Labor and Delivery Part 1

My due date of July 14 had come and gone, yet there was no sign of Liam coming out. He was super happy baking in my tummy. Mommy on the other hand, was extremely eager to get him out and to finally meet him.

I had an NST, Fetal Non-Stress Test, scheduled for Tuesday, July 16 to check on Liam and to see how he was doing. When I arrived at my appointment, I was hooked up to a machine to monitor his heartbeat and to see if I was having any contractions.

All hooked up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was completely nervous the entire time. At first Calvin was asked to wait outside in case other mothers were scheduled to take the test too, but the technician came back to let Calvin in because I was the last one before their lunch break. It was comforting to have him there with me. Once the test was over, they sent me back into the waiting room to be called in for the ultrasound.

It wasn't long until my name was called and I was walked to a room in the back. I sat patiently in the dimly lit room waiting for the technician to come in. My palms were sweaty and I was nervous. Soon we heard a knock on the door and our ultrasound technician came in. She was super sweet which helped calm my nerves. She was checking all the measurements and what not. We asked if she could figure out Liam's estimated weight and she said 8 lbs and some oz. Let me just be honest and say that I was afraid when she said that. It also didn't help to hear them refer to Liam as a big baby! Towards the end of the ultrasound, she started to check the fluids and got quiet. That's when Cal and I looked  at each other like "what the hell is going on?" The doctor came in, not my OB but the doctor they have at this ultrasound office, and she wasn't as friendly as I would have liked in this now scary situation. She got straight to work and started checking my tummy. Even she said that Liam was a big baby! Then she said the words that changed my entire mood, "Well guys, it looks like you're going to have your baby today." What?! But wait, I'm not ready for this! I know he's 2 days over due, but I'm still not ready for this! On top of the immediate fear of giving birth, the doctor had scared me by saying the reason why I need to go to the hospital now was because my fluid was low. She even brought up how babies can become still born from low fluid. I definitely did not need to hear that!! 

The doctor left the room and told me she would double check with my OB if they should send me straight to the hospital or to her office. Not long after, a technician was sent in and she told us that we need to go straight to the hospital. I didn't have anything with me. I just thought they were going to check me and I could go home. So we asked if we had time to go home, about 15 minutes away, to grab my hospital bag. The technician went to double check with the doctor and said "No, the doctor wants you guys to go straight to the hospital. But don't worry, your husband can get your stuff while you check in".

 So Calvin and I walked hand in hand out of the office and to the car. I was in shock. I remember calling my mom right away and I got out "they're sending me to the hospital..." before I started bawling. I was scared. I'm pretty sure Calvin was scared too because he was quiet. Then I remember calling my cousin and telling her .I left her a message and was crying saying how scared I was and what the doctor had told me. I then called my brother, who was with my sister in Hawaii. I remember crying to them as well and being scared. I will never forget my brother saying "Why are you crying?" and i said "because I'm scared!". Oh man, he will never know that fear haha! We also told our doula what was going on as well. I also remember texting my good friend, Jenn, and telling her what was going on and how scared I was. I'm so lucky that everyone I decided to contact at that very moment was nothing but calm, supportive, reassuring, and everything I needed to have the courage and strength for what was to come.  

As we pulled into the parking lot of the hospital, I just couldn't believe this was all happening. I knew this day was coming. Don't get me wrong, I was extremely excited to finally meet my Liam Bear. But it also meant that everything was about to change. We were about to become a family of 3. I was about to go through a lot of pain and the most difficult, yet most beautiful thing I had to do in my life. We finally made our way up the elevator and to the labor and delivery floor. My heart was beating fast. I went to check in as Calvin was talking to our doula on the phone. I was shaking and nervous. It just so happened that many mommas were in labor that day and they had no rooms available. I had to wait awhile for a room to open up. During that time I was going through a mini panic attack. My heart was beating fast, my mouth was getting dry, my palms were sweaty, and I was shaking. Calvin was doing his best to help calm me down and assure me that everything was going to be ok. Our lives were about to change. 

Liam's Monster's Inc Nursery

I haven't had a chance to blog about Liam's awesome nursery! I swear I wish it were my room. 

Calvin and I were totally stumped on what we wanted to do with his nursery. At first we were set on just going with a color theme. Then one night, Calvin brought up doing a Sulley inspired wall. After that, the ideas just kept flowing. 

Here is the finished product!

