birthday boy

For Mr.Yin's Larry Bird Birthday, I gave birth.

He's already a rock star dad: he "caught" Edible on his way into the world, with the help of Lisa the midwife.

And has since mastered changing diapers, snuggling, soothing, clipping nails, and making me delicious soups.

And he introduced him to football on Sunday. Edmund wasn't super impressed.

Introducing Edmund Davis Zhi Qin Yin

The longest name for the tiniest member of the Yin family.

Born December 16, 2010

2:26 a.m.

7 lbs 6.5 oz

20 inches

Thanksgiving 2010

Our cute friend Anja on Thanksgiving.

Nothing like your first taste of turkey!

She went back for thirds, so I'm pretty sure she liked it.

bowling with the Lady Club

Or: Things to do when you're nine months pregnant.

19 days

Nineteen days until Edible's due date.

Everything is washed and set up now. The car seat will be here on Wednesday.

So anytime after that, Edible is welcome to join us outside the womb.

Mr. Yin keeps telling her to stay in until after finals.

We'll see how obedient the babe is.

The plan is to have Mr. Yin's computer with us at the hospital, and they have wireless so we should be able to post pictures right away. You know, if we feel up to it. We might just feel like napping.

That's kind of the Yin way.

I win!

This morning I had an email from Gabrielle Blair (aka Design Mom--check out her giveaway for today, it's ridiculous. In a really good way.) in my inbox letting me know I had won a cute personalized onesie from this generous site.

We're excited! Wait until you see Edible in his/her personalized onesie: I'm sure it'll be an adorable sight.

The last time I won something from a blog (the most delicious homemade carmel-chocolatey popcorn) was from a personal friend. But this is a major blog that gets a lot of media attention. (Truth be told I've been a reader since before all the attention. It's just a good blog.)

Great way to start the day!

Zoot doot

Black Friday adventure

Chubba baby Mr. Yin and his brother, the other Mr. Yin.

Nothing to do with Black Friday, but cute nonetheless.

We did it.

We braved Black Friday this year.

Not the crazy before-the-sun-rises sales. Just good sales for after the sun comes up.

We headed to JoAnn's to get some flannel that was only $1.29 a yard. Plus an additional 20% off if you were there by noon.

We picked up a few other things we needed while we were there since pretty much everything was on sale. Now my craigslist-find rocking chair will have a cushion; a big fatty soft one. And 50% cheaper than it would have been!

I was surprised how friendly everyone (customer and employees) was. Especially considering the wait at the cut counter. Our number we picked up first thing was 66 and they were currently helping 88. Only 78 people in front of us. 78 people with carriages full of bolts of fabric that needed cutting. The flannel aisle was chaos.

It was well worth the hour of our time spent, however. We saved $27 and only spent $15!

So Black Friday was good to us.

A side note on being due on December 25:

One fun thing about being so visibly pregnant is I get lots of inquiries about my due date. After a response of "Christmas Day", people are delighted and giggle and then warn me about making sure to celebrate the birthday separate from Christmas.

I get even more exclamations of joy when I say we're having a surprise--maybe boy, maybe girl. Then people take a closer look and guess Edible's gender. Usually people say boy because of how low-riding this little one is.

Get your guesses in!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today we're thankful for a gazillion things.

Mostly little Edible, each other, and you: our wonderful friends and family.

Last night we started Operation Make Way for Edible.

Here's the result so far:

A little baby corner.

Next step: add some decor.

it's started

Taken at 30 weeks. So add five weeks to that belly size. It's now a much better table!

And like most shirts, that one no longer covers the large expanse.

The babe and I are awake. And have been since 3:30 this morning.

It used to be that I could sleep through anything. But recently, upping my nightly tinkle breaks from two to three has been the kicker. After the third time, Edible decides it's time to wake up and does all kinds of tricks to keep me awake. Hiccups being the preferred and most effective method. Usually I try to ignore it, sing songs in my head and manage to slip in and out of sleep until the sun comes up.

But today it wasn't happening. No slipping into half sleep where I toss and turn and then wake myself up with a loud snore. (Oh the snoring! A few weeks ago Mr. Yin asked the midwife if there was anything we could do about the snoring brought on by increased congestion thanks to the many hormones. She recommended ear plugs.)

So here I am. Wide awake at 5:30. Me: the last person you'd expect awake at such an hour without a plane to catch.

All of that will change in three to seven weeks after Edible's arrival. Three to seven weeks, can you believe that?! Let's hope Edible is three weeks old by the time week 42 arrives. Three weeks old and sleeping through the night. : ) My mom will be here over Christmas and New Year's and I really hope she gets to meet and snuggle this little baby before she has to leave. Unlike her last grandchild who refused to come before she had to fly home.

