That's where we are delivering since my insurance from the old company sucks and we apparently don't have a choice. So we went for a hospital visit. It's located in Inglewood. To my shocking surprise, took us exactly an hour from Westwood, through the 405 traffic, to get there. I am so worried that we are going to get stuck in traffic when I am in Labor....
The second shock was the people at the hospital visit. I am used to a variety of ethnic groups wherever I am. Ok, maybe not a big variety; mostly white, asian, and some latinos. But when I got to the conference room where the meeting was held for the hospital tour, I saw that 95% of the people there were black. Basically, there was me and pat, the "asian couple", and a pair of white couple, and rest were all black. Pat was sitting across from me and later told me that I looked very uncomfortable. I guess I had not been around so many black people before. Pat seemed like he was totally enjoying himself with all these crazy jokes (actually, they may have been serious but sounded so rediculously funny), and side comments they were making.
Anyway, I was uncomfortable throughout the tour. The hospital was old but everything was clean and looked pretty much like all the other labor rooms I've seen.
After giving this some thought, I came to realize that it will be OK. These black people were so funny and so laid back about what's about to happen to us all. This group of people contrasts so much from the group we see at our Lamaze Class in Santa Monica. We'll just have a funny story to tell Terran later on.
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Mulholland Drive Part II
We went on another journey through Mulholland Drive today, with success. It's hard to imagine that a back country road like that existed just outside of Los Angeles. Pat was driving unusually slow, at 35 or 40 mph, but it didn't matter because there was no one in front of us or behind us for miles and miles. Just a quiet drive through the hills....
Before the drive, we made our anual visit to La Piedra beach where Pat proposed to me 3 years ago. Due to my +30 lbs, it was especially difficult to go down and come back up that steep path that connects the beach and the parking lot. The beach is always nice; not so many people, lots of rocks, warm and sunny.... And I always remember those little tiny bugs flying around the washed up kelp on the sand, with tears in my eyes and sun about to set, as I stared at my new and shiny Tiffany diamond ring on my tiny slim fingers.... This year, of course, my fingers are so swollen that I've given up the idea of wearing that ring a few months ago. The little bugs around the kelp were still there....
Before the drive, we made our anual visit to La Piedra beach where Pat proposed to me 3 years ago. Due to my +30 lbs, it was especially difficult to go down and come back up that steep path that connects the beach and the parking lot. The beach is always nice; not so many people, lots of rocks, warm and sunny.... And I always remember those little tiny bugs flying around the washed up kelp on the sand, with tears in my eyes and sun about to set, as I stared at my new and shiny Tiffany diamond ring on my tiny slim fingers.... This year, of course, my fingers are so swollen that I've given up the idea of wearing that ring a few months ago. The little bugs around the kelp were still there....
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Papa
I got a phone call from Papa. For some odd reason, he called my home phone. I didn't even remember giving him that number.... Anyway, this was after I sent him some photos of the baby shower this weekend. Amongst 10 non pregnant women, I looked huge and bloated. The reality of my state must have hit him and decided to call me. He sounded happy, and told me that I looked healthy and the baby seems to be growing steadily. Of course, in our conversation was my new assignment in China that I am suppose to finish before the baby's due.... I lied, saying that I've started research.... I better do something quick.
Growing up, Papa was not a very big factor in our upbringing. He even nicknamed himself as the sponsor, because his sole responsibility was to give us $$$, mostly for education. With all the expensive private international schools that I went to, the amount that he has invested in me is unimaginable. It is only recently that Papa has become closer to me personally and began to support me in non-financial ways. It was odd at first because I wasn't familiar with this sort of connection. The first time was when I got engaged to Pat. That night, June 18, 2002, I called home to tell my parents of our news. Since my mom usually picks up the phone, I was in total shock when Papa did. I fumbled around with words until I finally told him. "Papa, I have something to tell you.... ummm.... uhhh.... Patrick and I just got engaged."
This year, January 5, 2005, I called home to tell my parents of the baby. I automatically thought, what if it's Papa.... And I was right. He's never the one to pick up the phone unless it's news like this. So I said my genki? and what are you doing? until I said "Papa, I have something to tell you.... ummm.... I went to the doctor today and he told me that I'm pregnant." I didn't know what his response was going to be since we never talked about babies. Papa always took interest in my career and often gave me encouraging advice for development. If I had called to tell him of my career success, I know he would have been proud but I didn't know what he thought about me becoming a mother. So I was worried. Then through the receiver, I heard "Aiya! Hontoni!?" with his usual thick Chinese accent. "I am so happy. Congratulations! I know you are going to have a boy." That gave me some relief because I haven't heard him so excited in so long. He then went to get mama and she came on the speaker phone saying "Doshitano?" So I told her again.
