|
| Hi
there. Just wanted to take a moment and let you know that I have a new
website for my blog. For new content, please click here: http://superha.wordpress.com/
That's where you'll find new postings and pictures of this little one: 
Thanks!  Nina
| | |
| Yokohama Ramen Restaurant and Sake Bar - Reviewed by Nina Ha
Published in Hungry? Los Angeles: The Lowdown on Where the Real People Eat
[NOTE: Sadly, before the review reached publication, this awesome restaurant closed down.]
DATE OF VISIT(S) FOR REVIEW:
03/02/06 and 03/05/06, and any chance I get!
NEIGHBORHOOD: SANTA MONICA & KOREATOWN ARE A HOP AND A SKIP AWAY
BUSINESS NAME: YOKOHAMA RAMEN RESTAURANT AND SAKE BAR
TAG LINE (Describe in 10 words or less):
The best kept secret you won't want to keep secret
Address:
11660 Gateway Boulevard, Los Angeles 90064
Barrington Avenue
310-479-2321
Website: It's so cool, it's got a secret MySpace page
HOURS
Mon - Thurs: 11am - 10pm
Fri - Sat: 11am - 12am
PARKING
Parking
is a bit tricky since the restaurant is located at the Barrington
Gateway Center where there are lots of other eateries (this one's the
best - trust me). But, myriad street parking awaits the patient diner
willing to make the trek. Just think of all the calories you'll burn on
the way back to your ride. By the way, you've just been pimped!
PAYMENT
Visa Master Card American Express Discover
POPULAR DISH
The
chefs at this Japanese fusion restaurant and sake bar invented a dish
called the "Jalapeno Miso Chicken". It's RIDICULOUSLY tasty. Who would
have thought that a Mexican/Japanese combination would result in such a
pleasing concoction of sweet and spicy? It's already my
brother-in-law's favorite dish. No other restaurant in the area has
anything similar. Their two chefs have scoured the competition,
determined to stand out in a world of culinary options.
UNIQUE DISH
One
of their signature items is a beef dish called the Yokohama Steak. It's
basically a rib-eye sliced horizontally and given a thin layer of
wasabi and Japanese seaweed. Then, it's pan grilled to perfection with
a butter sauce. I think I've eaten every item on their menu, but I keep
coming back to this one. Once you get a taste of that green wasabi,
your sinuses miraculously clear up. Oh baby, make it hurt so good.
DRINKS
Here's
an excerpt from their menu: "At Yokohama Restaurant and Sake Bar, we
offer you the "Otsumami" dining experience with the combination of
traditional Japanese and new fusion flavors. Otsumami means "to go with
sake". We hope you will leave with fond memories of sharing otsumami
with friends and family." Of course, you might also leave with fond
memories of being drunk from their premium sakes or Sapporo beer. For
the teetotaler, they have oodles of non-alcoholic drinks. You can even
have a Starbucks frappuccino. I may never leave this place.
SEATING
Yokohama's
is really like having two restaurants in one. On the left side is their
ramen restaurant which seats about 40 people. They serve every kind of
ramen and rice dish under the sun. But the best part is the sake bar on
the right side. It's just been remodeled and the ambience there is
amazing. It feels like you're in a cozy little bar in the middle of
Tokyo. About 45 people can be comfortably seated. Many people also rent
out the restaurant for special events. To quote a really, really dated
commercial, you gotta "celebrate the moments of your life".
AMBIENCE/CLIENTELE
Okay,
so there's rumors that celebrities like Harrison Ford, Ron Livingston
(you know, the guy from "Office Space"), and Willem Dafoe eat here. On
the night I wrote my review, the Green Goblin himself walked in as I
was about to take a bite of my dynamite (no really, that's what it's
called - a spicy dish of baby shrimp, Hokkaido scallops and crab meat,
but I digress). So, Willem (or Will'm as I like to call him) and a date
enjoyed a quiet meal in the back of the restaurant. He's a regular
since the sake bar is still undiscovered. New owners took on this two
decade old restaurant and have revamped it to its current upscale fine
eatery. Once more people catch on to the amorous atmosphere, the
phenomenal food, and the artistic presentations of this diamond in the
rough, Yokohama's will be standing room only. On the ramen side, all
kinds of people eat there. You might even get away with wearing an old
Backstreet Boys t-shirt there. Or not. In fact, you should really toss
it out.
POPULAR BEVERAGES
Beer wine Cocktails Coffee Tea Juice/Smoothies
EXTRAS/NOTES
At
the Yokohama Restaurant, their slogan is "every kid gets a lollipop".
If I had gone there as a kid, I would have taken three. On top of the
handouts from the candy happy owners, kids can also entertain
themselves with picture books and coloring books. Also, they have high
chairs for the itty bitty ones like my daughter who managed to fling
food beyond what is scientifically possible.
YEAR ESTABLISHED
Aug 2005
OTHERS
Unfortunately,
there's only one. I wish they would open a franchise in Bakersfield.
But until then, I'll keep putting the miles on my Mazda Miata. It's
worth it.
Nina Ha | | |
| 888 Seafood Restaurant - Reviewed by Nina Ha
Published in Hungry? Los Angeles: The Lowdown on Where the Real People Eat
DATE OF VISIT(S) FOR REVIEW: Monday, December 19th, 2005
NEIGHBORHOOD: San Gabriel Valley
BUSINESS NAME: 888 Seafood Restaurant
TAG LINE (Describe in 10 words or less):
Tasty dim sum that's three times as lucky. (According to my Mom, 888 in Chinese sounds a lot like prosper prosper prosper!)
Avg. cost of dinner for a family of 3-4: $35-45
Dinner is pricey here, but go for dim sum between 9am and 3pm and you're looking at $8-$10 a person.
STREET ADDRESS (including St., Ave., Pkwy., etc.): 8450 Valley Blvd., #121
CITY/CORRECT ZIP: Rosemead, CA 91770
CROSS STREET: San Gabriel Blvd.
PHONE: (626) 573-8318
FAX: (626) 573-3382
WEB SITE (if available): N/A
CATEGORY: Seafood/Dim Sum/Real Asians Eat Here (Oh My!)
Open for dim sum, lunch, and dinner No Pets Large Dining Hall Restaurant
Yummy
dim sum for you, your friends, your parents, and your parents' parents.
People of all ages get their har gow (translucent shrimp dumplings)
fill at this busy restaurant. They also serve lunch and dinner off
their menu, but their dim sum... you gotta get some. Some of their
noteworthy selections include steamed spare ribs, deep fried crispy
taro cake, BBQ pork buns, and the occasional chicken feet.
On
any given Sunday, you can expect to wait up to an hour to be seated.
But when you take of bite of their pork shu mai, it's all worth it.
What sets this place apart really isn't their decor. It looks like your
average Chinese restaurant complete with phoenix and dragon
representations adorning the walls. It's the unique taste of the dishes
that really stands out. The entrees are prepared in a Chiu Chow style
representative of the people of Guangdong China. They're known for
their flavorful broths and mastery of seafood.
888
Seafood Restaurant was voted one of the ten best restaurants by the Los
Angeles Times in 1995. The General Manager, Joseph Lee, is also the
spearhead of this restaurant which opened its doors twelve years ago.
888 is nestled in the heart of the San Gabriel Valley which is home to
many authentic Asian cuisine establishments. The building is salmon
colored even though salmon doesn't appear on their menu. Hmmm...... The
clientele is mostly Asian which usually means that the food is good.
Conversely, you don't see too many hanging out at the local Panda
Express.
HOURS: Open daily from 9:00AM - 10:00PM
They have a take out menu, too. Just call ahead, pick up your order, pop in the Bruce Lee "Dragon" DVD and you're good to go.
PARKING:
888's
parking is free and it usually isn't too bad, but weekends can get
pretty hectic. You can cruise the lot and get lucky or follow someone
to their car. Sometimes, you can park on the street if there's a
vacancy (no meters). Or you can do it ghetto style and have a friend
stand in a prime spot and hold it for you while you're stuck behind
other cars looking for spots.
PAYMENT: Visa Master Card American Express Cash
POPULAR DISH (What do you recommend/best dish here?):
My
personal favorite (I'll admit it's an acquired taste) is chicken feet
with oyster sauce. They come in a small dish of four or five so I
usually get at least two orders. The concept is a bit formidable. In
fact, it's so off-putting that a restaurant in Bakersfield (2 hours
north of L.A.) calls it "chicken palm" on their menu. Many people who
haven't tried it don't like it, so they say. But try them! Try them!
And you may. Try them and you may, I say. And then, you might eat them
here and there... you might eat them anywhere. Okay, I guess my husband
and I have been reading to our daughter a lot lately. Sorry. But, at
least give it a try. Then you can always say "Hey, that reminds me of
the time that I tried chicken feet..." Then all your friends will think
you're so open minded even if you're not.
UNIQUE DISH:
There's
a dish called "shrimp ball wrapped with magic rice". I'm not sure why
the rice is magic, but it definitely disappears in your mouth. Ha, ha.
Okay, I'll stop.
DRINKS (Serve alcohol? BYOB? Full bar? Specialty drinks? Beers? Cocktails? Wines? Interesting teas? Coffees? Sodas? Pricey?):
The
wine menu is quite extensive. It features myriad reds and whites as
well as a $140 bottle of Dom Perignon. If you're more of a beer
drinker, they've got Bud, Bud Light, and several different Chinese
brands like Tsingtao (my Dad's favorite).
SEATING:
888
is a pretty large banquet hall type restaurant with many tables which
seat ten as well as some four seaters. And if you're getting married
any time soon and need a reception hall...
AMBIENCE/CLIENTELE:
If
you're looking for a place to blend in while you consume mass
quantities of steamed rice noodle rolls with shrimp, this is it. No one
pays any attention to you unless it's dim sum Cart Lady #24601 who's
coming by for the tenth time to ask if you'd like some mango pudding.
WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, MAKES THE RESTAURANT FAMILY/KID FRIENDLY?
With
more than 100 high chairs and booster seats, what more could you ask
for? It's great when you're dining with another family with kids of
their own. However, it does get crowded in the building with other
patrons in close proximity and dim sum carts in every direction. The
bathrooms aren't equipped with changing stations so you'll have to make
do with a nice, big changing pad on the sink surface. As far as
entertaining your little ones, the restaurant has several fish tanks
with crab, lobster, and fish which should provide hours of fun. Oh, and
don't forget the essential fortune cookies.
ICON/CATEGORY SELECTION:
1. Is outdoor seating (patio, sidewalk, garden, etc.) available? NO
2.
Is this a uniquely good place to go for dessert? Not really, but yes if
you're a big fan of baked egg tarts or you just happen to love deep
fried sesame balls.
3.
Is live music featured? There's usually no live music, but on days when
they host wedding receptions, get ready to clap for the bride, the
groom, and the entire wedding party!
4. What is the noise/sound level?
Music so loud might want ear plugs? No
Medium sound level: you can hear your friend talk well enough? Yes
Very quiet/mellow background music? Good for conversations? No
No music at all—library quiet? No
5. Dress Code? No
6. Describe, in detail (what makes it kid friendly?): Youngins
(but not too young) will like the hallway to the side of the restaurant
where they can hang out with each other. After sitting down for a long
meal, they can stretch their legs and Mommy and Daddy won't have to
worry about them running around in the parking lot. However, I'd still
advise adult supervision since it's just not that safe anymore. The
times they are a changin'. If you're not into the carte blanche style
of parenting, then restrict your little chickadees to staring at the
fish tanks so you can stare at them.
7. Hi Chairs? YES
8. Long Waits? YES
9. Do they have a kids menu?
No
kids menu, but they do have the sweet stuff that kids like. My little
nieces like the baked egg tart. I think all Asian kids grew up with it.
MOST POPULAR TYPE OF BEVERAGE:
You
can have your pick of oolong, jasmine, chrysanthemum, or white tea. Or,
you can order ice water. For some reason, you have to ask for the ice
when you say it in Chinese.
EXTRAS/NOTES:
Joseph
Lee, the founder and General Manager, has also held posts in the
American Chinese Restaurant Association (President), the American
Restaurant Management Association, and the Les Amis D'escoffier
Society. Joe knows food.
Year Established: 1993
Other Locations?: This is the one and only 888 (unfortunately).
Contributor Name: Nina Ha
| | |
| Thursday, December 18, 2003
It's another day of unemployment. My days stretch out before me, but I still can't seem to get enough time for things I want to do.
It's a constant struggle between what I know I should do and what my creative mind strives to accomplish.
I guess I'll just go grocery shopping.
Tuesday, December 23, 2003
I'm having trouble falling asleep at night. I haven't had this problem in years. I feel like there are so many things that I have to do that my mind is racing about the next day and what I could be doing to get a jump start on the day. The only thing is, I'm still not working so this is just the over-worked mind of an unemployed housewife. It's strange typing "housewife" because it's just an affirmation of my age and lack of youth. I think most adults are just kids who've gotten older.
Monday, January 12, 2004
Another weekend has come and gone... another one for the memory archives. As I get older, it's really become clear how important family is in life. Without the close ties I have with my kin, I'm not sure where I'd be. Right now, in addition to the joys of being newly married, I am so happy to play with my two nieces. Little Aspen can say the funniest things sometimes that make you laugh out loud. Little Sydney is two months old so she's not really saying much of anything right now, but oh she can emit that cute baby smell like no one else.
So much joy, so little time.
1 Comment
Hey Nina, we Family.
Posted 1/14/2004 at 8:54 PM by dannythecowboy
Monday, January 12, 2004
Oh yeah. It's my little brother Danny's birthday today. It sometimes makes me so sad to think that the days of Dan idolozing me are long gone. He used to wear clothes only if they were personally approved by me. My Mom would say, "Daniel, wear this" and he'd say "Nina, is this okay?". I remember buying him candy from Santa Barbara whenever I'd go back home to see him. Visiting him was like visiting Aspen and Sydney now. I'm so excited to do it every weekend and do things to make them laugh. Youth is a beautiful thing and so is getting older. Dan is such a young man. He's definitely good at taking advantage of all that life has to offer. I hope he goes to Taiwan this summer. The Love Boat is a life-changing experience that's not to be missed. I guess if I hadn't gone, I wouldn't have met my husband. God has a funny way of working in our lives. Happy Birthday, Bro. Your little big sis loves you!
4 Comments
I still idolize you Nina. You're my hero! Too bad you have a new best friend tho. Hmph!
Posted 1/14/2004 at 8:52 PM by dannythecowboy
Stop talking about getting older. You're not even a mom yet so shut ur prattle till u've got a rattle...errr...ur baby's got a rattle. ya hurd?
Posted 1/14/2004 at 8:53 PM by dannythecowboy
those personally approved clothes you "personally approved" were chick clothes. I'll never forgive you for that Mrs. Why don't you wear ur buttons on the wrong sides like a dork little brother.
Posted 1/14/2004 at 8:54 PM by dannythecowboy
Oh, i hope nobody read that last comment.
Posted 1/14/2004 at 8:54 PM by dannythecowboy
Friday, January 16, 2004
Okay, it's Friday and that means we're heading back down to La La Land. We might go to Disneyland again this weekend. Who doesn't like Disneyland? Even if you're in a bad mood, seeing adults walk around with Goofy knit caps and big Mickey hands has got to lift your mood a little.
We're also going to see Chicago at the Pantages Theatre starring Patrick Swayze. He's like the wind... through the trees. He rides the night, next to me. Hmmm... It's 11am. Time to watch Ellen. She funny.
1 Comment
Hey Nina! We're like the wind...really fun < um i was sort of drunk when i wrote that..it totally made sense!
Going to go visit you in Bakersfield the next chance I get...hope you can make a big meal for my fat butt hehehe...
Just an update..things with Sharon are going well =) we had fun at semi-formal...tell you next time I see ya ok?
Heart, Daniel.
Posted 1/21/2004 at 2:44 PM by dannythecowboy
Friday, January 23, 2004
I'm staying in good ole Bakersfield this weekend. This is one of only two weekends that Ben and I will be staying here. The other one was Christmas weekend when my whole family went to Italy and I didn't even get a dumb ole t-shirt. Doh. I'm actually looking forward to getting a few things done, making our apartment look more like a home, and perhaps driving around and looking at various parts of Bakersfield. For those of you who've yet to fall asleep or close out this window, congratulations. I can't belive you're still here. In fact... I can't believe you're reading this... or this... or wow, I should write about Bakersfield more often. You faithful viewer, you (or viewer plus one)!
 Peace out from the Nizzle Hizzle.
1 Comment
haha...OMG ur so right! we didn't even get you a fuggin T-shirt! I've failed as a brother...oh the shame the shame!!! You know wut tho, the whole time we were thinking about what we could get you...at least I was! I'm so sorry I've failed...I'm gonna go drink a vial of poison now...don't try to stop me..it's too late. *sniffle snuff fo shizzle my penguizzle. Heart!
Posted 1/24/2004 at 5:48 AM by dannythecowboy
Wednesday, February 18, 2004

