Monday, June 28, 2010

Rocking Baby to Sleep

I hope I don't jinx myself by writing this post, but I was so proud of BJ today.  He fell asleep on his own without me having to rock him to sleep!!! THREE times.


Normally, BJ likes it when you stand up with him in your arms, and it would take up to 30 minutes for him to sleep at times.  However, today, he "found" his thumb and went right to sleep... in bed! After three months of rocking BJ to sleep, and months of him getting heavier and heavier, I was happy to put him down to sleep.  Now I have to find another way to work out my arms! haha.

BJ never liked his pacifiers so I was never able to experience a baby soothing himself to sleep. All I have to say is: WOW. This is great!  Let's hope it continues.

You have two days to enter my giveaway! Click here. It's a $50 Safeway Gift Card with low entries. :-)

Welcome Tuesday Tag Along and Follow Me Back Tuesday People!







Tuesday Tag-Along

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Work - Babysitters

*Sigh*  Today is June 23, 2010 and in one month and one week, I will have to go back to work.  I shouldn't be so sad considering I have had a lot more time off than most working moms.  Lucky me, I'm a teacher so I get summers off.  Still, knowing that I'm going to have to go back to work is a bit of a downer.

I'll miss him so much:


So we're interviewing babysitters this week.  My mom's going to watch BJ for part of the time and we're trying to find a part-time sitter.

I'll be sad if BJ says the sitter's name first. Plleaaaase may his first word be "Mama". (Okay, okay... I'll forgive him if he says "Dada" first.)  


Don't forget to enter my Giveaway

Monday, June 21, 2010

Tuesday Tag-Along/Follow Me Back Tuesday

Tuesday Tag-Along


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Hi Everyone! I just posted my first giveaway. :-) Click here to enter.


Excited to meet you all and read your blogs/follow you back!


Tracy

Safeway's JustForU Program [Giveaway]

If you are a follower of my baking blog, you may know that HJ and I are currently saving for a house.  We're actively trying to cut our expenses because every little bit helps.  I will be the first to admit that it's been pretty difficult saving money....  These are some of the things that happened:


(1) All of the hospital bills from BJ's birth came all at once
(2) I wasn't getting paid for a while because I ran out of sick leave 
(3) HJ's cell phone broke so we had to buy a new one
(4) I have to go and do a presentation on the "mainland", i.e. Continental U.S., so naturally, we are making a vacation out of it (haha, bad excuse, I know.)
(5) HJ's Birthday, our wedding anniversary, and Father's Day all came in June

Since we've been low on cash lately, I have been getting pretty good at finding sales at the local supermarket.  Still, I know I could improve my spending habits even more by clipping coupons... but I'm too lazy to do so.  To make things worse, when I actually clip the coupons, I forget them at home!  

This is why I was so glad when a representative from Safeway e-mailed me regarding a new program that they started in Hawaii.  It's an online coupon program called "Just For U", which connects discounts directly to your Safeway Club Card.  
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Review

This is how Just For U works:  You register at http://www.safeway.com.  Then, you look through their deals, click on the ones that you want, and that's it!  The offered prices get loaded on to your club account and you don't have to print anything out from home.  Of course, if you want to, you can print out the list of discounts you uploaded,  but the beauty is that you don't have to.  When you go to the store, the discounts have already been automatically applied.  Better yet, the Just For U program selects deals "Just For You" based on how you shop.  Get it?  


Here's the best part:  Just for signing up, you get a free dozen eggs!  Who doesn't love free stuff? :-)  I was so happy when I was at the check out line and this actually worked!  (I think the free eggs offer is only for residents of Hawaii, but I could be wrong.)  I'm so excited to save even more when I go shopping the next time.




Win it
Safeway's program is a great deal and you should see what it's all about here.  Even better, one person will win a $50 Safeway Gift Card to check it out!  Here's how:


Mandatory Entry

  • Go to http://www.safeway.com/hawaii, come back and tell me something you learned about the program. [This must be done for all other entries to qualify.]



Extra Entry

  • Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect and leave a comment saying whether you are a new or current follower. [Two extra entries; leave 2 separate entries.]
  • Blog about this giveaway and link to this page. [Four extra entries; leave 4 separate entries.]

