Travel Crib!

Guess what the FedEx guy brought tonight? The travel crib! Woo's sister Hyun-Hi had ordered the travel crib we wanted and arranged to have it shipped to us and it's here! I was so excited to set it up...it makes it feel like the baby will be here soon because there's a crib now, ya' know? We're actually moving to a bigger place in February or March so we can't set up a real nursery yet, and this travel crib is going to be the life-safer that allows us to move the baby from the living room and bedrooms easily until we can get a more permanent situation set up. Plus it's small and doesn't take up a ton of room, and grows with the baby in stages from an elevated bassinet to a lower crib (as baby gets to where he can stand up) to a play-yard. It rolls on a set of back wheels and is small enough to fit through doorways - so convenient. I also have a trip planned with my Mom to Hawaii for a week in early February, so this is what I'm taking with me for little Jin to sleep in.

I'm ecstatic. It's so cute. THANK YOU SO MUCH HYUN-HI. I can't stop staring at it. Now all I need is the baby to be here!

The Name!

D'oh, I almost forgot to post an update on this! Woo and I settled on the final name the night before last. The verdict is in: Jin-Su Rhys Woo. Woo's Dad has been really thinking hard on this for a while now, and offered us several options. Woo's parents both agreed that one of them in particular had a good flow and meaning to it: Jin-Su. It also happened to be one of the options we both liked the most. Jin can mean jewel, something earned, truth and Su can mean eternal or everlasting. Woo's cousin Nam-Hi really helped us with "Jin" in the first place, explaining meanings and such (so please correct me if you see this and I got these meanings wrong!). Woo's sisters also had a lot of good input, so this was truly a Woo family affair. I'm glad to have that settled, and thankful for all the help!

Baby Goodies

My amazing friend Amanda had sent me a birthday package a little more than a month ago, and I was just going back through some of the stuff she sent, putting things away for when little Jin is here. I had sat on the floor with Mushu to tear the box open and lost all that gusto to tear up and cry when I saw what was inside.<sigh> Pregnancy hormones. :) She sent a bunch of cute little onesies and sockies (I assume they aren't called socks because they're just so little, ya know?).

And of course, she wouldn't be Amanda without sending some Hello Kitty and cupcake goodies for me, 'cause that's just how she rolls.

I heart her. Jin's got some pretty amazing Aunts and Uncles, and I'm so thankful for that!

We're getting closer to our due date (50 days to go!!!) so of course, our household has become so much more baby-conscious. Woo has already bought the car seat that we will bring Jin home in, and the car seat that he transitions to after that (after reaching 40 pounds). Can I just say that I'm so thankful for how "hands-on" he has been? Who makes guys like this anymore? He called me at work yesterday from BuyBuy Baby with a couple of car seat options, to ask my opinion, and just like that, we were all set. He's been taking care of the laundry, walking with me, bringing home good-tasting and healthy meals for me, and countless other things.

We started a Lamaze and Birth Preparedness class last week Monday so last night was the second class. Woo is, of course, my support partner and he's phenomenal at it. He's been teaching me how to breathe from my "core", paying extra attention to what the instructor tells us about pain control and relaxation techniques, and then applying them and talking me through the floor exercises like a pro. He's focused and serious and he keeps me smiling and laughing and thoroughly enjoying myself throughout the entire process. I could gush about this guy forever but I don't want the other boys at school to start teasing him so I'll stop.

My friend Lulette also stopped in on facebook and posted a really touching "congrats" (thanks girl!), and it reminded me that I wanted to show her something I'd started working on when I first got back from working in Florida over the summer. She's AH-MA-ZING at knitting and crocheting and at one point, she had practically the entire Polynesian community in Nashville making scarves and socks. I have since kicked my knitting skills up a notch and figured out how to make baby beanies. I saw some on Etsy that I had to have but I wanted to make them that much more meaningful by making them myself. Plus, it was fun! I'm not done, but here's a photo of what I've got so far.