 

We were so fortunate to have many of the items in Liam's nursery be handmade. It makes everything extra special because it was made with love. 

I can't tell you how many times, people have wanted to move into Liam's nursery!

Special Announcement!

Wow! I’ve been gone for quite some time, but I have a good reason!

     My precious angel, Liam, is finally here! He was born on July 18, 2013 at 12:25 AM. He was 7 lbs. 11 oz and 18 in. long. We could not be happier!

     He is now 4 months old! I cannot believe how fast time is flying by. He weighs 17 lbs. 3 oz. and is 27.5 in. long. He is definitely my little chunky monkey.

     Life has been simply amazing these past four months. There is a lot I need to catch up on my blog! I will try my best to keep my entries going and to keep everyone updated. Some things to look forward too are Liam’s Monster’s Inc. Nursery, my labor and delivery story, and Liam’s first trip to Disneyland!

     I have also talked it over with my husband about starting up a Vlog on Youtube. I figure it would be a great way for us to look back on all the wonderful things we’ve done and to see how much Liam has grown. What do you guys think?

I know this is such a short post, but I wanted to just let everyone know that there should be more posts coming up soon!

38 Weeks and 3 days

     Oh my goodness! Today marks 38 weeks and 3 days. We are now in the final stretch of my pregnancy. I can't believe how fast time has flown by these last couple weeks.

38 Weeks! I look extremely exhausted!

     Since I have missed some bump tracker pictures, I thought I'd include them below so you can see the progress little Liam has made in my tummy. 

One of our candids when we set up the timer and I fell in love with it. Cal's unofficial first Father's Day!

I was super excited to finally be full term!

Doctor's Visits

     I now see my doctor once a week. At my 37 week appointment, it was quite the tease! My doctor mentioned that Liam may come before our next appointment. Needless to say, I'm still preggo!
    
     Today I had an appointment and things are going well. My doctor started the appointment by measuring my belly. She mentioned how cute my bump is which made me feel a little better about my ever growing and stretching tummy. After measuring and saying that it was perfect, she then went to check Liam's heartbeat. She said it was great and healthy. Then she went over my charts and my pregnancy as a whole. She said that my blood pressure has been excellent, my overall weight gain has been fantastic, and I've been doing such a great job. That made me smile and I was so happy to hear. She checked my legs and feet for swelling and it is very minimal. She said there was nothing more she could tell me to do because I've been doing such a great job. All we can do now is wait. It's up to my body and Liam to do their thing!

 How have I been feeling physically?

     It's been tough these past couple of days due to the heat and to my ever growing baby. The A/C in our house has been down and we are desperately trying to get it fixed before Liam makes his arrival. I've been trying to stay cool by laying myself in front of a fan and drinking a ton of water. When Calvin isn't working, which is rare, sometimes we'll go to the mall and try to stay cool there. It's nice to enjoy the free A/C, but not so fun for our wallets hehe.
     I've also been super exhausted lately. I feel like I can't make it through the day without a nap. Last night, I actually slept for 12 hours, although it wasn't 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep. If I wasn't waking up to use the restroom, I was trying to adjust myself to another comfortable positition. It literally takes a good 2 minutes to turnn from my left to right side and vice versa. That includes slowly turning, which can be painful with Liam. Then rearranging my body pillow around me and another pillow between my legs. It is quite the ordeal! I figure I would just listen to my body and sleep if that's what it wants to do. I figure I'm going to need all the rest I can get for this marathon I'm about to run called "Labor and Delivery".

How have I been feeling mentally?

     Mentally, I am ready. I am ready to get little Liam out and into my arms. Of course I am still scared and nervous as hell, but of course that is expected. I'm a first time mom with no experience whatsoever with labor and delivery. I have no idea when Liam is going to get here. He literally could come at any moment and even though my estimated due date is July 14, that's exactly what it is, an estimate. So every little pain, cramp, tightening, etc. makes me wonder if this could be it. I also have no idea what contractions feel like and how excruciating the pain will be. Everything is basically a mystery to me and that's what makes me scared and nervous. But, what I do know is that at the end of all this, is Liam will finally be here. MY son... will finally be here.

NUCB? Doula?

