Joshua's Day

Before Baby Girl comes in a few weeks, we wanted to do something special for Joshua, just to celebrate him and to remind him how much we love him. So, on Friday, we planned some fun activities that he could enjoy.

Friday AM: we went to the DuPage Children's Museum in Naperville (actually, it was only Jared and Joshua because it would have been too difficult for me to walk around - I had breakfast with Super Jen instead...heehee). They had a blast!! Jared is convinced that it's better than the Chicago Children's Museum at Navy Pier that we went to this summer. So, here are just some pics (we took over 100 these last 2 days!).

Friday Lunch: we went to McDonald's in Oswego for lunch. Joshua got a Happy Meal and an ice-cream cone afterwards. What a treat!

Friday PM: we checked into our hotel in Oswego where there was an indoor pool. We had intended to go to an indoor waterpark while we were planning for this, but it was all too expensive. We figured that Joshua wouldn't care, and a hotel with an indoor pool would suffice!

Friday Dinner: we drove to the Fox Valley Mall area and went to Magical Castle for dinner. We had a certificate for a large cheese pizza, a pitcher of pop, and 40 tokens to play games with, all for $8!! (you all need to check out 1410AM on the radio, or go to http://www.wrmn1410.com/) After pizza, Joshua and Jared hit the game room, and played Skee Ball (well, Jared did most of the playing). Joshua played in the indoor play area, but unfortunately, was not tall enough for any of the rides. With 212 tickets in hand, he was able to exchange it for a plastic yellow truck and a bouncy ball!

Joshua and Mommy sharing a Concrete Mixer from Culver's!

That evening, Joshua slept very soundly, and did not wake up once during the night!

Saturday AM: we enjoyed a wonderful hot breakfast at the hotel, and then Jared and Joshua went back for more swimming. We checked out before lunch. The hotel was awesome, and really added to the enjoyment of our day. We had a an awesome time overall, and will cherish these 2 days for a long time! Yay for Joshua!!

35 weeks!

It's 4am, and I've been up since 2. This has been a recurring thing over the past couple of months. I didn't think that this "nesting" phase would last this long! When I was pregnant with Joshua, at least I could work in his room and get things ready for him. But this time around, I've had to go downstairs and try to pass the time by reading or getting on the laptop (actually, I've been able to chat online with my overseas friends - it's nice that they're in a different time zone!).

Anyway, I'm glad that I made it to 35 weeks. Every week counts, and each passing day is a blessing. I'm praying that she'll stay in-utero till at least 37 weeks. That being said, that's only 2 weeks away! Isn't that crazy?? Some days, I feel totally unprepared - I realized today that we don't have any bath towels for her. I guess she can just use one of Joshua's - he only has 2. Also, I wonder if I can remember how to care for a newborn. I'm sure it'll come back to me. Other days, I feel like I'm ready. Since this pregnancy has been more difficult, I wouldn't mind if she came early. I've had trouble sleeping, and walking around just kills sometimes. So, in that respect, I'm ready to birth her! Not to mention, I'm dying to put her in cute girly outfits!

More importantly, I look forward to moments where I can just gaze at her and relish in the astounding beauty of God's creation - examining every contour of her face, the wrinkles in her hands, the curl of her toes, the flecks of (brown? red?) in her, perhaps, black hair. I remember doing this with Joshua, and I never got tired of it. I treasured those moments, especially during the midnight feedings (I know, I'm crazy because I actually look forward to getting up at insane hours to nurse!). But, is this what Mary meant when she "treasured these things in her heart"?

Despite the ups and downs of this pregnancy, I'm very thankful for being a mom of almost 2 kids. God HAS blessed us abundantly. Just thinking about how difficult it was for us in the beginning when we were trying to have a second child, I know that God's timing is perfect. I think of the story of Esther, and how she felt that perhaps she had been born for such a time as this (that she was the only one who could save her people), I can't help but wonder what God's plans are for our little girl. Why was she conceived almost a year after our own intended timeline? I guess we'll never know till we get to heaven. What I do know is that she's indeed a blessing - a huge gift from God. As she squirms and kicks in my tummy right now (I had a chocolate brownie!), I know that God has fashioned her and woven her into the exact person that He wants her to be. And I get the priviledge of being her mom, and loving her and teaching her, and God-willing, leading her to the one true King, Jesus!

When she comes, I feel like our family will be complete. Not that it isn't complete right now, but perhaps enriched would be a better word. I am indeed blessed, and despite the current economic circumstances in our lives, there are still so many reasons to rejoice and be thankful! My prayer for our family is that we'll bring Him all the honor and glory and praise, by loving God, loving each other, and loving other people WELL.

Here ends the ramblings of a sleep-deprived, pregnant woman...

Chinese New Year

This year, Chinese New Year fell on the same day as Austraila Day - January, 26th. It wasn't difficult to decide which holiday we should celebrate. There's a huge emphasis on food whenever Chinese New Year rolls around! So, it was imperative that CNY became a priority! (sorry, my Aussie friends...I did think about making meat pies and pasties, though!)

Oh, Joshua is wearing a traditional Chinese boy outfit in the pic above. It fits him better this year than last! 2009 is the year of the Ox. So, Baby Girl will be one, Joshua is a dog, Jared is a horse, and I'm a rat (lovely).

We started off the CNY celebration by inviting Jared's parents over for dinner Saturday night. We cooked a few dishes - I made wonton soup, chicken rice, bak choy with oyster sauce. That was all I had the energy for. Jared made szechuan beef with snow peas! I'm so proud of him!!

