Another Visit From Alicia

Alicia is my most amazing Hypnobabies doula - thank you, Crystal for recommending her to us. I will never forgot how she was there for me; such a wonderful memory and experience! And I am glad to be able to keep in touch.

A couple of days ago, I messaged Alicia to let her know I have pictures to give her and wondered if she can come by for a visit or if I should mail it out. She decided to come for a visit and see how Maddi has grown.

We love it when you visit, Alicia! We hope to see you again soon!

Later that night, since Henry was away on a work trip... Anne came over to hang out with us. We went to Yoko Yaya to see if they have any more knitting needles for our knitting night next week, then to T&T to shop for ingredients to cook dinner with. On tonight's menu - yellow chicken curry and green tofu curry.

I always get excited going to T&T, I feel like a kid in a candy store... I want EVERYTHING! Since we can only get as much as what the undercarriage of Maddi's stroller can hold, other than what we need tonight, I only got a couple other stuff to have congee with. I'm excited!

Moroccan Charm

Today, Maddi and I made the trek over the Lion's Gate Bridge to join the Finance department at Peak for a Christmas lunch. Thanks Harvey for making your fabulous cous cous and thanks Gil for bringing fresh nutmeg for the eggnog. What a treat! After some eats and a fun gift exchange game, we were off to Metrotown mall to meet my friend Sue.

It's getting down to the wire with Christmas shopping! I have said that I wouldn't go overboard with buying Christmas presents for Maddi this year since she's so little she doesn't really need or appreciate toys or clothes yet. In fact, she wouldn't appreciate anything more than the milk from my boob at the moment. I decided that I wanted to get her a special present this year as it's her first Christmas - maybe a locket on a chain or an activity mat which she'll use for a while, but not clothes which she'll grow out of in a blink of an eye.

Walking into Old Navy, however, made it difficult to stick to my initial thought since the clothes are just so darn cute and at such a good bargain! Can't really pass up a $20 pea coat or a $6 pair of baby jeans, can you?! And as if I needed more temptation, Mexx Kids had a 50% off everything in the store sale. God, help me!

Maddi and I continued to shop hours after Sue had left. Later that afternoon, Sean texted me to say he was coming home late. Turns out, he also went to Metrotown mall after work to meet a friend and do some Christmas shopping. We decided to meet up for dinner, then went our separate ways again to finish Christmas shopping.

While at the mall, I had to visit the parent room three times to feed Maddi. During one of those times, I had the misfortune of being stuck in an armchair with a hungry Maddi on my boob while being suffocated by the stench that's coming from a toddler getting her dirty diaper changed just a few feet away.

This photo is of one of the stores in the mall. Most of my photos since Maddi was born has been of her. It is a nice change to post something that is not Maddi, but catches my attention and inspires my creativity.

Halloween Is In The Air

In an effort to help things along with coaxing Maddi to come out, I decided to go for a walk tonight. I met up with Anne halfway from our houses and went along Granville Street when we saw this store.

I can't believe Halloween is almost here. It is Sean's favourite holiday. Unfortunately, this year we won't be hosting a party.

Halloween has always been an event that is stressful and exciting at the same time for me. I'm usually stressed until I figure out a cool costume to wear, then I get really excited.

I think my favourite Halloween costume of all time was when I dressed up as Juno a few years back. It was such a good costume, I got congratulations on Facebook for being pregnant. Then months, maybe even a year later, I had one of the tellers at the bank I used to frequent ask how my baby was doing!

It would've been funny to be Juno again this year, with a real belly. Although it actually won't be so funny, because it would mean that I'd be two weeks past my "due date."

This year, I WILL have a baby come Halloween!

Visiting The Alma Mater

Today, I drove out to SFU to meet Ashleigh, a photographer friend that I met at Image Explorations last Summer. Since I was up there, I paid a visit to old colleagues at the student society. Nancy & Lawrence, it was really great to see you and catch up a little, but it's a shame that you had been locked out since July 10! I sure hope resolution is around the corner, I can't imagine it to be a good thing not having income for such a long time!

The photo is of the main campus' Convocation Mall, all dressed for convocation ceremonies happening tomorrow and Friday. This place definitely brought back memories for me... I can't believe it's been 10 years since I last was up there on a daily basis.