After months of not gathering any baby items, tiny clothes and blankets and diapers are piling up, thanks exclusively to the kindness and generosity of friends and family. We have an awesome stroller with the biggest canopy ever to keep the desert sun out of Edible's eyes. The homemade goodness has come in the form of a nursing cover, blankets, wash cloths and burp cloths--and I love them and the love that has gone into each one. The tiny clothing is mostly yellow and white, but will become more vibrant post arrival. The mini crib that will live in the corner of our bedroom will be put together tomorrow, after the big cleanse to make room for it all. Mr. Yin will be making a movie of the process for his operations class. Yes, there will be a storyboard. Perhaps we'll call the finished product "Make Way for Edible".

For those of you who may be interested, we're now taking guesses on Edible's arrival date, gender, weight and length. Just leave a comment or send an email with your guesses. Extra points for arrival dates before December 25. A prize has not yet been determined for the winner but will involve bragging rights. Mr. Yin thinks we should award a week of one-on-one time with Edible in about two years. You can't beat that!

Looks like Edible has calmed down and the heartburn has mostly subsided. I just might crawl back into bed now that the sun is due up any minute.

Edible's latest

The Yin family took a trip to the midwife this morning.

We're all healthy.

Edible's heart sounds great.

She moves around a lot.

My belly keeps getting bigger.

Amazingly, I didn't put on any weight in the last two weeks.

(Time to eat a cupcake!)

But the previous five weeks I gained eight pounds, so we're good.

(Thanks go to my high school friend Lee for the dress!!)

weather

It's currently raining in the desert.

Big fatty-fat drops.

Lots of thunder and lightening.

And even some hail!

Hallelujah for some cooler weather.

Edible and I could not be happier.

the bulge

Thanks to my ever growing belly:

I can no longer see myself close-up in the bathroom mirror without my glasses, unless I stand on my toes to get my belly over the countertop.

Being submerged in a pool never felt so good. And light.

Some of my maternity clothes no longer cover my belly all the way.

Mr. Yin and I have free entertainment watching my belly move as if an alien were living inside of it.

When I'm in a group of people and my Edible starts throwing a party (maybe it's a tantrum?!) in my womb, I wonder if other people notice the movement. And sometimes I wonder if she invited Homer, Arthur, the Peach and the Bit* over to party with her. At the same time.

Mr. Yin's single male friends who we haven't seen all summer, stare. The female ones squeal with delight.

*Cousins scheduled to arrive around the same time as Edible.

Bruges

After Brussels, it was Bruges, Belgium for us. Via the local train.

A tiny medieval town. In its heyday (12th-15th centuries) it rivaled London in terms of commerce and population. And thanks to its canals, has also been called the Venice of the North. Turns out it's a World Heritage UNESCO site.

Charming. Old churches and guilds and windmills and beautifully preserved Gothic architecture and dragons everywhere. And religious statues on the corner of every building.

Some of the religious statutes were more modern than others...

Priest watching over the vial of Holy Blood, you could get up close and touch it if you wanted.

Curiously, there is a church there called the Basilica of the Holy Blood because they have some of Jesus's blood. The story goes, in 1150 King Baldwin III of Jerusalem gave it to his brother-in-law, Count of Flanders Diederik van de Elsas who brought it, triumphantly, back to Bruges with a grand procession. And to this day, they reenact its arrival every year. It's not always on display, but it was when we went so we got a close up view. Like I said, curious. It was the first of many relics we'd encounter on our trip.

Bellissimo, Michelangelo.

We also caught sight of our first (of many) Michelangelo statues. Madonna of Bruges in a little church called, appropriately, Church of Our Lady. It's allegedly the only Michelangelo statue to leave Italy during his life time. That's how affluent and influential Bruges was in its day.

Mr. Yin in the Béguinage where they will let him visit, but not live.

One of my favorite things we saw in both cities of canals were these little cloisters of white houses bordering big, green courtyards. Begijnhof in Amsterdam or Béguinage in Belgium. Catholic women who wanted to serve God, but not retire from the world by making official vows lived here from the 12th century on. They're incredibly peaceful and lovely. I wanted to move in, but they won't let Mr. Yin live there.

We did decide if we had to get married again, we'd do it here.

(A note on the special hanging pouch: I carried the camera case and Mr. Yin carried everything else--snacks, water, guide book, etc. in his European man purse. So I didn't have to bug him every time we walked into a building, I tied my sunglasses on to the camera case. Not cute, I know. But neither is anything else I'm wearing. And it worked.)

The bitty Bump and me trying to get inside the Town Hall.

The main square in Bruges is just about as Gothic as it gets. Guilds and churches and cobblestones. So cute. We don't have many pictures of it, however, because it was Belgian Independence Day and they had rock concerts going on every night. The stage was set up right in the middle of the square blocking all good photo opportunities.

Our little street.

We stayed in a great bed and breakfast, run by a couple about our age and their two-year-old. It was down a road, just off of the main square. For breakfast, they would offer you coffee, tea or chocolate milk. Seeing as we were in the land of delicious chocolate, I opted for the chocolate milk. And was delighted every morning when it was hot chocolate. Mmm. Belgium and its chocolate.