THE SYD
Okay, it's been too long since my last blog. I love that word. It's like log with a b in front of it. Hmmm...
It rained this morning in Bakersfield. I love the sound of rain coming down outside my window while I lie in bed and read a book... which is exactly what I did. Life doesn't get much better than that.
Valentine's Day was wonderful. I got some classic gifts from Ben like roses, candy, and a heart box of chocolates. But my favorite gift from him was a card. He wrote such beautiful things to me and that, for some reason, means more to me than diamonds or flowers. Even though many of us know when someone else loves us, it's just so important to hear it once in a while or see it in the little things they do for you.
I spent the past week hanging out with my sister and little niece at Rosemead Gardens, my parent's business. They went to Taiwan with my not so little niece Aspen (I miss that kid!). So, I spent my days and nights holding little Sydney and using her chubby frame to grace my many photos around the nursery.

BIRDBATH ANYONE?
That's all for today. I leave you with this photo:

SYDNEY THE GREAT
2 Comments
all Hail Sydney the great!
Posted 3/1/2004 at 4:26 PM by dannythecowboy
Winky eyes is sooo cute!
Posted 3/1/2004 at 5:08 PM by dannythecowboy
Monday, February 23, 2004
CONFESSIONS OF A CLUELESS HOUSEWIFE
You know how washer dryers always have that filter panel on the door or near the door? Well, the one in our apartment didn't so I thought "Cool, I don't have to empty the filters all the time. After about 3 months, I just realized that there's a panel on the back wall of the dryer that filters all the lint, dust, and stuff. When I opened it today, needless to say, there was something similar to pink cotton candy (a circus sized one I might add) that I removed from our dryer. Oh, the comedy... oh the hilarity... oh the stupidity...
2 Comments
did you eat it?
Posted 3/1/2004 at 4:27 PM by dannythecowboy
no comment
Posted 3/26/2004 at 5:31 AM by danleigh
Tuesday, February 24, 2004
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL PANCAKE DAY!
I made pancakes this morning for Ben since it's int'l pancake day and you really have no choice in the matter but to make a breakfast with batter (ha ha, I'm a poet and wouldn't you know it, it rhymes). Ben usually says that any meal is "okay", "alright", or "wasn't bad". He actually said "Mmmm, this is good". So, in conclusion... International Pancake Day at the Ha residence, a SUCCESS!
3 Comments
he's learning to be a better liar! either that or he's getting used to bad cooking. haha jk. ur cake was yummy. in fact im gonna go have some right now. oh wait i can't. i already fed fudge and i don't want him seeing me eat after him, cuz that means he's alpha doggy and we all kno who the alpha doggy is. woof~!
Posted 3/1/2004 at 4:28 PM by dannythecowboy
he's very good with the euphimisms!
Posted 3/26/2004 at 5:28 AM by danleigh
i mean euphemism
Posted 3/26/2004 at 5:30 AM by danleigh
Friday, March 12, 2004
THE SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT HOUSE
It's funny how you can blink and a whole month has already gone by. I guess it's been about three weeks since I last updated my Xanga. Life's been busy lately since Ben and I started house hunting. It's a full time job, really. I'm going out to look at more homes today with our real estate agent. There are so many choices out there it's hard to know which house is "the one" or at least "the one for now". It's a bit like dating. Only with homes, I think it's more in terms of which house can we comfortably live in for a few years versus is this the guy I'll be married to for the rest of my life? House hunting is a lot less scary and a lot less permanent.
My Dad, Mom, Sis, and two nieces came to visit me this past Tuesday. It was so wonderful to have their expert opinions on buying a house. My parents took a decent house and turned it into a mansion pretty much and my sister and her husband bought a house for two years and sold it for a fat profit. Ben and I have a lot of good role models to learn from. Of course, in the midst of house hunting, you've got to stop and take your little niece paddle boating in your apartment complex. How can you refuse a face like this:

MOMMY, THE A, and NAH NAH
2 Comments
I don't like hunting houses. They're so big and scary and they fight back.
Posted 3/23/2004 at 5:55 PM by dannythecowboy
>two nieces
you make it sound like there were so many people visiting you. I think 'niece' sounds like a full sized person, when really, they are itty bitties
Posted 3/26/2004 at 5:26 AM by danleigh
Monday, March 15, 2004
There's no such thing as a perfect marriage, a perfect relationship, or the perfect life (or even the perfect house for that matter - check out this picture taken at one of our house hunting adventures).

