Naming is an Art

Father to be in 1.5 days

Every baby needs a name, but we haven't accomplish this mission as far. After a long struggle, we both agree maybe its better we pick some potencial names before he is out and we will know which name belongs to him once we see his face.

To make the situation easier [ or even harder?]  to us, we set up some rules for coming up an official name for Big D.

Rule no.1:
Since B and me both have given names start with A, we decide to name Big D with an A name  as well so we can be triple A instead of AA all together ~

Rule no.2:
Big D will take B's last name in English and we are thinking how to incorporate my heritage into the naming. My family tradition is some how related to plants- my father is a forest, my mother is a flower and I am some kind of herb.

Rule no.3:
B downloads a book all about father's role in pregnancy and babies from iTune to study, in one chapter, the author suggests that a successful initial will suggest a positive life for the baby especially if his future career involves in lots initials such as sports player.  Well, somehow this thing made an impression in me [ yeah, I kind of secretly hope he can be a tennis superstar ,hahaha.] We try to make his initial more positive [ at least not a sad one] , FAB, LAB, GRAB?

Here are some names we come out. BUT, we need your help!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please let us know if you think of  more names fits our rules than these two poor, stupid, lack of imagination , running out of ideas parents to be, SOS~~~


FAB
Forrest +

Alfa B
Artie B
Alfalfa B
Axel B
Aster B
Astor B
Addison B
Aidan B
Ash B
Augie B
Ari B
Agile B
Asp B

Felix+

Alfa B
Artie B
Alfalfa B
Axel B
Aster B
Astor B
Addison B
Aidan B
Ash B
Augie B
Ari B
Agile B
Asp B

LAB

Love+

Alfa B
Artie B
Alfalfa B
Axel B
Aster B
Astor B
Addison B
Aidan B
Ash B
Augie B
Ari B
Agile B
Asp B

HERB?

BOMB?

Olaf  B

Baker Oliver B

Anything?  HELP~~~~

New records everyday, My life as a balloon~

Well well well, many people ask how I am feeling  during my last week of pregnancy, I have to admit I never feel more like a balloon than now.

My belly is continuously making a new record everyday and I am horrified by the possibility of getting stretch marks due to my oversize belly! I often feel I could flow if you attach a string to my belly......

We booked a photographer and took some pictures at home last weekend to memorize the high peak of my belly growth~ Little did we know, it grow even more after that!!

A million bellies

WK 36/ 75.9 kg

Photo shoot was exhausting. My lovely hubby bought some chocolate ice cream to cheer me up~ what a sweetie [ he tried to talk me to put the spoon down.... ha. ]

Big D, see you soon~

Preparation

Dear all,

37 weeks, the doctor sent me to the altra sound check for the last time. Unfortunately, Big D still was not feeling necessary to turn upside down for the delivery and our doctor urged us to pick a date for the potential C section . He is worry about Big D's leg position-Big D is standing and he could straightly break my water and maybe stick his feet out of my body- that would be dangerous!

Here we are, 2 weeks earlier than we expected and of course, nothing is ready!

Taiwanese dont do baby showers, people give out gifts mostly after the baby is born and visit the weak and exhausted mother in the recovery center [ which is a great custom for pregnant women! a hotel like baby center where nurses take care of the new born for 24 hours. They cook 5 meals a day for you ,too~]

We have some new born baby clothes, 2 milk bottles, some blankets, half of the baby stroller set, thats all! I even dont have any place to store those baby stuffs. We rush cross street and jump into the lux baby store where we didn't buy anything from there before because they overpriced everything, and grab the first baby storage set we see - the Stokke, of course. It is so overpriced in Taiwan but panic is the best sale man in the world, the American Express flies out and we finally get the first piece furniture for the baby.

Although the baby should be out within 6 days, my hubby still is not molded into the father mood. 30 mins after he drags the half person tall package upstairs, I find out he is laying on the bed with the hockey game on TV........

Well, ready or not, next Monday we will give Big D one more chance to check his position, if he is still standing straight waving to us, we will see him soon next week~~

The curves of becoming a mother

Dear B Family,

As you all know, we are on the process of the transformation from a couple to a little family of our own. The AisB Home webpage now is also a place we update the news of our new member- Big D!

This is our 32 weeks of baking Big D, and there are 2 major issues of the current pregnant situation  after the regular check with the doctor last week: 

1. Big D is too big [2100g at week 31st, usually its the weight for baby at wk 34] 

2. Big D is laying on the wrong position [ horizontal instead facing down ]. 

The doctor will later decide if it is safe for me to deliver him naturally or not on week 36.

Now is the update of the carrier herself. Since some of us met each other in Boston, Somethings had changed, mainly about how a woman's curves changed of becoming a mother. 

This is not me , I just also feel as big as a whale now

Before the pregnancy, I wouldn't say I was super skinny [ especially under the Asian severe tiny frame weight standerd] but with a balanced figure. I slowly gained some weight before the pregnancy [ because I broke a bone of my foot and also because some people said it is helping the fertility, haha] I went up to about 60-62 Kg on that time.

