Saturday, October 31, 2009

Bright from the Start

Bright from the Start, by Jill Stamm, Ph.D.

i borrowed this book from the library, wished i read this earlier. wished there's a parenting class and this book should be in the required list of reading! here are the highlights and notes:

should i really read to my baby? is all tv bad or only some tv? can teaching a baby sign language really boost iq? how should be caregiver be stimulating my baby? does classical music help?

- beware of the product that promise to stimulate development, brainy toys with lights and sounds. from the researchers - what babies and toddlers really need is simple and doesn't cost that much money
- consistent loving care
- how often child hears stories
- face to face time, singing and talking to your baby instead of laptop, cell phone or tv

- who cares for a child and how knowledgeable that person is create groundwork for later classroom learning abilities (the child care taker should know the info in this book)
- what happens before preschool is critical - a ready brain is healthy, active, nurtured and capable of learning

- what your baby needs are easy as ABC: Attention, Bonding, and Communication
- ATTENTION - use the brain's energy to pay attention. face to face interactions or certain kinds of play. certain technologies limit valuable live interactions.
- BONDING - touch, develop security
- COMMUNICATION - talk and read

- increase social opportunities, personality noticeably emerges
- opportunities to play and interact with other people influence a child's cognitive growth in both receptive and expressive language development

- never, never, never give up on a child. malleable brain development can be in response to repeated effort and experience

you can help wire a healthy brain with ABC: Attention, Bonding, and Communication
- spending one-on-one time loving your child
- playing with your child
- responding quickly and predictably to your child
- touching and cuddling with your child
- providing routines that establishes patterns of caring response
- talking to your child
- reading and singing to your child

- brain synapese are connecting most rapidly the first 2 years of life (language, colors, sounds, smells, textures, temperature, cause & effect, face, etc). by 6 years old (1st grade), there's explosion of neuronal activities. in late childhood and adolescence (14 years old), pruning takes place on rarely used and not formed circuits to focus on the niche. the more frequent connections are used, the further strengthened and more efficient. go from different routes of small roads to major highway. which connections are formed and which connections are retained shaped by one's early experiences. As a parent, influence the "roads" that are laid down and taken place in your child's brain.

Bottomline: before 6 years old and early childhood education are so important to lay down the synapes. teach them all different things, and reinforce the thoughts you want them to become. the foundation is so critical to brain's organization.

- early brain synapes are resistant to change: if a child has a strong emotional start, she's likely to be resilient and able to cope with stress later in life. the very best kind for learning flourish in a predictable environment with * interesting experiences * assure a strong sense of security * lovingly hold and touch child frequently * interesting things to look at and hear. on the other hand, if the child is in a chaotic, non-supportive environment, effects is resistant to change as well...

- let go of the regrets and focus on the future. it's never too late regardless of the age. "i did what i knew. and when i knew better, i did better." it's the overall pattern of love, security, and stimulation that you provide determine whether your child will thrive. "your choices... shape their chances" the most important thing a parent can provide is a loving, stable relationship that leads to frequent, meaningful and responsive interactions with their baby.

toddler are visual, hearing sounds of new languages. the part of brain in charge of planning, abstract reasoning, prioritize and understand consequences of a behavior are not formed, therefore toddler don't understand why they shouldn't touch a hot stove and some teenagers maynot make good decisions. you do grow older and wiser.

- when a child has been neglected, they'll constantly monitor their environment for things that might harm them. they sacrifice the ability to learn new information, and focus on satisfy basic human needs for food, comfort, and companionship.

- Attention - paying attention -> Alert, Shift (change what you're doing), maintain (focus on one things while ignore other stimuli, thoughts, and emotions. children who were able to refrain from eating a marshmallow while examiner was out of the room (some kids developed strategies to distract themselves, like singing, walking around, or closing their eyes) are more likely to be self-confident, popular with peers, able to cope with frustration, and successful in school. the ability to control impulses at a young age (waiting) tends to predict a pattern of future behavior.

- set a non-tech face to face time with baby. playing, eating, reading.

- a child see you spend time in front of the computer and want to do the same and imitate. pretend toys are okay, just provide a wide variety of play experiences - indoor, outdoor, natural material as well as toys with lights and sounds. naturally stimulating environment is essential. learn to match pairs of socks requires child to keep the sock she's searching for in mind while ignoring the other similar socks and other things going on is better than spend in front of a flashing child product.

- attention tricks: - use variety range of voice volume. sometimes whisper is effective. contrast in intensity also work for colors. - different sizes - new items - things that doesn't go there (ie socks on dad's head is funny) - emotion drives attention and attention drives memory. when you're nervous, worried, depressed, afraid, agitated, or upset, it's difficult to focus on learning. * our emotional state affects our ability to pay attention. * learning are optimal when you're able to relax and yet alert. playful baby has been fed, changed, and napped. - personalize, kids love to see or hear their own name. child is interested in the story if you change the main character to her name.

- change the focus from what my child cannot do, to what i can do to influence my child's ability to reach the developmental milestone.

- infant: when awake, face to face time singing and talking. eye contact and eye movement. baby imitate you. point and label objects. high contrast colors (red, yellow, black and white). use mobile.