UH, NO THANKS
I've learned that you have to work at something to truly earn it. There are no short cuts. My sister is working out hard right now doing pilates. I'm sure she'll have a hard body she can be proud of in no time. My parents have worked so hard at their job and their success is their proof that eventually all things pay off the way they should. And my little brother Daniel has been improving himself on a daily basis - on the outside and inside. He'll land a dream girl one day because he's made himself the dream guy.
And as newlyweds, Ben and I have been working out all those things that you learn about each other when you live with someone for the first time. It's amazing, frustrating, and exciting all at once. So, there really isn't a perfect marriage, but once you work things out, the light on the other side is so beautiful.
2 Comments
work things out?!? like the kinks? i've heard a masseuse does wonders.
giraffe!
Posted 3/23/2004 at 5:53 PM by dannythecowboy
dat photo made me laugh. ha ha ha. the benjamin is a nice touch.
Posted 3/26/2004 at 5:23 AM by danleigh
Friday, March 19, 2004
HOME SWEET HOME
Ben and I just bought our first house! It's a great place and we really can't wait to move in. If anyone out there would like to visit the big 'ole exciting town of Bakersfield, please let us know. We'd love to have you over sometime. 
Here are some pictures of the new Ha residence (gotta love the fireplace right next to the master bath - you turn it on with a flip of a switch):

We had been looking to buy a house for about 2 months now. My parents and sister even drove up here to help us make a decision. Some homes we saw were nice, others not so nice. However, I think I knew when I saw this house that it would be perfect for us. What I didn't know was that we would find the house and buy it all in one day.
It went up for sale yesterday morning. Our real estate agent heard about it and got us an appointment to see it before everyone else. Ben was able to get a tour during his lunch break. After about half an hour of hanging out with the seller, we talked it over and decided to make an offer. When our agent presented the offer last night, the seller already had another offer to consider too (real estate in Bakersfield is so insane right now). We offered them the asking price plus we asked for their washer and dryer so we wouldn't have to buy one. Another family actually offered $5,000.00 more, but our agent said the owner chose us over the other family because he really liked us. It's so rare these days to meet people who will make decisions based on rapport rather than money.
I guess in about a month Ben and I will be moving into our very own place. It's a good feeling.
5 Comments
What a wonderful story! Amazing! Stupendous! So cool that I'm part of it too. :)
Posted 3/19/2004 at 9:17 PM by benjaminha
wheeeeeeeee so many posts to read! unfortunately it's 4:29 n i have to pee real bad n go to sleep. i'll read em first thing in the morning! ba-bye now!
Posted 3/23/2004 at 7:30 AM by dannythecowboy
Your house looks beautiful! So does your horse!
Posted 3/23/2004 at 5:52 PM by dannythecowboy
Love comment from reader #1 posted at 9:17 pm. heh heh i can just hear him say it:
"amazing! stupendous!" quite a comic genius.
yes, the problem with only family members subscribing to our blogs which we so dutifully describe as if there were a big audience.
You already heard everything!!! over the phone. online. or in person!!!
Posted 3/26/2004 at 5:21 AM by danleigh
Awesome house....we will be down sometime to try out the pool.. congratulations you two.Posted 3/26/2004 at 4:29 PM by mrsstaylor
Sunday, April 04, 2004
As Luck Would Have It
I think Ben and I have both done silly things in our lives, but this afternoon, we may have outdone ourselves. At a local Bakersfield grocery store, we picked up two microphones and belted out "Y.M.C.A." as part of their "Easter Ham It Up Contest". We sang in front of about 30 store patrons and it was also broadcast throughout the grocery store. It was one of those ridiculous moments in life when you have to think to yourself "Am I really doing this?". It turns out that the crowd really liked us and we took home two 10-pound Easter hams for our effort.

GOT HAM?
I don't think I ever imagined we'd do something like that. Oh well, there's a first for everything.
About two weeks ago, Ben and I did some shopping at a couple stores around L.A. We ventured into two different Staples Office Suppy Stores and dropped our business cards into their monthly briefcase drawing. It turned out that Ben won a leather briefcase from Staples of Hacienda Heights and I won one from the Staples of Chino Hills. Crazy, huh?
Also, last week Borders had a CD release party for up and coming jazz musician Michael Buble` at various stores across the southland. I heard that they were giving away one of his new CD's and two of his old ones. So, Ben and I showed up and entered the drawing. When we got home, I got an e-mail that told me I had won his old CD. Ben said "No Way" and so we checked his e-mail and he was the winner of the new "Come Fly With Me" CD and DVD. It was pretty cool. Okay, so we were two of only three people there, but it's nice to win stuff. Can't complain about poor turnout in Bakersfield. We're hoping that it'll work to our advantage in future events, too. We're such dorks, but boy is it fun!
Before I go, here's a picture of Sydney that my sister took after putting a beanie on her head complete with its own curls:

CURLY SYD
Oh, I also can't forget the one of little Syd with my Mom:

WORLD'S YOUNGEST LOOKING GRANDMA
1 Comment
i see ben is hamming it up for the photog.
love that you calledit curly syd. better than mine.
gramma and frenchie
Posted 4/7/2004 at 5:18 AM by danleigh
Monday, April 05, 2004
AU REVOIR HUMBLE APARTMENT
There are certain little things I'll miss about our little apartment in Bakersfield. There's nothing like the feeling of walking downstairs and following a bunch of duckies on my way to check the mail. There's such a nice environment here for the webbed footed ones. I sure will miss them.

DUCKIES IN A ROW
2 Comments
hehe that's pretty cute
Posted 4/6/2004 at 1:14 AM by dannythecowboy
dope photo. you should enter it
Posted 4/7/2004 at 5:14 AM by danleigh
Friday, April 09, 2004
I had the strangest dream the night before last that I went back to Taiwan with Ben to tell my Grandma that Ben and I would be going back to Taiwan next month to see her. Why I needed to fly back there to tell her that I'd be flying there... I don't know. In reality, Ben and I will be going there next month and I'm so excited because I've wanted Ben to meet my Grandma for a long time. She's in her 80's and her legs are bad so she hasn't been able to visit us in years... she even missed our wedding. I sent her a DVD and hope to bring wedding pictures to show her soon. I miss her a lot. We spoke on the phone last night for more than 10 minutes. It was nice joking about getting my 2 bucks from her to buy candy. 2 bucks in Taiwan can't even buy you a lick off a piece of candy now. Back in the day though, it was a fortune. I've been reminded several times about one or two (okay maybe more) occasions where my Grandma gave me money to buy candy for both me and my sister but my sis never saw the scrumptious sugary confections. It wasn't until my Grandma asked her how she enjoyed the candy that my sister said "What candy?". Oops.
Okay, back to the dream. I had just watched "Hero" with Jet Li earlier that day and so it was natural that in my dream, I was fighting about 20 long-haired Asian senior citizens. They were tossing golf tees at me and a dozen other young people including some guy I met at Chien Tan 7 years ago whom I wasn't even friends with. Anyway, using a pool cuestick, I was able to deflect every single golf tee that was flung at us at top speeds. I was sooo cool. And so was the Chien Tan guy. He did a body slam on one of the old guys that sealed our victory.
Then, we went back to my Grandma's house to rest. But since we don't go back to Taiwan often, I went downstairs to see my Grandma who happened to have cut some "lemboo" fruit for me to eat. Yummy. Then, my mom was there. I was so moved that she would fly all the way to Taiwan to see me and Ben that I started to tear up. Then, I said "Mom, you know what? Ben just submitted his vacation request for May 22nd-30th so that we could go to Taiwan". She said "Oh good, I hope I hope it gets approved" while she crossed her fingers.
I also saw my late Grandfather after the "golf tee fight". He was wearing one of his short sleeve button down shirts as usual, but he had severe burns on his chest. But I was just so glad he was still alive in my dream, I didn't care. I introduced him to Ben and was so glad they could finally meet. It may not have happened in real life, but it sure was nice seeing my Grandpa again.
3 Comments
like the jet li inspired long haired asian gangsta fight
Posted 4/13/2004 at 2:31 AM by danleigh
when are you going to write more crzay stuff?
Posted 4/18/2004 at 3:42 PM by danleigh
whaddup, wow, you seem like a real interesting person, bye.
Posted 4/19/2004 at 3:40 AM by c0heed
Thursday, April 22, 2004
Well, I took the OK Cupid quiz because I saw it on my little bro's xanga entry. He ended up with: The Vapor Trail Random Brutal Love Master (RBLMm)
Here's the result of my quiz (not so sure what to make of it):

The Priss Deliberate Brutal Love Dreamer (DBLDf)
Mature. Responsible. Aristocratic. Excuse me. The Priss.
Prisses are the smartest of all female types. You're highly perceptive, and confident in your judgements. You'd take brutal honesty over superficiality any time--your friends always know where they stand with you. You're completely unfake. Don't tell me that's not a word. You're also excellent at redirecting internal negative energy.
These facts indicate people are often intimidated by you. They also fall for you, hard. You have a distant, composed allure that many find irresistible. If only more of them lived up to your standards.
You were probably the last among your friends to have sex. And the first to pretend that you're pregnant. LOL. Though you're inclined to use sex as weapon, at least it's not as one of mass destruction. You're choosier than most about your partners. A supportive relationship is what you're really after. Whether you know it or not, you need something steady & long-term. And soothing.
ALWAYS AVOID: The Playboy, The Loverboy CONSIDER: The Manchild
Your exact opposite: The Playstation
Random Gentle Sex Master
** 110% Accurate! (-10% Inaccurate!) You can forward this to friends or link to it from web pages.
http://www.okcupid.com/personality?type=DBLD&g=2&o=1&h=175
_______
Perhaps you should take the quiz, too. The website is okcupid.com
I guess I have something to think about. Hmmmm...
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Ben was able to come home for lunch again today. The drive is about 8 minutes each way. Can't beat that. After lunch, we surfed the TV channels a bit and stumbled onto an old movie on cable. Rosanna Arquette was crying over something and the male lead had his face in his hands. I said "I wonder who the guy is in this movie". Then he lifted his head and I noticed that it was Vincent Spano - a guy I met while filling in as an extra on an Indie pic called "The Unknown Cyclist" also starring Lea Thompson. He was also in "Alive" with Ethan Hawke and I guess when you're really hungry, you start eating other people. Ick! Anyway, Vincent asked me to have lunch with him in his trailer and we met up again about a year later at the film's premiere in Seattle. That's when he told my friend that he had a crush on me during the shooting of the film. Small world.

