Results matching “2008” from Jeanette Hada's Wellness and Happiness Blog

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My baby girl, Aislee, was born on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 8:35 a.m.  It's been a rollercoaster ride adapting to life with this tiny human.  She is almost 11 weeks and looks more child/infant-like than a newborn now, though she's still technically a newborn til three months.

Here's her birth story...

Our baby girl, Aislee Reika Hada, was born unexpectedly this past Monday, July 21 at 8:35 a.m.  She weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces and was 19 inches in length. (Estimated Due Date: 07/28)

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We had originally planned early on to have a home/waterbirth, but along the way Aislee's growth and amniotic fluid levels became a concern, so my midwife declined my request for a homebirth at 37 weeks due to possible risks.  Scrambling to find an OB closer to home, I was referred to one that determined it was necessary to schedule an immediate inducement with a possibility of a cesarean.  I consumed large amounts of water and supplements and went to a specialist for a second opinion the next day. They found the baby to be in perfect health at the appropriate size with plenty of fluid, which the inferior ultrasound equipment did not pick up at that OB's office.  (Thank God for second opinions)

This past Friday after having issues over giving birth at a hospital, I requested my midwife to reconsider my birth plans.  She replied on Sunday that she was leaning towards granting my request if I would make additional preparations for postpartum care.  Later that evening after eating a bag of oatmeal cookies and a half loaf of lasagna, I went into labor...which I thought to be just a digestive problem from overindulgence.  I called the midwife at 3 a.m.  Her assistant arrived at 4 a.m. when active labor kicked in.  The midwife came around 6 a.m. and Naoki finished filling the birthing tub at 7 a.m. (too late, I wasn't about to climb into a tub at that point - thankfully the task had kept him busy though).  The baby was born on land naturally, not in water as planned, at 8:35 a.m.  She's healthy, alert, and very feisty.

Pics can be seen at http://www.aislee.net


When we first saw the sour cherry tree at God's Little Acre Nursery (located on Almaden Road in San Jose), I thought the fruit was for birds only.  It was the prettiest dwarf tree laden with branches of tiny bright red cherries -- perfect for eating off of the tree or baking in pies.  The owners of the nursery, Phil and his beautiful wife, Dolores, became our friends and we've enjoyed several trips to their gorgeous place to purchase fruit trees and a Silver Dollar Eucalyptus.  If you purchase six or more trees, Phil will give a 10% discount...of course, Naoki could not resist such a deal! 

The ones you see in this cup were a few of the last cherries, before our guests and bird, Lucky, finished them.  We'll have to wait until next Spring for the new harvest.  I wonder how the cherry blossoms will look.

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After weeks of loading and unloading, we're finally finished (for the most part) with our move into this gorgeous old gingerbread/Craftsman/Victorian home on the Northside.  It's been challenging this far along in the pregnancy to deal with relocating even at this short distance.  I'm due in 11 days, which feels unreal.

The house is definitely far from organized, but Naoki did an excellent job of refinishing the old pinewood floors and is in the process of applying Venetian plaster to one of the rooms.  When we first viewed this property, I thought it was beautiful (still do), but not for us.  I pictured us moving to some place...newer and more modern, possibly even a townhouse.  Naoki fell in love with the yard and has since planted 19 fruit trees, or was it 20?  I've lost count.  All I know is that those damn squirrels that I thought were the cutest when we moved in, have eaten the white nectarines on my daughter's tree!  Her papa purchased her a grafted white peach with two different white nectarines tree.  I want to plant it as soon as she's born.

The gorgeous floral arrangement you see in this post is from our newlywed friends, Carla and Andre.  They made our dining room smell amazing!  This was our first of many flowers that have entered this home, but the only one that I managed to photograph. 



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As a parent-to-be, I'm both concerned and torn over when and what to vaccinate. I understand that we need to protect our children from illnesses and disease, but don't feel comfortable taking everything a doctor says as truth (perhaps, it is as they know it, they've been known to be wrong before), it seems negligent to leave the safety and well-being of my baby without doing more research.

