**BIRCHBOX** April 2012

This month's theme is "Hamptons Beach Party"
Birch Box and Gossip Girl are teamed up and provides us samples that are inspired by the series.
            

*BVLGARI/ Omia Crystalline Eau de Toilette Spray

Full size $47 - $64

"Inspired by luminescent crystals (so glam), this elegant scent combines notes of lotus flowers, bamboo, and Nasi pear."
****Yes smells elegant that doesn't match me....lol****


*fresh/ Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15

full size $22.50

"This cult favorite has a subtle rosy hue, plus natural sugar extracts to exfoliate and smooth lips."

****I like it, I can just out it on my lip on the go. But pretty pricy...****


*Kiehl's/ Abyssine Cream +

Full size $48.00

"A longtime bestseller, this anti-aging moisturizer uses microscopic Abyssine molecules to soften wrinkles and protect skin from free radical damage."


*Miracle Skin Transformer Body 20 in Glow

Full size $34.00

"Don't settle for anything but flawless skin --all over your body. This tinted treatment erases blemishes and scars on arms, legs, and decollee."






Extra
Notecards

set of 12, $10.00

Cute brothers!!

                        

My pregnancy 39 week

Yes, This is is!!!

It was Wednesday morning when I felt menstrual-like-cramp when I was laying on the bed.
I wasn't sure that was a real one or Braxton Hicks contraction.
Because it wasn't painful.

I took my dog for a walk in the morning, and after, we, family-5 of us went watching movie "Avengers" which I liked a lot.
During the movie, the contractions started stronger and more frequent.


During the second walk with my dog, I some times had to stop because the pains were so strong that I couldn't keep walking. Then I started thinking that this might be the real contraction because the strength of the pain.

Around 8, my contractions were so strong and came regularly 3-5 minutes apart.
I waited for a few hours but I just couldn't bear the pain, so I called the hospital and they told me to wait another half an hour to see if the contraction changes.

Since the contraction got more frequent and severe, we left home for Sharp Mary Birch Women and child Hospital.

I only dilated 2 cm.....
I was disappointed because I though I dilated more since I've had contractions for a while and pain was unbearable for me.....
They ordered to walk around for two hours to help dilation.
We walked for an hour, every 3 to 5 steps, I needed to stop and wait the excruciating pain to go away.
We went back to the hospital and told them I couldn't walk anymore then, we were led to a delivery room.

I was suffering with terrible back labor......
My back rather than stomach was killing me every contraction.
I just couldn't take it anymore when I only dilated 4 cm.....I know I was weak....
I was for a natural birth without any medication, but the back pain was more than I could bear..
So I got an epidural and soon, I was in heaven!!!!

I still felt contraction by tiny pressure in my stomach but I was so happy that I finally could rest.
My husband and I slept through almost entire night; I only woke up when nurses came to check my vital and temperature.

In the morning, it had been for about 6 hours since we got to the room, we found out that I only dilated to 5 cm.... just 1 cm progress within 4 hours........

The progress was so slow that I needed to be induced.
After few hours, I finally dilated to 8 cm, it was around 10 am on Wed, May 10.

And I only pushed for about 20 mins.....

Here he is!!!

He is a 6.8lb-boy!!

Here is my after birth tummy...

The uterus is still shrinking to get back to the normal size.

Some times I feel weird to have smaller tummy.....lol

My Pregnancy 38 weeks

My pregnancy just turned in 39th week.

One more week to my due date!!!!

Anyway,

37 weeks

Here is the picture of last post.  

38 weeks:  

In prenatal visit, the doctor told  me that my cervix was still closed, but she felt my baby's head.

  So he has dropped a little bit.

And ultrasound, my baby is in regular size range; 2/3 of babies are bigger than mine, and 1/3 of babies are smaller than mine.  What a relief :>

I've gained 23 pounds so far. 

One more week to the due date.

Unfortunately, I don't feel I'm going to labor soon.

Braxton Hick contractions (practice contractions) are not noticeable for me, so I don't know my body is really preparing for the labor....

