NOTE to Nurse: This arm bruise is NOT my fault!

The bruise on my wrist was the 1st attempt the nurse did to take my blood and stick IV in! I knew it was a problem when I heard her say "oh no", to which the other nurse said "move it around and see if you get it".........uh NO!!! Take it out! They did, and she said they needed to try another place.

She decided between elbow and wrist would be best. She got all ready and said veins looked good (normally nurses don't miss)...Anyways, as you can see from that monstrous bruise she missed - she thought she had it, and then said - "oh no, i pushed it right through".....uh NO! NOT AGAIN - that is NOT what I wanted to hear!

After this she apologized a TON and I actually felt bad for her and then she said she was going to have someone else do it the thrid time on the top of my hand! That one hurt, but actually took so finally - the pain over for a while! (until i go into labor again that is)!

Today at my appointment the nurse checking my weight and blood pressure asked how I got the bruises - I told her and she said "you need to hold a compress on them next time for 5 minutes when she takes it out" as if it were my fault! hello - this happened because the nurse missed, not because anything i did - she did apply pressure when she took the needles out!

Anyways - not much happening at the appointment - i had dropped 3 more lbs...only dilated 1/2 centimeter more, and the Dr. said that the baby was getting big and next week when I come in I could be induced at 38 weeks!

I just hope to make it through tomorrow when Chip is out of town for the day! After that - come anytime - since I have been having contractions regularly now since last saturday...next week seems like a ways if I have these going on 24/7!

Overnight at Hospital - Still NO Baby!!!

Well, the crazy birth story of our second baby begins.....a little earlier than expected!

I had contractions hard for 2 hours on Thursday night, but convinced myself to ignore them and go to sleep. Friday night, however, they were worse - probably due to about 5 miles of walking that day, and I was about ready to go to hospital around midnight!

However, convinced myself to go to bed. Woke up and had more contractions from 5:30-7am and then they died off. Decided I was feeling pretty good around 10 am, and upon hearing my freind had went in and had her baby at 2 am in the night, was thinking I should have went we could have arrived at the same time!

However, decided to go off with Cash to a fun kids area and play and we set off. After being there a half hour decided was in so much pain was going to go to hospital and get checked, and also visit my friend Hilary and her new baby.

Cab ride = miserable - super bumpy and contractions were killing!

Got there around 1 pm, and got hooked up to a stress test. THey told me I was having pretty hard contractions every 2-3 minutes, was dilated to a 1, and so were admitting me!

What? I knew Chip hadn't believed me so when I called to tell him it took 3 times to convince him I was serious! Anyways, being frustrated I was only at a 1 I told him to hang out with Cash and put him down for a nap and once things started to go on I would call!

They took me down to the Maternity suites and I got my room, right next door to my friend! I stopped by to see her baby before going to mine, as I was feeling ok at this point, and we laughed that we were neighbors - totally the full moon bringing it on!

Well, once in my room the nurse wanted to draw blood and start IV. I asked if we could wait til I had at least dilated to a 2 and before I was getting my epidural - but they said "your second labor will go so fast we have to do it now".

Anyone who knows me well knows I hate needles - and so after she missed TWICE - my left arm killing me - and told me she was so sorry and would get someone else to come, I was really not liking it. Another girl came in and put it in the top of my hand, which hurt a LOT, but at least it went in! (i have easy veins to hit so who knows how she missed so bad!)

Anyways, then nothing occurred for 8 more hours. In fact, sometimes I had to ask if i was contracting because I couldn't feel it. The Dr. Came in and looked at my monitors and said that I was still having contractions ever 2-3 minutes, but hadn't dilated anymore! BUMMER!

So she said I should stay they night, keep being monitored, an din the morning when I was 37 weeks we would break water and start pitocin. Chip was concerned at 3 weeks early if this was good idea, but she said I would go really quick the way things looked.

Chip took Cash home and it was the first night I was away from Cash sleeping at a different place. He cried for all of 10 seconds when he said goodbye, but did awesome with Chip - and I cried for about 10 minutes - it was sad and I realized soon all my time won't be devoted to my little guy, it will be split. I worry about that!