2012, Nov. 8 wk pregnancy, I was about 64 Kg. I felt I grew so much on the belly but now look back on the pictures , It was not obvious at all. I could still wear my own clothes.

Wk 12, weight 65.5 Kg. It was the first official recorded check with the doctor, I got my pregnancy hand book. My weight grew pretty fast for the first trimester, I blame on my over joyed appetite. No morning sickness and the growing love of desserts are the main reasons pushing my weight to reach the new height every month. I bought pregnant jeans to wear because my old ones were killing my new waist [ especially those Swedish supper tights!]

2013 Feb.  Wk, 21,  69.84Kg. the doctor recommended to gain not more than 3 Kg for first trimester and 5 Kg for second trimester. I hit the limit in the middle of my second trimester. Maybe you can not tell by the pictures but I was a slightly over weight pregnant woman!

Fortunately I was still capable to do some light work out, such as hiking and swimming. Then I went to USA......

2013, The beginning of Apr, wk 29,  71.6Kg , Just came back from USA. my belly grew very much during the trip . Well, American food is famous for its oversized portion and hidden fat, my belly still got fatten even B and I shared a serving most of the time....and those hiking in San Francisco and coast high way seemed very low impact compare to the growing speed of my belly............

Now 2013 May Wk 32, 74.5 kg !!!!!!!!!!  I was bit worried when the doctor told us that the baby is over expected weight and asking if I should go on special diet !!!!

Now its the first time I reveal the true curves of becoming a mother in the public! 

First picture is taken on 2013 Feb. 1st, wk18 , no morning sickness at all , enjoying my food~~

3 weeks later After the feast during Chinese New Year , Wk 21 The belly really popped out before USA trip.

March 25, Wk23-24, taken in the hotel of San Francisco, there was no mistaken of my very curvy belly! 

We are planning to have a photo shoot with the professional photography, hopefully we can book one before he comes out~

Dragon Fight! One day trip to Komodo Island part 2

The ranger and the local guide are walking around us to make sure we are save. They have the Y shape sticks can push away dragons if they get close to us. They say it is hard to know how many of dragons here because dragons don't have the sense of their own territory. The zoo of San Diego has a team here to study those dragons, they cut open a deer or sheep to attract the dragons and put numbers on them [ Don't ask me how they do it..] they think there are about 1300 dragons on this island which also means there are about 1290 dragons we haven't seen as far hiding some where around us...

Luckily, noon is just too hot for them and most of them are resting under the bushes. It is a bit too quiet, the guide is now searching for their egg nests.

After the mating season, female dragons lay their eggs in a 1.5-2 meter deep dirt hole made by one kind of bird. They usually make couple more holes around the real one to misleading the egg thieves. The eggs will lay in the dirt for 9 months so the mothers usually guard not far away from the egg nests. Ironically, dragons also eats the eggs and that's what I am about to tell you.

I think that is the 3rd or 4th hole we find and at the same time, we see 2 female dragons are right by the nest. We move perpendicularly to their right side quickly about 4-5 meters away. We hear they hissing like snakes but 50 times louder. 2 female dragons are challenging each other face to face! We hide ourselves behind bushes and peak out through the leaves. All the sudden, the 2 dragons jump in the air and hit each other with chest and belly exactly like how Sumo players do. They fall into the bushes and we move 2 meters closer to them quickly, we finally dare to take a picture.

You can see there is a defeated dragon flat behind this monster

The one on top keeps pushing the bottom one into dirt, after 1-2 mins, the bottom one loses the fight and seems to us, loses its conscious. The guide tells us dragons have very fragile face and they can die if you hit their faces hard. The loser just lays on the ground belly up, the clearly bigger size winner leaves her and moves towards to the nest.

She gives us a nasty look and keeps going. She leaves us alone because she has a more important goal.

At beginning, we think she is the worried mother can not wait to check on those eggs. She slips into the nest hole and starts to dig into the egg holes.

After she tries to dig 2 different holes, we realise she is the outsider planing to eat the eggs!

We leave her alone after her second dig and I hope she doesn't find out where the eggs are.The whole thing is so intensive we quietly keep going on the trail. The ranger and guide keep telling us we are very lucky. There was a Japanese TV Show spent 4 weeks to wait for a fight last month. Meanwhile, the guide spots the other interesting animal!

Remember those birds making the nest holes? They are chicken size no fly ability birds always come in pairs. They are similar to the Kiwi birds in New Zealand. The pair infront of us are light brown color and using their skinny but strong legs to dig a new 1.5-2 meters deep dirt hole.

They are hidden in the deep bushes, we only catch a blur image from behind.

After those unexpected great events, we are ready to have a break.We take the boat for lunch on a little white sand beach nearby.

Dragon!? A day trip to Komodo Island Indonesia

 
I had seen those reptiles before on TV.

I forgot the program was shown on Discovery or National Geographic channels but I remembered I felt horrified by the look and size of those giant lizards. I pitied the poor cameramen! Thats why I almost get a heart attack when B tells me we are going to have this day trip to Komodo Island for visiting those infamous Komodo dragon, what can I say besides life fulls of Karma.......