     Since I've been MIA from the blogs, we have hired a doula! Like I have mentioned before, I was deciding on whether or not I wanted to go ahead with a natural unmedicated childbirth, NUCB. After speaking with Calvin and researching a lot, I have come to the decision that I want to try my best to have a NUCB. Now, of course I dont know what contractions feel like and could be in some serious pain that may inhibit my ability to be in control or I may need to be induced and given pitocin, which can cause more intense contractions at a faster rate than letting it all happen naturally. So I'm not saying that there is no way in hell I'm going to ask for an epidural, but i'm going to try my hardest not to. I'm also not choosing to do this because I see it as a competition or want to prove something. I want to do this because it is what is best for me and Liam. Remember when I said that even Calvin was hesitant and wanted me to just get the epidural? Well we have done a lot of research together and after doing so, I actually got Calvin to agree that a NUCB is what is best for mommy and baby.
     We have gone ahead and hired a doula to help us achieve my goal of a NUCB. We intereviewed a few and the one we had chosen was perfect for me. Literally 15 minutes after our interview, we hired her. We just had an instant connection with her. As a doula, she is there to help give us guidance and support during the labor and delivery. A doula is not the same as a midwife. She cannot deliver my baby or do any medical procedures. We have heard that for women who are trying to have a NUCB, a doula was very helpful.
     Here's is a little bit of honesty. As much as I love and adore my husband, when I'm in pain from something that only a pregnant woman who has labored and delivered before would have experienced, I know it will be difficult for me to believe and trust my husband when he says something like "everything will be ok" or "breathe". I also will have my mom there with us during labor and delivery and even though she has gone through 2 NUCBs, she tends not to say that right things at the right times. With that said, the doula would be the best support system not only for me, but for my mom and Calvin. She can help guide me as well as give tips to my mom and Calvin on how to help me cope with the pain.
     We have had two meetings with our doula. At our last meeting, she brought her "Bag of tricks" which is a backpack she has filled with tools that will help me. She had things such as different scents like peppermint for nausea and lavender to bring calmness, electrical candles, a TENS unit, and a rebozo. We also went through a few different positioning and pressure points that would help. After that meeting, I felt a lot more confident in myself and with my Little Liam Team (Mom, Cal, and our doula).
     Also one thing I took from our meeting that I wont forget is that I am not suffering. Yes it will be extremely painful and probably one of the most difficult things I will go through in my life, but the pain has a purpose. The pain is helping get my little love bug out and I need to let go, accept, and work with that pain and my body instead of fighting it. If I can just keep telling myself that, I know I can do this.

And last but not least...... we finished Liam's nursery!!!

Liam's Monster's Inc. Nursery

     First we have Liam's closet! We took off the sliding mirror closet doors off. I hated them because I felt it was harder to get the maximum use of the closet space and when Liam gets a little older and more mobile, he may get his tiny fingers caught. Plus it just looks a whole lot better. I feel like it just opens up the room even more.
     As most of my friends and family know, I collect a lot of plushies, especially Disney ones. When Monster's Inc. first came out in theatres, I was obsessed with Boo and even dressed like her for Halloween my freshman year of high school. I had to have all her plushies. I took all the Monster's Inc plushies I had collected and thought what better way to display them than in Liam's room! So I put them in the little shelves and then with the remaining squares, I picked up blue and green bins to fill with other miscellaneous toys in there.

Liam's closet

     We were very fortunate to have a lot of unique pieces in his nursery thanks to family and friends. We had many family and friends create pieces that we have included in his room and this picture shows a lot of them. My brother-in-law created the artwork that hangs over the dresser. It's closet doors inspired by Sulley, Boo, and Mike. We also have an adorable custom diaper caddy made by a dear friend and fellow Disney bride. It even has his name embroidered on it! Then there is the adorable quilt hanging on the wall. Remember at our Monster's Inc themed baby shower in SoCal? Remember the adorable quilt squares our guests were working on? Thats the finished product!! It is so adorable and we couldn't have been more pleased and appreciatvie for such a special piece that not only will be near and dear to our hearts, but Liam's as well.

Liam's changing table/dresser

Here is where I envision many night feedings will occur. I love our glider and its super comfy. We also have another custom piece from our sister-in-law! She handmade the quilt and it matches the Monster's theme perfectly! It is a bunch of different closet doors. I love it so much!

Our glider and nightstand

Here we have Liam's library. We need to add at least one more shelf, but love the way it turned out. The Liam letters were custom made by my brother and his friend. Grandma Huie had purchased his little Mike chair. It is so soft and I wish my big booty could fit in it hehe.