- baby: face to face time when talking. change/rotate toys. say "watch" to observe an action to start cue her to pay attention, then use quiet voice to encourage baby's attention. 1 variable at one time (ie group by color - different colors, same size and shape).

- toddler: eye level eye contact, roll a ball to encourage visual tracking and eye-hand coordination, point objects, ask about items in the book, enunciate new word clearly, when toddler is alert use those time for deliberate interactions (i.e. read), rotate toys for novelty, say "watch" to observe action, use quiet voice to gain attention, 2 variable at one time (i.e. group by color, different size or shapes), use massage to refocus, use red/green light to foster inhibitory control.

- if you bottle feed, switch side like you're breastfeeding. a well formed corpus callosum allows for better integration of the information processed in both the left and right hemispheres. and lock eyes with baby, eye gaze. softly talk or whisper to the baby. stroke baby's hand, arm, body, etc. for that connection and bonding.

- monkey see, monkey do. baby naturally mirror you. i.e. you wave good bye, the baby learns to imitate. ie. you point a board book and read, the child may imitate.

- eye contact is important - social skills, communication, and behavior.

- better language scores: label objects, point as you read, notice sounds you hear.

- play is a child's work. play is the way the children learn.

i'll continue later...






Sunday, August 02, 2009

What are 14 Super Foods?

SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life

Beans
Blueberries
Broccoli
Oats
Oranges
Pumpkin
Salmon
Soy
Spinach
Tea
Tomatoes
Turkey
Walnuts
Yogurt

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Will You Be There

In Our Darkest Hour
In My Deepest Despair
Will You Still Care?
Will You Be There?
In My Trials
And My Tribulations
Through Our Doubts
And Frustrations
In My Violence
In My Turbulence
Through My Fear
And My Confessions
In My Anguish And My Pain
Through My Joy And My Sorrow
In The Promise Of Another Tomorrow
I'll Never Let You Part
For You're Always In My Heart.


~ Michael Jackson

Monday, May 18, 2009

Educational TV = Good!

I read that TV is bad for the baby because they need the human interactions. Well, I've been with my child 24/7 for almost two years now and I found that educational TV is actually very good for my kid and for my sanity. We do book reading throughout the day and my child receives lots of human interactions. When we do watch TV, we have an overhead projector so it's better for her eyes, or we use flatscreen or a dvd player. She is learning her alphabets from watching The Letter Factory by the Leap Frogs and she learned how to sign what she needs by watching the Baby Signing Time borrowed from the library.
Before, my child did not like to sit in the car seat and it was a torture to get her buckled into the seat. Now she loves to sit there. Without her shows by her high chair, my child played with food, made a mess and did not eat much, but now her mess is not as bad and she eats lots of food that her poop is gigantic. She's learning words and songs. Sometimes if I need to cook dinner, the show may keep her entertained for a little bit, then she wants to come play with me which is dangerous by the stove. Overall, I think educational TV (sensor the messages on the shows) has lots of benefits if the TV screen is not damaging to their eyes.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy 1st Mother's Day!

Happy first Mother's Day!
I tried to give Jasmine a hug and she tried to suck on me instead. LOL

Singing & Dancing

We picked up a lot of skills since then. Singing, dancing. we learned through trials and errors what works for us and what works for her. different tricks we learned from other parents, from reading and from our instincts.

Even though we can't sing a tune (Simon from American Idol will probably say so), we had to learn to sing nursery songs for Jasmine. She seems to calm down better when there are songs. We didn't know that many songs, so we kept singing ABC song. So we borrowed nursery songs CD from the public library. We played for her in the car and it seemed to work. We also placed a smiley face toy with lights that she loves. Between the nursery songs, smiley toy, and toy bar, she's not as fussy in the car, but she still doesn't like the car seat.

We also had to dance for her when she's on the swing to entertain her when she's fussy.

Baby Spa Treatments

We gave her spa treatments. She got manicure and pedicure. we got the baby nail clipper and had to cut her nails carefully so not to cut her little fingers. She sure is pampered :)

Still looking good?

I noticed I'm starting to look like one of the mom with messy hair and bag under eyes. I used to look at least decent when I go out. boohoohoo :( Now I get zits all over my face and no time to put on facial creams and SPF lotions. I'll be lucky if I have time to take a shower, brush my teeth, brush my hair, slap some facial cream on. Quick shower IS good during water shortage. I didn't understand how it can be until now I'm it. I'm taking care of Jasmine from morning to night, breastfeeding her non stop, I can't be out of her sight. I guess I'll be so lucky to walk around and have my nipple tuck in :)

One has to be mentally and physically ready to have a baby. Someone told us we picked a good time. we had traveled, had some fun. we're okay financially. we're more mature. our marriage has been through rough times. (having a baby is stressful to a marriage. humor really helped. like any marriage, communicate the expectations. know our priorities. stay focus). Physically, it's exhausting to take care of this little person. feeding, soothing the cries, at the end of the day, I just pass out on the sofa. How life have changed after the baby, but I would do it again to have Jasmine...


