退職しました。I finished working.

Week 36.

On September 30th, I finished working and now I am a full time mommy-to-be. I’m now week 36 and the big day is getting closer. I get to do some final preparation to welcome baby home. When I was in first trimester, I felt that time passed so slow because I wanted my baby to grow quicker. Now at week 36 and looking back this whole pregnancy thing, it seems like everything went so fast and surprisingly smooth. I hope the labor will go nice and smooth. By becoming pregnant and carrying my baby inside was just great way to learn more about God and His power. There is always God’s will in every beginning of life.

From next week checkup, my doctor will be checking to see if I have begun dilating. I feel like I’m coming to the end! All I can do now is just keep exercising, relax and wait for the time to come. I’m excited but also scared. Since we decided to have a natural labor, we decided to get a doula for extra support. We had an interview with one this morning. We asked her lots of questions and see if she will be good one for us. She pretty much supported what I wanted to do, so I think we would go with her. We kinda decided to have a doula at the last minute so we don’t have much time to be picky. She had one of her three babies in a foreign country, so she would know what I’m going through. That was good thing to know. I hope it is worth investing…

My lower back has been bothering me a lot the last two days. I’m wondering if this is one of the signs that baby is coming down… It is hard to do anything, but walking and Yoga is still helping to ease the pain. I may go see acupuncturist next week if the pain gets worse… It’s getting cooler and cooler everyday. The weather has been just gorgeous the last two weeks or so, and I am enjoying walking in the morning with just baby and me. I talk to her, sing to her and we pray together. I can’t wait to do that after the birth.
Other than having backache and huge belly, I’m just doing fine. At the last check up, my doctor jokingly told me that I could go eat Andy’s Frozen Custard (my favorite) all I want, since I am doing well with weight :)

本日９月３０日をもって、わだぐしはLoomis Ins Agencyを退職いだしましだ～。 ３６週目で、臨月に入っちゃいましたよ～。　これからは、出産の最後の準備に取り掛かりたいと思いましゅ～。 ここまで長かったような、あっという間だったような…。　妊娠とはなんとも不思議な体験であります。まさに、生命の神秘(神様の秘密どころですよ)　生命の始まりには、その始まりのスイッチを押してくれる誰かがいないと始まらないわけですが…、それは医者でも、私達でもなく、本当に神様なんだなぁとしみじみ感じます。　

検診は４週間おきだったのが、２週間おきになり、ついに１週間おきになります。　毎回、子宮口の開き具合等をチェックし、お産が近いかをみるわけですね…。　大詰めきましたねぇ。　楽しみ半分、不安半分であります。　赤ちゃんに会えるのは楽しみだけど、その前の陣痛を考えると恐ろしい Piyokoちゃんのアドバイスにより、Doula採用を再検討している私達であります。　Doulaってのは、助産婦さんのような方で、出産時にママの精神、身体面と家族の精神面をサポートしてくれるんです。　アーロンが、「ぼくが、いずみをサポートする！」とやる気だけは満々なんだけど、でもやっぱり１人じゃ不安だからお母さんにも出産時に来てもらおうなんて言うわけですよ　だったら、１人ちゃんとしたお産のプロがいたほうがいいべぇってことでDoulaさんを頼もうかと思ってます。

金曜日にDoulaの資格を持ってる方と面接をすることになりました。　ま、気があって、私達の方針と彼女の方針が合えば出産時にお世話になるってことで…。　いろいろお話して決めてみたいと思います。 で、お腹の赤ちゃんはさらに元気に動いております　痛いのにうれしい　出産時も痛いのにうれしいって思えたらいいわねぇ。　 歩くとやっぱり調子がいいし、朝の散歩って気持ちいい　賛美歌を歌いながら、お祈りしながら歩くのが日課です。夕方は時間があればアーロンとおしゃべりしながらまた歩いてます。あと、バランスボールってやつ？　あれ、骨盤にいいらしいので、とりあえず座ってます…笑。　臨月に入っても体重がいまだ２キロ増で止まってて、先生にAndy'sのアイス食べておいでって言われました　次に妊娠したときもこんな調子だったらいいな…。

My Baby's Bed.

Week 34

Here I am in week 34 (well, this week I'm in 35). My belly is getting heavier and bigger even more... but it's good thing my weight doesn't change much. I haven't got any stretch mark yet either. Well, I do have some when I gained like 20 Ibs during the first year in OK...:) but not from the pregnancy. Aaron and I have been sleeping in a separate bed for a few months now. It's because of his back surgery and he had to sleep on the recliner for several weeks and I got confortable using 4 pillows around me to sleep well. We tried to sleep together but he didn't have enough space to get comfortable and I ended up elbowing his back accidently...(ToT) I guess we have to wait until our baby comes. I can't wait to sleep on my back!

Our little vacation.