Saturday, May 15, 2004
Well, Luck is a Great Thing and So is God.
This past week, I received a $10 Starbucks gift card for winning an HP Success Stories contest. I sent in a quick entry about how Mom and Dad came to America with virtually nothing and worked so hard to achieve the success they have today. I talked about how they struggled to open their own business, how they achieved the American dream, and how they finally bought a home that they deserved. Of course, I had to explain how an HP product came into play. So, I wrote about how I was so proud of Mom and Dad so I printed out a picture of their three children on cloth paper using HP ink and an HP printer. The photos looked like paintings and I framed them all as a gift to Mom. She now has them displayed in her living room as a symbol of the wonderful lives she and Dad have given us. Anyway, the story and a picture should hit the hp.com website in a few months.
Also, a few days ago, I got a $25 gift card for Vons for entering a grocery sweepstakes contest three months ago. That was nice.
This morning, I took Ben's car to get serviced at the local Bakersfield Honda. The company gave me a lift back to our house while the car was being worked on. I sat in the shuttle of a 21 year old young African American man who I got along with really well. He said he's done some bad things in his life, but one day he just decided that he wanted to succeed and not get caught up in drugs like his mother. He had given me a ride before about four months back. Anyway, after he dropped me off, I later realized that I had left my purse on his van - full of money, credit cards, and even a brand new 5.0 megapixel Sony digital camera. I panicked and called the Honda shop. They said Elijah, the young driver, had dropped it off for me at the Cashier's Office. I was so relieved and so thankful to him. Once I picked up my purse, I wrote him a note telling him just what I thought of him. He's a nice, classy young man who will go onto great things. God definitely looks after me. For that, I'm thankful and truly blessed. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Thursday, June 03, 2004
BAKERSFIELD MEDIA
Funny how you can send in an audition tape and hear back from so many different people. I sent out three of my reporting resume tapes to the networks in Bakersfield since moving here. I heard back from ABC, then the NBC, and now the CBS News Directors. It's great that they even considered hiring me full-time for their stations. It's quite an honor. Two weeks ago, I sent in a 3-minute audition tape for a local radio station's Apprentice competition and now I'm in the running for a summer job with the station. I may get cut tomorrow, but it sure has been fun vying for the gig.
2 Comments
Funny how you can be such a scallop and people just see right past it. It really shows how open minded people can be when they receive you so warmly and without question. Posted 6/10/2004 at 9:10 AM by dannythecowboy
time to update little sis. Posted 6/23/2004 at 8:17 AM by dannythecowboy
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
IS THERE A BASKETBALL UNDER YOUR SHIRT?
This is me at 20 weeks of pregnancy with our little one. I've never been this chubby in my life, but it feels great. We call our little one "Squishy". It's short this week for "Lil' Squash". Last week, we called our little fetus "Zukey" or "Little Zucchini". Before that, we called him or her "Sweet Potato". Then it was "Fuji Apple", then "Avacado", and then the very first one was "Succulent Shrimp". My sister came up with that last one since we used it for her two adorable girls before they were born. I'm not sure what size the baby will be next week or which vegetable we'll dub it, but it should be good.

Nina, 20 Weeks, Chubby But Happy
2 Comments
You look really great in the picture. I can't wait to see you tonight!
Posted 12/3/2004 at 3:03 PM by benjaminha
Junior's going to have an identity crisis somewhere down the line...you just watch.
Posted 12/31/2004 at 4:26 AM by dannythecowboy
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
IT'S GROWING!
This is me at 21 weeks of pregnancy with Jr. It's the most amazing thing to feel a baby moving around inside you. I try to talk to him/her everytime I feel movement... which can be quite often. Every morning, Ben kisses my tummy and says "Good Morning in there. Daddy loves you." I imagine he sounds pretty muffled, but babies have been known to recognize their father's voices when they're born. We're calling our little one "Dukey" this week because it's the size of a honeydew melon and Ben loves his Duke basketball. Go Dukeys!

Nina, 21 Weeks, Gettin' Rounder All the Time
1 Comment
You guys give him a new name every week? Can you name him scallop one of these weeks. Preferably when I'm around. Thanks!
Posted 12/31/2004 at 4:25 AM by dannythecowboy
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
IT'S ALIVE!
This is me at 22 weeks of pregnancy with "Mini" Ha. He or she is definitely kicking like the dickens. Ben actually felt it kick on Sunday night. Jr. was totally moving around in there so Ben put his hand on my belly. Just as I was about to tell him that it just kicked, he said "Oooh. I felt that". It was great. Some people can't feel the kicking from the outside for a while, so I think we're lucky. We decided to wait to find out the sex of the baby. There are too few surprises in this world. My mom and sister never found out the sex of any of their kids. But, they also went into labor drug free. I say "Bring on the epidural and make it a double!".

Nina, 22 Weeks, "I'm Not Fat, I'm Big Boned... Okay, I'm Fat."
1 Comment
I never knew Mom went into labor with us drug free. I only knew about Sarah and Sydney. Aww isn't Sydney such a happy baby. I'm proud to be drug free! Can't wait til little junior pops out. "It's like a frickin slip n slide! I was hanging on trying not to fall out. I could see the disco lights..."
Posted 12/31/2004 at 4:24 AM by dannythecowboy
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!
This is me at 23 weeks of pregnancy with 'Lil Ha. You can't really see a big difference between all the pictures I've been posting on this Xanga site.
So, I've decided to include another photo of me and Ben that definitely shows off my huge waistline.

Nina, 23 Weeks, "You have no idea how big I really am under there."
Okay, check this out...

"Whoa... she's gonna blow!"
Alright, now this picture shows off the real me for now. Of course, I can't guarantee that I'll stay this big, but I can probably guarantee that I'll get bigger. I now weigh 165 pounds! I've never even really gone over the 140 mark and here I am in the 160's. I weigh 45 pounds more than I did when we got married. Doh! Hopefully I can shed this weight when the little one comes along. Life is so fragile, so tiny, and so beautiful.
1 Comment
Haha whoah you do look pretty big in the bottom picture. You look great in the top photo though =) That's my beautiful sister.
Posted 12/31/2004 at 4:21 AM by dannythecowboy
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME!
This is me at 24 weeks of pregnancy with 'Lil Footer. Our little one is about a foot long and weighs more than a pound. The rest of it is just me. I decided to change into my patriotic Superman shirt so you can see more belly definition. I'm starting to stretch out all my normal shirts. I'd better stop before I won't be able to wear any of my clothes post-delivery. Speaking of which, the big day is just three months away. It's really too late to turn back now. Kinda scary. So, here's the latest picture, complete with my new favorite pair of pants. I look like a big stuffed animal when I wear the pants and the matching track suit jacket.

Pink Elephant on Parade.
The baby is fully kicking now. It's like its doing gymnastics in there. I love it. It's a fun movement that makes me feel close to the baby. As I do chores around the house like any good housewife :), I put on one of my Mozart CD's (from his definitive 25 disc Collector's Edition which my Dad didn't want) and we dance to the melodies. I think the kid's starting to like it in there.
1 Comment
You're going to be a great mommy. Maybe junior can be a circus acrobat since he's so good at those gymnastics. Always been a dream of mine really.
Posted 12/31/2004 at 4:19 AM by dannythecowboy
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
SHUT UP, SCALLOP!
This is me at 25 weeks of pregnancy with 'Lil Scallop. We're calling him/her Scallop by request. You know who you are. :) We (okay, just me) got our hair colored this afternoon. So, I'm back to black and it appears Junior has survived the ordeal. I had crazy roots showing for a while there when I went really light with my hair and then got pregnant. We didn't want to jeopardize our little one's safety so we waited until my 6th month and third trimester before any hair color ventures.
So, I gave you a little sampling of my big pink teddy bear outfit last week. Here's the rest of it.

Get In My Belly!
Our little one is about 13 1/2 inches long and weighs about a pound and a half now. He or she sure is growing. Speaking of growing... let's talk boobage for a minute here. I knew that a woman's breasts were supposed to get bigger with pregnancy, but dang... how big can these mammaries get? I know one husband who's pretty happy with these prenatal changes. One perk of being with child is that you don't have any periods for the duration of the pregnancy. It's great. No cramps, just the joy of my little baby kicking.
2 Comments
You are looking marvelous dear!
Your loving hubby
B
Posted 1/6/2005 at 10:25 AM by benjaminha
shut up scallop!Posted 1/11/2005 at 4:38 AM by dannythecowboy
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
UNCLE DANNY'S BIRTHDAY!
This is me at 26 weeks of pregnancy with Wee Ha (no, not woo ha or hee haw or yee ha). It's also my little brother Daniel's 22nd birthday. I can't believe how quickly they grow. I was 8 when Dan was born. My sister and I used to help heat up his bottles and feed him. Now he's 6'5" and on the UCSD basketball team. Wow. Ben and I spent Christmas with him here in Bakersfield. It was so nice having my 'lil bro around. We just chilled, ate Jimmy Dean sausage bisquits (I love spelling it this way), and watched movies. It was schweet.

Danny Boy and Da Has
It's been a good pregnancy week. Our little one is about 14" long now and weighs a little under two pounds. According to our bathroom scale, I'm 171 pounds. That's mostly placenta, baby, and amniotic sac. Just kidding. It's mostly just more of me to love. Junior has been kicking a lot. He/she actually woke me up the other night with those yoga moves in there. I enjoyed it, though. That baby can wake me up anytime. Don't quote me on that when the kid is actually born. Oh, I read that if we're having a boy, his testicles are making a little journey down to his scrotum. Good to know. If we're having a girl, I guess there won't be any testicular adventures.
I'm eating a lot of citrus now. We have a big 30oz. can of mandarin orange slices with yogurt each morning. I'm also eating lots of cotton candy (healthy, huh?), and the occaisional pb&j sandwich.
Well, here's the latest pic of me in my pregnant splendor... caught in the act.

