jlopiphi

I have to say that I had such a wonderful decade. My 20s was a wonderful decade to have been through. I met so many interesting people and even made some lifelong friendships. College was a wonderful journey and I had such wonderful roommates (shout out to CJ, Denise, Alice, Jenny, Dave, Ki, Eloise, Sahar, Julia and May)! My fun sorority days at Cal Eta Pi Beta Phi. My work and grad school experience at UCI. I have also made friends with people at UVA especially the few whom I consider good friends (you know who you are). I have also met new friends through Mikey's playgroup. Meeting Bill, moving in together, getting married, moving 2500 miles across the country, and having Mikey! :) I have had such a wonderful experience that I am very grateful for all the wonderful (and not so wonderful) memories that I have gained through all my experiences. I thank everyone who contributed to my experiences, I will treasure them always. I look forward to the next decade that is to come. I have so many new memories to make and hope that they are as wonderful as my past memories.

Mikey is now 1 year and 9 months old. He is talking and running a muck! He is such a great kid! We have been blessed with such a wonderful and amazing kid. He has spoiled us as parents because we will expect the same thing from his siblings...so mikey has definitely set the bar high! Here are some photos of Mikey that were taken this fall.












As far as what I'm doing with my life, I know that it has been a while, but I am no longer in chem grad school, but am at grad school for education. I am currently at UVA's Curry school of education getting my masters in teaching. It truly is my calling. I don't know why it took me so long to figure out that I didn't want to go to grad school to be stuck in lab all the time. I love teaching and am happy that I chose to pursue this field. Teachers definitely don't get the credit they deserve. I am finishing my first semester in the program and will be done, hopefully, by next Fall.

That's pretty much all I have. I have also started knitting again. I have time, once again, to make nice crafts for me and the family (and friends). I am also getting back into running. For now, I think I'll stick to 5K and 10K runs until my youngest child is about 5. That is the only time I can start being out of the house for more than an hour at a time to go running.

Other than that, all is well. We just transitioned from fall to winter over thanksgiving break. Here is a picture of how our fall looked like. When it snows, I'll post up some pics of that.

It has been a while!! about a year and a half!!! So much to write about. I guess I'll have to say I shall share with all on another post of the whole update and pics of michael.

so, i have 3 weeks left..as you can tell from my last post, i put up a countdown banner! I am so excited. I feel like he's coming soon though, he's dropped...it's really hard to walk up and down the stairs...it feels like i'm using my keigel muscles to keep him in :) My appetite has started to stave off though. I don't know if that's good or bad, but I'll find out on my weekly Dr. appointment on Friday. I believe I have one more ultrasound before he comes out. I think it's to measure him and to make sure he's in the correct orientation. I am excited!

We have the room done, actually it's been down for like a month now. We have all the essentials except for a high chair and breastpump. We'll get that either soon or after the baby is born. I am blessed to have had the family and friends that I do have. They pretty much got us everything we need or gave us a gift card! Also, my cousin sent me all her son's baby clothes from 0-9months! That is a big help...now the baby's drawer is full of clothes. I think the only thing bill and i will have to get are winter clothes for our son when the time rolls around.

Other than that...everything es great. Still going to school everyday and doing research. I either do an experiment or read a book that is essential to my understanding of electrochemistry. So, I'm still educating myself and keeping myself preoccupied until he comes out. I really should work on the blanket I started making him. I really should, but I got lazy! :) Plus we got TONS of blankets as gifts...which is great especially for fall and winter time.

Ok, well that is all I have to say for now...adieu!

So, after months of anticipation, we finally had the ultrasound that would tell us if the baby was a boy or a girl.  I have to say, Billy and I were super anxious to find out the sex from the moment we found out we were going to have a baby.

So...here's what happened at the ultrasound:

We walk in and Ruth, our ultrasound technician, put the warm gel on my belly and then the ultrasound monitor.  She asks, "Do you want to know the sex of the baby?" 

In unisons, we replied, "oh, Yes we sure do."

"Good, because it would be hard to avoid this, it's a BOY!," Ruth said.  It was plain to see why it was hard to avoid, the penis and scrotum were in clear view.  It was like the baby was saying..."look at my penis...isn't it wonderful...I'm a boy and I have a penis!"  That's what it was like.  It was perfect as far as angle went.  Everytime she went to look for an organ or move the ultrasound monitor, there it was...in plain sight for us to see. :)

As far as the rest of the ultrasound, the baby moved a lot so we were there for about an hour trying to get all the baby's organs and limbs recorded.  It took so long!  It was amazing to watch the ultrasound as Ruth explained what each item she was looking for and why.  Overall, after all the pictures were taken and the measurements were calculated, the baby is about 1lb and 5oz.  Amazing!

Wonderful!  i hope the rest of the pregnancy is good.  I hope that all will be well.

As for now, that is all.  Until the next time, Adieu!

So, I am now 18 weeks and 4 days...and I can feel the baby more often and it's stronger. Last night was the 1st time I felt the baby do a topsy turvy in my belly and it was something out of an "Aliens" movie. It was so strong and I could totally feel him/her in my hand as it moved around. I know it's only the 1st of many, but the 1st time is always the weirdest and most memorable. It actually woke me up at 3am and I couldn't get back to sleep for another 1/2 an hour to an hour. I guess I couldn't go back to bed because I was still trippin' over what I had just felt and was hoping to feel it again. It still amazes me that there's a little tiny thing growing in me and in about 20 weeks it will no longer be in my belly, but in my arms.

Also, the date we find out the sex is on Nov 14...we are uber excited! I'm really anxious to know. I've been wanting to know since we found out I'm pregnant. This waiting is driving me crazy...I want to know now dangit!!!!!

So, I now have a new ultrasound. I am now in week 12 of my pregnancy and the doctor says the baby looks healthy. All the organs look good so far and I should keep eating healthy and taking my vitamins. Here are a few ultrasound photos...












It's still a bit surreal to me. The ultrasound is so emotional. Both times I've gotten it done has been very emotional experience. I still can't believe that I have a small person in me...growing. It's amazing because you see the heart beating, the U.S. technician even showed us the bladder, the kidneys, the stomach, brain, and it's just crazy that something so small (2 inches so far) has all the organs of a normal sized human. So amazing!

That's it for now...until the next time! Adieu!

So, Bill and I found out I am pregnant. Right now I'm 9 weeks and we had an ultrasound 2 weeks ago and I am at awe.




Very surreal! At the ultrasound, we saw the heartbeat and it was going 160 bpm according to the nurse. So fast...so crazy!!!!

Other than the pregnancy, I am now at Virginia, specifically UVA, working in a research lab. I start 1st year orientation next week and the classes start the week later. It's pretty crazy to find out I'm pregnant right amidst all these new changes. It's like Fate said..."hey you know what! Since she just left home, drove 2500 miles across country, starting at a new grad school and just moving in with her husband for the 1st time in a year...let's just add having a baby into all the changes...she'll be able to handle it." I'm still excited about the baby, but it's just so much at one time that I am so overwhelmed. I bet you EVERYONE feels overwhelmed when they find out they are having a baby and I'm just being whiny! I have the right to be whiny! Ok, I'm done...I'll post more ultrasounds every time I get it done! Have a great one!

Adieu!

So, Here are a couple of pictures from my wedding photographer.













i think she did a great job! Thank you Alice!!!