There were times during my childhood and adolesence where I probably could have used some of his support. But now that we are here, both adults, I love his support, participation, and interest in my life and my family. The relationship has definitely changed. And even though I do appreciate his sponsorship in the past, there's nothing better than for me to hear his happy and approving voice over the phone. So for father's day this year, I am giving him a boy in the family. He will also be partially naming our son. But I still don't understand this Chinese craze of having a boy....
Growing up, Papa was not a very big factor in our upbringing. He even nicknamed himself as the sponsor, because his sole responsibility was to give us $$$, mostly for education. With all the expensive private international schools that I went to, the amount that he has invested in me is unimaginable. It is only recently that Papa has become closer to me personally and began to support me in non-financial ways. It was odd at first because I wasn't familiar with this sort of connection. The first time was when I got engaged to Pat. That night, June 18, 2002, I called home to tell my parents of our news. Since my mom usually picks up the phone, I was in total shock when Papa did. I fumbled around with words until I finally told him. "Papa, I have something to tell you.... ummm.... uhhh.... Patrick and I just got engaged."
This year, January 5, 2005, I called home to tell my parents of the baby. I automatically thought, what if it's Papa.... And I was right. He's never the one to pick up the phone unless it's news like this. So I said my genki? and what are you doing? until I said "Papa, I have something to tell you.... ummm.... I went to the doctor today and he told me that I'm pregnant." I didn't know what his response was going to be since we never talked about babies. Papa always took interest in my career and often gave me encouraging advice for development. If I had called to tell him of my career success, I know he would have been proud but I didn't know what he thought about me becoming a mother. So I was worried. Then through the receiver, I heard "Aiya! Hontoni!?" with his usual thick Chinese accent. "I am so happy. Congratulations! I know you are going to have a boy." That gave me some relief because I haven't heard him so excited in so long. He then went to get mama and she came on the speaker phone saying "Doshitano?" So I told her again.
There were times during my childhood and adolesence where I probably could have used some of his support. But now that we are here, both adults, I love his support, participation, and interest in my life and my family. The relationship has definitely changed. And even though I do appreciate his sponsorship in the past, there's nothing better than for me to hear his happy and approving voice over the phone. So for father's day this year, I am giving him a boy in the family. He will also be partially naming our son. But I still don't understand this Chinese craze of having a boy....
Sunday, June 12, 2005
webcam
Reyko and I used our webcams to communicate with each other for the first time. She wanted to see my huge popping belly. After I figured out how to get her on my screen, I was in total shock. There I was with my glasses, messy tied back hair, and a green tanktop. And there she was on another screen, 3000 miles away, looking amost exactly the same, only with red tanktop. Sisterhood creeps up at unexpected moments. I just couldn't help but stare at the screen, in comeplete awe at the physical resembalance of a person with the same bloodline. I couldn't help but admire this family tie, and felt comfort in having an image of myself in another person. That our attitudes, interests, and professions may differ but we are, in fact, made up of the same core material. Having a family, eases the lonliness in life. No matter where others may be, there is an undeniable connection, a guranteed bond, that exists for a lifetime and beyond.
Friday, June 10, 2005
You're hired!
So I spoke to management last week, and he informed me this week that I am getting hired as of Monday. Yay! They also gave me a little more than initially negotiated, not much but a good sign.
That ends one of my worries so it's a good news.
That ends one of my worries so it's a good news.
Lamaze - first class
Patrick and I had our first lamaze class this week. Since we don't know anything about pregnancy and delivery, we thought that it was a good idea to be informed before we experience it. The lamaze instructor told us that the average labor time is approximately 14 hours. Hell, that's long! Historically, it was believed that when contractions happen (I assume that is very painful), it was best to stay lying down and being knocked out. Lamaze developed a theory that rather than ignoring the pain, it would be more effective to work through the pain by focusing on breathing and pleasant things. So during the minute or so of contraction, we are to first develop a focal point, which can be a pleasant image in your head, or something nice to focus the eyes on. Mine is a mental image of a glass blower. I dreamt about a glass blower when I was very young. An old glass blower with white beard and white hair, has his dark wooden house on green and sunny rolling hills. There, he lives and works, making objects from glass.... Next, we are to do one "deep cleansing breath" really loud and deep so that people around me will be aware that I am starting contraction. At this point, my "coach", Pat, is suppose to start timing my contraction. I go through the minute with slow breathing, while he softly massages my back, also in attempt to take my mind off of the pain. The contraction ends with another deep cleansing breath. We'll see if it's going to be any effective, but anything to reduce the pain will be good.
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