So far, since I plan to work from home and will not have our daughter in daycare, we will have her immunizations start at age 2. We'll request vaccines to be free of Thimerosal and order them ahead of time and have her shots spaced apart. This is thinking way ahead. Hopefully by the time she's due for her vaccinations, most of this mess will have been sorted through.

"If a dirty bomb exposed a large segment of US citizens simultaneously to Hepatitis B, Hepatitis A, Pertussis, Tetanus, Diptheria, Haemophilous Influenza B, 3 strains of Polio viruses, 3 strains of Influenza viruses, Measles, Mumps and Rubella viruses, the Chickenpox Virus, and 7 strains of Streptococcus Bacteria, we would declare a national emergency. We would call it an " Extreme Act of BIO-TERRORISM" . The public outcry would be immense and our government would act accordingly. And yet, those are the very organisms that we inject through vaccines into our babies and our small children, with immature, undeveloped immune systems. Many are given all at the same time. But, instead of BIO-TERRORISM we call it protection. Reflect a Moment on that Irony." -Dr. Sherri Tenpenny

In recent news: Families will make case for vaccine link to autism
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080512/ap_on_re_us/autism_court_case

Product Rave: Poopourri

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This isn't usually the stuff I usually write/blog about, but this tiny bottle of citrus scented magic is truly something I wish I invented!  I came across this product at the hospital giftshop before my exam.  At first, I thought it was a joke and funny enough to purchase as a gag gift for a friend I was planning to meet later for lunch.  If it did work, I wanted to buy one for myself as well.  So I bought two of the smaller bottles and spent a little over $21 for both.

I'll spare everyone on the details, but this stuff works!  3 - 5 squirts/pumps into the bowl prior to handling business and no one is the wiser.  Seriously, I was really impressed and I have a pretty darn good sense of smell.   Using or sharing the bathroom with your colleagues, family, and/or roommates is challenging enough. Traditional air fresheners don't always do the job and sometimes have the worst scent (don't get me started on "garden fresh" sprays), not to mention that a lot of those chemicals that we end up inhaling aren't the best for our health. 

Remember, this is not meant to be sprayed in the air.  The company does make an air freshener call "Royal Flush", but I haven't tried it.  They also have another bowl spray with a different scent (Mandarin, Orange, and Bergamot with hints of Peach and Berry) called "No.2...hilarious.  Poo-pourri is made of a blend of essential oils and comes with a 30 day money back guarantee.

I'm not affiliated with the company in any way, just a happy consumer.

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Sometimes you get something better...
2007 was an interesting year of new and interesting experiences.  There was some sadness with the end of certain projects and relationships, but also lots of happiness with the strengthening of old friendships, and the meeting and making of new friends from many places. I am thankful to have my family and friends in good health, a growing career that allows me to work independently (most of the time), and most of all a peaceful life. 

I wish all of you a very healthy, happy, and prosperous 2008!

On New Year's Day we celebrated 2008 by visiting our good friend who has prepared the traditional Japanese New Years dishes for us for the past couple years.  It was a little challenging as Naoki is vegetarian and I basically eat fish (ok, sometimes I'll have chicken, but it's rare these days).

She made my favorite dessert made from fresh Fuji apples and agar.  It makes for a lovely, gelatin-free, refreshing jello.  Everything was lovely and neatly sorted in a lacquered box.  My favorite is the soup she makes flavored with kelp and filled with savory bits of dark leafy greens, daikon, and mochi (which she first toasted in the oven).  The black beans that she prepared were soft and chewy in texture and slightly sweet.  The chestnut/sweet potato was hearty and a beautiful golden color.  Her anago rolled omelet was absolutely delicious and small rounds of seasoned taro were just a few of the items there.  What a wonderful and special treat to experience every year!  Pictures to follow at http://jeanette.hada.us

Ok, obviously I'm a little obsessed with food and would love to share a few of my favorite foodie sites.  Some of these most people already know, but here they are just in case...

http://www.yelp.com
- This is an excellent site, where people can critique (rant or rave) about their experiences with different places they've visited.

http://www.opensourcefood.com
- By far my favorite recipe site with pictures that will have those late night hunger pangs kick in.

http://www.annamariavolpi.com/foodmovies.html
- Another food lovers list of food-related movies

Jeanette Lee Hada

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