Liam's library

 My favorite part of the room. This wall was what started it all. As Calvin and I were discussing nursery themes, we came across the idea of doing a Sulley inspired wall. I loved the idea and then we both ran with it.

Our Sulley inspired wall

     We are completely in love with Liam's nursey and wish it was our room. Even Calvin says that his room is better than ours! Every morning when I wake up, before making my way downstairs, I go in his room and just soak it all in. I can't wait to bring him home to this!

     And that concludes my update for you! Sorry if that was quite a lengthy read. I had a lot to catch you all up on. Hopefully the next update will be a birth announcement! hehe. Who knows when our Little Liam will make his arrival to the world. Now we play the waiting game.

My Neighbor Totoro Baby Shower

Hello everyone!

     I'm so sorry I have been MIA! Time has seriously flown by and I can't believe how soon Liam will be here. I have been busy nesting, as they call it. Calvin and I have been getting Liam's nursery ready for his arrival and I have been washing all of his clothes. We've just been busy, busy, busy!

     From the last post, I mentioned I would post about our baby shower we had at my mom's house with all our family and friends. Enjoy!

Mr. Stork greeted our guests for the baby shower!

We had a ,My Neighbor Totoro, book that we used as our guestbook.

We asked guests to leave a wish for Liam!

Some of our decor. My talented brother drew the onesies to represent our little family as Totoros.

My mommy hand stitched each Totoro plushie, 12 all together. I made all the topiaries.

We had four tables: two with blue topiares and two with green topiaries

It's a little hard to tell, but i made little "clouds with raindrops"

Calvin made the photobooth backdrop

We offered a variety of different foods. Now that I look back on it, the foods represent the different ethnicities our little mixed baby will be. Calvin is part Chinese, Hawaiian, and Filipino and I am part Chinese, Burmese, French, Portuguese, and British. I can't wait to see what little Liam will look like, my guess is.... Chinese.

Macaroni Salad from my favorite Hawaiian spot.

Hawaiian style BBQ Short ribs

Burmese Chicken Curry

Samosas

Burmese Shrimp Curry. My favorite!

Lechon. Poor piggy :(

We also had lumpia, Sotanghon, Turon, and another Filipino dish. Needless to say we had a lot of delicious foods. Yum!

After lunch, it was time for some games. My bestest friend, AJ, helped organize all the games and I'm so thankful for that! I believe we played a total of 5 games. There was: Guess the baby poop, Baby Bottle Beer Chug, Measure Mommy's Tummy, How well do you know the Mommy to be, and another game we picked up at Party City. I don't have many pictures of the games, but here are two.

This game was where our guests had to guess what baby food was on each diaper. After checking out the different kinds, I don't think I would want to feed Liam any of these!

The only game we could get the guys in on. Of course if there's beer, the guys are willing to play. 

The games got pretty competitive once the first winner of the the games was given their prize. My generous mother-in-law had purchased all the prizes and she was giving out Louis Vuitton items. I know one was a LV scarf and another was a LV money clip. So very sweet of her to provide such amazing prizes for our guests!

After the games, everyone had time to relax and mingle. We had a DIY photobooth outside and some of our guests took full advantage of it. My gorgeous friend, Jennifer, helped make Totoro themed props. They were completely adorable and I loved each and every one of them.

Here is me with my little Chibi Tortoro AKA Liam

My amazingly talented friend Jenn! Isn't she beautiful?

Me and Liam with his two grandmas!

Soon it was time to cut the cake! Calvin's cousin made our cake and let me tell you... it was seriously the BEST cake I have ever had! I'm pretty picky when it comes to cake and cupcakes. I'm not a fan of cake that is dry and crumbles. I love when the cake is moist and basically melts in your mouth. Our cake was mouth watering delicious and totally melted in your mouth with each bite. Oh man, I really want some of that cake right now! Our cake was two layers: Red velvet and white cake with fresh strawberries. Come to think of it, very similar flavors to our wedding cake hehe. We also had adorable cupcakes that his cousin made as well which were the chocolate Hostess flavored cupcakes. Yum!

Cutting into the delicious cake

Our ridiculously adorable cake topper! You know we had to add in a hint of Disney!

How cute are these?! So cute, it made it hard to even eat!

Lastly, it was gift opening time. We were so fortunate to have such generous family and friends! Here are just a few pictures.