Aaron and I went to Big Cedar for 5 days. We got to relax and have some time alone with no busy schedule. It was a wonderful vacation.

The time share cabin we stayed. It was a gift from Aaron's parents. They had some time share deal and they shared some with us.

The room we stayed.

The weather wasn't all that great most of the time we were there but we didn't care. Whenever the gray sky made us sleepy, we took nap:) This pic was taken the day we were leaving. It was the only sunnier (is this a correct word??) day.

The breakfast buffet was to die for!! I would go back just to go to have breakfast.

Do you know the TV show called 'Jon, Kate plus 8?' It's on TLC cable channel. We got hooked on that show during our stay here. We watched the marathon. You learn a lot from that show and enjoy watching those 8 kids grow. Jon and Kate are funny couple. Kate is kinda scary wife but it is a good show. We are sad that we don't have cable at home but mom's best friend Sandy was kind enough to tape the new episode for us:)

Best Movie Trilogy??

Which one do you like the best??

X-Men Trilogy

The Spiderman Trilogy

The Terminator Trilogy

The Star Wars Trilogy (Episodes 1-3)

The Star Wars Trilogy (Episode 4-6)

The Back to the Future Trilogy

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

The Matrix Trilogy

The Indiana Jones Trilogy

The Jurassic Park Trilogy

The Godfather Trilogy

The Saw Trilogy

The Evil Dead Trilogy

The Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy

Oceans 11-13

the hannibal lector trilogy

Scream

The Bourne Trilogy

Look Who's Talking

Rush Hour trilogy

The Blade Trilogy



I love the Bourne series a lot.

Week 32.

Well, finally things are getting better around us. Aaron’s hole in his back is getting smaller and the gauze I staff there is getting less and less. The infection is gone and it’s healing nice. He had a cold this week but he is getting better from that, too. He doesn’t get sick easily but I guess all the medication that he was on made his body weak… We are both finally feeling better.

I’m now week 32. We went to see Baby doctor on Tuesday. He said everything is going well and my baby is a week ahead in size wise. I haven’t gained any, so baby is still sucking my fat off. I’m hoping that she would come a little earlier rather than coming here after the due date. Aaron’s mom keeps telling us that the baby will be here on full moon, which is the 14th. We will see.
My baby has been very active the last two weeks and it is getting rather painful. It’s more like squirming, pushing and stretching my tummy now and I think she puts her legs towards my left side ribs. Sometimes my ribs hurts when I breath. Even though it is getting harder and harder to carry my growing belly, it is just a joyful time. I’m so happy and can’t wait to see her in October.

We have been going to the childbirth classes too. Aaron missed the first class because it was right after his surgery, so his mom came with me. Then the second class Aaron’s aunt Gloria and Aaron came with me. Aaron was still in pain with heavy medication so he probably didn’t learn much then either. The third class he finally was able participate. So I guess once the contraction starts, Aaron’s mom needs to help me and then Gloria has to help me, and finally Aaron gets to help me…

We had a tour in the baby department in St. Johns Hospital during the forth class. They just build new section and that’s where we get to stay and have a baby. Everything was new and looked great.

The problem about the Lamaze is that you have to breath through your mouth a lot and dries your mouth and throat. Last week after the third class when we practiced the breathing techniques, I got sore throat… I may need to wear that huge Japanese mask when I do that during my labor… I won't probably care if I look stupid as long as I can keep my throat moist.

This weekend, there will be a Japanese Fall Festival at Mizumoto Japanese Garden in town. Last year, Aaron and I volunteered to be translators and caretakers for the guests from Japan. This year we didn’t sign up for anything because I’m pregnant. Anyway we are going to have a date tomorrow night at the garden. They light lots of lanterns in the garden after dark and it is very beautiful. I also just found out that one of my Japanese friends who lives in Oklahoma is a part of Japanese drum performers during the festival. So I get to see her perform tomorrow. It’s supposed to be nice and cooler weather, too. That is a great news for a 8 months pregnant woman.

Go with the flow and learn to be patient.

So here’s what is happening this last week and a half.
ここ1週間半の出来事を箇条書きにしてみた。
励ましのコメント受け付けます…笑。
It would be nice if you could leave me nice encouraging comments…

１．アーロンの手術自体はうまくいきました、でも術後の経過が思わしくない。ドクターは当初、1週間もすれば大丈夫でしょう、みたいなこと言ってたのですよ。体が思うように動かず、二人で参加するのを楽しみにしていた出産準備クラスみたいなのを結局ママと一緒に行くことに…。　ちょっと悲しい。
Aaron had an out patient surgery to take a fatty cyst out of his left back under his shoulder blade. The surgery itself went well but it wasn’t healing well. The cyst was bigger than the doctor expected and the hole in his back was very deep. Originally we were told that Aaron would be able to go back to work the following week but he hasn’t been able to do pretty much anything since Aug 7. I was sad that he had to miss our first childbirth class. Aaron’s mom went with me instead.