They told me to try to sleep, which I couldn't do really well all night, and not because I was in pain, but I just wasn't feeling too well. It was a long night, and by morning I was not feeling anything and had a feeling I was going home. Then they started again. The nurse came in and said they needed to monitor me - and that the contractions were once again ever 3-5 minutes.

However, when Dr. checked me - the new one on for the day - I still hadn't dilated and so she said they were sending me home! What? i said well if I am still contracting every 3-5 minutes then how do I know when to come back? That is when you come in! However, at this point they were every 10. She said maybe to come back in a day or 2 or if they became more painful!

I was SO frustrated! Not because I wasn't in active labor anymore but because my arm looked like a war zone - i have a 5 inch bruise between my elbow and wrist where the needle missed, a big bruise on my wrist, and a sore top of hand where it finally went in, all for nothing - and I am going to have to do that all over again the next time!

I actually was relieved to no have had him in some ways - I really wanted to take a picture that morning before I went in of my belly at 37 weeks, and the battery was dead so hadn't done it. I had Chip charge it up so that I could take the one above this morning, with my arm that is all battered too! (that is why I am holding it up!)

So now I have been home a day, still having contractions, still feeling nauseous, and just wondering when I will be heading back! They told me to come back, and some women come in 2, 3, or 4 times on their second baby - i don't want that!!!!

On a positive note - I had gained 6 lbs. as of my apt. on Thursday from the previous 2 week checkup, and I wasn't that excited abou it. But the Dr. said it was good since the previous 10 I hadn't gained any. However, as of Saturday, just 2 days later when I got weighed upon being admitted, I was down 8 - so in essence lost 2! THat was a happy thought for me! (altho I think I was just retaining a lot of water on thursday!)

Anyways, so I am 37 weeks and am curious as to whether I will be sitting around twiddling my thumbs having contractions for the next 3 weeks, of if something will pick up soon and this little guy will be here this week! Hopefully at least the contractions die off if he wants to wait - cuz I am in pain and NOT sleeping well at all at night! And poor Cash, I can't do much during the day! So I hope he comes sooner - we'll see what happens at my apt. Wed!!!!

I Gave In.....and now NEVER want to Go Back!

When we first got here we thought about getting an Ayi (chinese nanny/cleaner). I did a post on how I decided against it because I am a stay-at-home mom and don't need someone else to raise my child!

However, Chip finally convinced me about a month ago that it would be very helpful to me to have someone come just to clean the floors and deep clean the bathrooms for me every week, as bending down is just getting harder and harder!

I agreed it would be helpful and nice since our floors get dirty daily, and decided to give it a try!

This is probably the luxury I will miss the MOST when we return to the states.

Our cleaning lady is simply AWESOME!!!
She comes every Tuesday and Friday and does the following:
cleans ALL the floors (as in hands and knees scrubbing our ENTIRE place)
Dusts and washes windows
Waters all our plants
Deep cleans the bathrooms, including the showers!
Does the dishes if there are any!
Folds any laundry that needs it
Irons anything I have and want done
Puts the laundry away (this isn't always a blessing as I was looking for a particular shirt one day for 15 minutes - think I will NOT have her do this any more)
Vacuums the rugs
Takes out the trash
Even dumps out Cash's dead fish and cleans the fishbowl!

And all this for less than $15/week! Can you believe it? SHe is here about 3 hours each day, so 6-8 hours total - and we only pay about 100 rmb a week!

I actually feel bad and try to pay more sometimes - but they won't accept it! It is highway robbery I know - but hey - i LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

It gives me lots more time to spend having fun with Cash and resting in these last few weeks before baby #2 comes, and Chip comes home to a clean house and a happy wife!

Win Win! Wish I could find one of these in these for my house in VA!

Today While the Sun Shines.....

I am SO grateful today for blue skies! To some this might seem not a big deal - but here in Beijing in the pollution and terrible, always gross looking, never knowing if it is overcast or just pollution, it is a HUGE deal!

It is a great present for a great day!
I am also grateful for a loving husband and wonderful daddy, my own wonderful father, and my great father-in-law! I have great examples of fathers all around me and today I love celebrating them!

happy fathers day to all you great Fathers! Hopefully you get spoiled with something special!!!