Baby stuff is so stinkin' adorable. I want to make a couple more, so I'll post pics as I get through them. I hope I make Lulette proud. :)

Ok, pregnant chicks go to bed early so off I go. Fall is in the air, yay! G'night everyone!

Meet Jin Rhys Woo...

Woo and I have been pretty set on the name Rhys for a while now, but in tribute to his Korean heritage and because our son will be the first son of the only son, I was really sold on a Korean name somewhere in the mix. We love the name Jin, and I really wanted Woo's Dad to pick the name, so he's working on a second syllable to add to "Jin". For now, we're thinking something along the lines of Jin-[insert second syllable] Rhys Woo...subject to change, but the Jin is pretty solid.

So we have great friends named KC and James Dana (they're twins!) that do 3D and 4D ultrasound photos and they hooked us up with a private session! I was ecstatic about it, it was so sweet of them, and they patiently spent well over an hour with us, trying to coax little Jin to turn over so we could see his face. Turns out our little guy is fond of keeping his face tucked under Mom's ribs (I knew I felt that) so we didn't get a ton of clear face photos, but we did get a couple that make me smile every time I see them. I swear he's smiling in this first one:

It was fun, and a really neat experience. He yawned a lot, that made us laugh since I can't imagine what's got him so worn out other than kicking me in the ribs. Now when Woo and I are laying on the couch watching tv and I'm behind him and Jin kicks, he not only kicks me in the stomach but he kicks Woo in the back.

Check out our friends' website - http://www.wombmates3d4d.com/. They do baby showers, they'll come to your home, etc. And they're amazing guys. Thanks again KC and Jim!

This entire pregnancy has been such a precious and life-changing experience for me. I can't wait to meet this kid in January, or hopefully even a little sooner. I really hope he looks just like his Daddy. I like the big one so much, I went out and got the nanoWoo. :)

Got the stroller!

So this past Sunday Woo suggested we go to the park for a nice morning walk. What a great idea, it was so nice out! We went to the same Greenbelt Park near the house - love that park, can't wait to stroll the baby through there when he finally gets here. It'll be really pretty in January and February if it isn't too cold for a little newborn. My Mom will be here too so we can get all bundled up and go feed the ducks with Mushu (who will in turn try to eat the ducks, I'm sure). Here's a few photos that still don't do the beautiful day any justice...I tried to get a good photo of the belly but wearing black makes it hard to see:

We had a good lunch and then, we were off to buy the stroller. So when Woo and I first discussed the stroller, I was still working in Florida, not showing a baby bump yet and not even thinking about the stroller. When he called and told me the stroller he likes was about $1000 to $1200, I thought he was joking. So, he wasn't. But since then he has completely sold me on the Stokke Xplory. This thing does everything and it's a really cool looking stroller on top of all that. The baby sits much higher than on other strollers (height fully adjustable, as is everything else on this thing) so you're not constantly bending over and it allows for a ton more interaction between baby and parent (and the world, for that matter, since they can see so much more). It wheels around with minimal effort and turns on a dime, will roll over almost any terrain, is amazingly light and collapses easily with one hand while you hold baby in the other arm...it's ridiculous. Those Scandinavians are so trendy and smart. We've been planning out a budget for this thing ever since. So thankfully, Woo has been ON IT about researching it and checking on other sources like eBay and Craigslist. This Sunday all that researching paid off because we got one! Everything it came with (parasol, UV cover, wind/rain guard, infant pad, storage/travel case, 2 car seat adapters - one for Graco car seats, one for Peg Perego car seats - and the stroller itself) would all have retailed for about $1800. We got all that, in excellent condition, for $550. I am over the moon. It's official, we're parents. Here's what it looks like, photo courtesy of stokke.com:

It comes in a really cool green too so we'll probably trade out the fabric later and upgrade to switch it up. For now, the beige is pretty versatile and neutral enough for the next baby. ;)

Poor little Mushu has no idea he's about to have to share all his toys and carpet space. Here's a few photos of him waiting with us in the car to see the stroller:

 He and I both need haircuts...that's a project for this weekend!