This giveaway runs from June 21st 2010 to June 30th. A winner will be chosen using random.org. I was given a $50 Safeway Gift Card to review and blog about this program.  However, the opinions are my own.  Make sure to include your email address with your comment so I can contact you once the giveaway has ended. Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. 

Friday, June 18, 2010

Hair Loss?

HJ read my post regarding a pet for BJ, and he said I gave everyone false information.  Apparently, we do have a pet.  We don't have a pet mouse or a pet cat.  We don't have a pet horse or a pet chameleon.  What we have is a pet human being. 

No, he was not referring to this cutie:


Nope.  He was referring to this cutie:


Haha yes, this is me, and according to HJ, I am "shedding like a dog".  It has been almost four months since I gave birth to BJ, and I guess my estrogen levels are dropping back down to normal. (See the article I researched here.)  When I run my hands through my hair, clumps come falling out.  I hate to make the comparison, but it's how I imagine it would be if I were on chemo.  I am not exaggerating.  In fact, I wish I were exaggerating.  I'll show you what our drain looks like after I shower.  It's rather gross so if you prefer not to look, I'll forgive you. :-)  (HJ said not to post this picture because it's embarrassing.  I'd rather be honest so here it is.)

And this is on a GOOD day.  

Any of you experience this?  I hope I have some hair left at the end of all this shedding.  I really like my long locks.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Teething

Could BJ be teething?  I've been wondering this for over a week now, when Stephanie over at "My New Life As Mom" posted this cute picture of her son.


Of course, BJ at 3 months is no where near this stage yet (or so I hope).  However, I think he's showing signs that his teeth are starting to come up.  Here's what he has:

  • He's ALWAYS drooling
  • Warmer than usual 
  • Has slight diarrhea
  • Slightly fussy (but heat could be the cause of this)
  • Loves to chew on a cold rag  
Could this be teething?

Well, I've always been pretty paranoid when it comes to illnesses.  Not just for BJ but for myself as well.  If I have one cough or sneeze, I will pick up the phone and call my doctor.  I hate it when I call the doctor because I don't want to inconvenience her, but I don't want something to be wrong! So I called again today... and the nurse at the doctor's office said BJ shouldn't be teething until he's 5 or 6 months.  So I let it go, thinking that I'm going nuts and being paranoid yet again.

Then, I got an email from Stephanie.  She said her son started teething at 8 weeks! So there, Nurse Lady! I'm not going crazy. Maybe BJ really is teething.


Smart and Trendy Moms

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Puppy Love


Since I was born, I always had a dog.  Okay, technically, my parents always had a dog, but I grew up with them.  Chiro, Chibi, Ruby, Kula, and now, Cookie.  They also have a pet rabbit, Mr. Usagi.  (Usagi means rabbit in Japanese.)   I think that growing up with animals around has helped me to appreciate life, and I hope that BJ can also grow up with this appreciation too.  

Unfortunately, right now, we are living in a place where animals are not allowed, so BJ can't have a puppy of his own.  I have to find other opportunities to introduce BJ to animals, so the other day, HJ and I took him to the Humane Society, an animal shelter here on Maui.  Then, yesterday, my BFF, Saya, brought her puppy, Ollie, to our house. 



I can't say for sure if BJ loved the experience because he had the most confused look on his face, but it was so fun to watch!  I can't wait for the day when BJ can get a pet puppy, so he can learn to love and care for another. :-)

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Tuesday Blogging

LittleYayas

Tuesday Tag-Along


HI Blogger World. Hope your Tuesday is going well. We are having guests over at our house tonight for the NBA basketball game and my BFF's going away party. (SAD FACE: She's moving to Oahu.) BFF is bringing her puppy, and it'll be BJ's first time playing with an animal. Can't wait to see his reaction. Will post pictures later tonight! :-)

Sunday, June 13, 2010

My First Blog Hop - A Hat for Andrew

I've only recently begun writing in the blogging world.  I didn't realize there were so many bloggers and readers out there, and have become addicted to entering giveaways!  (I've won three things so far but have yet to receive them. Maybe this is the price I pay for living in Hawaii.)  Giveaways are so much fun because you have the excitement of wondering if you're going to win... then if you win, WAHOO. I suppose it's a bit like gambling.  You keep putting entry after entry win until you hit the jackpot, only to enter all over again.