It FINALLY HAPPENED! Cab Driver hit a biker!

So I couldn't resist posting this, altho see below post and add email to be added to our private list!

However, we were driving today to the silk market for our branch scavenger hunt activity. Cash and I were in one cab and Chip and the ayi and Kees and Coy were in another one. My driver was accelerating and I saw a biker start to pull out into the street. Of course, he laid on the horn for about 10 seconds, and didn't even begin to brake at all, and as we got closer I thought we are really gonna hit this guy crossing the road!

Sure enough - BAM! We hit the front edge of the bike, the bike slams into the side of the car, and the guy goes sailing as if parachuting over the car, lands on his feet but starts to stumble and falls onto the ground. He got up quickly, and appeared all right, and the craziest part ever?

Yeah, our driver didn't even slow down or stop or anything to see if he was all right or get the bike. Nothing. Seriously? I was saying to myself - but then, "Oh wait, this is Beijing and nothing is normal here so pretty much shouldn't be surprised"!

Luckily for the biker there wasn't another car on the other side of us or he would have been in really bad shape. Hope he looks out better next time he rides!

Things never cease to amaze me here - altho when we got there and were talking we were all surprised no one has already had this happen earlier - what a crazy place!

GOING PRIVATE!!!

Did NOT want to do this - but getting way too many spam and bad chinese comments that go to bad websites - so unless someone can tell me how to block them or get rid of them - i think this may be the only option!

Please leave a comment if you want to be invited with your email! All are welcome!

Vacations Staycations!

Since May I feel like life has been such a vacation! With things here being slow at the office for Chip we have been able to enjoy having him around much more, and then with holidays here in China this week from Monday to Wednesday we have just had a fun staycation here doing fun things all week around Beijing!

First, we found a fun new market over by the hospital and had a blast shopping there - Cash had fun bargaining, I ALMOST convinced Chip to get some True Religion jeans for himself, and I got a cute fun purse and Cash got his new favorite toys - Buzzy and Woody! It is just a small market and so not much pressure and just nice change from the crazy big ones in the city! Thanks Sid for showing us a good time there!

Then we went to a fun park on a walk not too far from there - the kids LOVED the rides - and altho not totally safe it was really fun! I wish I could get the videos to upload but they aren't working of the rides and the weird exercise equip they had there!

One of the fun rides - NONE of them had seatbelts, and they go quickly so you gotta stand close I feel to get the kids the moment they want out - esp. since the rides last FOREVER here!

Cash loved them tho anyways - altho they sometimes went really fast and I think made him a bit sick by the end!

Enjoying the swings with Kees and Coy

After the park we walked back a long ways to find a good place to eat - Sid had lots of little places he pointed out to us that would be good - we picked a place that ended up being DELICIOUS - I had the best sauteed broccoli and cauliflower and shrimp, the kids ate yummy pizza, and the boys got sandwiches - we loved it and def want to go back! Fun atmosphere too just for a date night! Rian, I need you back tho for more of these types of outing with our hubbies cuz they walk SO fast and I was seriously dying at parts to keep up - i was so SO sore when i got home (not to mention I had done an hour workout that morning followed by climbing 35 flights of stairs to finish it off - so that probably added to it)! But overall a great GREAT day!

Then, we went to the biggest waterpark they have here in Beijing. It said on the website it had a huge man-made whitesand beach, the biggest wavepool here, great rides, and a great kids area, and longest lazy river with 4 great places to get food! We were excited to check it out!

Well, the white sand was more like brown dirt, the lazy rivery was so murky you couldn't see the bottom and NO one was in it so we didn't try, the wave pool waves never really existed at all, and the water was not chlorinated and with all the bare bums in it we weren' t sure how safe it really was at all to be in, and you rent tents instead of umbrellas to put out - so it was a little less than the website said - but we still had a blast and Cash and Nora LOVED it! The kids area was actually pretty cool minus the naked bums and worry of seeing floaties - we actually never did!

The best thing was renting a raft and sticking the two in it in the wave pool - they LOVED it and didn't want to get out!

LOVE the cute diaper bums that were huge full of water - only 2 diapered kids in the whole park!

Cash and Nora having the time of their life while the boys swung them around!

liked his expression

Best Buddies!

