Thursday, February 25, 2010

Mom's update

It's been a whole month since my surgery. I can't believe we've been here a month already. I guess some days I feel the lengthiness of the stay and others it's just going by so fast. Faster the Better! Anyway, all my doctor visits are great. They are all still amazed at my progress and how well I'm doing. It's fun being called the "poster child" or the "Super star" of the trial! I hoping that means little Charlotte will blow them away like her mom is.

I did get diagnosed with gestational diabetes again. This time I have to take insulin instead of a pill like I did with Kathryn's pregnancy. I just learned how to do that today. It took me awhile to actually poke myself but did it and it didn't even hurt. I have to take a dose right before bed and then one right before breakfast. Because my morning fasting and after breakfast numbers are way to high!

We really haven't done anything fun since the Point Reye's thing but we hope to get out this weekend if the weather cooperates. We might try going down to the piers again or maybe the Zoo. not sure what.

I can't wait for Kathryn to come with my mom March 13. I'm just counting down the days. I can't wait to see my little girl. And Matthew hasn't seen her for 2 months now. We sure need some Kathryn love.

Oh another good thing. I have been really hating my bed lately and needing a chair/ recliner to sleep in and I asked today if there was one in the building and low and behold one of the guys in the office that actually lives here has one and let us take into our room. It's lovely. I'm sitting in it right now. The only comfortable place to sit in the whole place! Makes the room a little tight but we'll manage!

Sorry no pictures I need to update the food part of our journey. we've tried some new places and found a really good pizza place we like and a little cafe for breakfast. The other night on our way for pizza a couple of homeless guys asked us for some money and we didn't have any but at dinner Matthew ordered a large pizza to go to give to these guys. I'm sure they were grateful.

Well other then that not much else is happening. I had to up my dose of nifedapin at night cause I was starting to get contractions early in the morning before my next dose but this has seemed to stop the contractions at night! Hooray

I keep getting asked when the babies coming and well all I can say, I hope for no earlier then 35 weeks and for sure by 37 weeks. So I have 6 - 8 more weeks and then 2 weeks after she's born for sure! so 8-10 weeks and we should be able to come home!!!

Monday, February 15, 2010

Point Reyes National Park




My Uncle Wayne and Aunt Nancy came to visit their daughter this weekend that lives in Oakland. They invited us to go see a light house with them this past Saturday. Point Reye's national Park and Light house. It was the most beautiful ride there. Took longer then I expected but it was fun anyway. The tree's were so beautiful. It was like we were in the red wood forest and then the landscaped changed to rolling green hills which reminded us of what Scotland would look like. There was a marsh and pastures with cows as well. Along the road we saw a whole bunch of deer and cows. Seems funny to have them all in the same area. In one of the pastures we saw a wolf. That was cool. Down towards where the light house is Matthew and my cousin saw a bob cat. that was so cool! We went to Point Reyes North Beach that is where the video is from and then we went over to the Sea Lion look out is before we could drive up to the light house. This is where the Elephant seal was just laying out on the beach. Crazy.. I didn't think they would actually come up onto the beach like this. We even had to tell some poeple walking back from the water to watch where they were going cause they didn't look like they saw it. It did look kind of like a big rock.

Everything was just so beautiful. And thankfully I have a great camera now that captures the beauty almost better then the human eye. Actually in some cases it did to better. Somehow it captures the light better then my eye does.

We tried to go to Scoma's a Seafood restuarant that my Aunt and Uncle used to go to when my Aunt Donna lived over here. It is in Sausalito. The wait for 8 people was an hour and a half so we decided to come back to our dining row and got them all to try Vietnamese. I think they all liked it except my Uncle. He barely touched anything. We left around 2 in the afternoon and got back around 9:30. I should have taken one of my pills with me as the road was windy and bumpy at times. I felt a lot of those bumps.

Otherwise it was so nice to get out and see some of the beautiful country that is just down the road.

Now we'd like to go to the Muir Woods where Star Wars was filmed with the Ewoks. matthew wants to bring his video camera to that and get some good footage there. I'd expect that that is an amazing site as well.