Welcome!

Hello and welcome! So I've decided to start a blog to keep all our family and friends updated on the latest news with us. AND I thought this would be a great way to document this most amazing time in my life. My boyfriend Woo and I are about 7 months pregnant with our first child, a boy! In more specific doctor's terms, we're 30 1/2 weeks pregnant as of right about nowish and I couldn't be happier and more thankful for all that is my life these days.


We're due January 4th, so here's hoping for a speedy delivery and a smooth labor, and I wouldn't mind a little less heartburn between now and then either. It's been fun and I've honestly enjoyed pregnancy a lot! I think Woo could tell you that I'm a happy little pregnant person, which I'm thankful for because I know how easily it could have gone the other way. Besides the heartburn, some back pain and a glucose intolerance that, thankfully, isn't too serious, I haven't had any morning sickness or any real scares or concerns. Whew! BTW - Stacey, Nancy, Jennifer and Amanda: I know you girls can appreciate how much this glucose intolerance thing is getting on my nerves. What's a pregnancy without dessert??? 2 more months, come on January!


We're in the middle of baby shower planning and I'm so excited! The date we've set is December 4th, and our great friends Shannon, Cody, Rachael and G are all chipping in time and resources to make it everything Woo and I could ever hope for. I really wish we could have all our friends and family with us but I'm happy to have good friends this far from home to be able to share this time of my life with. If I haven't said it enough, THANK YOU guys for the amazing people that you are. Can't wait to see how it all comes together!


In other news, Woo and I both just had birthdays (his in September, mine earlier this month). We celebrated his out with friends at a pub crawl on our beach cruisers. We had a blast, if you couldn't tell from the photos on facebook. And for mine, Woo got me an amazing full body massage and then he took me to dinner at the Sanctuary in Scottsdale. It was nothing short of AMAZING. He even took a day off work to hang out with me. Have I mentioned that this guy is a man after my own heart???? I'm a lucky girl. :)


OK, I tend to chat too much and a blog without photos is just some boring person's even more boring thoughts, so here's a couple from Woo's birthday:

 And a few from my birthday dinner:

We've had a great Fall so far! Woo's been working out and being really healthy for me. I've been so proud of him. Today he went to his boot camp in the morning and my dog, Mushu, and I walked a mile along the Green Belt (a gorgeous park here that stretches for miles) between our apartment and his gym to meet him there. It was such a beautiful day out. Phoenix is so pleasant once it cools off after summer. Mushu saw some ducks and freaked out trying to get to them. It was pretty funny and thankfully, I had my camera.

We had a good day out and did a little running around to get Woo's costume for work tonight. Last weekend at Dos Gringos (the bar where he works) the theme was the 80's so he was Data from the Goonies. It was awesome.

Today he went in as a trademark scene from a John Woo film - the scenes in which our hero meets the villain and there are doves that scatter and fly off to indicate the seriousness of the situation...genius...we were cracking up about it while he was getting ready.

I've yet to have a dull Halloween around this guy. :)

Speaking of which, have you been "booed" yet??? All month my co-workers and I have been booing each other - leaving treats and goodies on each other's desks with a note to pay it forward and boo two more people. So in the spirit of all things yummy and ghoulish, I decided to boo Woo at work tonight. I took him this treat and asked one of his security guys to give it to him and not to tell him I was there. Well Woo's too clever and fast for me so I got busted trying to jump back in the car. But it was fun and I got a sweet thank you kiss out of it so well worth the effort. Here's the boo:

Of course, I secretly hope he brings some of the popcorn home. ;)

OK, that's October for us. Happy Halloween, loved ones! More to come and, because my friend Jennifer in Nashville mentioned it on facebook and I totally agree with her, hopefully some more updated belly bump photos! Stay tuned and good night for now!