Didn't want to take this pic - but Hil thought it would be fun since we had polkadot suits and black coverups to take a prego picture - I was just glad my legs went down from being as puffy as they are here the next morning - when I got home they were so huge and my ankles were cankles - the 97 degree heat and 80% humidity definitely added to the cause I am sure!

The wave pool was actually surprisingly empty for anything in China - in fact, I was surprised at how NOT crowded it seemed here - maybe we are just getting used to the millions of people everywhere!

enjoying the water

The kid area had great slides - but the water was a little deep so had to catch the kids at the bottom!

Cash just went up and grabbed the water gun - he is NOT SHY at all!

These big slides looked VERY old and one was broken - we never tried it out at all!

He figured this out all on his own!

The worst part about this place was the food - Chip paid for and bought a hot dog for Cash and then never got it -- stood around for about 45 minutes before givin up at one place - we tried going to another and they were out of every normal meat for kabobs - and since we didn't want squid or eel or any other weird delicacy we had to try a third - after 2 hours we finally got some hot rice with veggies and pork --- not really refreshing on such a hot day - and after that we left!

However, it was totally worth the adventure and the kids loved it! I wish I had pictures of the bare bums, WAY TOO MANY small speedoed guys, tents, and the food but didn't hav emy camera at those moments - the mental memories will have to do!

We had a great time tho and were happy to experience it - 7 peaks now seems like disneyland in comparison!

Yesterday we had a great day with our friends - eating authentic Chinese food at a couple in our branch's house, and then ordering Papa John's pizza for dinner and having friends over for Toy Story for the kids - a way fun day of friends and food! Yummy!

Today - back to reality - Chip is at work, and I am playing with Cash and staying indoors as it is pouring rain! Nice break from the heat and humidity!

Craziest thing YET in China...........

So as of Sunday afternoon I was just VERY VERY VERY grateful to arrive home from church safely! We had the craziest ride home ever!

The cab driver FELL ASLEEP while driving us!

What? you might ask. You are Kidding! No way! those were all my responses too as I sat in the back seat, watching his eyes close and head bob, watching the road as we were swerving in and out of lanes, braking when there was no one ahead of us, going slower then every other car on the road as his foot slid off the gas pedal....it was So crazy!

He would sit up and lean forward like he was looking at the front of the car, to try to wake himself up I am sure....i know i have used this trick before - but with the 98 degree heat and no AC and probably long LONG shift for him it wasn't working. Finally, as I was really sure he had dozed off and was scared for my life and my family's I told Chip to talk to him and wake him up.

Chip grabbed his arm and said "hey man are you awake" - of course he didn't understand a single word Chip said, but the jolt on the arm seemed to wake him up and we just kept saying stuff and being loud to try to keep him awake the rest of the way home - luckily at that point it wasn't too far! WAY SCARY!!!

Hope that never happens again - luckily for us traffic wasn't so bad at this time - it was really wild! Can't wait to be behind my own wheel and not rely on others to get us safely places while not wearing seatbelts! Buckle up ya'll, and just be grateful you actually can!

Pooping in Trees....

Could NOT resist posting what happend the other day. For picture to help with story see picture in previous post with trees planted a little off the ground outside our apartment - with marble seating area around it!

Well, last week we spent a LOT of time just letting Cash run around these trees while I tried to get a little rest in the shade of them since he was sick and we couldn't go many other places. He loved just running around them in the grass and playing.

2 days while coming back from Wal-Mart (the chinese one) we were walking and I saw and AYI out with a little girl - she had her pants down and as I got closer I realized......she was having her "poo poo" (as they say here) right underneath the very tree we had previously been playing under the day before! Gross! No wonder that we are sick here huh?

With all the unsanitary things they have their kids do here - such as peeing in the sandboxes, wearing the split pants around, etc etc airborne illnesses run rampant here in the summer - I am grateful for sanitary conditions of the US and not having these types of experiences normally!

However, as I walked inside i was actually chuckling to myself at just how different it really is here, and the many things we have been fortunate/or unfortuanate as it may be, to experience. A total adventure, and when I look at it like that I smile and can find happiness in this journey!