My brother, Uncle Kyle, and Auntie Annie made Liam a Sulley themed diaper cake and AMAZING Disney themed letters!

I am in LOVE with this Giants hat from Calvin's best friend, Uncle Alex. It's so tiny!

Liam is going to look super adorable in this Sulley onesie thanks to Auntie Lanhee and Uncle Danny!

I wonder which talented person made this card for little Liam..... Of course my bay area beauty, Jenn!

My brother, Uncle Troy, and Uncle Cristian got Liam some little man clothes. SO CUTE!

Calvin's brother, Uncle Kevin, made these custom artwork for Liam's Monster's Inc. Nursery!

I wish I could post all the gifts we received on here, but it would be too many. We are so grateful to have such generous family and friends who gave such wonderful gifts. Words cannot describe how appreciative we are. Liam has some very special Aunties, Uncles, and Grandparents. He's one lucky baby. 

The day was quickly coming to an end as our guests slowly started leaving. It was such a great day! We were surrounded by lots of love and couldn't have asked for a better baby shower. It was a rough road with endless nights of making decorations and figuring out logistics, but it was all worth it in the end. Calvin and I couldn't be happier and hard work pays off! We want to thank all those who helped us in creating such a memorable shower. 

Grandma and Grandpa Tan: Thank you so much for generously helping host the baby shower. The food was delicious, our guests loved the prizes, the backyard looked amazing with the table and chair setup. Thank you for helping us set up and clean up. Liam is lucky to have such awesome grandparents!

Kimi: Thank you for helping us make the adorable favors! I wish i had a picture of them! They matched the theme perfectly and we appreciate all the hard work. 

Troy: My incredibly artistic and talented brother bear! You blow my mind with how talented you are. Never forget that! The invitations your made for us were absolutely adorable and the artwork you provided on the onesies were ridiculously cute! Thank you for accompanying me and mom to our countless trips to all the Michaels in San Jose and Party City. Thank you for staying up late at night with us trying to get the decorations done and giving your artistic views to help make things look coordinated. Thank you for being such an awesome brother and loving uncle!

Mimi: Thank you Moo for generously providing the food for us. I'm sorry there was a mix-up at the place, but thank you for helping us figure it out. Thank you for always offering a helping hand even though I know you have your hands full. 

AJ: Bestest friend. Thank you for taking on the responsibility of the baby shower games. You are such a sweetheart and I can't thank you enough. Thank you for buying all the stuff needed for the games and for leading them. I know how awkward and nerve wrecking it can be to lead the games with people you aren't familiar with, but you did a great job! I love you and Liam is very lucky to have an awesome auntie!

Jenn: My bay area beauty! Thank you for once again, helping me with another baby shower. You went over and beyond to help with our Socal Baby shower and you've come through to go to infinity and beyond to help with our Bay Area baby shower. Thank you for all your advice and being there for me like a true friend would. Your props were super cute and we all loved them. Thank you for coming early and helping set up, special shout-out to your hubby, Peter, for coming early as well even though he just flew in from China at midnight that morning! You guys are seriously one of a kind and awesome friends. We love you!

Priscilla and Nat: Thank you guys for coming early to help set up and helping to clean before you left! It really helped make the cleaning process at the end of the night a lot easier!

Calvin: My love. Thank you for putting up with all my BS as I tried to get everything prepared for the baby shower. Thank you for being my rock and staying up with me finishing decorations and organizing everything. I know it wasn't easy for you too and you were extremely stressed as well, but I feel it brought us even closer. It made us more united. I love you so much bear!

We seriously can't wait to meet our lucky little Liam!

Last, but certainly not least.....

My Mommy!!

Oh my goodness this woman is amazing. I could write an entire novel thanking my mommy for everything she has done for this baby shower. Thank you for staying up until 3 or 4 in the morning, hand stitching each and every one of the Totoro plushies. There was a total of 12! Thank you for driving me around to a million and one Michael's to try and find the materials we needed. Thank you for opening up your home to us and letting us have our baby shower there. Words can't describe how grateful Calvin, Liam, and I are to you. No matter how stressed the two of us were, you were calm and helped us calm down. We love you so much and Liam is a lucky little guy to have an amazing Grandma like you!

And that concludes this post! I know I've been slacking on my posts and am going to start working on my next update. We also finished Liam's nursery and will be posting pictures of that very soon! I am completely in love with his nursery. Calvin and I wish it was our room!