What? You've never seen a pregnant woman near a refrigerator before?
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
OOOPS!
This is me at 27 weeks of pregnancy with Ben Jr. or 'Lil Nah Nah. I was walking around the mall yesterday when I got a call from Kaiser. They said I need to take the extended gestational diabetes test because I failed the first one. Doh! I guess it's time to cut back on all the peanut brittle that I've unabashedly consumed. I signed up at 24 Hour Fitness for a one month trial. I actually walked for 30 minutes on the treadmill today. That's the first real time I've done any real exercise since the summer before our wedding. Sad, huh? Well, at least I get to look forward to test #2. For the diabetes test, you get to drink this orange soda that basically tastes like Sunkist. They check back with you in an hour and see if your body was able to process the sugar. I guess I'm giving my body more work than it can handle. Sorry, kiddo. If I keep this up, the kid could be gettin' a bit too fat... kinda like his/her Mommy. Anyway, here's my latest pic taken a few hours ago before I hit the gym. Oh, and there's also a picture of the crib we ordered. It's one of those cool cribs that converts into a toddler bed and then into an adult twin bed. Pretty neat.

Nina, 27 Weeks "Must... Go... to... Gym..." and Our new crib which will soon see Superman paraphernalia.
This week, the baby is more than 2 pounds and is about 14.4 inches tall or long... depending on what you'd prefer to call it. The baby is opening and closing its eyes now and even sucking its thumb. How cute is that? About six days ago, I saw my belly move and so I decided to press down on it to encourage more movement from the baby (I just like to see it - it's so much fun). As I pushed down on my belly, the baby kicked out and scared the heck out of me. It was funny. Well, I guess we'll just have to see how my second diabetes test turns out. Wish me luck, Xangans. :)
2 Comments
You can do it, my love! Hit the gym and that sugar will be gone! I love you!
Posted 1/20/2005 at 1:26 PM by benjaminha
hey there, you look great! and yes you can do it. here is something from the poster on my wall that i look at everyday.
"impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men (and women) who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. impossible is not a fact, it's an opinion. impossible is not a declaration. it's a dare. impossible is potential. impossible is temporary. impossible is nothing."
Posted 1/26/2005 at 9:53 PM by dannythecowboy
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
A New Beginning
This is me at 28 weeks of pregnancy with Shiao Ha (mandarin), Sei Ha (taiwanese) or Little Ha (english). I'm in the third trimester of pregnancy and as some would call it "The Homestretch". I'm also on a new diet now. I found out that I do not have gestational diabetes, but I am glucose intolerent. During pregnancy, my body doesn't process sugar well. So, in order to prevent giving birth to a big, fat baby, they're putting me on a "eat often, but not too much" diet. It's only for another three weeks. I can manage. I do miss big bowls of cereal, though (too sweet... would cause my blood sugar levels to skyrocket). Here's my latest pic. Ben took it about five minutes ago. Also, here are the latest pictures of my 15 month old niece Sydney. If kids could always be this cute, "Gimme one of those, please!".

Nina, 28 Weeks "Isn't black so slimming? Ha, ha" and Sydney, Cute Little Baby
Oh yeah, that's our bed in the picture. I spend a lot of time lounging around on the nice, fluffy, pillowtop mattress. We've yet to decide on bedroom furniture so it's a bit sparse in there. But, we do have a cool silk comforter that Mom and Dad Liu bought for our wedding gift from Suzhou China. It's so soft and 100% made from the thread of silkworms. We saw the process at the silk factory, but I digress.
Back to baby stuff. So, the second gestational diabetes test kinda sucked. They gave me a purple colored soda with twice the sugar of last week's orange soda. It basically tastes like you're inhaling sucrose. Yuck. They check in on you ever hour for three hours. Apparently, my blood sugar level dropped so low in the third hour, they were pretty surprised that I didn't pass out. So, that's why they're making me do this pregnancy diet. It's actually a lot like the Zone diet. Maybe my weight gain will plateau for a while.
This week, the baby is still more than 2 pounds and is about 14.8 inches tall. It can now see light through the womb and will turn toward it. He or she also has eyelashes now and is building fat layers.  I'm monitoring the baby's kicks to see how long it takes for it to kick ten times after dinner. It usually takes 15 minutes. The movement is definitely getting more noticeable and kinda shakes my whole belly sometimes. It feels more like turning and less like butterflies. Oh the progress.
Thursday, February 03, 2005
What a Difference a Few Months Make
Okay, I'm a day late on this Xanga posting. But, this is me at 29 weeks of pregnancy with our little Superbaby. I can't believe that I can conceivably give birth in just 6 or 7 weeks. Wow.
The new diet sucks, but it's do-able. It's nice to have a guideline to follow since I was just eating whatever before. Here's the latest picture of pregnant me. Ben took it last night. Also, it's followed by photos of me and Ben right when we found out we were expecting. Ben says compared to now, I looked anorexic in the pregnancy test photos.

Nina, 29 Weeks "Look at that round face" and pictures of me and Ben and our positive test results "Doh!'" Just kidding. We're very happy.
This week, our 'lil baby is almost 3 pounds and is over 15" tall. His/her noggin is getting harder, too, to protect that genius brain of his or hers. According to this Chinese numerology chart on-line, we're having a girl. But that thing's been inaccurate for a lot of predictions. So, I guess we still need to find out the old fashioned way when the baby's born. If I gave birth now, the kid would be able to survive, although it'd need some help with breathing.
I must say the baby's kicking sometimes feels like a crazy, sinking feeling. It's as if you're on the downhill slope of a rollercoaster ride. It's exciting although you're not moving. Weird. Anyway, one of the perks of being with child is that your body temperature is super high. It's great during the winter months. I've had a fantastic season so far. You should've seen me last winter. I had to wear my microwaveable socks ALL the time. I even had the electric blanket on and Ben used to turn up the heat for me before bedtime. Now, I'm toasty all the time. Yipee. 
1 Comment
Wow, I must have really been busy these past couple weeks.. I just scrolled down and I see 5 new entries that I haven't seen before. Well seeing as how it's 4:00 AM and I just wanted to peek real quick I think I am going to have to call it a night and finish browsing thru tomorrow. Good night sis and ben and junior and lots of love.
Posted 3/1/2005 at 6:58 AM by dannythecowboy
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Happy Chinese New Year!
This is me and Ben at 30 weeks of pregnancy with our kid-to-be (I'm the pregnant one in the picture ). We're looking forward to Tax Day 2005. That's when Mini-Ha is due.

Nina, 30 Weeks "Hey Ma, I'm wearin' red for New Years!" and Ben, Proud Duke fan
So, I was driving around Bakersfield today and my little Bro called. He wanted to tell Ben that Duke was playing tonight. As if my Blue Devils obsessed husband didn't already know. It was really sweet of Daniel to call. He asked if Ben was wearing the Duke jersey he got him for Christmas. I told Dan "No, it's still too cold to wear it, but Ben loves his jersey. It's hanging up in our closet". Then, I get home from running errands and Ben greets me at the door wearing his Duke jersey and Duke shorts... ready to watch the game. He's such a fan. I think our baby's first words will be "Dukie" or at least he or she will make a dukie at some point. Ha, ha. By the way, Duke beat UNC 71-70 tonight. Good bragging rights. That JJ Redick is such an accurate shooter, but like all things in life, you have to work hard at it to succeed.
This week, our petit chou (little cabbage in french) is pretty darn close to 3 pounds and is about 15 1/2 inches long. There's a pint and a half of amniotic fluid around the baby, but the level will go down as the kid gets bigger and fills out the uterus. The cute thing is that he/she is opening and closing the eyes a lot now. The baby can follow a light source back and forth, too.
Just a quick note, Ben and I often enter the Office Depot briefcase drawing and I was chosen as the winner of a $100 Office Depot gift card in November and Ben won the same thing last month. Schweet. Also, we just successfully hooked up our TIVO to our wireless network at home. The TIVO was a cool wedding gift from my sis and brother-in-law. Now we can O.D. on TV! Yay! 
1 Comment
COol beans!
Posted 3/1/2005 at 6:56 AM by dannythecowboy
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Midnight Snacks and Sonograms
This is me at 31 weeks of pregnancy with our future Ha. You'll also notice the evolution of our baby through ultrasound pictures. In the top photo, there's my uterus with a gestational sac all ready to house the baby. In the second photo, you see a tiny baby emerging. The third photo shows Mini-Ha waving at the camera, and the final photo is Fetus Ha switching positions and looking more like a baby (look at those cute little legs on the left).

Nina, 31 Weeks "I'm wearing Ben's clothes out of need, not want."
This week, our baby is about 16 inches long now and is just over three pounds. He/she can turn its head from side to side and is getting fatter. Cool. I'm not the only one.
One bad thing about pregnancy is that I sometimes wake up with crazy leg cramps. Also, it's hard for me to fall asleep at night for some reason. I guess I'll just burn the midnight oil. Another thing is that pregnant women go to the bathroom every five minutes. How can a body generate that much pee? Is that even possible? Hmmm...
Last week, I REALLY wanted to eat some avocados. With my glucose monitoring diet, I can eat some foods without it affecting my sugar level. Avocados is one of those foods. So, it was close to midnight, Ben was tired, but I was hungry. Ben was so sweet to accomodate me. So, the three of us (fetus included) went to Albertson's and got some yummy Haas avocados which tasted like heaven just before bedtime. Ah, the little pleasures in life. 
1 Comment
Hey Neen, you're looking great.. big belly and all! I mean your skin tone and hair look really clean and shiny so I guess what I mean is you look very healthy not to mention beautiful which is good since you have a little scallop in you. Avocados are yummy, try tossing them in your salad. You salad tosser you. Hehe.
Posted 3/1/2005 at 6:56 AM by dannythecowboy
Friday, March 04, 2005
Pregnant Colds and Allergies
Some of you may have noticed that it's been two weeks since my last entry (for some reason it sounds like I'm in confession or something). Unfortunately, I've been pretty stuffed up with a cold (which my adorable nieces passed on to Ben and he so kindly passed on to me) and allergies. I'm feeling better now. So, the following pictures are of me from last night and three from our Bakersfield baby shower.