Thursday, April 30, 2009

Travel with a Baby



Baby Jasmine would not sit still and wanted to touch every unsanitized things. Get lots of tricks in your bag -- favorite small toys she hasn't play for a while, snacks, baby signing time DVD (borrowed from the library) although the headphone was a little too big for her head :) change of shirt for all in case spillage. Family with kids can usually go to the faster security line. Bring birth certificate with you and passport if you're leaving the country. since we didn't have to pay for the baby seat for the domestic flight, I reserved window seat (nursing privacy) and my husband got the aisle seat (not many people want the middle seat). Once we got the last row, even more privacy next to the window and closer to the bathroom; more jet noise, but it was convenient when it was time to change poopy diaper. check seatguru.com for the best airplane seats. have a fun trip!

Airline and Fares

For Southwest Airline, child over 14 days and under 2 years of age, not occupying a seat, may be carried free when traveling with an adult. airport staff will ensure compliance with this regulation, so be sure to bring a copy of your baby's birth certificate for age verification.
boarding pass is not needed, but obtain a Boarding Verification Document to board the aircraft at the Ticket Counter or departure gate on the day of travel. If the plane is not full, you can use the car seat and occupy a seat for free. If the plane is full, you'll have to check in the car seat at the gate that count as one of your baggage allowed. If you don't want to risk it and want to reserve a seat, you can call them and request an infant fare and see if it's cheaper than your fare. Google: children ticket airline X, to see the rules applied to your airline. For international flights, depends on the airline, lap babies may cost 10% of the adult fare and infants in seat cost 75% of the fare. once they hit 2, it's considered full fare.



Pick a Seat

Use http://www.seatguru.com to check if the seat is good by mouse over the seat.

Did you know only certain car seats are FAA approved? but most of the new ones are approved child safety seat.

Ears Popping!
Be sure to feed the baby during take off and landing to relieve ear pressure.

Pack Light!
Packing list for baby on board the plane

More of Baby Jetsetter's tips!

Still have to go through the Security.
TSA Info - traveling with children
From TSA - we will not ask you to do anything that will separate you from your child or children.

Medications, baby formula and food, breast milk, and juice are allowed in reasonable quantities exceeding three ounces and are not required to be in the zip-top bag. Declare these items for inspection at the checkpoint. Click here to learn more about 3-1-1

All items including formula, breast milk, and juice will be inspected, however, you or your infant or toddler will not be asked to test or taste breast milk, formula, or juice. Our Security Officers may test liquid exemptions (exempt items more than 3 ounces) for explosives.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Long Longevity

After watching several news and shows, seems like the secrets to long longevity like Okinawa folks are
- nutrient-rich, low-calorie diet.
- low in fat.
- low sugar.
- high grains.
- lots of green vege and sweet potatoes.
- eat only 80% full.
- body movement from work or exercise.
- supportive network of family and friends. happy life =)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okinawa_diet

fat soluble vitamins stay in the body, can lead to toxicity

Take vitamins with care and watch daily recommended dosage.

Please watch the amount of fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E & K) with care. it is stored in the body and can lead to toxicity. not to exceed 100% of daily recommended dosage, and depends on what you eat in your diet.

Following is from my pharmacist friend:
"Regarding your question about vitamins, I don't think it matters on what brand of vitamins that you take. It is more important on the amount and which vitamins. I always tell my patients that just because it is vitamins or herbals (natural), it is not always safe. Not all excess vitamins are been eliminate in the urine, some vitamins are fat soluble and it stays in the body thus it can lead to toxicity. If you have any question, ask the pharmacists near you. They can help you pick the right vitamins for you. By the way, do take extra 1000mg of Calcium for your bone. "

Babies need some sun exposure for Vitamin D.

The amount of vitamin D in human milk is small: 20-136 IU/liter in mothers who are not vitamin D deficient. However, the vitamin D in human milk is in a form that is very easily used by the baby and therefore adequate for most infants, when combined with a small amount of sun exposure.

From kellymom.com: Infants (0-12 months) should not exceed 1,000 IU per day.


Anyone aged 1-50 years should not exceed 2,000 IU per day.

Some say breastfeeding babies need extra vitamin D, some say it's not true... another example of conflicting and confusing breastfeeding info.

The American Academy of Pediatrics said:

Why is it necessary to give vitamin D supplements to my breastfeeding baby? Doesn’t human milk have all the essential nutrients for babies?
human milk does not contain enough vitamin D to prevent rickets. Sunlight is the usual source of vitamin D production in the skin. You should give the drops once a day, every day. But, if you forget one day, it is all right. The vitamin D is stored in the baby and there will be enough in the baby’s body to prevent rickets.

a lactation counselor said to me that this study was conducted on a group of women who do not have healthy diet. Looks like at long as baby and me go out at least 24 min/day or about 3 hours/week to get sunlight exposure needed to achieve adequate vitamin D status, then we're good. FDA increased vitamin D dosage to 1,000 IUs Daily, since it helps with calcium absorption.

I wasn't sure if the prenatal vitamins, DHA supplements, Viactiv calcium + vit D & K, baby's polyvisol vitamins, and the food I eat are too much. My family physician said depends on my diet that day. If I meet the daily nutrition intake, I can adjust the dosage as needed.