Enjoy the pictures.

Food all Just around the Corner

So I should make a food blog of the places we've gotten to eat at. Our home is just a block away from all sorts of Asian food places. with a splattering of burger/pizza/sandwich places.

Since we eat out probably once or twice a day I thought I'd take pictures of the places that we've been to. Maybe write a little review of the meal it self. I'll see if I remember to start taking pictures of the food itself and not just the outside of the restaurant.

Crepevine was a recent find this weekend. I wanted crepes and Matthew thought he saw one somewhere so we just went out for a walk to find it. We've been twice in the past 3 days. So yummy and they were having a special for Valentines day from the 12-14 for every two entree's you get a free dessert crepe. This is the only one I took a picture of the meal it self. See below. It is amazing!

I think this was called the Milano. It tasted like a lasagna. But fresher!

One of the two burger joints around. Darla's. I like the other one Jenny's but I haven't gotten a picture of that one yet. Oh and see my mode of transportation. I am supposed to take that every where I go. Sometimes it is needed and others I think it just gets in the way.

Villa Romana~ Some really great Italian. Also the most expensive place we've been to yet. We got the family deal. Two appetizers, two Salads, two entree's, and two dessert cookie. All for like $80. This also looked like where the Italian mob would hang out.

Another favorite of course. Jamba Juice. I can't go as often anymore because of having Gestational Diabetes again but we'll go maybe once a week now. instead of 2 or 3.

This is a whole foods type place for just shakes and things. We went here to get a smoothie to help to get my bowels moving from the surgery. It tasted awful but I've been free and clear since then. Sorry gross I know.

Oh I do have a picture of Jenny's burger. This was by far the better burger. We'll have to come here again soon!

We've been to Little Bangkok twice now. The first one we just wanted a little snack before a real dinner later. We got the fried prawns and the deep fried Calamari. It was so yummy.

Ok so Perilla is one we've been to the most. It's just like the Vietnamese place we love at home in Mesa. They even have the black bean drink that We LOVE. They know us because we always get the bean drink no matter what.

Last of this weeks pictures for food. More to come as I didn't start taking pictures till later. This is one of the grocery store's we go to. They are like little convenience stores because of the high price with a grocery store type feel. Not as much stuff but it works as it's just down the street.

Home Sweet Home


I tried doing a puzzle that we got for Christmas from my Inlaws but we started it late and well the next morning someone had broken up all that I had finished in the 2-3 hours that I worked on it the night before. Needless to say I put it away and probably won't get a puzzle out to work on to keep me busy.

The Family house, It's got 3 floors with 8 rooms for families. We're on the third floor looking out the back. We share 3 bathrooms for the 8 families. We also share a big kitchen with two ovens/stoves, two microwaves and two dishwashers, as well as the laundry which has 2 washers and 2 dryers. We each get our own little mini frige to ourselves. and a bin in the freezer and one shelve for dry food.

This is the street where we will reside for the next 10 weeks. Not to shabby huh?
These next pictures are of the little garden that is in the front of the house. It's no pretty. I love all the flowers every where and I just know it's going to get better and better as spring comes.

These remind me of home. We have these hen and chicks at granny's house.


You can't really tell but there is a bird feeder and a humming bird feeder hanging in front of these windows. I haven't seen a humming bird yet but have seen a little bird eat out of the bird feeder.


So that is our residence. Sorry no pictures of the room itself. It seems to be always in a messy state and I'm not about to let you see the mess.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Pier's


Here we are right in front of where all the seals are laying out.
There's Alcatraz. We didn't take a tour but found out my camera is really good at long distance.

We ate lunch well late lunch at Bubba Gump's . I had Fish and Chips and Matthew had a hge Hamburger of some kind. Then the best part was the Key Lime pie So Yummy!
Pulling back and taking aim to hit...
Matthew!

We stopped at a magic shop down pier 39 and I was certainly amazed at what the magic shop guy was showing us. multiplying balls. money changing from $1's to $5's It was awesome. Magic tricks blow my mind. I can't even fathom how they do some of the stuff they do.