Nina, 33 Weeks "Super-Mommy-To-Be" and Nina, 32 Weeks (and Ben) at our cool Bakersfield shower
By the way, the picture above our fireplace was taken at our wedding. I ordered the black and white photo to be printed on canvas and stretch mounted on a wooden frame for Ben's Valentine's Day gift. What a difference a year and a half makes, huh?
Our good friends in Bakersfield threw a Super cool shower for us. The turn out was great, the food was excellent (pigs in a blanket anyone?), and the decorations were awesome (our friend Philip drew the Superman picture that's supposed to be part Ben, part me, and part future baby). They put little Superman shield stickers on each paper plate, made yummy cookies as party favors, and put on funny games. Our Bak Pack is the best. Shout out to the Sperbers, the Oliviers, the Moriskys, and Mike! You're our Bakersfield family.
As far as the pregnancy goes, the big thing is that we've now switched from monthly OB/GYN meetings to twice a month. After a while, it'll move to weekly visits as we get closer to our due date. Doh! This week, our baby is a little over 17 inches long now and is just over four pounds. He/she gained a whole pound in two weeks! Yipee. I read that the baby's skin is getting less wrinkled and red so it's lookin' more like a baby every day. The bones are hardening, too, except for the skull which may be squished when it's getting out of my girly parts. The baby's fingernails have also grown so we'll probably have to do a Mommy-Baby manicure and pedicure later on. I should probably do the baby's nails myself, huh?
Ben is such a cute expecting father. He talks to Jr. all the time, but he likes to talk really close to my belly so I'm sure all the kid hears is "Mffl muffl muffl. Dddy Wuvs Ewe".
This weekend, we're going to our LA shower put on by my Sis. We are so blessed to have such good people in our lives. Well, now it's time for me to join Ben at a local Indian place for all-you-can-eat buffet. Can you imagine the looks on their faces when a pregnant woman comes to the table? I bet they wished they had a maternity rate so they could charge me double for the food I'm about to consume. 
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Getting Closer Every Day
This is me at 34 weeks of pregnancy with Medium Ha (it's not so little anymore). The following pictures are of me from last night and three from our Bakersfield baby shower.

Our Super cake, our chubby niece Sydney, our matching selves, and Nina, 34 Weeks "Could this t-shirt stretch out any more?"
By the way, the picture on the right was taken in our dining room. I'm a huge Grace Kelly fan and the image is of the former Princess of Monaco in a 1950's champagne ad. She was a beautiful woman who shed all glamour and make-up to play a wearied wife in "The Country Girl" and came away with an Academy Award. I love that she didn't care about how she appeared as long as she could give meaning to her role. That kind of reasoning helps me feel good about almost never wearing make-up in my pregnant days. Yay, au naturale!
My sister Sarah threw us a Super nice baby shower in Hacienda Heights. We expected a cozy turn-out of perhaps 10-15 people, but 40 plus showed up. It was such a great reminder that we have amazing friends and family who care. We're so blessed. I'm thankful everyday for all the good things in our lives. Baby Ha got a ton of cool things for his/her future, the cake was way yummy, the company fantastic, and the balloons were abundant. My sis is so great for doing this for us considering I wasn't able to make it out to her shower for Aspen when I was in Oregon. I still feel guilty about that. I guess it's why I tried to buy as much as I could for Sydney when she had registry needs. I love those two kids.
As far as the pregnancy goes, I'm headed to visit Dr. Cheung again tomorrow. Ben has gone with me to every single visit so far. He's the best. But, I think I'll go it alone tomorrow. After all, he can't come to every one now that I've moved to more frequent visits. He'll come to the important ones.
This week, our baby is almost 18 inches long and is four 3/4 pounds. I can definitely feel stronger kicks and bigger movements inside my belly. He or she is getting fat layers to help regulate body temperature once she escapes the womb. According to babycenter.com, 99% of babies this age can survive outside the womb and most have no major long-term problems related to prematurity. Pretty cool.
At this point, literature is telling me that many midwives recommend massaging the perineum (the area around your vagina) to help prevent tearing during childbirth. I'm not so sure I want to get that friendly with myself just yet. Isn't there another way? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? 
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Getting Ready for the Big Day
This is me at 35 weeks of pregnancy with Ripe Ha (it's getting there). The following pictures are of me from just ten minutes ago, our new baby changing table, the co-sleeper bed which will fit right next to our bed, and our new stroller which is currently housing a stuffed cow.

Nina, 35 Weeks, Changeroo, Sleeperoo, and Got Milk?
In the first picture, I'm standing next to the Superman neon sign that I bought from eBay for the baby's nursery. It'll be cool once the room is finished. We're still waiting for our crib to come in. I'm wearing materinty clothes courtesty of my sister and Japanese Weekend. I guess all the women who've been pregnant have heard of the JW company since they make expensive clothes for preggos. My sis did some modeling for them and has a lot of their clothes. I get to benefit from her professional connections and experience. Can't complain.
My last appointment with our OB/GYN Dr. Cheung was good. I got to see Junior again via ultrasound. He/she looked very cute and healthy. I think everything is moving right along. After my next appointment, I move to weekly visits. That means we're running out of time. Doh! This week, our baby is more than 18 inches long and is more than 5 pounds. I think the poor thing's getting all cramped inside my womb which is apparently 15 times its original size. Whoa. The baby is mostly done growing. It'll spend the next few weeks getting chubby. I read that pregnant women have been known to get more tired in the last month of pregnancy and boy did that hit me over the weekend. I've been a bit more fatigued each day. But thanks to Ben (Mr. Hardworking Husband), I get to sleep in and take frequent naps. Yay naps!
I went to get a pedicure with my friend Michelle today. I want to make sure that the toes look cute during labor. So, while I'm freaking out and screaming in pain, at least I'll have good looking nails. 
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Baby Hiccups
This is me at 36 weeks of pregnancy with our little Superbaby. The following pictures are of me from just two minutes ago, the baby's first pair of Duke booties, and the coolest baby outfit ever.

Nina, 36 Weeks, Bootie Call, and Superha's Costume
That's me standing in front of our kitchen. I'm more partial to dark wood, but it's still nice. On top of our cabinets is our Thai teak wood pig which we (okay, me) bought at our first auction in Bakersfield. Actually, it was our first auction ever. Lots of fun and they give you lunch, too. Perhaps we'll go again once the baby settles into a routine.
I met with our doc two days ago and she estimated the baby to be about 7 pounds. Two weeks before that, she said the baby was about 5 pounds. So, in two weeks, I gained 5 pounds and half of that was probably baby weight. Crazy, huh? Our little one is getting nice and fat. Hopefully not too fat, though. As for me, I'm nearing 180 pounds. Whoa! Now that I'm 36 weeks along, we've switched to weekly visits with our OB/GYN.
This week, our baby is a little less than 19 inches long. But, the coolest thing is that our little one got the hiccups for the first time on St. Patrick's Day, March 17th! It was so much fun feeling my belly hiccup every few seconds. But after that Thursday, Jr. got the hiccups on Friday, Saturday, Monday, twice Wednesday, and earlier today. Thank goodness it's perfectly normal.
At the end of this week (in about three days), our baby will be considered full-term. I'm also already in my tenth lunar month according to pregnancy.com. Our baby is head down in my belly, but so far no Braxton Hicks (or Clamguard Phelps for the Bak Pak folk) contractions yet or any nesting tendencies. About a few months ago, I did clean out all the cabinets in our kitchen, but that only lasted a few hours.
Everyone keeps asking me how I'm feeling nowadays. Aside from being a bit tired, I feel great. You should've seen me during my 3-4 months of morning sickness early on. It was not pretty. I was relegated to life on the couch and staring at the ceiling. Ben was giving me butt injections of vitamin B6 to curb the nausea, but I was still tossing my cookies between live shots on the air. I had to quit. I think the last straw was my lying down on the floor (icky carpet) during commercials while anchoring a 2 hour newscast. I'm so glad all that's over. At least I got to show everyone a cute ultrasound picture of "Mini-Ha" on my last day.
Tomorrow, we're headed to LA to attend a friend's wedding. That should be fun. I hope we don't go into labor this weekend. Just in case, I've packed a hospital bag for me, Ben, and Junior. Wish us luck! 
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Braxton Hicks and Baby Kicks
This is me at 37 weeks of pregnancy with our little Junior. The following pictures are of me and Ben from yesterday. We took some "artistic maternity" pictures.

Nina, 37 Weeks "Look at That Belly!" and Expecting Mom and Dad Ha
Ben and I had fun taking these pictures. We actually just set up our digital camera on a tripod and took these in our living room. I love photography and enjoy doing these myself rather than have someone else take our pictures. I'm going to have so much fun putting our kid in myriad poses when he or she joins us on the outside. In the first picture of our hands holding my belly, I actually had to use Photoshop to change the background to black. For some reason, it makes it look more dramatic. I turned the second photo into a vintage pic with sepia tone, but the third one of Ben putting his face next to fetus looked great in full color, I thought.
I met with our doc yesterday and the baby's heartbeat sounded very strong. The doctor wants to strip my membranes at next week's appointment, but I don't think I'm going to do that. I heard it's super painful and I'm just not a big fan of pain. For those of you who aren't familiar with the process, it involves a physician sticking a finger in your vaginal area and moving it around like there's no tomorrow. Talk about ouch!
Speaking of girly parts, my friend Laura told me a few weeks ago that many pregnant women can't see... um, down there in the ninth month. "Pish posh", I thought. Little did I know that later on, I would be so big that my belly completely blocks my view of anything going on down there. That might be a good thing, though. 
I had the most bizarre dream this past weekend. I dreamt that I had given birth to a baby boy and Ben was so happy he said "Thanks, Dear". But then, the baby boy turned into a six foot man and we were tied together by umbilical cord. Later in the dream, the baby became a little girl with really big eyes. Anyway, just a strange dream all together.
This week, we've got a full term baby. That means it's ready to handle life outside the womb already. The baby weighs anywhere from 6-7ish pounds and is between 19 and 20 inches, head to heel. I read that babies get the hiccups in the womb when it's practicing how to breathe. Our doc says our little one is doing just that and it shows fetal maturity. I always knew we had a smart one on our hands. The baby's been hiccuping once or twice a day every few days or so.
On Sunday, Ben, fetus, and I attended our friends' Easter party. The Oliviers had a big Easter egg hunt for the adults, too. It was so much fun. I hadn't participated in an egg hunt in years. They had one egg that opened to reveal a $20 bill. I was the lucky one who found that one. Yipee. Later that day, we were all sitting around when I felt the baby kick. But, it felt a bit different. My friend Michelle who's also a doctor, felt my belly and said that my uterus was rock hard and that I was having a Braxton Hicks contraction. Those are contractions which prepare your cervix and uterus for delivery. They're not painful, but they do signal that delivery is impending. So, I of course freaked out. I started to cry and feel like I wasn't quite ready. It really hit home that this pregnancy is coming to an end and that parenthood is on the horizon. It's a fun thought, yet quite scary. I think I'll be ready in about two weeks. But then again, I don't really have a choice in this. Whenever our little one is ready to come out, we'll be ready to love him or her with all our hearts. 
1 Comment
Great entry Neen, I think the pictures look awesome! I was lookin' at them with Mom, she was showing Auntie and Uncle from Taiwan the pictures at work and she was boasting about how you took them yourself and how you always do stuff like that yourself. I've got the framed picture you gave me for my birthday up in my room.. you should come check it out sometime.. next time you're back tho you'll probably have a little baby in your arms! I can't wait.. don't worry you'll be a great mother and I know you're ready.. I understand how you feel though, I could tell you enjoyed being pregnant and it's coming to an end.. don't look at it that way tho because once he or she is out it'll be awesome! I can't wait!Posted 4/3/2005 at 2:08 AM by dannythecowboy
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Any Day Now
This is me at 38 weeks of pregnancy with our little Cutie. Our due date is around April 15th or the 18th so we're due any day now. The following pictures are of me from last night after our friend's birthday dinner with our new stroller, Ben and his diced up thumb after he lovingly made beef noodle soup for me, our baby's first pair of socks, and the baby carrier with a plush dragon patterned cover (courtesty of our good friends the Sperbers).