On the topic of graduations (and hopefully inspirational as opposed to boring speeches), it is a sad day today as the news report that a legend, a visionary, a trailblazer, an inspiration had lost his battle with pancreatic cancer and passed away. RIP Steve Jobs. Thank you for living such an inspirational life and for your words of wisdom.

Below are my favourite quotes by him, all were bits from his Stanford commencement speech in 2005:

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

Last Kick At The Can

One of the last times I cross this bridge to get home from work... for a while, sigh.

Tonight, I stayed late at work to get some things done as I don't have that much time left before I go on maternity leave next week. Gil called it my "last kick at the can."

I've been raking in free meals this week - Donna took me out for lunch yesterday, Bob today... and Richard stayed a bit later tonight and got dinner for both of us. Thanks, guys! Oh and tomorrow, our bankers from across the border are coming up and taking us out for lunch, too!

Well, it was a productive day getting almost everything sorted out. I think I'll have enough time tomorrow to pass everything off.

Donna

Today, Donna took me out for lunch as I wind down this week before I go on maternity leave.

I first met Donna almost 8 years ago when I interviewed for a Finance clerk position at Peak Potentials in January of 2004. Despite the humble beginnings of a 2-drawer filing cabinet for a desk in a cramped office... those were fondly remembered fun days working in an office that had a culture like no other.

It seemed we had cake every week celebrating someone's birthday in the pit. I loved the energy in the office and no matter how chaotic it was at times, everything seemed to somehow flow into place. It was an environment that encouraged play as much as hard work; where people pulled together what at times seemed to be impossible tasks.

This was supposed to be an in between job for me until I found a career job. However, a testament to how awesome this place is, and the people that work in it... almost 8 years later, I am still here. Despite frustrating times off and on throughout the years when I had thoughts about working elsewhere, I had struggled a lot on the thought of leaving this place at the end of this week.

Without any accounting education background, I've learned on the job and had been promoted over the years to take on more and more responsibility. I have the belief and support of an awesome manager and friend to thank for that.

I have many great memories with Donna over the years that I've known her. She was there to give me advice when I was trying to figure out my relationship with Sean, there at my stagette and wedding, there when I decided to go back to school, and now as I continue on my journey to having a baby. However, the best memory I share with her would have to be one from the Fall of 2004, at the first ever event of that season, when I traveled from event to event. Donna came to that first event. As I took a few bites of my "risotto cooked in red wine" lunch one day while working with her, my cheeks started to feel tremendously warm. I asked if they were red, because I thought I was getting drunk. I had to ask her if I was allowed to grab another lunch, as I can't eat any more of what I've got without passing out. She wouldn't let me forget it since!

Donna, you've been more than a manager to me. You've been a friend and a big sister who I can go to whenever I needed an ear to listen to what I have to say or a sounding board to sort out whatever may be troubling me in my head. Thanks for all that you've done for me over the years, I will definitely miss working with you.

Sweet Dreams

Tonight, I unpacked some of the boxes as I organized our den into an office when I stumbled upon something that put a big grin on my face - one of my Sweet Dreams romance novels from my early teen years!

I remember cleaning out my old desk years ago and it was hard to part with my collection of teen romance novels. I thought it would be silly to keep them all, but I'm so glad I decided to keep one for memory's sake even though I got rid of the rest.

I don't know if these were popular here in North America at the time, but they were huge in Manila, where I grew up! They were definitely up there as one of my favourite things!

Guess what my bed time read will be tonight? I'm curious to see how I would enjoy this read now, as an adult and almost ready to pop a baby out! Can't wait to be brought back to one of my happy places which I haven't visited in a long while... so excited!

Sweet dreams, everyone!!! =)

Vancouver Public Library

Today was election day. I wanted to post a photo of the voting center I went to, encouraged by the fact that it was busy. According to one of the volunteers, other than a short lull just before noon, there has been a steady stream of people showing up to vote all day. However, no photography was allowed in the voting center... bummer!

I had to pick up a few items at the grocery store, so I made a detour up Robson St. to IGA. On the way home, despite carrying a bag of fairly heavy groceries and it being very wet out as it has been raining for most of the day, I was drawn to walk into the courtyard of the Vancouver Public Library.

