Showered with love

How lucky can a gal be to be surprised with TWO baby showers in one week?

After months of social distancing, I felt like I started to come out of the woodwork as life began to normalize a bit with J going back to daycare and being able to dine out and run errands again. And shortly thereafter, I was invited to my women’s group leader’s home for “tea time”. Little did I know these beautiful ladies had planned a surprise baby shower for me and baby girl. I walked into an elaborate balloon set-up, homemade carrot cake (which happens to be one of my favorites) and a mound of gifts. They prayed for me and we laughed, shared and talked face-to-face for the first time in months.

Then, only a matter of two days later, I went to a doctor’s appointment to check up on baby girl. On our way to run errands afterwards, Y told me he needed to stop by home to pick something up. He needed help finding it and asked me to come into the house. I grumbled on my way in only to walk into screams of “Surprise!” Our living room had been transformed with flowers, desserts and decor and I was greeted by not only friends who had made the trip down from Seoul but our big-screen TV full of the faces of loved ones throughout the world! I immediately burst into tears.

From all the fresh flowers, the paper flower backdrop, the baby shower sign, the food, the cake (my absolute favorite in the world!), the “olive-themed” goodie bags, even a full baby shower itinerary with opening remarks, prayers, and games, every detail was so thoughtfully planned and executed. I am still overwhelmed by the flooding of love and support from all around the world.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

“It takes a village” and I am incredibly blessed with this village.

After months of deeply missing friends near and far and wishing things looked differently in this season, my heart made a complete 180 after this week. Though nothing can quite replace face-to-face quality time and doing life together in proximity, I am so thankful that not only I, but now also baby girl, have loved ones in every corner of the world.

Baby Olive,

You are already so loved, so blessed and we are excited to meet you soon.

Pregnancy #2: 30 weeks

30 weeks?! How is it that each day has felt so long and yet here we are in my last trimester and possibly only left with weeks in the single digits?

Baby is as big as a bunch of broccoli and it must be tighter quarters in there because my entire stomach shakes with her movements.

This week was jam-packed with the best kinds of things, especially in light of “Life during COVID19”. We had a few friends visit which was the exact type of refreshment I needed. Among our visitors was 3-month-old A and it was a stark contrast to our life with a 3-year-old. I got flashbacks of our first few months after J was born while getting glimpses into our near future with baby on the way as I witnessed my friends breastfeed and burp him, change his diapers and rock him to sleep. I wasn’t sure how J would react to such a itty-bitty visitor but he embraced A fully and with flying colors. My heart swelled at the hopeful prospect of watching J become “big brother” as he tried to sneak in little pats and strokes. The first thing he asked in the morning was to hold A.

In preparation for our friends’ visit, I also crossed a task off my “to-tackle” list: going through J’s baby clothes. I set aside clothes that would work for baby girl and then was able to declutter and donate the rest. I was pleasantly surprised at how many things I was able to scrounge up for baby girl (I wasn’t expecting to because J was a winter baby and baby girl will be born in the heat of summer.)

Our friends’ visit was followed by a visit from my parents - a rescue-mission of sorts to help me in my time of need. Their company was very welcomed and we indulged in deep dialogue alongside dessert. We celebrated “Parents’ Day” here in Korea with them with a large order of sushi. And then Sunday was Mother’s Day which I spent relaxing and resting. Y and J surprised me with the cutest card they wrote together and brought me breakfast.

I’ve been feeling a lot more like myself this week and daily workouts are the key reason. I’ve been aiming for at least 8,000 steps. Though that may not seem like much, being “quarantined” at home it has required much intention and effort. Not being able to go to the gym or Zumba classes, I’ve had to resort to YouTube workout videos, ranging from prenatal Pilates, modified HIIT workouts, to prenatal barre. I’ve realized that if I blast my own workout playlist to any exercise video, I feel more energized and motivated and get my steps in faster.

Pregnancy #2: 25 weeks

It’s been crazy times over here. J hasn’t gone to daycare in nearly two months, Y is now WFH and I’m very pregnant. But during my 25th week, we had a doctor’s appointment. I had my glucose test which wasn’t fun but I got to see baby girl including a 3D shot of her face!

At the appointment, I realized J is definitely going through a regression. I walked into the clinic first to register my name and get there before my appointment time. This must’ve thrown J off because he came running in crying, looking for me. As I held him to calm him down, a lady sitting next to us said, “He probably knows things are about to change with baby sibling’s arrival!” and it got me thinking. As excited as J has been, he probably senses things are going to be very different. Several mommy friends told me that in their second/third trimesters their first-borns began regressing. It was a good reminder to shower J with lots of love and attention.