I like my friend's advise, just follow your instinct no matter what anyone else says, and you'll be fine.

Breastmilk provides healthier baby.

Speaking of breastfeeding, this video really helps when I was having latching problem in the beginning.




i found my breastfeeding class really helpful. like hold your boob like a sandwich LOL :) but the nurses at the hospital were really helpful and they had lactation counselors to come and help whenever i ask for them. get as much brown part in baby's mouth as possible. sometimes i had to push the baby's head in. as soon as the mouth is open up.

Start breastfeeding as soon as the baby is out of your womb (and chest to chest skin contact!), because the breast milk will start producing the more baby sucks at your nipple. and the baby is more efficient at sucking than the breastpump. You're not supposed to get a lot in the beginning and that's okay. it's packed with good stuff. If the baby needs to be in NICU, use or borrow hospital's breast pump, because if you don't do it within 2 days, your milk supply will stop and it's really hard to restart!! I wish they tell patients that in the hospital, because a lot of new moms don't know and think they don't have enough of milk. drink warm soup to help the blood circulate around your chest. and keep hydrated - ask your family to always give you something to drink when you breastfeed.

I heard it's possible to restart lactating with medication, but it'll be another challenge on top of all others you have to do. Breastfeeding is not easy and it helps to have support and guidance. I got advise from my local La Leche League lead (I attended LLL meeting prior to birth and it helped to establish a group prior to delivery). Don't be afraid to ask LLL leaders and various lactation counselors for help. breastfeeding was not as easy as it seemed and it helps to have support and guidance.
La Leche (donation accepted) 24 hrs helpline 877-452-5324

my local community family support center offers lactation counselors for free. Latching may hurt a little in the beginning, but you and the baby are trying to find the nursing position that works for both of you. try all different holding positions. New moms, don't give up and don't let anyone tell you your milk is not enough or good, because it will be plenty the more baby sucks and the healthier you eat. The bonding and the nutrients for healthy baby are worth it. I just love holding Jasmine and have her eyes looking at me and her little hands on me. oh get a pacifier ready in the hospital too. and cute outfit for the photo :)

However, if you can't breastfeed for whatever reason, don't worry, my neighbor a devoted mom had to formula feed her children, but they grew up tall and healthy.


Thursday, April 09, 2009

Please be kind to pregnant women when traveling

After reading Heather's dooce blog (I wonder how many more hits do I need to get $40k of ads income... LOL) when she was traveling via air and seven months pregnant, reminded me when I went on a business trip for a week and I was about 6 months pregnant (or week 25). I had a big belly then. Although I only had a carry on and a laptop bag, but I was dragging my feet. I asked if the airline stewardess would help me lift up the carry on in the compartment, she replied, no, it's not my job, it's someone else, and I injuried my wrist (yet she did not find that someone else). And in the return trip, another airline stewardess looked at me and turned around before I can ask her. What happened to the customer service?? It's like night and day when flying airlines from other countries. I wish it's the other way around. The airline executives must have squeezed all the benefits out of their employees. In turns, I worry about the air travel safety. The pilot, Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who performed the miracle landing on Hudson river after the bird strike testified on Capital Hill and indicated that professional airline pilots' pay and benefits were cut severly and jeopardize the quality of future airline pilots who sign up. Short sighted executives drive up the stock price to earn their million dollar bonus is another problem in our financial business system similar to the financial meltdown.

Monday, April 06, 2009

2 months update

Moms need to support each other more

Moms set expectations too high - the guest speaker on Oprah says, "mothers need to know that if they can't do it all—or if they don't want to—that doesn't make them failures. We need honesty. We need to support each other more."

Marriage after baby

Having a baby is a joyful occasion, but the tension of baby crying and the increase stress can be hard on marriage. this article says the more you had, the more you feel like you lost. i guess that's the silver lining. i found it was easy to get frustrated and yell at each other when baby is crying. as we find tricks to keep baby happy through trials and errors, we figured out each other roles and responsibilities, along with laughing therapy by watching comedy shows like 3 and half men or friends to keep the humor going. we also have date nights at home, rent movies and reconnect with each other. then we can relax and go back to pamper each other like king and queen. we can experience the joy of parenthood and the smiley giggle baby.

New Moms Group

After spending hours searching through the Internet for new mom support, I found talking with new moms are more therapeutic! it's more effective and more rewarding *talking* with various new moms. we can empathize with each other and share tips, and just develop friendship and allow baby to learn social skills. You can find a New Mom's group at the hospital, in your neighborhood/community, Baby & Me class at the local family support center sponsored by the county, or the public library programs.

From other moms, I learned

- how to remove baby poop stains: you can remove poop stains using Dreft stain remover spray. I found it at the baby section in Walmart. don't let the fabric dry or it'll be more difficult to remove the stain.

- use breast milk to clear up eye infections. Apparently there are well-documented clinical results.

- play classical music and multilingual: when babies are born, their brains take in the sounds of all languages. as they grow, their brains pay attention to only the sounds of languages they hear most often. If your child hears the languages regularly, his/her brain will be able to learn to speak with the accent of a native speaker. i heard multilingual babies take longer to start talking but will catch up eventually. it also helps to start reading books early on.