Stepping in immediately took me back to my university days, to the odd times that I had been at the library. It wasn't so much studying there that I remembered, but how cool I thought this place was. I remembered that I was more excited for the breaks that I gave myself between studying, because I just loved checking out all the shops along the courtyard and sitting there enjoying some food or coffee. Did you know there's even a flower shop?! It felt as if I was in Europe somewhere, although I had to daydream people around me to be enjoying themselves instead of stressing over their schoolwork... but daydreaming was something I was good at, so that wasn't a problem at all. I will admit, I was an easily distracted student back then!

Despite not having spent a lot of time at the library, it definitely is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city for me. It is one of my favourite places, I think it inspires me with it's beauty... it encourages me to imagine more than what my eyes can see.

Do you have a place that does that for you?

Celebrating The Royal Wedding

This morning, as I got ready for work, I watched a bit of Prince William and Kate Middleton's Royal Wedding. I started kicking myself for not planning this day better. I would've love to celebrate the occasion having afternoon tea at the Fairmont Hotel! Instead, there I was... getting ready for work. The only thing I had to celebrate with was some crumpets with cream and jam for breakfast.

I decided to call the Fairmont, but as I suspected... they were fully booked for their afternoon tea service! I ended up finding a spot open at Shangri-La's afternoon tea service, so quickly called around to see which of my girlfriends could join me. I scurried to get all my work done at the office and got the okay to leave early.

Next thing you know, I was off to meet Nuala for afternoon tea! I can't believe I actually pulled off being able to go!

Lesson of the day - ask for what you want, and go for it with all you've got!

To the newlyweds... May each day add sweetness to your marriage; may your marriage be blessed with much love, joy and happiness!

Three Peas In A Pod

Almost three years ago, Amy and Stephen started work at my office within a week of each other. I didn't like Stephen very much at first, but life had a different fate for us. The three of us became best friends and lunch buddies at work in a short amount of time.


Tomorrow is going to be a hard day... Stephen will say goodbye to go on his own adventure in a different playground. I will miss seeing him, having lunch with him, going for walks with him, having him around for me to ask questions whenever I can't figure something out, having his brilliance in making my work life easier, listening to him sing along to the radio when he thinks nobody can hear him (my favourite was Shania Twain's I Feel Like A Woman)... and yes, even times when I bicker back and forth with him.


His last day is tomorrow, but I'm writing about this today... because Amy has tomorrow off to study for an exam on Saturday. So, today is essentially the last day the 3 musketeers are together in the same sandbox. Below is a picture of us from today, taken by Harvey.

Nostalgia

Today, Sean and I had a visit with his grandma. We took her to Steveston Village, had lunch and walked around a little. We were walking along the boardwalk as grandma was telling us stories from when she lived on Vancouver Island for a while in a village of houseboats... and how one of the guys would take the ladies in his boat to go shopping on the mainland every once in a while.

Like any curious artist's mind would, my mind started to wander... imagining what it would've been like to live that life (with the help of the view I had, of course). When it came time to post the picture of the day, I decided to play in Photoshop to make the photo match the mood of my imagination.

By the way, Steveston Village is my new favourite place!

Ticket To My Happy Place

One of my favourite ways to spend my morning hours is having tea and journaling. Over a year ago, I discovered that the smell of jasmine tea had this incredible way of transporting me to my younger days, running around with my cousins at Ama Zamboanga's house. Ama is grandma in Fookien, the Chinese dialect my family speaks. Zamboanga is a city in the southern part of the Philippines, my mom's hometown.


Ama Zamboanga enjoyed having a house full of noisy grandchildren. It was especially noisy in the Summer, when many of us visited. Every once in a while, she would stop us from all our running around for a quick sip of tea. She served hers at room temperature, sweetened with sugar - possibly because that's the only way we would drink it. Then, we would be off again, doing what kids do best - playing!


My Ama Zamboanga passed away when I was about 12 or 13 years old. It was an unexpected lovely surprise when I had my first experience of re-connecting with her after so many years, aboard the Jasmine Tea Express. Now I have an easy way to get to my happy place, I just gotta get my hands on some jasmine tea!