2．　術後、ガーゼの取替えを枕に綿を詰めるようにやれ、と指示を受ける。
ママにやってもらっていたが、ママはシカゴに一週間自分の妹(ウツを患っている)を訪ねるためにいなくなってしまうため、私が結局やることに…。　ママが行っちゃうまでにはよくなることを願っていたがそれも叶わず。
A few days after surgery, Aaron was in pain and the wound was swelling. I took him to the hospital and they opened his wound and had to suck the nasty fluid out. Then they told us to that they would leave it open so that mom and I could stuff gauze into the hole to suck the fluid. First it was just too much for me and I couldn’t do it. I even got sick just looking at the hole, so mom did most of the stuffing. But mom had to leave for Chicago for a week so I had to learn to do it. I was hoping that it would get better by the time she leaves so that I wouldn’t have to do it but it didn’t happen.


３．ちーちゃんが2週間オクラホマをベースにアメリカ滞在する間に、こちらに来てウェディングドレスショッピングをする、ということでスプリングフィールドに先週水曜日に来た。一緒にショッピングにお供できることをとても光栄に思ってワクワク。My Christian friend, Chisato visited me during her two-week stay in OK from Japan. This was totally a good thing to me and I was looking forward to seeing her because she was coming her for her wedding dress shopping. She came on Wednesday evening. I was just honored that I could tag along to her for this big event.

４．ちーちゃんを連れて木曜日にBransonのアウトレットでお買い物。その帰りに大雨の中、後ろからおバカな男の子に車を追突される羽目になる。軽いショック状態になりながらも、二人で深呼吸して気を落ち着かせる。早産したらどうしようかと思ったよ。　車10台くらいを巻き込んだ事故の中、幸いにも私達は傷一つなく帰る。　車は要修理だけど…。　その夜、心配する家族に連れられERで赤ちゃんの無事を確認。
On Thursday, we went shopping in Branson. We went the Landing, the newest outlet mall and shopped some and had lunch. Then we went to Tanger for more shopping in the afternoon. On the way home, it started raining very hard and we were slowing down on the downhill. The car in front of us slowed down even more because there was three-car accident that looked like just happened. I slowed down more. Then this young guy that didn’t know how to slow down in the down pouring rain on the hill came right behind us. I saw him coming on my rear view mirror and then he hit us. He tried to miss us but couldn’t and clipped the back of my car and crushed into a truck that was already hit by the first accident we saw. I saw some more accidents behind us and it just a huge mess!

Chisato and I didn’t know what just happened and as we started to clear our mind, I don’t know about Chisato but I went into shock. My heart was beating fast and I was breathing fast. I had to calm myself or I thought my baby would come out. Three or four ambulances came and lots of police came. Police took all the information and medical people checked us. Aaron’s dad left the office as soon as he heard about the accident from Aaron and came to see me. Luckily we were one of a few cars that were drivable, so we got to drive home. Then everyone dragged me to ER to check how baby was doing. We were glad to find out that my baby was ok.

５．金曜日、今日は朝からドレスショッピングに気合が入る。で、私のアコードちゃんが乗れないので、パイロット君で出発～と思いきやバッテリーが上がっててガススタンドで死ぬ。　朝からディーラーに行ってバッテリーを入れてもらうことになり、時間は過ぎていく…。　でも無事にちーちゃんは素敵なドレスを見つけることができ、安堵…。ちーちゃん、とってもきれいでした。
On Friday, we were planning to go wedding dress shopping. We left the house as soon as we could. Since my Accord needs repair, we took Aaron’s Pilot. We got gas and tried to start him and he wouldn’t start!! Looked like the problem was battery. We then had to go to Honda to get new battery put. By this time I was just so down because everything seemed went wrong. I felt so bad for Chisato because she had now less time to shop. We looked several stores but she found THE DRESS at a local wedding dress shop in town. She was so beautiful and we both knew that this was it! It was way over her budget but she decided to get it. I hope you have chance to see her dress.

６．その夜、ちーちゃん、アーロンと食事をし家に帰る。　土曜日にちーちゃんをオクラホマまで送ることになっていたので、早く寝ようと9時半頃にアーロンのガーゼを取り替える。　異常に痛がるアーロンに、抜いたガーゼを見ると膿のようなものがついているので、化膿してるかもしれないということで急遽今度はアーロンがERに行く羽目になる。　私は次の日往復9時間強の運転が待ってるので、休むように言われアーロンはパパに連れられてERへ。　朝まで電話してこなかったけど、やはり化膿してるってことで彼は点滴をして夜をERで過ごす。
私は次の日の朝まで彼が一晩中ERにいたことを知らずにいた。
Friday night, since I had to go take Chisato back to OKC, we were planning to go to bed pretty early. Around 9:30 I was changing Aaron’s bandage. He was screaming in pain and we looked at the gauze that just pulled out from his hole and there was yellow nasty stuff. We were worried whether it got infected, so this time Aaron had to go to ER. I had to sleep because no matter what I had to take Chisato home on Saturday, so Aaron’s dad came to take him to ER. It was the next morning that I found out that they spent all night in ER getting his wound tested and putting IV.