Oh well, whenever he is ready, he will come... right??

As the due date gets closer, I think about the labor a lot.

Surprisingly, I am not nervous at the labor at all, just so excited to go into labor so that finally we get to meet him.

Maybe because I have no idea how painful and hard the labor is in general...lol

                                 

Wedding Dress Ideas

My husband and I are planning our wedding a little by little now.
And I am looking for a wedding dress for my self and brides made dress.

The all dresses are from the website


I didn't know wedding dresses are that cheap... well it's not cheap but if you want to buy it in Japan, they are really really expensive!!!

Here are some that I think they are cute....

  I don't usually like tube top style,
  because I might not feel comfortable....
 Whenever I wear tube top tops, it goes down and I need to pull it up in place...

But these no-strap-dresses are cute.

                                                                 
                                                                           
     Since it has one shoulder strap, I might feel more comfortable to wear this than regular no-strap-dress.

Well, maybe this might be for younger brides...though...
                                                                                

This is elegant but simple.

I don't usually see people wear this style... but I like it.

             
 Simple is the best!!

Elegant and simple look.

I like the subtle flowers on the back.                                                           

                                                                          

Hahaha...

Lots of pictures......

I cannot decide which or what kind of dress I want to wear....

I bet it's different just looking at pictures from actually wearing them, huh?

I originally liked simple - no embroidery, no decoration type of dress but, as I looked through the website, my preferences has changed a little.

Now I don't mind the subtle decorations on the dresses.

I hope I can find my perfect dress..... even though I have no idea what my perfect dress looks like...lol

Birthday Dinner @ Aqua

Last Sunday, April 29, was my 30th birthday.
So my husband took me to the restaurant Aqua inside the Hilton Hotels & Resorts in San Diego.

We've been there before for a restaurant week.
And we loved their appetizer.

Their foods are pricey side, so we had decided to go there for my birthday long time ago.
Because it's not like we can afford eating out fancy food every month, plus, once our baby's born, we might not have time or budget to eat expensive meals.

I was so excited!!

This is their dinner menu.--> Aqua Dinner Menu 

From the first course, we got "Three Prosciuttos" for my husband, and "Tomatoes and mozzarella caprese" ,which isn't on the menu online, for me.

Sorry, the quality of this picture sucks... I used my husband's phone.

My husband loved it!!
I liked it too.

Isn't it pretty??

I love the caprese!!!

My husband doesn't like tomato, but he liked it too!

Love the sauce and balsamic vinaigrette reduction sauce!!!!

 

Second course, we got "Mizuna and Frisee Salad" for him and "Seared DIver Scallops" for me.

This was so light and clean salad with crunchy and juicy pear and balsamic vinaigrette.

This was good too.

Scallops are tender and moist, and sauce with mushrooms and truffle essence was not salty and great!

Third course, we picked "Loin of Venison" for him, and "Grilled Hawaiian Swordfish" for me.

I wanted to get "Wiled and Exotic Mushroom Basmati Risotto" from the online menu, but they didn't have it on the actual menu. So I got fish with risotto.

Venison was great!!
If you got cheap and not-good-venison, it usually leaves gaminess, but I didn't get any gaminess at all!!

The sauce was great too. 

The fish was soooooo tender!!!!! 

So SOFT that it melt in my mouth!! 

I was surprised.

My husband was shocked how tender it is.

And the risotto was good too, the light lemony fresh taste that went well with other ingredients.

And we got chocolate desert that we forgot to take a picture of...

But that was good too, I think it's called "Chocolate Pyramid" which was chocolate mousse with caramel sauce or mousse in the middle. 

I wish I could have had it with espresso coffee..... (maybe next year when I finish breastfeeding my-soon-to-be-born-baby)

I highly recommend this restaurant!!

It's hidden inside the Hilton Hotel & Resorts in San Diego ...mission bay area.

The waiter said not many locals come there... 

Please check it out!!

It would be nicer if you go in the warmer day so that you can sit outside looking out mission bay.

When we went, it was pretty cold that we needed to sit inside...still good ambiance though...