Nina, 38 Weeks "My Signature Black Dress", Ben "Ouch" Ha, Tiny Socks, and Stylin' Carrier
The black dress is one I've been wearing all maternity long. It's my Kaiser Permanente party dress, my formal dinner dress, and my wedding-going dinner dress. Of course, it's Japanese Weekend courtesty of my sis. I love hand-me downs.
We had a fun "Niu Row Mien" party at our house last weekend. It was great. Ben did all the work and made two big pots of real authentic Chinese beef noodle soup for our friends. Everyone enjoyed it so it went fast. I got sick right about last Friday, so I've been under the weather for a while. I really loved Ben's soup so he went to Vons after a 12 hour work day and bought beef and veggies to cook more of his famous soup for me. I was touched. Unfortunately, I told him about the cool vegetable slicer that we bought. So, Mr. Duke University grad decided to slice tiny pieces of garlic with the slicer. Not the best idea he's ever had, but it was so sweet nonetheless. So, a few turtle cartoon band-aids later, I had two more pots of yummy beef noodle soup. The hot broth feels really good to a sore throat.
I did the baby's laundry this past week. It was full of very small outfits and adorable little socks. One of my friends says that the sock in the picture might even be too big for the baby. Wow. That just blows my mind. I never really thought about just how small clothing can get. It smells great though because we bought a big thing of "Dreft" which I guess is what pediatricians recommend for baby clothes. Who knew? There's a whole world of baby that we're just starting to enter.
We had to return our Eddie Bauer stroller system (see photo from Nina, Week 35) since I read some reviews on-line and they weren't good. You'd think that I'd read the reviews before buying the stroller, but oh well. C'est la vie. So, we got a Graco stroller and Snug Ride carrier that you see in the above photos.
I saw Dr. Cheung again today. She and I have had weekly visits for some time now. I bet she's thinking "When the heck is that girl going to go into labor?" Well, I've been coughing so much since I've been sick that I'm pretty amazed that I haven't coughed my way into the delivery room yet. The baby looked healthy and strong via ultrasound today. I love looking into my uterus. It's like having a window to your baby. By the way, everytime I have a OB/GYN visit, I have to pee into a cup before the appointment. As you get more and more pregnant, it's kinda hard to aim for the cup because you can't see anything. Well, you get the picture. I'm a big fan of soap... lots and lots of soap.
This week, the baby already has a firm grasp. Perhaps our kid will be like our sweet niece Sydney. We like to call her "Sydney with the Kung-Fu Grip". The baby's organs are developed and in place, but the lungs and brain will continue to mature through childhood (it's sufficient for now, though). I try to read to Junior every once in a while. We look forward to reading the "astrology" section of the newspaper. I read Aries for him/her and Scorpio for me and Ben. We shoot for 5 star days, but we try not to tell Jr. if it's a crappy 2 star day. What they don't know won't hurt 'em. Pregnancy hormones are funny. Sometimes I'll read the obit section and get totally bummed about someone who's passed away and start crying like crazy. Then I have to remind myself that I don't know them and that I'm just really, really pregnant. 
Friday, April 15, 2005
Bring It On
This is me at 39 weeks of pregnancy with our little guy or girl who really likes it in my womb. It's so comfy in there that it doesn't want to leave. A week ago, we weren't quite ready to say goodbye to our life as a married couple with no baby. But now, we're ready for our munchkin to come join us on the outside. We can't wait to meet Junior or Juniorette. So, we're trying everything to set the labor process in motion. And for what I mean by "everything", you can check out babycenter.com for all the ways couples can go into labor at home... or you can just use your imagination. 
Oh yeah, this past week, Ben and I also bought a house. Tada. We looked at it for the first time last Friday and by Sunday night, it was ours. We close escrow in about a month. It has some similarities with our current home, but it's definitely a nice upgrade. I think it's a smart investment for our future.

Nina, 39 Weeks "You Ready Yet, Junior?" and Our New Home on Mountaingate Lane
The above picture of us was taken last night at the home of our friends the Oliviers. They really like the Kennedys. The four photos on the right of that one shows the exterior of the new house, the dining room, the kitchen, and the master bathroom (again with the fireplace right by the garden tub). We'll probably move in about a month or two. It's actually just down the street and it will make Ben's commute about one minute shorter. Yay! We're going to keep our current home on Mirage Drive and perhaps rent it out. I still love our house. There's something special about that first home. But, the new one is about an extra thousand square feet so our family will have more room.
I finally got over my crazy cough so I'm pretty happy about that. I didn't want to give birth to a baby and then get it sick, too. Ben and I went to our last visit with Dr. Cheung on Wednesday (she's leaving for a vacation to China tomorrow so I guess another doc will be doing the delivery). Based on the scale at the hospital, I weigh 183 pounds - only 6 pounds less than my 6 foot tall husband! Doh. Anyway, we saw Junior on the ultrasound machine and he or she is still looking happy and healthy. Dr. Cheung measured me at about 3cm dilated and 80 percent effaced. That means I'm pretty much ready to go at any time. But, our friend says that the baby won't come out if it's not the baby's birthday. I guess that makes sense.
Here's another sign that it's time to have this baby. The other day, I was washing dishes when Ben walked by and started laughing. He noticed that I couldn't even stand by the sink without having to lean in to do the dishes since my belly sticks so far out. Also, I often find myself closing a door or walking by a chair and incorrectly estimating the distance I need for clearance. So, my poor belly runs into chairs and gets bumped by doors from time to time.
One crazy thing about this weekend is that William Hung of American Idol notoriety will be in Bakersfield at a car dealership "singing" his rendition of "She Bangs". If we don't go into labor tonight, I guess Ben and I will be there and take pictures with the guy. We'll keep you posted. Some people baptize their babies, ours will be blessed by William Hung. But, we'll do our best and have no regrets...
Since this might be my last posting before I become a sleep-deprived Mommy, I thought I'd mention the whole "First Ultrasound Visit" thing. Early on in the pregnancy (about 19 weeks or so), you get a chance to see your little baby via ultrasound. Since it's usually the first time the expecting parents get to see their kid, they're super excited about it. They tell the Mom to drink about 32 - 48 ounces of water an hour before the exam. That way, the sonogram will be more vivid since it's a process of using ultrasonic waves to "see" the baby.
I was very ambitious that morning. I figured that the more water in my belly, the better we could see our little one. So, I went for the 48 ounces of fluid instead of the 32. That's like drinking a 7 Eleven Big Gulp. But that's not even the bad part. After having consumed the big thing, you're expected to hold it in for an hour until they're done with the exam. So, you're a big, chubby pregnant woman with a full bladder sitting in the waiting room for a long time until they call for you. Then, you're expected to change into a backless hospital gown while you're trying not to pee on their clean floors. Then, as you lie there, the lab tech starts to move the ultrasound device around your belly, pressing hard the whole time. Your adorable partner stares in wonder at the sight of your unborn baby and the whole time, you just want to pee. You try to think sweet, baby thoughts and be excited about the kid, but the whole time... you just want to pee. Did I mention that you totally want to pee during your first ultrasound? Anyway, just had to get that out there for all the pregnant women who had no idea about their first ultrasound experience. Peace out, Xangans. Our next post could contain pictures of Baby Ha. 
3 Comments
hahaha that's hilarious, he can't come out until his birthday.. lol.Posted 4/16/2005 at 3:28 PM by dannythecowboy
daaaaaamnit is it his birthday yet!? come out juniorrrrrrrrrrr we're waiting! come give uncle danny a big hug!
Happy bday baby! Update your Xanga already with all the new info.! Its not like you need to rest after passing a 7 lb. 12 oz. baby or anything!!
Friday, May 20, 2005
A Whole New World
Welcome to my new blog site. I just imported all the entries from xanga.com to this friendster site. I'm pretty excited about it. It's nice to have a place to wax philosophic or just let my thoughts run free.
Where to begin? Life has been pretty exciting, exhausting, and exhilarating lately (wow, look at my use of alliteration). On April 22nd, 2005, Ashley Lauren Ha came into our lives at 6:16pm. She weighed 7 pounds 12 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches (FYI: I was born 7 lbs. 7 oz. and 21"). It was the most incredible experience I've ever been a part of. She was so beautiful and delicate. I couldn't believe she was really ours.
You may have heard stories from Moms who either gave birth naturally because it's the only way to go or with an epidural because it's God's gift to women. My story is a combination of both. Throughout my pregnancy, I had planned on getting an epidural because I didn't want to feel a thing. I really wanted to be handed a child upon entering the hospital and then sent home without losing a drop of blood. That didn't happen. Here's my labor and delivery story:
It was a stormy afternoon in Bakersfield. I had seen dust storms like these only two other times since moving here in December of 2003. Ben and I met for lunch at Me & Ed's Pizza Restaurant. All morning long, I had felt a good amount of pressure down there. I mentioned to Ben that perhaps the baby's head had descended even more. He said "This could be the day". Little did we know just how right he was. After I got home, I decided to take a nap. It was about 1 pm.
After about half an hour or so, I realized that I couldn't sleep because I was in pain. I wasn't able to sleep through the contractions I was having. I started timing them and they were a bit erratic. They went from 16 to 12 to 4 to 10 minutes apart. So, I called Ben and told him I might be going into labor but that my contractions weren't in a steady pattern yet. Then, I called my Mom and she said "Your contractions are 4 minutes apart and you've got the bloody show? Call Ben right now!". So, I paged him. Then, he left all his patients, came home, took a shower and asked if I wanted to "hang out" at home for an hour or so before heading to the hospital. By now, I was totally in pain so I said "No, I think we need to go NOW". On the way there, the contractions intensified.
We checked in around 3:30pm. Ashley was born less than 3 hours later. But I'm getting ahead of myself here. When we arrived at the hospital, I was already 6cm dilated. They asked if I wanted an epidural so I said "heck yeah". They hooked me up to an IV drip and proceeded to put some fluid in my system. They said it would take about 40 minutes. When the 40 minutes was up, the anesthesiologist got there and was about to shoot me full of drugs when Ben asked that they check my cervix again. By then, I was 9 1/2 cm dilated. Apparently, the baby is ready to come out of a mom when she's about 10 cm dilated. I couldn't believe my dumb luck that I was only half a centimeter away from pushing the baby out. The anesthesiologist was still willing to give me an epidural, but I decided that I would try to go without. Sounds brave, but then I cried and sobbed in fear that I couldn't handle the pain of a natural childbirth.
But, after only pushing hard for about 20 minutes, our daughter was born. I actually got to see the whole thing because they set up a mirror for me. Pretty weird. Ben had said that he could see a whole head of hair and that's when I decided I wanted to see the action, too. It motivated me to push harder. Apparently, I was pushing so hard that I had burst all the capillaries in my face. Afterwards, my face was red and splotchy everywhere.
Ben was so sweet throughtout the whole process. He asked if I wanted him to set up the iPod so I could listen to music, he tried to give me a nice massage, and he tried to talk to me, but all I could muster through the contractions was "Don't touch me". Poor guy. He was trying to be so helpful. All the magazines, mp3's, and portable DVD's that I brought to the birthing center were never used since the labor went so quickly. Who knew?
But, the best part of the entire ordeal is when they put the baby on your belly and you get to touch her for the first time. I was overwhelmed by how beautiful she was and I couldn't help but cry after seeing the miracle that was before me. When I looked at Ben, I saw that he was also crying. In that instant, our lives were forever changed.
So, there you have it. My birth story. In all honesty, the process wasn't quite as bad as everyone says it is. But don't get me wrong, it was still bad... very, very bad. So, I might just wimp out with our second baby and go with the epidural the next time. But who knows, I may not have time to afford that luxury.
Now, Ben and I just stare at her each day and wonder who she looks like more. Ben holds her and says "Ashley looks soooo cute today". I have to remind him that he says it pretty much every day. We are so lucky and blessed to have this little angel in our lives. After reading Ashley her horoscope for nine months in my womb, I now read it to her in person. And to me, every day is a five star day.
Comments
Nina, Ben,
Congratulations! Ashley is beautiful! We're so happy for you! We look forward to watching your family grow on this website!
Posted by: JeffandLauren | May 23, 2005 11:37 PM
Friday, June 3, 2005
Milk Talk and Fake-Out Sneezes
I'm convinced that our daughter looks like a kitty cat when she yawns... precious.