- body after delivery - we still can't fit in our old clothes (even though i lost the pregnancy weight very quicky. baby Jasmine is helping me lose weight by nursing all the time). i have a belly and bigger bust. it took 9 months to have big belly, it's going to take time to have a tone tummy.
Mederma cream is good to reduce stretch marks. Motherhood Maternity is still my favorite store in the mall with nursing clothes and comfortable elastic shorts. and their fitting room is breastfeeding welcome. since i'm breastfeeding, i'm still eating for two, hungry all the time, drink lots of simply orange/apple juice, need to keep replenish my fluid to prevent constipation, and need to continue taking pre-natal vitamins and Viactiv for calcium supplement.

You can have big boobies if you're breastfeeding :) but it
leaks all the time. Just place in Lansinoh nursing pad. I found a bra that I like with buttons in the middle so the fabric is not in the way of feeding. you should try out the bra in person since your bust size is so different now. I heard Target also has nursing tanks. I found a nursing sleep bra very comfortable. it maybe out of stock at certain Target, so select the product and click on "find it at a Target store" to check the inventory closest to you.

- free
"Will & Trust Kit" from Suze Orman
enter gift code = peoplefirst


- Homemade Baby Food. Making your own baby food when baby is ready to eat.

- Baby massage helps with gassy and colic baby and help baby sleep better. I L U technique. you can use cold pressed oil like grapeseed oil natural ingredient if you want to stay away from products with chemicals.

- Reading and talking to you baby. I notice Jasmine would look at my lip and see how the sounds are formed. On another note, study found that children whose parent often talked to them about people's feelings, beliefs, wants and intentions developed better social understanding.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Jasmine & Us

March 10, 2009 - After weeks of wrestling with the newborn, we the new parents, finally had a chance to look decent and took some pictures with baby Jasmine past weekend. We learned how to differentiate her cries (hunger or uncomfortable) to better know how to sooth her. We also discovered swing and rocking motions. She started to smile this week :)


Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Our Birth Story - baby Jasmine

During majority of my pregnancy, I had normal one. Yeah, I got the aches and pains, regular pregnancy discomforts, but overall it was normal... until the very end.....

I started to get rashes on my tummy, then it spread to my legs and arms. It itched like crazy!!! After research on the Internet, we found it's a rare pregnancy rash called
PUPPP. The doctor recommended Benadryl, but it only worked for a day. I even tried lots of benadryl cream and hydrocortisone cream with aloe, but none of them worked.

I was getting desperate. My doula recommended dandelion root herb. My doctor didn't think herb is a good idea. But none of the doctors' recommendation worked! My good hubby did more research on the Internet and found that dandelion root worked for many pregnant women. Even still, we waited out, but it was getting to the point where I scratch myself that it started to bleed. So we tried the dandelion root herb and in a few days the rashes and itches became less. What a relieve! My obgyn said at the weekly checkup, oh seems like it's getting better, we just smiled. Seems like the doctors don't know how to cure this condition, since there isn't much funding to research this rare condition.

More info on PUPPP:
http://pregnancy.about.com/b/2010/01/08/puppps-in-pregnancy.htm
http://www.tcinternet.net/users/kritzerburke/naomi/PUPPP.htm http://www.cynicalmom.com/2005/11/no_puppps_with_.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2829297
Many sufferers have reported complete elimination of the rash by taking dandelion root herbs - either as tea or in capsule form. Dandelion root is a herbal remedy that acts by cleansing the liver and ridding the body of bile acids (often the very cause of the itch). Sufferers have taken up to six capsules per day (three in the morning and three in the evening) and reported how the lesions have completely disappeared within five to seven days. Please note, dandelion contains a high level of vitamin A and high levels of this may be harmful to your growing baby, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy.


I made sure this natural herb is organic. For ones who think I'm not being a good mother for taking the dandelion root, you wouldn't want to wish this condition on your worst enemy! It was a torture. I wouldn't have take it if it wasn't causing me to go insane. pediatrician said our baby is in the 95 percentile and healthy with apgar score of 8/9 out of 10, so i'm not worried.


I would think the prescription drugs that the doctors gave me are more serious. In the "complete book of breastfeeding" by Dr. Eiger and Sally Olds, there's a section on drugs during childbirth. Many women use epidurals, pain killers, and antibiotics after c-section. the book stated that you have to weigh the relative risks and benefits of pain relief. If you're in so much pain during childbirth that you're worn out and overstressed, your ability to nurse will be affected. keeping down the amount you take minimizes the risk. the book also stated that whenever possible, it's better to continue breastfeeding than to wean your baby prematurely because you are taking a drug that might harm your baby. early weaning deprives the baby of the benefits of breastfeeding. also to take the medicine immediately after a feeding and to delay the next feeding as long as you can so that the medicine will have as much time as possible to work its way through your system before the baby's next nursing. meanwhile, watch your baby closely for any unusual symptoms - fever, sleepiness, vomiting, unusual crying, loss of appetite, diarrhea, rash, irritability, etc. Call the pediatrician if you notice these signs.


