coming back for more at dinner right!?

After all that turkey, some [some what] lighter Vietnamese food was what we needed to detox from butter overload. (definitely not from sodium). Anyone care for the recipes?

I wanted to get C a little tree for his room and thought it would be cute to have it in the corner near his reading nook. I envisioned us reading Christmas books together at bedtime, but of course he hates it and refuses to let us turn on the star. What a little grinch! That's his "hurry up woman!" fake smile at it's finest.

It's ok, at least we are ready for the holidays at work! Check out our newest pod mate, Bumble! Yes, he's 5 ft tall and lights up and sitting on top of our desks. We are aiming to be the tackiest house in neighborhood this year. I am so grateful to work at a company that allows us to do ridiculous things like this:

Thankful...

For the most amazing and selfless mother who puts everyone before herself. A grandmother that loves her grandson more than anything and spoils him rotten like a grandma should. My greatest role model and measurement of how a mother/daughter/wife should be. I'm most thankful for our time together and love her so much.

For the best husband a girl can ask for. It takes a lot of patience to love a girl like me. And he is the best daddy to C. I'm thankful that he's such a hands on father and I couldn't have a better partner for this whole parenthood thing.

and of course...I'm thankful for this little guy. This amazing little 2 feet something ball of energy and personality that makes my heart so full, somedays I wonder how much I can take before I explode.