Tis' the Season............

For turkey!! Thanksgiving is just a few days away and I am super excited to EAT! I must say that being pregnant two thanksgivings in a row is not the worst thing ever :)

Christmas is also around the corner, therefore I have begun Christmas shopping. I am getting a major head start this year and mainly doing online shopping. I just can't walk around for hours. Swollen feet do not make for a happy Ashley.




A. Cao is now walking. She looks wayyy to small to be walking but it's ridiculously cute. She hates wearing shoes, and as they make her walk funny, I usually end up taking them off. She's got me wrapped around her little, tiny finger already! Although she's walking slightly early she still has no teeth. Not a single one :( So we're slowly getting her on 'soft' table food since she can't really chew with anything. At her last doctors appt she weighed in at 15 lbs & 5oz. Which puts her in the 3rd percentile for her weight. DANG, wish I could have that problem :)

Baby Boy Cao is well on his way. Only about 10 more weeks to go! I am soooo ready to not be pregnant. I swear I have been pregnant for the last two years, STRAIGHT THRU. I'm looking forward to having a small baby that likes to cuddle again. Aimee is such a wiggle worm now that hugs are few and far between. BBC does not have a name yet. Maybe we'll just go back to Noah. For some reason I am terribly picky this time around. I'm even starting to annoy myself.

BBC is weighing it at about 2 lbs now. I passed my second round with the gastrointestinal diabetes test this week so that is wonderful news! I truly cannot wait to see how this baby compares to aims in weight and looks!

I couldn't help but post the picture of aimee playing in a box at her Uncle Lucky's shop! Typical, give her a toy and she throws it; giver her a box and she can be happy for hours!

And so it begins....

After careful thought and consideration I have decided to go back to school. Actually I have already enrolled in the University of Phoenix Online. I had workshops last week and my actual classes started on Monday the 26th. I'm starting out just focusing on getting my associates degree. Ultimately, I would like to get my Bachelor's but with everything going on in my life right now I needed to start with something that seemed more attainable to me. I chose to go back through an online program simply because of the flexibility it allows me to have with work and family. With my work schedule I would never be able to take more than one class without having to miss work. And now that we have another baby on the way I would much rather be home with the kids doing school work than away from them on campus somewhere working.

On a brighter note I had a doctors appointment today. We listened to the baby's heartbeat and discussed my Braxton Hicks contractions that I've been having the past couple of weeks. I was a little worried because I didn't really have any with aimee but with this one they are definitely an annoyance! They don't hurt but certainly are not comfortable. Other than that everything looks good and so far I have created a nice little home for baby Cao. BTW we are still thinking about names. Noah may be out of the picture. Technically Aimee chose Adam out of a hat... Binh wants to go with that name but I'm not so sure. Why's it so much more difficult the second time around?

For those out there that have not seen Aimee's "monster" face I have been trying for days to get a good picture of it. It's hilarious! And the sounds to go along with it make it even better. Unfortunately due to her love of cell phones, the second I get my phone out to take a pic she stops what she's doing and dives for the phone! ah well... maybe someday I will catch her off guard :)

What's in a name?

Those of you that know me well are already more than aware of my obsessive need to name my baby as soon as possible. I started looking at names the day we found out we were pregnant. The day the doctor told us we would be having a boy I was just sure that we could pick something out that night :)

I was 200% wrong. We finally agreed to a name that we both like late last week. Noah (insert middle name unknown) Cao. Now, I like Noah but as each day passes I wonder if it is the right name. I feel bad because I pressured Binh to decide on a name with me but now I feel like it may not be the right name for him. After all, what's in a name? Should the actual meaning of the name matter? What about the actual origin? Does anyone care about that? I feel such pressure to choose the right name. I mean after all, it's going to be his name for the rest of his life! Feel free to give me any input on this subject.

In addition to everything else that is going on, I have been thinking more and more about the prospect of going back to school. It would have to be an online degree program as I have a rapidly growing family and a full time job. I realize it would be incredibly difficult being a mom, wife, manager and student. However, I truly feel like I am ready and want to go back to school. To at least get started. I worry that if I continue to put it off and wait then it will be another 8 years before I get around to it. I don't even necessarily want to leave my current job. I really just want to go to school and get a degree. Maybe I am crazy? Guess we shall see :)

Watch out she's on the MOVE!

Aimee has officially taken her first steps! The first time was on Wednesday at my grandmothers house in the morning. Binh was lucky enough to see her take a couple steps towards him that afternoon! Mommy didn't get to see it until Friday morning. But that's alright because it is ADORABLE! She looks sooo nervous and excited all at the same time. She's been standing on her own more and more lately.. In her pack -n- play she'll let go and kind of move like she's going to take a step and then just drop! I cannot even begin to imagine life once she completely gets the hang of it. She's already such an "on the go" baby :) Now if we can just get her talking and potty trained by the time baby boy Cao gets here, my life will be a lot easier........