The zits I had for a year also started to disappear too. Then I realized I've been having liver problem since a year ago, probably due to stress. I sought dermatologist's recommendation before regarding my zits and they were going to give me more med, which could make it worse! Good thing I didn't take their med since I was planning to have a baby.


I also found the Sarna lotion really help relieve the itch temporary. at least to keep me sane for the moment.


That whole PUPPP experience was really stressful and my body was tired. But my mom came and it was really nice to have her here since I couldn't do much in my condition.

Then on Sat. end of week 38, I had heavy bleeding when I went to the bathroom, and part of it was mucus like. I guess it was the mucus plug coming off. It didn't bleed as much afterwards, just a little, and the contractions were not consistent, so the doctor wasn't worried. Apparently it doesn't mean the labor start right away when the mucus plug is loose and it can take days or week. So I would bleed a little and more mucus came off, more braxton hicks contractions (it feels like a bad cramps and period). I could feel that I'm dilating and effacing.

Few days later at the doctors weekly appointment on Wed. week 39, I was 1.5 cm dilated, 75% effaced, -1 station. it's good to hear I'm making progress after all these efforts. The doctor thought I could deliver by end of the week, but we made an appointment for next week just in case.


The expected due date on Sunday (week 39) came and went, we tried to be as patient as we can, realized the baby comes whenever she's ready. we tried to walk around the neighborhood and stores (went to Costco and Baby R Us), thumb sucking, and nipple stimulation, to speed up the delivery. but it was a wait and see game.


At the doctors weekly appointment on Wed. week 40, I was 3 cm dilated, 90% effaced, -1 station. The doctor thinks it can be any day now. The baby's heart beat was good. My tummy was big, but it was big throughout the whole process.

Then the cold snap came in Florida and it was really cold (by Florida's standard and many crops and plants were damaged), I got a light fever. It didn't go pass 100 degrees, but it was a fever nonetheless and it didn't help with my condition. I took
Tylenol, it was on the approved list for pregnant women, regularly to reduce the fever. Good thing I didn't have a fever anymore when it was time to go to the hospital.

More and more braxton hicks contractions on Thurs and Friday of week 40, nothing consistent, but still painful. hubby would give me back massage and counter pressure to help with the back ache. I did a lot of pelvic rock, hands and knees to try to get the baby in the right position for labor. I was trying to do all the things we learned at the birthing classes.



After midnight, Saturday morning, the contractions were starting to get regular. hubby draw a picture of lotus flower to help me visualize and meditate to relax and be less painful. then during the day, we thought we were going to the hospital soon. Loaded our luggages and baby seat. but the contractions were all over the place, nothing consistent. we reported progress with our doula. no hospital yet. I had contractions throughout Sat. night, my hubby was trying to keep track of them. I did some pelvic rocks, lounges, watched Seinfeld, took a shower to relax. we managed to get a few hours of sleep.

on Sunday, week 40 (lunar new year eve), it's now a week after the expected due date, I continued to have contraction throughout. In the wee early morning, my body was shaking. I could feel the pressure on my pelvic. Hubby took my temperature, it was high, but not over 100, so I took a tylenol. I had a lot of back pain and hubby was giving me counter pressures. I continued to do pelvic rocks and lounges.
I got sharp pains in the afternoon on Sunday. Phone calls and e-mails were coming in to see if the baby is here yet. but I was trying to focus on the breathing and the contractions. We checked in with doula, no hospital yet, the contractions were not close enough. I continued to get some red mucus plug here and there, and i thought my body was making progress, slowly.


In the late afternoon, it was more of the same. contractions, pelvic rock, ate something and drink to replenish my fluid. It was intense at times. then I must have hit the natural alignment plateau, because the pain was less and I can talk and smile a little bit. My doula called to check on me, she said to call her if the contractions are closer together. Then, right after the phone call, the contractions started to get really really strong, and I was on hands and knees doing pelvic rock and yelling out I want epidural!! hubby quickly called our doula and she was on her way. apparently she was waiting for me to get to this point when i ask for drugs. i wanted the intense pain to go away, so i started a warm bath. my water hadn't broken yet. the water really helped with the pain, i wanted to deliver in the water. but it's not allowed at the hospital.

the doula came quickly but the bath was feeling so good that my contraction stopped. she said that they usually don't start the bath this early. so we went to take a walk around the neighborhood slowly to get the contractions back. i walked for about every 10-20 steps, then I got the contraction pains. I lend my body against hubby and rock my pelvis. neighbors were looking at us with concern. it was getting dark, so we headed back home, had some dinner at 7 pm, and called my OB office. I tested positive for the Group B Strep, they needed time to inject dosage, so more reason to start going to the hospital now. Dr. M was on called that night. with 3-4 minutes of contractions apart, he sent us to the hospital.

We had 2 medium sized suitecased packed already, one for items we need during the labor, the other is for items we need during recovery. We went through the check list and packed up whatever we still needed. We got Gatorade ice chips, and hubby got lots of drinks ready in the cooler. My mom and doula followed us to the hospital. I had a big pad on my seat just in case my water break. i heard amniotic fluid doesn't smell too good in the car :) Luckily UCH is only 10 minutes away, down the street. My contraction was coming so I face backward, got on my knees on the seat and lean on the head rest to continue my deep breathing and telling myself to relax.