The Baby Who Saw You Naked But Then Got Really Sleepy
Ashley has the "Moro Reflex" pretty bad. The poor thing feels like she's going to fall pretty much every time she hears a loud sound or when she's startled which is like every two seconds. So, her two hands go up in the air. Ben likes to make fun of her by asking her "So Ashley, how big was that fish you caught the other day? Oh, it was this big? Wow, that's big".

"It was this big, I swear!"
Junior (we still call her that even though she's not really Junior anymore) is such a good eater. She's on "da boob" all day. She's a little sucking monster, especially when she's really hungry and then she does this crazy, erratic hungry nipple searching thing. But, it's so satisfying to see her enjoying her meals and to know that I'm her source of food. Babies have no qualms about expressing their enjoyment the way adults do. They unabashedly show how much they love breast milk by sucking like crazy. The funniest part to me is when she hungrily latches on to my breast and then looks like she's enjoying the world's best tasting milk. Her eyes close and then they actually roll to the back of her head. She's in ecstasy... a milky, drunk ecstasy. She also likes to drink and complain at the same time. My sister's kids did it and now ours is doing it. It's pretty funny to hear her try to grunt and eat at the same time. Also, she tried to nurse on my shoulder yesterday because I held her over my shoulder. It's hilarious to see her searching around my shirt for a nipple with her little mouth. Riot, riot!
But, I love seeing her hunger quenched and her needs met by sucking on her mommy. I feel so proud that I can provide something that makes her so happy. She sometimes smiles at me while she's nibbling. It's pure joy. Oh yeah, and she sometimes falls asleep while eating. Once in a while, I won't notice until I look down and see that her face is covered in milk. That prompted Ben to make up the milk mouth song. It goes "Milk mouth, milk mouth. Somebody's got a milk mouth and that's you." Ashley likes it when we sing that to her.
By the way, did you know that milk comes out of a bunch of different areas in the areola and nipple? I thought there was this one giant hole, but I guess you learn something new every day. And, just when you thought your boobs couldn't get any bigger after being pregnant, wait until you start breastfeeding. Jenny McCarthy weighed hers when she was pregnant and they weighed 5 pounds each. But, I don't think I'll be putting mine on a scale any time soon.
Despite all the wonderful things about breastfeeding, it isn't all a bed of roses (speaking of which, the movie "Bed of Roses" with Christian Slater and Mary Stuart Masterson sucked hard core - it was sooo bad that it sucked harder than getting wet at an amusement park on a cold day). The first few days for me was very painful. I guess no one ever thinks to themselves "Hmmm... I wonder what it would be like to have a little person gum my breasts to death. Wouldn't that be fun?" You'll never know the pain unless you've had to go through it. It was nothing compared to child birth, though. Nothing compares to the pain of passing a noggin through your nether regions.
Ashley's getting so big so fast. Her umbilical stump fell off almost a month ago. We now call her "Chubby" since she has a quadruple chin after putting on a few pounds after birth. She's pretty cute. Since she was born, she's been a triple sneezer like me. But, she does great, big, loud sneezes like Ben. She'll sneeze once, twice, and then she'll start the sneeze, but then it peters out. It's one of the funniest things I've ever heard. We're trying to get that on tape. But in the meantime, we can't wait to see what she'll do next.
Friday, July 29, 2005
Through the Eyes of Love
It's been a very long time since my last entry. It's tough finding time to write in my blog these days. But, each day has been so amazing... just watching Ashley grow and thrive. She's one big baby now. Once in a while, I'll look at her and tell her that it's a pleasure to take care of her and to be her Mom. I truly feel blessed to have been given the honor to love and care for her.
One of the most beautiful things about babies is how wonderfully unprejudiced they are. They don't care if you're having a bad hair day or that you just had onions. They love you no matter what you look like, smell like, or sound like. I know that a kiss from Mommy always brightens up Ashley's day even if I didn't get a chance to brush my teeth after shrimp fajitas. And for that matter, I don't mind kissing her after she's had a little spit-up from too much "lunch". Okay, by now some of you who've never had a baby are thinking "too much information, Neen". Can't blame you. Spit-up talk and diaper discussions never interested me before. Now, I can write a book on those topics.
Speaking of diapers, the thing about babies is that they love a clean canvas. You can change their diaper after they've just peed and they'll do it again just because they can. Also, for a few weeks, Ashley was fond of peeing in the bathtub after she got in to bathe with me. But, it's no fun bathing with baby pee in the water no matter how cute I think it is.
And now that I'm a mom, I realize just how much they worry. For instance, if Ashley is awake, I worry that she's tired and needs to sleep. If she's asleep, I worry that she's not breathing or I worry about SIDS. So, I check her every few minutes to make sure that all is well in dreamland. When I was pregnant, I worried about whether everything was okay for the delivery. Now that she's here... a whole new set of worries. I'm sure it'll carry over to her teenage years when she's out on a date and even when she's married and has kids of her own. It's so instinctual to worry about her well being. I'm sure this is what my Mom went through with her two daughters and son.
I gotta admit that I get tired sometimes when Ashley's so active that she won't nap, but then when she does, I realize that I miss her. This crazy thing called parenthood... it's exhausting and yet I love it.
Wed, Aug. 3, 2005
Color Me Happy
Last weekend, Ben, Ashley, and I went to Costco. That's when I spotted an artist's easel and paint set. I knew I really wanted it so that I could finally paint a Superman shield for Ashley's new room. I've actually wanted to do something artistic ever since college... not a work of art mind you, just something that allows me to be creative and have fun. I never set out to be an artist. My Dad, sis, and brother are the artists in our family. My Mom and I just appreciate it.  After 5 hours of work, I was pretty happy with the outcome.

Half an hour of it was sketching out the shield. Harder to do than it looks. I must've erased the pencil lines a hundred times. After that, I decided to mix some white and red paint to make pink for the shield's backdrop. I made the mistake of doing equal parts white and red. I ended up painting the background coral. I was going to go with it, but then Ben pointed out that an orange painting was going to look very strange in Ashley's pink room. So, I mixed more paint and eventually made pink. I went through many tubes of watercolor, acrylic, and oil based paints to achieve the right background look. I didn't think it was apropos to use three different kinds of paint in one project, but I did some reading on the craft and it's apparently considered a mixed-media portrait. Yay! It was fun experimenting with the different textures and properties of the paint. I feel artistically fulfilled for now. I've never painted before, but I'd love to try again sometime soon. 
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| Hi there. Just wanted to take a
moment and let you know that I have a new website for my blog. For new
content, please click here:
http://www.superha.zoomshare.com
That's where you'll find new postings and pictures of this little one:
For archives, please visit
http://superha.blogs.friendster.com/superhas_speculations/
Thanks so much.  Nina
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