Well, I was reading blogs on my google reader today and came across this entry by "My New Life as Mom" blogger, Stephanie.  It's about a young boy who has cancer, and his mommy is trying to collect hats from each state in the United States to cheer him up.  I was so happy to find that Hawaii wasn't taken yet so that I could send them a care package.  I also realized that blogging isn't necessarily only about entering giveaways for cool prizes.  Blogging can make a difference in people's lives.  Although I only have 8 followers, I will do my best to try and find more people to send Andrew a hat!  Andrew is certainly in my thoughts and prayers....


Friday, June 11, 2010

TV - Entertainment?

 Scene:  My Parents' House


Before you think anything, BJ was semi-posed for this picture.  (When I showed this picture to my mom, she said I put him too close to the t.v.)  The placement of his walker is posed so he could fit in the picture.  What is not posed, however, is the way in which BJ was staring at the tv:



Funny, isn't it?  My first thought was, "GOSH, he is a BOY!"  HJ has this same exact look when he watches tv.  Then, I started thinking about whether BJ watching tv is a good thing or not.  I'm trying to be a "good parent", whatever that term means, and trying to set good examples for him.  I think that as parents, we shape the way our babies will become in the future, so I'd hate to somehow hurt his chances of BJ getting into Yale or Stanford (haha) by letting him watch tv at the young age of 3 months.  I think that what he is really doing is staring at the movement on the screen rather than watching tv, but you never know what he's really thinking.  Afterall, he can't talk.  I know that I'm trying my best as a parent but I still have worries about whether I'm really doing the best I can.  You just never know, you know? 

Anyway, before I make this post too depressing, I'll stop.  Here's another picture of BJ watching TV today at my parents' house:



Yes, the remote was staged.  Again, the staring was not....

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

3 Months Old Today

Happy 3 Months BJ!

I don't really know how months vs. weeks go... Technically, BJ made 13 weeks yesterday. However, according to months, BJ is 3 months today.  It confuses me.  Oh well.

BJ has really strong legs. He doesn't like to go on his stomach and practice with his arms but he takes every opportunity he can get to practice standing.  Sometimes, I wonder if it's too early for him to stand, but he loves it so I don't want to stop him. He smiles and laughs every time he practices his standing.  His legs are so strong, I told HJ that BJ should be either a super star soccer player or a kicker for the football team.  I wonder what sports or activities BJ will like in the future. It's exciting to think about, but scary at the same time to think that he'll actually be a BOY and not a BABY. One day, he'll actually be a MAN. EEEEEEK.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Clothes and a Bebepod

I haven't written in a while... mostly a combination of HJ being home (so we go out more) and laziness. I apologize! I'll come on more often :-P  BJ is getting so big. His 0-3 clothes no longer fit him, and the cheapie mommy that I am, I was trying to squeeze him into them. They are still like new... *sigh* but after a few days, I realized I couldn't squeeze him into them any longer, so now he's wearing his 3-6 month outfits. Here's one of them:

I don't understand how an almost 3-month old can have nicer brand-named clothing than his parents.  Don't get me wrong, I am extremely thankful for every gift he has received.  However, can we say SPOILED?

Speaking of spoiled.. HJ and I bought BJ something as well. hahaha.  We bought him a BebePod!  For those of you who have heard of a Bumbo, these BebePods are pretty much the same thing.  It is a chair that allows baby to sit as soon as he can hold his head up.  I don't know when babies are supposed to be able to hold their head up, but BJ started being pretty good at it at 12 weeks old. (He's 13 weeks tomorrow.)  His head is still a little wobbly so I sit right beside him when I put him in his chair, but the chair works for us. The only thing I worry about is that the way this chair is made, BJ could possibly push himself forward and hit his head on the white part of the chair. Not sure. I guess I just have to supervise him and make sure he doesn't do that.  For the most part, he really likes his chair. He looks like such a big boy! I guess he is. What happened to my infant boy?