When we got to the hospital on Sunday night, they sent me up to get my health insurance info (it helps if you pre-register before hand) and to the triage to check on my condition first. I took doula with me, while hubby and mom waited in the lobby. i got undressed and put on the hospital gown. the nurse took my urine sample, asked some questions, checked my cervix, reviewed my birth plan, admitted me in to a delivery room, and sent up my hubby and mom. All the nurses and staffs at UCH were just excellent. The pm nurse Claudette was so sweet and attentive. even though she was supportive of our birthing plan, she had to check with Dr. M if I can drink fluid throughout.

Regarding the birth plan, we made sure we reviewed it with all of the OB doctors in the practice before hand and got their okay since we didn't know who will be on call when the baby comes. One of the thing I requested in the birth plan was allow to drink fluid, and Dr. M didn't object about this before, but on that day, he told the nurse he had trouble with it before during a surgery. Well, I was allowed ice chips, and nurse allowed me to have gatorade ice chips as well, so I can't help the form changes and ice melted. So hubby gave me straw to drink to keep me hydrated. Actually, when I got to the hospital, when the nurse put in the heplock IV in back of my hand, she couldn't find my veins because I was so dehydrated during the contractions. the needle hurts like hell on back of my hand. I was trying to meditate and relax so it won't hurt as much. I thought I was drinking enough, but I guess not (they don't put IV inside the elbow area where they usually draw the blood so that when it comes time to push, it won't be in the way.)

Next few hours were a blur. I recalled doula telling me I'm doing a great job, and letting me know when the contraction is coming down, which was just music to my ears. She knew all the right thing to say and gave me support throughout the night. I liked the room dim and quiet, so I can focus on my breathing. Doula recommended during the contractions, I squat down to open up my pelvis. At the end of each contraction, my hubby gave me some water to drink to keep me hydrated. We were working as a team. i was breathing a lot through the labor and got very thirsty. it was a repeated cycle - contraction coming, breathe, pain, oh screamed, prayed, squatted, contraction peaked, came down, got some ice chips or fluid through straws. when i was not squatting, i would lean on piles of pillows. every time when i moved, the fetal monitor can't stay still in a place and doula helped by finding the baby's heart beat again. we wished someone would invent a better monitor. I got so tired I actually slept through some big contractions. strangely i wasn't in pain when i was sleeping. it was such a good pain reliever.

I got up couple of times to go to the bathroom, and my hubby wheeled the IV stand. I got the room with a bath tub and water jets, but the bathroom didn't look too clean and i wasn't sure if the jet was sanitized and the tub was a regular rectangle tube, not the big comfortable one, so i never used their bath tub to keep me comfortable.

I had the hospital robe on and I was bleeding here and there. They gave me a big pad to wear and a sexy netted underwear where they can cut through quickly if needed. other than drinks, we bought some snacks like cookies for nurses and support people to keep their energy going. i think sun chips would have been a good choice as well. they had the birthing ball at the hospital, but I was feeling pressure down there and didn't want to sit on the ball.





Dr. M came to check on me a few times. I wasn't making progress, but we asked for more time. It's either he's a jerk or he had a bad night. He was very condescending, even the nurse and doula thought so, but I just ignored him. We knew from talking with him before that he's going to be trouble, good thing he's not my regular OB doctor. By early Monday dawn, I still wasn't making progress, so he offered pitocin or break the bag of water. We decided to break the water, and the warm water was just gushing out of me. It felt interesting, like I never felt before, but the water had meconium which was a concern.

The sun was coming up. we could see the sunshine coming through the windows. It was Monday morning. I contracted some more, but it was time to change the shift. Yeah, no more Dr. M. I was trying to look sad. I didn't have a good impression of the male OB doctors anymore after these experience. They just don't know what women are going through and they just followed the text book answers, or react to their previous bad experiences.



Monday morning Jan. 26th, the nurse shift also changed. I didn't realize my sense of smell was really intense. The new nurse had some perfume on and was bothering me so much while I was trying to focus on my contractions. Apparently, the heightened sense of smell is another sign of labor.


Dr. S came in later, my regular OB doctor. she said that I waited for her. I guess we all did. the baby waited until the first day of lunar new year of Ox. Ox like my hubby. Dr. S checked my cervix, still no progress, but she gave us some time. By then, I was contracting for so long and so tired, in so much pain, I was looking like a mad woman and pulling my hair. I kept thinking about the epidural, but we had a goal of natural delivery for the benefit of the baby. it was so difficult. after such a long labor, contracting for a few days!!! 60+ hours of contractions. the baby was still at -1 station and 6 cm dilated, and not making progress. I'm not even at the transition stage, which is supposed to be the hardest part!!! I was tired mentally and physically after such a long time. I'm not sure if it's because I was too tired and my uterus was exhausted from working for a few days, my contraction started to slow down to every 5-8 minutes again. I thought of a very good friend's advise that I didn't have to be a super woman, and I broke down, said this is just inhumane, cried, sobbed, and asked the nurse for the epidural. My hubby actually sobbed with me seeing that I was in so much pain, for so long. The nurse got the anaesthesiologist and he came quickly. I was afraid that I'll move during the contraction, doula was helping me hold still. i wanted to know when the anaesthesiologist is going to start and to time it when my contraction ends. as i was talking, the anaesthesiologist said he's done. the anaesthesiologist was very good and quick. I didn't feel anything really. I didn't even know he was working on me and next thing I know he was done. I asked for the lightest dosage to start with and i was in heaven...