At 6 months~

Baby's size: An eggplant! 13 inches in length!
Pros: Seeing a glimpse of baby’s face!
Cons: Fatigue has been hitting me hard. There are days I feel like I can sleep all day long and it’s reminiscent of first trimester… What happened to that second trimester energy? (Apparently it doesn’t exist when you have a toddler to chase after all day…) And I also can’t seem to get comfortable, no matter what.
Craving: Since last month, I’ve been enjoying a yogurt parfait (Greek yogurt topped with chopped up strawberries, ground flax seed, chia seeds, sliced almonds and honey)! It has the right amount of tart, sweet, crunchy and I’m loving it.
Outlook on the coming of baby: This week J asked me, “Where will baby come out from? Your butthole?” To say I cracked up is quite the understatement. I just find it so fascinating that it even dawned on him to be curious of such a thing! J has been asking when baby will come out and we have been explaining to him that she needs to grow more in mommy’s belly and that she’ll come out in the summer when it’s hot outside. When I see how excited J is for his sibling, it fills me with such pride and joy and makes me even more excited for her arrival!
Feelings about husband and J: Y has been working from home this week. And though it’s been an adjustment for all three of us, I’m so thankful for my husband who is always “hands on deck”, quick to play with J, cook a meal or clean up after us. J is also super sweet and helpful. I’ve been suffering from lower back pain and hip pain and he has been offering to give me massages which really just melts my heart.

Pregnancy #2: 21 weeks

This week should’ve been the start of the new school year and J’s first week at his new daycare. I had all his new school supplies ready to go. But the coronavirus situation has put a halt on all schools, daycare and many work places. So I went down to my parents’ for the week in need of the company and care. We were cooped up there, too but I was pampered with my dad’s hand drip coffee every morning and my mom’s cooking and the occasional dining out (Jeollanam-do, where my parents live, is known for their delicious food).

While down at my parents’, J stopped napping. On one hand, it’s great because he goes to bed earlier but it means having to keep him entertained all day. Daily walks with grandma and grandpa at a nearby park saved us from going stir-crazy, allowing us to get some much-needed fresh air and giving this preggo a chance to get moving.

What pregnancy currently feels/looks like:

• I have to pee ALL THE TIME

• My lower back pain/pelvic pain has been getting worse

• Feet and legs get swollen but daily foam-rolling & gua sha massages have helped tremendously

• As my body is changing and growing, I am amazed and really trying to embrace the process. But it’s also a bit terrifying. I gained a lot of weight during my first pregnancy and it took me a while to feel like myself again. It took three years to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. They were three years of experimenting to reach a diet, exercise and mental health routine that worked for me. They say it’s harder to lose the weight with subsequent pregnancies but I’m trying to focus on staying positive. Luckily my doctor told me I don’t have to worry and reassured me at my last appointment this past weekend.

• We found out exciting news at our appointment this week - the gender of the baby!

It’s a girl!

Pregnancy #2: 19 weeks

19 weeks means I’m almost halfway there!

This week, Y and I got to enjoy a rare double-date with some of our closest friends here in Korea. In celebration of Y’s birthday, they were so generous in treating us to a literal smorgasbord: delectable meats and a luscious salad bar. We feasted and topped it of with some bingsoo but honestly, I was just over the moon we finally got to hang out (sans kids, too!)

At 5 months~

Baby's size: A mango! Six inches long!
Pros: Energy! Yesterday, in preparation for some important guests, I did a massive declutter, organization and clean. I categorized J’s toys and even made hand-drawn labels, I vacuumed and mopped the floors, I put out our new comforter and bed sheets and basically walked around the house picking up and cleaning until it sparkled.
Cons: Runny nose, post-nasal drip and congestion! I don’t know if this is a pregnancy symptom or just an indicator of Korea’s awful air quality but I am constantly sniffling and blowing my nose. Oh, and I can’t forget about the lower back pain! (Back to the chiropractor I go…)
Craving: Nothing in particular this week!
Outlook on the coming of baby: I’ve been growing in excitement and we’re anxiously awaiting our next check-up to hopefully find out the gender of the baby! Once that happens, I know I will be perusing the internet for new items to welcome baby!
Feelings about husband and J: Yesterday, baby was having a party in my tummy and hubby got to feel baby’s movements! Then Y lied in bed singing praise songs to us and I shed a few tears thinking about how there is precious life growing inside of me, how loved this baby is already and how thankful I am for this season. J has been “regressing” - acting like a baby, saying he’s a baby, coming into our room multiple times every night. I’m trying to embrace him in this all and reassuring him that he is still my baby…