Telling Chris's Mom

The train ride to San Diego was very easy. We moved along the ocean and arrived there a little over 2 hours. Chris's mom picked us up from the train station and took us across the bridge to Hotel Del Coronado. We stayed there last year also and really enjoyed our stay. They have decorated the hotel with holiday decorations, trees, and have an outdoor ice skating rink, which helps it to feel more like Christmas in the California 70 degree weather.

After checking and getting to our room, we suggested we give mom her gifts before we go to food. She had just moved into a new apartment and needed some new photos from us. So we framed a picure of Chris with mom's dog Alexa, and one of our wedding photos. Then the moment came to give her the picture with us and the ultrasound. I don't think I was ready for her reaction. Needless to say she was overwhelmed with joy. And that's when we gave her part two of that gift, we had gift wrapped some kleenex tissues knowing she'd need them after she saw the photos.

We had a nice lunch together and Chris and I went back to the room to rest. Since we both stayed up late the night before, we both took a really long nap. I had packed a few snacks for the trip and would wake up every few hours to eat something. Since there was nothing good on tv either, we took advantage of our time away and allowed ourselves to catch up on our sleep.

On Sunday morning we had brunch at the downstairs restaurant. Our only goal for the day was to walk along the beach, read by the pool, and get some ice cream from the Moo Time Creamery. We did well that day.

For dinner, we made reservations at 1500 Ocean, an upscale at the hotel. I think that's what we love about the Hotel Del, you can spend your whole vacation there and never have to get in your car! As soon as our waiter came we realized he also served us last year when we're there. We reminded him that and even gave him the update that we're expecting! later Mark, our waiter referred to himself as a new uncle.

Our meal was great and filling...I did cut up the rest of my steak and packed myself a little snack for later. The rest of the night was watching another showing of the movie "40 Year old virgin" and "Elf" which were playing all day on USA.

The next day Chris's mom picked us up from the hotel. We then checked into a Marriott closer to her apartment for Christmas eve. We spent the afternoon shopping and relaxing. Then we got to see her new apartment for the first time fully furnished. It's a really cute and fun apartment and she really enjoys living there and making friends with her neighbors. Two of them even dropped by to say hi to us.



Chris's mom prepared a nice Christmas dinner, and we spent the rest of the evening getting our Christmas gifts and watching A Christmas Story...which was also doing a marathon. We caught the rest of the movie back at our hotel, and saw more of Elf and 40-Year-Old Virgin. I think we must have watched pieces of those 3 movies 5 or 6 times in those few days.

We had a wonderful time in San Diego, but we were also ready to head back home.

Chris's Holiday Party

This year, Chris's company National Television held their holiday party at the Downtown Edison on December 21. The Edison is Downtown's first private power plant. Now as a night club/lounge, you walk into a space as if you've gone back into the 1920's. Even the bouncers and waitresses are dressed like their from another time.

And since we're going to take the train from the Downtown Union Station the next day to visit Chris's mom in San Diego, we decided to spend the night at the Standard Hotel...not only save us a trip back home, but also if I get tired from the party I can leave early. The plan worked out great! We leisure went over to the Standard in the afternoon and got ready for the party there.



The party was a great turn out, about 50-60 people showed up. Chris's Dad and his wife who have been to the Edison were also there for the festivity. I found myself a corner couch, and ordered a sparkling cranberry juice. I chatted with the wives of Chris's partners and coworkers about how I've been feeling, and occassionally as new people showed up they'd come by and talk to me. I took advantage of them knowing I'm pregnant and want to stay off my feet and stayed on the couch. Then later in the evening Chris showed me around to introduced me to a few new people. It was also a tour of "feel Ann's belly".











I was pretty tired by 12:30 am...way past my bed time. So Chris's dad drove me back to the hotel and I went to bed shortly after. The next morning Chris and I had breakfast downstairs. I was so hungry I ordered steak and eggs and was surprised I ate the whole steak.

We got on the train and chatted about the party along the way. It seemed that we both had a great time and so did everyone else. : ) The funny thing was, this girl at the party who neither one of us knew also said we're having a boy! We hope to find that out in a month or so.

Telling Chris's Dad

On December 19th, Chris and I made plans to have dinner with Chris's Dad and his wife Joan. The excuse was to get together for a pre-Christmas dinner since Chris and I will be out of town...but turns out Dad was already thinking we're there to tell them the good news. As soon as we showed up at their house he was suspicious of me not drinking, then we chatted for a bit and decided to open gifts before we head out to dinner.

As we did with my parents, we handed Grandpa Dooley the picture frame. It was hugs and smiles after that. Then out of the blue, Chris's Dad said "It's a boy"...the funny thing was, my friend Steve did a "ring test" where he dangles his ring over my belly that is supposed to predict the sex of the baby. And he said it's a boy also. We asked Dad why he said that, he just said "Just felt like it's a boy!"

We had a nice dinner at a French restaurant in South Pasadena called Bistro de la Gare (It's right by the train tracks) I had a salad and some pork...but it was too sweet (part of the food aversion maybe) but really liked the bread, so I took some to go.