We had a great last day of fun before the not so fun stuff started. We even went to dinner at my new favorite eating place. It's a crepe place and they make the best crepes and french toast ever! We'll Definetly have to go back there before we leave San Fran. It's just a little to far for us to go just yet in my limited condition.

Beach


This is right before my feet get soaked!



The Wednesday before my Surgery was a free day for us so we decided to see if we could get to the Pier's but we got on the train and it took us the opposite direction and we ended up at the Beach! It was fun until I got my feet all wet cause Matthew wanted to get a picture of we trying to eat the foam/snow looking fluffs. We were just a little to close to the waves coming in and didn't notice till it was too Late. I did find half a sand dollar at this beach so it wasn't a total waste besides getting my feet wet. Goes to show you really should walk barefoot on the beach even if it's 60 degrees of less out side!

Kathryn with Joanna and Jared

Joanna and Jared have a huge Love sac and this is where Kathryn slept. They said she'd wake up in the night and ask for Lunch, I think she must be going through some huge growth spurt.

This is at the Lobster tank and Red Lobster. Joanna and Jared took her to Texas roadhouse and Red Lobster. She got spoiled with them.
Just playing in the sand and the park. Isn't she growing up so big!




I love this smile and her hair looks so LONG!

Doesn't this just make you have to give her a big hug! I sure do!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

proposal

Hello all my friends.

I have a proposal for each of you. We are really missing Kathryn more then I would like to so we're searching for someone to be able to come out and stay with us for a while so that Kathryn can come out as well. She has to have her own 'support' person. Just in case of emergency, She has to have someone to watch her while Matthew and I go to the hospital.

We'd be happy to pay for all food and you'd get to share a room with the three of us. Not luxury by any means. All we'd ask that you get yourself here. If that is the only thing holding you back we could probable help out in that area as well.

San francisco is a great place! and by the time anyone can get here I'd be full out ready to explore the city with you.

Thanks for your consideration.

Let me know so I can put in a request for a bigger room.

We'd be happy for even just a week or two with our little girl.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Week 2 of San Fran

So being on limited bed rest is the pits. I know I need to take it easy but come on who can lay in bed all the time. Especially a bed that isn't yours and is actually kind of hard. I guess I shouldn't complain to much as all our accommodations are free including food and transportation to and from the hospital.

I'm feeling much better. I only take the pain meds when I go to sleep at night cause rolling from side to side is still awful sometimes. It's getting better and better every day. Matthew's been making me laugh the last two nights and well it doesn't hurt as bad as it would have the first few nights after surgery.

I'm sorry about no pictures. I've been kind of couped up in this little room we live in. I guess I should take pictures of that and show you all what living is like in a hospital family house. next post to have pictures. I promise.

Kathryn is doing much better. She just likes to get sick I think. She got RSV last weekend and has been on some breathing treatments and antibiotics for the last week but each day I see her on Skype she's talking more and more and looks to be her same enthusiastic self. She's growing up so fast. It's only been 2 weeks and I can tell she's talking way more and just learning so much without me. I feel really sad sometimes that I don't get to be there with her but am filled with love and mostly the spirit telling me it's going to be alright. She's in good hands. which she is. She turns 2 tomorrow. I'm really bummed about missing her birthday but I know my parents and sisters will do her birthday justice. They are having a family party tomorrow night and then hopefully if she's better and no more coughing they'll have one over at our house in Mesa for Kathryn's friends in the ward. Wish I could be there too.

Anyway, I have my first regular visit tomorrow and they should remove some of my limitations. Some of the people in the ward have said we should call anytime we want to do anything and we may get to go to the Temple in Oakland this Saturday depending on the limitations. We may even venture to the Zoo this week. I'll wait till I'm feeling even better so we can spend lots of time at the science center and exploritorium. I've been told the science center is amazing!

Well I'll let you know how my visit goes tomorrow and post some pictures I've taken so far. Not to many I'm afraid. but it will be better then just text for 3 times in a row.

take care and we'll talk soon!