７．アーロンをおいて、私はちーちゃんを送りにオクラホマへ。　1人では帰り何かあったら大変ということで、グロリアおばちゃんが同行してくれることになる。無事にちーちゃんをOKCへ送り、やはりお腹が張ってしまうので帰りはほとんどグロリアに運転してもらう。　無事に帰宅し、またアーロンのお世話。本当はもっとちーちゃんと時間を過ごせるはずだったのに、なんだかかんだで一日早く彼女を送っていかなくてはならず、歯がゆさでいっぱい…。気を使わせてしまって申し訳ない思いです。ごめんね、ちーちゃん。
On Saturday, I left Aaron home and took Chisato back to OKC. Everyone was worried about me and my baby, so Aunt Gloria kindly volunteered to go with us. On the way back to Springfield, since I was exhausted and feeling my tummy getting tense, Gloria did most of the driving and I got to rest with my feet up. Chisato was supposed to be with us till Sunday if Aaron was better by then and we were going to take her on Sunday afternoon, but Aaron didn’t get better like the doctor expected and I had to find somebody that would go with me to OKC, we had to take her back a day early. Nothing has been going smoothly lately and I’m just so stressed and tired. I felt so bad for Chisato to be with us during this time. I’m glad at least she found her dress.

日曜日は、教会に行く気力もなく…笑。
On Sunday I was dead.

明日の血液検査で、アーロンの白血球の数が増えていれば、炎症がまだあるということで今度は入院になるかも…。強い薬でヘロヘロなアーロン君ですが、ぽっかりあいた背中の穴のお世話の度に痛みで叫ばれると、こっちは心が痛くて泣きたくなります。てか泣きながら傷の手当てしてます。　やらなくちゃいけないことだったし、こんなに経過が悪いのもまったく予想できず、交通事故やら何やらであまりにも自分たちのコントロールの域を超える出来事の連続で、ストレス溜まりまくりだけど、試練ってのはこういうものなのか…と1人考えながら神様に祈る毎日であります。　
There is a possibility that Aaron may be put into hospital depending on how the medicine works. Every time I change his bandage, he screams in pain and that just makes cry. We knew that we had to have this done before our baby comes. With Aaron’s unexpected slow and bad recovery, my accident and other little things, it seems like everything is far out of our control and we are so stressed. I know it’s going to get better. I have hope but I just had to write it to make myself feel better.

After the surgery　手術後

After the Infection　I have to stuff gauze into this hole...

　化膿してから開いたキズ（ここにガーゼを私がつめます)

My Accord　私のアコードちゃん

This car clipped us and crashed into a truck.

この車が私達にぶつかり、その後トラックに追突しました。

Chisato trying some dresses. This is not the dress she chose. You can ask her ( if you know her) to show you her perfect DRESS.

ちーちゃんが試着したドレスのうちの一つ。　実際に買ったドレスではないです。

New Addition to my collection

I love Vera Bradley bags. They are both from Aaron's mom. The purse on the left is for my birthday and the one on the right is my diaper bag:) Can't wait to use it!

アメリカのキルトバッグメーカーのベラ・ブラッドリーが好きな私。　誕生日に左側のかばん、見側のダイバーバッグをママからもらいました。　ダイパーバッグ使うの楽しみ！

私のヴェラコレクション

My collection

I'm now week 28. I went to hospital to have glucose test. That orange soda that I had to drink, it was so sweet but I liked it. It was like Fanta Orange Soda which I used to love when I was a kid. I haven't heard from them so far, so maybe I passed the test... I also saw my doctor before the glucose test and he said I'm doing well. I gained 4 Ib so far and looks like my tummy is the only part growing. My face looks a little smaller. I hope my baby will keep sucking off my fat...hahaha.

２８週目に入りました。　妊娠後期の始まりです。　血糖値の検査をしに行きました。　砂糖が５０グラム入ったオレンジ味のソーダを一気飲みして１時間待ち、血液を採取。　異常があれば連絡するとのことで、まだ連絡はありましぇん。　ないといいな。　ファンタオレンジみたいでおいしかった…。　検査の前にドクターとのチェックアップがあったけど、特に以上もなく赤ちゃんも順調ぽかったのでよかった。　体重はまだ２キロ増で抑えてあります。　このまま健康に、赤ちゃんに脂肪を吸い取ってもらって出産できるといいな…笑。