Today was cooler and Cash and I walked a half hour to a friends house to play. Altho humid, the breeze felt great and I was happy to just be gettin gout and for the exercise. On our walk we saw an older gentlman wearing the split pants (sometime I will get a picture of this), tons of little kids in split pants, and a woman wearing a see-through white skirt with NO underwear on!

What a unique experience it is each day - always something to surprise us!

Trying to Stay Positive....

After travelling back to the US and enjoying once again a life of luxury and comfort in the country I love and claim citizenship, it was hard for us to come back to China and get excited about being here. There are just so many things we miss about home!

Also, the fact that 90% of our time here either Cash or I have been sick with something has not helped, and since we been back Cash has been super sick, and it has been really frustrating!

However, I am trying to turn over a new leaf and only be a "half glass full" type person from now on and so am going to post things I like or am grateful for or find fun here for the remainder of our stay....(which pretty much means i will leave out all posts about medical care and worries about delivering here since that I don't find so much a positive thing here --- one side note - i learned they will not turn the AC on in hospital rooms here too high because they believe that if you have just given birth and are too cold it will give you hot flashes in menopause!!! HELLO weirdos - there is NO correlation i am sure! Also, I am delivering in JULY, the hottest month here and i will DEMAND a fan or some type of cooling device!!!)

Anyways, when we arrived back here it actually was really pretty and so I wanted to post a picture of what our place looks like from our window once spring arrived - it is actually still really green and pretty! For this I am grateful! Happy day!

Lost in Translation.....or sometimes NOT!

Getting a tailor out here to make something for you is a bit of a risk! You might get someone who is way cheap and does an absolutely FABULOUS job, or you might get someone who is cheap but does a TERRIBLE job, or you might get someone who is expensive and does either great or terrible!

Let's just say it is a risk you have to be willing to take if you want stuff done for you the way you want it!

I LOVE designing dresses and stuff and so was really excited about finding a tailor here that would be awesome and make stuff for me for super cheap but quality items. After numerous recommendations and research, I finally settled on Tailor Chen - who came highly recommended from people in my branch here in Beijing! He was a little more pricey, but supposedly the best for if you wanted to create your own designs and have him make them!

Well, as he doesn't speak English much, you can expect there were some things that got "lost in translation"! However, it wasn't at all like I expected. The whole thing was a bit of a mess as he quoted me one price, and then when it was time to pay tried to tell me it was way more than the original price! My friend ended up getting in a shouting match with him over some matters, to which I feel extremely bad Ash for making you do that since I couldn't speak or understand him - altho I am happy she did because we realized in the end he was just trying to rip us off!

This is the tactic that the chinese use here - they tell you a price and then try to tell you that it is better quality, or took way longer, or cost more than they thought, and they try to bully you by shouting at you and getting in your face and making you feel bad and so you will just pay for it. When she told him that he wasn't being fair and that he quoted us a different price he said: "well her husband probably works for a big compnay and makes a lot of money so it isn't even a big deal to them if it is a little more - just tell her to pay it!"

OK NO!!!! It is not about the actual price, it is the principle Mr. Chen that you said one thing and then tried to make us pay more - I probably would have still had him do it for the higher price had he quoted it originally, but because of this I wasn't about to pay him a bunch more, especially for something that was COMPLETELY wrong, as you are about to see.

He really got upset when I said I wasn't paying at all - as in $0 - for one dress and vest that he completely made wrong! I mean, not a SINGLE line was right about it from the picture I gave him, and so I didn't want it. In the end he just gave me the dress and vest because he said he couldn't do anything with it and I kept it to show how off it was from the original item I asked for. However, I did meet him in the middle and pay a little more for Chip's shirt and the other dress since he was causing such a ruckus.

All in all, I feel I won the battle, probably will NEVER use him again because of his poor business etiquette and how off he made the one, altho the bag and the other dress did work out! He said that he didn't understand the one dress because of a translation error and that I hadn't shown him the picture I pulled up at my house - but I showed him my email history and proved him wrong, and I know my friend translation didn't get it this off - that is another tactic they pull - that it is my fault do to translation - WHATEVER!!!!