It was a great evening, we all had fun and enjoyed sharing the good news and experience together.

Two down, one to go.

Telling Ann's Parents

It hasn't been easy keeping this big secret. I usually try to visit my parents on the weekend for a few hours to catch up, but since I haven't had much energy and slowly starting to show...I haven't visited them for about a month.

December 16th was my dad's birthday. I talked to my mom a few days earlier to set up a time to have dinner together in their home. We got our framed photo of baby Dooley along with other gifts and headed over.

Dad had been cooking all day, while mom was working at their shop. Chris and I stopped at the Chinese market to pick up some Tiramisu and fresh veggies before meeting them.

I tried to hide my belly with a scarf and while they were busy getting Chris and I to sit down and start eating, we tried to get them to sit down so we can share the big news.

We told them we wanted to give them the gifts first...so one after another we gave them the other gifts. Finally, I took out the picture frame and told them it was an early Christmas gift for both of them. Dad opened the 2 sided frame, one with a photo of Chris and I from our trip to Napa Valley, the other was the 9.5 week ultrasound. Dad who has never seen an ultrasound photo took a little while to see what it was. Then mom took it and said "oh...is that from last time?"...So imagine how surprised she they were when I said, nope! it's a new one.

Mom screamed and jumped up and started dancing around the dinning room. Dad was laughing and called mom Grandma. We all hugged and Chris and I gave them more details about what's been going on.

Dad pointed out that he normally buys sashimi for dinner but he didn't this time! As if he knew something was up.

We had a wonderful dinner and headed home knowing how happy we've made them.

The next day I got an email from my sister Carol. Mom must have called her right after we left. Carol was also very happy for us. She is looking forward to seeing how our baby will look!

One down, 2 more to go!

9.5 Weeks

December 12th - 9.5 Weeks

So the morning/all day long sickness has kept me off the computer most of the time. My days are all about what my next meal is going to be. Usually breakfast is the biggest meal. Chris brings me toast with cream cheese before I even get out of bed. I eat that in bed, then get up and head straight to the kitchen to make something warm to eat, usually eggs or some type of hot soup. Then when I get to work, I head to the commissary and get either fruits with yogurt, or if I'm really hungry...a breakfast burrito.

By 11:30, I'm ready for a snack. I try to bring fresh fruits or some cooked leafy greens to get my vitamin C. Then about 12:30, my co-workers will ask "what does the baby want to eat today?"...So far the requests have been IN & OUT Burger, Thai, Greek, Chinese. Everyday is another culinary adventure for the baby.

Around 3:30, It's time to finish my lunch left over, or try to find more snacks or food in the building. I'll need this extra meal so I'm not hungry when I'm driving home. Can't even imagine being stuck in traffic without any food. I'd probably pull off the nearest exit to feed that hunger.

Surprisingly, I've only put on about 3 lbs. I do feel proud of the fact that I try to eat very healthy and as natural as possible. I'm also sticking very closely to what not to eat. I do miss bacon...and ham...and oh...sushi.....

Emotionally I feel good. I have been feeling more emotional and sensitive at times. The only frustration I've experienced are results of being too tired to talk. The urgency of shutting my eyes when that fatigue hits you is so intense, you just can't fight it. I often say to Chris "please stop asking questions". My brain just doesn't have enough blood circulating to it to form a sentence sometimes.

At our second ultrasound, we got to not only see something that looks a lot more like a baby. We got to hear the heart beat! AT 187 beats per minute, it sounded strong and rhythmic. When we saw the photo, we knew what we'll be giving our parents this Chrismas.

Baby's first picture

If the highlight of the morning of November 27th wasn't that we saw Nicole Richie and her boyfriend near the elevator of a parking garage, then it must be that Chris and I saw the heart beat of our growing baby. It was the day we were both very nervous about. Since our last experience with the ultrasound wasn't a pleasant one. This time, accompanied by my morning sickness...a sign of all the hormones working in our favor, we waited anxiously for the image to appear on the monitor. It was strange how quickly we saw something this time...and after moving around, we saw a mini flashing light..it was the heart beat! at 150 beats per minute, we were told it was very strong. And everything else looked great! Chris and I held our hands tightly. He was overwhelmed with emotions, while I was facinated and curious about every image we saw. The nurse told us the embryo was about 1 cm long. And after examining the photo, it appeared that our baby was either a luge champion or a little gummy bear.

Our worries subsided and scheduled another appointment in 2 weeks where we will be able to hear the heart beat. : ) how exciting!

The last few weeks has been hard. The constant nausea and fatigue wears me out, but Chris is taking care of me making sure I take my vitamins and getting enough food and liquid. I've been sleeping pretty well and taking many naps on the weekend. My body is changing too, so today we took our first photo of my belly.

We also bought 2 more books on pregnancy, probably all the same information, but good to cross reference. So far I'm right on track with my morning sickness...yeh.

I am looking more at other people's baby now, and also a little freaked out about having a really big belly. I'm already feeling like I'm having a hard time getting off the couch, can't even imagine having another 25 lb. to walk around with.

We'll have to wait and see.