The view from our room. The tower in the back is in the main square.

Old school wind energy.

We loved wandering around and discovering beautiful architecture and curiosities not mentioned in our trusty guide book. Most of it was just there, no signs or explanations. Just a lot of cute quaintness.

I think Rapunzel might have lived here. Either that or it's the Guild for Watchmen.

Mr. Yin in time out.

remember?

Remember how my baby sister made my wedding dress?

remember how cute the Bun was two years ago?

remember how green New England is?

remember how sharp Pomp looked?

remember how funny my brothers are?

remember how handsome my husband is?

remember how I wore a chi pao because now I'm Chinese?

remember how Mr. Yin ordered a special side of ribs?

remember how Gabe made the trip at one month old?

remember how I changed back into my dress because I loved it so much?

remember how we had sparklers?

remember how much fun it was to pretend you were Harry Potter?

remember how we were supposed to make a grand exit, but we couldn't leave?

too many people we loved. we couldn't say goodbye.

Yeah, July 4, 2008, you were a good day.

Brussels

First train ride with our Eurail pass.

I was super excited to ride the train. Some romantic idea I've always entertained about having a Eurail Pass and watching the countryside pass by. The first train ride definitely felt like a dream come true. (Like most of this summer.)

First thing we did upon arrival in Brussels? We got lost.

But getting lost sure helps you figure out the lay of a city pretty quickly!

The state of the room we were initially given.

When we finally found our hotel, our room was not made up. Kind of weird, right? But this is the THRID time this has happened to us this summer. Just this summer! (First in Pendleton, OR, second in Vancouver, BC.) They fixed us up with an exact replica, but with made beds and clean towels. Whew.

The beautiful St. Michael's Cathedral from two very different angles.

We took a (very) long walk to the town center and took tons of pictures of St. Michael's Cathedral on our way. It has two towers just like Notre Dame. Churches are a great place to rest, they're (usually) free and (usually) cool inside. Cool as in, chillier than outside.

In the town square we witnessed a crazy game, the likes of which we'd never seen. We still don't know what it was, but it was fun to watch. It seemed like an open air mix between team handball and jai lai. But without a wall. So more like glorified team catch, except more handball than catch. No idea what it was, even after some research!

Mr. Yin eating mussels like the locals.

Before heading back, we enjoyed some mussels in Brussels. They were tasty.

Our next day in Brussels was a Monday. Nothing in Brussels is open on Mondays. So we took a walking tour of the city. Lots of lovely architecture.

Mr. Yin enjoying his sandwich near the flea market.

Remember, nothing is open. And I'm pregnant. And that means you have to use the facilities frequently. And now was one of those times. We walked through a huge flea market and grabbed a delicious sandwich for lunch. And I still had to pee. Especially after drinking my Fanta.

Unlike Amsterdam, we couldn't find any pay toilets. Not where we were anyway. I tried at a church, but was turned away. Finally we decided to backtrack and go to the Palaise du Justice. On the walk there I decided peeing is not a privlege--as stated in Urinetown, it is a luxury.

Let's just say the Palaise du Justice did not disappoint.

Edible and I with our chocolate samples, and our lovely photographer in the mirror.

Chocolate terracotta soldiers!

We sampled some delicious chocolates. We opted for the ones that don't export: Neuhaus and Wittemen. They were hard to find, but well worth it! Neuhaus was the Yin family favorite. Mmmmmmm.

Next stop? Mannekin Pis. A statue of a peeing cherub that people sometimes dress. We were lucky enough to see him arrayed in his beekeeping finery.

Me enjoying my Belgian waffle in front of Beekeeper Manekin Pis. I honestly didn't want to stop eating to pose.

Close(r) up of Manekin Pis and his beekeeper getup.

On our way we stopped for a Belgian waffle with strawberries. Oh. My. It was one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten in my life. I'm not exaggerating. So tasty.

On our walk to St. Katherine Square we happened upon a European Festival! We sampled foods from all over and watched a very energetic Lithuanian dance. And I got to use a port-a-potty, called a Toi-Toi.

Me, feeling more pregnant than I look, in front of the Armory Museum.

Our last day in Brussels we headed over to the Armory Museum. Mostly for Mr. Yin. It was chock full of stuff from all the wars and battles over who knows how many centuries. It's so interesting to see a war from the context of a different country. They have their own heroes we've never heard about. And it's always interesting to see how they viewed the US. Mr. Yin loved it. I had to sit out the WWII (and probably most interesting) wing because it had a glass roof and no AC! Wandering around would have led to me needing smelling salts and a bucket of cold water to my face. So I sat and people watched and fanned my face with my museum map.

And that was Brussels! We left that afternoon for Bruges, and were smart enough to get the half-price summer tickets for the train. Hurray!