So anyways - here is the 3 things that we had him make - and you will see for yourself that some things, just from pictures alone, can not possibly be translation errors!
First - my loved my Vera Bradley diaper bag (mine is orange) and so had him make one for her with Vera Bradley fabric we picked up from the fabric market - it turned out AWESOME, but he did charge her more than he originally said, and told us he needed twice as much fabric next time to make the same bags! Hello - you made this one with the fabric we gave you - why would we give you more next time- so you can keep it and make others to sell! So yeah, we found another person who can make them just as well and not cheat us out of money or fabric! It does look awesome tho!



OK this is dress #1: I gave him the picture of the wedding dress on the left and told him i wanted it made exactly like this dress, but with the flower strap taken off and just little straps put on and then with NO train since it was going to be for prom and then the awesome bolero jacket (picture of this not included here) that came with it done in the same green fabric! He said he could do it! Well, below is the dress he brought over - you will see NOT A SINGLE line is correct - from the weird mermaid bust top, to the 8 panelled dress/skirt that is nothing like the pictures, without the flowers on the seam by the knee, and just entirely hideous!!! When i saw it I said I hated it and he tried to say it was still a nice dress and that it would work even if it weren't my first choice - I said I wouldn't have my sister wear this no matter what anyways, as I hated it - and in the end he just gave it to me.................after also trying to charge me more because he said he used more fabric than I gave him! I know this is a lie too as I took it to a different place later in the markets and asked how much fabric was used and they told me an amount considerably less than what I had given him!

Anyhow, I took it home to show my sis and get a good laugh, and yet when she put it on she actually made it look good, and with a little fixing from Grammy Rosen they like it and she got a free dress for the next dance! Pretty much she can rock any dress, and so in the end we win again!

Here is a picture of Kimmy and Cash is wearing the jacket he gave me, which was NOTHING at all like the picture and something that will end up getting chucked in the trash, but Cash loved putting it on with Kimmy and posing for the picture!



Finally - Dress #2!!! This one was more complex I thought then the previous, as I gave him 3 different picture of dresses that I wanted all combined, and then with some explicit instructions of my own changes that I wanted incorporated, and yet somehow he got this one way more close! It turned out beautiful on her, and altho it had to be altered by our fabulous dressmaker Maryanne in Utah before she could wear it - it worked out and she looked gorgeous in a one-of-a-kind dress for prom!

I designed the jewelry and belt too and had them made at the pearl market out here - and they turned out FABULOUS!!!! We were really happy with this one, and it somewhat redeemed the other bad taste I had gotten from the previous one!
Kimmy in the yellow prom dress


The sleeves were a little bigger and gapey than I had designed, but she looked awesome in it anyways! Maryanne was able to fix them a bit too!


Twirling and having fun!

A couple from the actual night - she looked GORGEOUS and had so many compliments and I hope she felt like a princess the whole night - she certainly is beautiful and the color was amazing on her!

Heading out!

Needless to say, I am NOT having him try any ballroom dresses for me, altho I have 8 designed and have found some of the coolest fabrics out here ever - I am having Maryanne sew them as they are super complex and hard, and I want them fitted perfectly to Kimmy and to not get ruined like what may happen here!

While I was in Utah I actually made a latin one - the first one I designed out here - with help from my mom and Maryanne!!! Let's just say that it was WAY MORE WORK than I thought and after numerous needles breaking on the machine, problems fitting certain parts together, sleeves getting cut off, and over 100 fittings on Kim to see how it was coming I have decided to just stick to designing and then rhinestoning myself, and having Maryanne make them for me! That will assure they are right! However, the one I did make is coming along great and I can't wait to post pics of the finished product - I am just hemming it and working on the rhinestones right now! Stay tuned for the pics of that to come soon!

CAN"T HANDLE THIS!!!!

So I have been lucky to have escaped Cash getting too sick at all for his almost 2 years of life!
However, since Monday we have been dealing with the worst cough and runny nose, combined with his first vomit episode, and a few other dry heave episodes of mucus and junk from the cold!

It is horrible, and i have gotten less than 8 hours of sleep total in the past 3 nights! i think I am really going to go crazy if it doesn't turn around soon and I don't get my good sleeper/happy son back!

Any ideas on how to cure this faster - the cold is caused by pollution here!
I don't think i can make it much longer!