On Chinese New Year day itself, we went to one of our favorite restaurants for lunch, the Penang Restaurant in Rolling Meadows. Here's a pic of Joshua and Jared by one of the windows where you could see them make the traditional dishes. It was a yummy lunch!!

The day after CNY, we were invited to my cousin's house for dinner. Jennifer made a feast! It's always fun to get together with family, especially for Chinese New Year. The kids all received red packets, and Rebecca even wore a traditional Chinese blouse.

Some of the traditions include:

• wearing red
• wearing new clothes (we didn't adhere to that - maybe when the economy picks up!)
• red packets for kids
• no cleaning on CNY (I love this!)

I'm sure there's more, but I can't remember them at this time...

I really hope that we'll get to spend Chinese New Year with my extended family in Singapore one of these years. I desire for Joshua to know his heritage and to embrace the beauty of the Chinese culture, of which there's so much. I know I'm not doing a good job at that, partly because I feel so westernized. I do want to impart all that I know and learned from my parents and grandparents about our heritage, and perhaps Joshua, Baby Girl, and I can rediscover the uniqueness and beauty of being Chinese, and to thank God for blessing us with a rich and vibrant heritage.

Happy New Year, or as we say, Gong Xi Fa Choy!!

Joshua's First

Joshua went to the movies for the first time this past Friday! We drove to the Buffalo Grove Theater to watch "Magadascar 2". Since it's a $2 movie theater, we figured we could afford to take the risk in the event of a major meltdown in the middle of the show. But, Joshua did great! He was mesmerized by everything that he saw, especially the enormity of the theater screen (which we called the Big T.V.). At one point, he wouldn't stop saying "Mama, look!" over and over again! We also HAD to get popcorn to make this an authentic movie experience!

So, here are some pics that captured this momentous occasion! (yes, I'm the dorky mom who brought her camera to take pictures of her son at the movie theater...but hey, the other parents there were very supportive of my actions!)

Buying tickets

At the ticket booth

Buying popcorn!

Walking down to our theater room

Posing in front of the Magadascar poster

The Ahrens' at the movies!

Votes are in

I guess it's inevitable...the votes are in (and Jared is doing the Happy Dance!). I joined Facebook yesterday. I guess I'm glad that I did it on our nation's historic Inauguration Day!

I still don't think it was right of Jared to solicit votes through is Facebook page or wall or account or whatever. Needless to say, I have a lot to learn! My email has already been flooded! I told myself that I'll check Facebook in the evenings, after Joshua goes down to bed. That way, I can manage any potential addictive behavior. We'll see...

See you in cyber space!

Facebook Dilemma

Okay, so Jared just joined Facebook, and he's been trying to convince me to join too, along with many others - my sister especially!! Well, I have to say that I'm hesitant. I see how addicted Jared is to it, and I really don't want that. I'm already busy enough, and don't want to get sucked in (cos I know I will!). However, Jared reminds me that I am on bedrest, and so, I'll have the time! (what, and give up mamasource and Ebay?!) Besides, I'm already blogging, aren't I? And that took us a while to even set it up.

Also, what if I don't want to be friends with someone? I know that sounds mean and terrible. To an extent, I enjoy my privacy. Besides, Jared already has a Facebook account, and people can find out what's going on with us through him, right?

Anyway...I created a poll, and I'm going to let you all help me decide. If no one responds, I'll take it as "don't waste your time". So, there!

Best Birthday Ever!

Jared had asked me if I wanted a birthday party, and I said no. I feel that I'm passed the "let's have a party for me" stage, and besides, I don't like the attention anyway. Despite all that, I still had the best birthday ever! Thanks to my beloved and highly creative husband!

I am such a huge "Amazing Race" fan, and knowing this, Jared proceeded to create an "Amazing Birthday Race" for me. Beginning first thing last Saturday morning (on my actual birthday), he handed me an envelope just as I was sitting down for breakfast, and he played the theme song of the "Amazing Race" on his laptop. Immediately, my eyes went wide and I screamed "Did you sign me up for the Amazing Race audition?!?!" My mind was whirling with countless questions...I was ecstatic, yet confused (cos why would they let a pregnant lady participate in the race?). Jared cooly said "no", and asked me to just open up the envelope. I received my first clue, and it said that I had to make my way to the Jewel in Addison (address provided), head to the produce section, and wait there to receive my next clue. And so started my Amazing Birthday Race!

I received clues throughout the weekend. Yes, weekend - it was a 2-day race, and I loved it!! Some of the things that Jared had arranged included breakfast with one of my best friends, dinner at Claim Jumper, choice of movies to watch, manicure and coffee with another girlfriend. It was just too much fun!!

I didn't want presents for my birthday - all I wanted was to go to Drury Lane in Oakbrook to watch my favorite Broadway musical, Miss Saigon. And we did just that last night (oh, and Jared bought me the soundtrack on CD for me. I guess he didn't listen to the "no presents" request. But it wasn't hard for me to accept the CDs!). Also, every year, my good friend, Jolinda, and I always do something to celebrate our birthdays, because our birthdays are exactly a week a part. This year, it was Miss Saigon. So, last night, we all had a great time! Another couple, Chuck and Laura, from our small group, joined us too. So, the six of us had dinner before the show, and had wonderful adult conversation (it's amazing what you're able to talk about without children around!). And the musical was great!!

Despite the 8 inches of snow that we've received this weekend (and it's still snowing out!), nothing was able to dampen all the fun I had on my birthday! Thanks, Jared! You're the best, and I love you so much!

Jared and I at Drury Lane before the show.

Jolinda and me

The Raymans and us