The plan is to take a one day trip to Komodo island from Lombok island during our Christmas vacation in Indonesia. The problem is the 2 islands are not that close to each other so we have to take a flight instead of boat [ it takes a week for a boat trip ]. The trip takes so many different transportation tools just for getting there. The schedule is as fellow:

6:00 AM : a car picks us up from hotel and take one hour to drive to the airport.
7:15 AM : 1.5 to 2 hours flying time to get to Flores Island.
9:00 AM : short car ride to the harbor and take a speed boat to Rinka Island [ a smaller island right by Komodo island where has more chance to spot a giant reptile] .
9:45 AM : arrive Rinka Island and hike for 1.5 hours
11:30AM : snorkeling by the Batu Bolong island and have lunch by the beach.
2:30 PM : take the boat ride back to Flores Island
3:00 PM : 2 hours fly back to Lombok Island and have a air tour see the second highest volcano mountain in Indonesia.
5:30PM : one hour car drive back to hotel
6:30PM : take a shower and celebrate we meet the biggest lizard in the world!

We are six people-3 couples and we booked a flight for 6 of us few weeks ago. Now, we have a problem--they only have 4 seats plane available this week! That means 3 passengers can get on the plane for a day and no couples want to be separated during the trip! I almost want to give up my right to go [happily] but I feel guilty when I see B's disappointed face. We decide one couple goes per day and use 3 days to finish our goal.

B's younger brother and his girlfriend went yesterday and we are going today. We manage to wake up on time, pick up our breakfast sandwiches from the hotel [lovely Oberoi resort!] and get in a Suzuki four wheelers heading to the airport.

This is my very first time fly in private airplane, I am extremely excited.

B is the co-pilot and I get to be the photographer. He has the responsibility to pull out the parachute of the airplane if we gets in trouble....scary.

The tiny airplane gets in the sky really quickly and I am stunned by the breathtaking view!

I fall in sleep on the half way!? When I wake up, I see this amazing "Jurassic Park" looks like view from my window! Ole! We are here!

The landing was bit trouble because the president of Indonesia parks 3 of his helicopters in the tiny Flores airport and we are not allowed to park with him.
What ever..we park ours on the grasses and keep heading towards to the port for the boat.

This boat is supposed for 6 but now just for us 2, Luxury

30 mins later, we finally land our feet on the Rinka Island--where the dragons hang out...
Well, generally speaking, I don't really enjoy the company of reptiles, the image of the lizard gets 50 times bigger than the ones hanging ot on our patio just makes my stomach sinking...I told B to try to imagine if one day I ask him to an island full of giant spiders 50 times bigger than usual ones..........he gets that.  I am here because of the greatness of love, haahaaa.

Here we go, the land of giant lizards!

For people who don't know much about those komodo dragons, their teeth are poisonous due to the heavy bad bacterias living in their mouths. You don't want to get too close to them and there is no medicine can save you on the island. If you get bitten, you better pray there is a flight to take you to Bali that day or you are screwed. Last incident was a ranger got bitten 4 months ago.............

We walk into an open field, dry and lifeless. Soon we see some interesting little one claw crabs and a water buffalo [ dragon's food...]

B spots one dragon wondering around the field even before the ranger, good eyes!
That is a female dragon. You can tell their sex by their size. Female dragon is smaller.

She looks quite fat not because she is pregnant, she just had her lunch and I don't want to know what she ate....Apparently, the Komodo dragon can eat up to 15 kg a meal.

We keep going but B is too focus on taking pictures to notice we are leaving and I have to drag him back to the group. I am not being too careful, last man got eaten 9 years ago was lost because he was taking pictures alone...they only found his glasses and camera......

We walk to the entrence bungalow to pay for the tickets and camera fee [ yes, you need to pay for taking reptile pictures] and a local ranger join us to lead our way to the trail. There are 2 trails, 5 km and 3 km. We choose the short one because it is too hot outside, the long one doesn't provide too much shade for the lizards or us to hide under.

There are some people live in the B&B bungalows here, they are very careful about what they cook. Dragons are very sensitive to the smell of blood. Girl shouldn't come here if she is in her period.

Even they only cook simple food like noodles and vegetables the dragons still gathering under the kitchen. about 5-6 of them.

 

 

 B is so excited and is taking about hundred million pictures of them. I say he never takes so many pictures of me but he replies " trust me, if I only gonna see you one hour in my life time, I would take a gazillion pictures of you." Hahaaaa. What a smart man knows the right answers to all the stupid questions.

Then, I find this guy, the true dragon look giant lizard! He is the coolest of all. The ranger tells us this dragon might be at the end of his life circle [ they can live up to 50-60 years] He is amazing!

 

 

After killing so many memories of our digital camera, we finally are going to the real trail. Before entering the national park, there is a wall with all the dead heads of dragon's food.

 

Couple seconds after we step on the trail, there is a strong and tough looking male dragon walking pass us. He has this mega attitude and poses like a big boss! 

We watch he passing by silently and think we are so lucky today to see so many dragons in the first 20 mins. Little do we know, we are about to witness a unusual event of this season--Dragon fight!

The color

Our schedule is tide and somehow I think we are on time.
Yesterday, we started to paint the studio. No need to explain, you can tell what we are up to!