After seeing Konayipark's 100 day photo session, I decided to contact Winnie Seieroe to do Megan's first year photos.  I really liked the idea of a photographer coming to my home and taking the pictures vs. me trying to get two kids ready to take to a photo studio.  The pictures turned out great!  I can't believe how many great pictures she got in 45 minutes.  (We had 90 minutes but Megan wanted to nap.  I was lucky Megan was even cooperating for 45 minutes.)

Here they are.

Merry Christmas!!

Princess Megan

My handsome little boy.  He has such a radiant personality!  Hubby is a little disturbed by the picture of the two kids kissing.  I think it is cute. 

Look how chubby her feet are!

I looked high and low to find the hot pink flower band that matched her shirt.  Thank goodness for etsy!

No matter how we tried, we couldn't get both kids to look the same direction.  I think this picture symbolizes how different their personalities are.  My sweet little boy and my independent little girl

I swear she looks like a little queen in this picture...so regal.

Been awhile since I blogged.  It has been hard to take the time or find the energy to write something.  Like many of my Xanga friends, I've found Facebook to been easier to keep up as I have less time to spend.  Anywhoo, here is a quick update.

• We closed and have moved to our new home!  Closing on time was such an ordeal.  If it wasn't for my anal hubby, we would have never closed on time and would still be dealing with the bank's incompetent.  Even with a looming rate lock expiration, our bank BARELY closed on time.  I'm surprised Hubby didn't lose a few years of his life as he dealt with them.  We are settling down nicely in our new home.  Matthew LOVES it!  He now has the room to run and jump around.  It is really hard living in an apartment with an active 3 year old who's favorite thing is to run as much as he can.
• We have a new nanny.  The nanny that has been with us since Matthew was 3 weeks old didn't want to face the long commute.  Her last day was Friday.  The new nanny started last night and it was ROUGH!!  Once Matthew realized his old one wasn't coming back, he broke out in heart-wrenching sobs.  To him, losing his old nanny was like losing a family member.  But today is another day.  So far, he seems like like the new nanny.  Of course it helps that she has the energy to chase him around upstairs.  UPDATE:  Got rid of that nanny after 2 days.  She needed me to micromanage her by giving her a schedule, down to the minute, of what she should be doing!!!  ARGHHHH...I don't micromanage at work and don't want to do it at home.  Plus her cleaniness was questionable.  Last night we had another nanny start.  She doesn't require me to micromanage and she seems cleaner.  So we will see how this one goes.   
• I'm very fortunate with my work.  It has been busy but I've been blessed with a very understanding boss.  Since we moved, I have been working from home 2x a week.  Once I hit full-term I will be 100% at home.  Commute has been hellish but it is only for a few more weeks.
• I'm in my 27th week of this pregnancy.  It is pretty amazing how different each pregnancy can be.  This pregnancy has been harder on me between the morning sickness and the fatigue.  Can you believe my morning sickness can back a few weeks ago! 
• Matthew Moment:  Matthew tells me he wants to kiss the baby.  So I left my shirt up so he can kiss my tummy.  He kisses my tummy and proceeds to give by boobs kisses too!!  According to him, I have 3 tummies...the tummy and the 2 upper companions
• My parents are back!!  They have been in Hong Kong since mid-March.  Normally they will be on in the US for a month or two but they will be staying here until mid-September.  Matthew and I are very excited and can't wait to see them in a few days.  Matthew misses them a lot.  I've been waiting for them to come back so we can go to Disneyland.  Hubby won't let me take Matthew by myself to Dland due to my pregnancy and he's too busy with work to go with us. 
• Matthew will be starting preschool in June.  I found a preschool and enrolled him for 2 days a week.  It was so much easier finding a preschool in Irvine vs. in LA.  Because we were looking at private schools for Matthew (since LAUSD sucks), I had to find feeder preschools to these private schools we are considering.  The application & interview process for the preschools were stressful.  But since Irvine school district is known for its excellence, I didn't have the additional stress of finding the 'right' preschool. 
• My MIL will be arriving in late July/early August to be around when I give birth.  Our new home is going to be packed!!  My parents are going to be around too.  I asked them to stay at our home during the few days I'm at the hospital to distract Matthew.  Plus they can drive him around so that Hubby doesn't have to worry about going back and forth from the hospital to home to drive Matthew.  Once the baby is born, we will be hiring the special one-month nanny to take care of the baby and cook the special post-partum meals for me.  Plus the regular nanny will also be around since we can't tell her to take a month off with no pay.  Figured she can help around the house.

Baby Product Recommendations:

As I was putting together my baby registry, I realized there are so many new things out since Matthew was born.  What are your favorite baby products you recommend?  I'm looking to buy the Bugaboo Chamelon with the kid board so that Matthew can hop on when he is tired.  Hubby is thinking we should buy a double stroller so that Matthew also has a seat but I don't think he will want to sit that long.  Any stroller recommendations?

Couple of weeks ago, we attended baby Brayden's 1 month celebration.  It was strange seeing my cousin as a daddy.  I still remember him as a little kid.  The celebration was held at his inlaw's house.  Our family is pretty extensive, but her family is even more extensive!  I lost count in the number of guests squeezed into the house.  There were so many people that even I felt overwhelmed. 

Here are the proud great-grand parents.  Matthew is their first great-grandchild.  And now they have 3 plus 1 more on the way.

My cousin and his wife with little Brayden.  Brayden is such a good little baby.  He never cried even though he was passed around the many relatives.  He just looked around or was asleep.

With the proud grandparents (my cousin's parents.)  My uncle is holding their other grandchild.  She is my other cousin's daughter.  Is it bad of me that I somewhat forgot that Matthew had another cousin?  I think I'm in denial that my other cousin is already a dad too.  He is sooooo young! 

And finally...my 2nd cousin's wife gave birth to a little girl.  Welcome Lauren!!!  Hope to see you next year when we go back to Hong Kong.

I can't believe how big she looks.  My 2nd cousin's wife is a typical asian....tiny and tiny.  My mom told me that she barely looked pregnant at full term.  My mom said I looked more pregnant at 12 weeks than she did at 37 weeks.  (Not sure if I should be insulted by my mom's remark or not.  Sometimes it is hard to tell with her.)