In other news, Halloween is just around the corner! Aimee has an infant leopard costume and an infant mermaid costume. For those of you that have spent more than an hour with Aimee you know that she will likely spit up and need a costume change. So we are prepared.. at the least I think so. After all, gotta put that baby to work getting candy for her pregnant mommy =) We are actually going to be celebrating Skylar (my cousin's daughter) and Jackson's (my nephew) birthday on Halloween. It will be Aimee's 2nd birthday party and first costume party! yay :)

Things to come

So... as I get further along in this pregnancy I feel really super stressed about balancing family life and work life. As it is now I feel like we are always on the go and I worry that I am not stopping to "smell the roses" as they say. Aimee is growing and changing like CRAZY! Which I love to watch and be a part of. At the same time because of my work schedule and Binh's work schedule we do miss out on things and days go by where I feel like I haven't seen my daughter in days. Unfortunately, on Sundays (double close = BOO) I don't see her at all unless I just get lucky for some reason. Making Monday mornings the bright spot of my week. Nothing compares to walking in to her nursery in the morning and seeing that beautiful smiling face. For those of you who think I have no heart (k-sink :p) I do.... only it just shows a lot more when it comes to that baby =)



Already, I am thinking about Christmas... we must have a tree this year with all the trimmings! I'm addicted to wrapping paper too! I buy much more than I need just because it's soo pretty. Not to mention that the Holidays are one of the few times a year that the family is all together. With everyone having children and grandchildren life has gotten much, much busier. It's nice to slow down once in a while and just relax if only for one day.

Not long after Christmas is Aimee's 1st BIRTHDAY!!! I cannot believe she is almost 8 months old and just 4 months away from being one =( Time has really flown by. Even though she will only be one I really want to have a fun birthday party for her. I know she won't remember it but that's what pictures are for anyhow. Suggestions anyone?? Unfortunately because her birthday is in January she will never know the joy of an outdoor birthday party. boo! So now to come up with something great indoors, hmmm.....

Ultrasound says.......

It's a boy!! I am beyond excited. As much as I said I didn't really prefer one to the other, I really wanted a boy. We are soo incredibly lucky to have aimee and now to have another little one on the way! (Just to clarify, his head is on the left side of the picture and that's his arm with his hand going to his mouth :)



Now, naming baby boy cao is a completely different story. Although we have only known for a few days already I can see this is going to be a struggle. We are both stupidly stubborn so neither one wants to give in on any names. I like Aiden, he likes Matthew. I like Gavin, he likes Joshua. So far the only names we both don't dislike are Cade, Jace and Adam. I prefer Cade and Adam but I'm not sure either one is right.

Meanwhile with baby boy cao well on his way, Aimee is getting bigger and bigger everyday! Well, I suppose bigger may not be the correct word to use as she is actually really petite. But she's sitting up and crawling like a wild woman!

Binh and I are incredibly blessed to have such a wonderful little family :) I can't wait till aimee starts talking! She's got such a little feisty attitude on her I cannot even imagine what will come out of her mouth.. stay tuned!

History sure does repeat itself

These past few days have been CRAZY. By no means do I intend for that to sound like a good thing.

History repeats itself far too often for my comfort. Leading me to wonder why it takes so long for people to learn their lesson (self included). We tend to say "oh, I won't make that mistake again" but we almost always do. We (I) certainly do not forget the circumstances or mistakes. So then, why do we do it all over again?? Ponder that please :)

On a more pleasant note, I have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday to find out what the sex of the baby is! I'm not quite as set on what I want to have this time around. I swear it changes from day to day. I am extremely excited to see how Aimee does with the new baby as she gets older. I hope that she will be walking when baby #2 arrives so that maybe she will be more independent and might not have such a difficult time with the new baby adjustment. Wishful thinking on my part I guess!

Just a quick and short blog today.

Aimee cow is sick :( It's crazy how much it can take to keep a baby semi-happy when they aren't feeling well.. I even took her swimming to try and cheer her up. It lasted all of 20 minutes. On top of being sick she is in the beginning stages of teething which I am sure is just adding to her frustration. It's so difficult when they are so small cause you know they don't feel well but they can't tell you anything.

On a side note, during one of Aimee's crying spells last night, I stumbled upon a show called "Yo Gabba, Gabba". Now, personally I think the show is horrible. But Aimee cow LOVES it. I'm talking screaming out, laughing at the tv loves it. There's lots of singing and dancing and I truly think she feels like they are speaking to her and only her :)

Off to sleep now. I am soooo hoping tonight is just a little smoother than last night.

In the Beginning...

So, after much consideration, I have decided to start blogging. *Gasp* Yes, blogging= me!

The last few years have been a complete whirlwind of wonderful things. Binh and I went from engaged to married to expecting and now to expecting again! Our daughter, Aimee, is 7 months old and freaking AMAZING. I am 100% biased but she really is beyond anything I could have ever asked for.

Baby #2 is to be expected around February 9, 2010. As Aimee was born January 28, 2009, these babies will be just a little over a year apart :0 I am sure sometime in March I will be blogging about how crazy life is with 2 children so close in age.

We have a wonderful family that helps out tremendously with Aimee. Thanks to all of them I know Aimee is in great hands at all times. I cannot imagine Binh and I not having our family around to help out. Hopefully one day we can return the favor with their little ones :)

I am also super excited at the prospect that my cousin and friends are all having babies that will be around the same age as Aimee and baby #2! As sad as I am sometimes to see how fast Aimee is growing and changing I know the future holds something even greater!

Stay tuned.. I'll try to figure out how to post pictures of Aimee.. maybe?