They injected pitocin to speed things up since the water had meconium, and the baby could be in distress. i slept through the contractions and didn't really feel anything. Dr. S came to check on me again and I still wasn't making progress!! still at -1 station and only 6 cm dilated. on the contrary, the baby's heart beat kept going down to a really dangerous level that they had to stop the pitocin. Dr. S recommended that I get a c-section! just what we wanted to avoid! She gave us 10 mins to think about it. Luckily the am shift nurse Valerie was very good at explaining. She showed us the my stats and explained the facts. I didn't want an emergency c-section and I knew that this was the only way out after few days working at this! So I agreed. My hubby was in disbelieve what was happening, but he agreed as well.

The whole c-section process was very quick and all of the staffs were very professional and very attentive. I was very impressed with UCH. My hubby put on the surgery gown and got his camera to capture the moments. We had the cord bank kit as well. They checked three times to make sure the anaesthetic worked before they start. I was feeling good and we chatted with the anaesthetic nurse to distract our minds. She gave us the progress and made sure I was doing okay. Dr. P was also there to assist which was good. I knew I was in good hands. Next thing I heard the doctors grunted trying to get something big out and telling Wesley to get his camera ready. The doctors yelled out that it was a big baby and she was facing up (instead of facing my spine for better delivery). Apparently, she was a big baby (almost 10 lbs) that she just couldn't move down. I guess the pelvic rock didn't really help with this one. the doctor thought she was about 8 lbs, but it was a guess and didn't realize she's almost 10 lbs. I wished they could've done an ultrasound to determine the size of the baby first. it was a BIG baby. even though I was trying not to eat too much, either I was eating too healthy or the baby absorbed the nutrition very well. the whole c-section process was only one hour and i had the epidural for only about two hours.

looking back, i think overall, even though it was as traumatic as my body can take, I think we made the right decisions. my friend's advise was in my mind that I didn't have to be a super woman, we knew many people who had c-section and they were okay, and i didn't want the doctor to have to perform an emergency c-section and jeopardize our lives. later during the recovery, couple of nurses told me that they had a big baby and got tore up pretty bad down there and I didn't want that! both baby and I are doing as well as can be expected. i'm slowly recuperating from the cuts, and it's getting better every day and thank goodness my mom was here to help! i'm truly truly blessed to have all the supports that I received throughout this whole experience.



OB doctor let hubby took pictures of our newborn in the surgery room. As soon as she was born, she cried and had tears. She came out at 40th week, full term baby. As soon as I saw her, I was in tears too. Happy ones. I heard the doctors went through a checklist to make sure they didn't leave any instruments inside of me. Good practice! Check out Oprah's 8 Ways to Avoid Medical Mistakes - Dr. Oz's Smart Patient Checklist!



We moved up to the recovery room from the delivery room. the nurse bathed the baby. and we started the journey to learn how to be a first time parent. i was in bed most of the time recuperating, and Wesley had the guest bed, but we didn't sleep much during the first few days to take care of the new born. Hubby was so helpful throughout. He learned from the nurse how to change the diapers. i read in the Baby 411 book to bring baby wipes. The hospital does provide dry wipe (but you have to wet first) and diapers (Pampers Swaddlers are the best. The blue line shows that the baby peed and we had to keep track of when the baby pooped, peed, and ate how much). We learned so much from the nurses. the experienced helpful nurses were the best. We were trying to figure out why was the baby crying, how to hold the baby, how to feed the baby, etc. It's not the same when you get a live baby versus practice on a doll.



I learned that I had to take advantage of the nurse button while we're in the hospital, when we had no idea why the baby is still crying or to ask for the lactation counselors whenever we needed help. I had to remember to ask for the pain killer med every four hours. they won't give them to me unless i ask.


Because the baby was so big, the colostrum wasn't enough to fill her tummy. we were afraid that she'll get confused with the different sucking motion between nipple and bottle like some books advise. but she kept crying for food, so we fed her Enfamil Lipil and she was content. Later talking with my sister in law, that's the best formula to use since it's closest to breast milk. We found our baby was still able to breastfeed and supplement with formula until more milk arrives. She was so big that the hospital hat didn't fit her, Wesley had to go back home and bring some bigger sized cloth to fit her.

The hospital food was just okay (at UCH, call ext. 51294 to request for special meals). i couldn't eat on the day after c-section, i can only take liquid until i pass gas. i was so dehydrated, so i drank the juice at the hospital, but it was still too much and I threw up. the bucket they used to bath your baby is yours to keep and it came in handy.


after walking around slooowly around the hallway and passing gas, i was able to eat soft food, but the hospital didn't give me much soft food to eat! so my hubby ate most of my dinner. i had some mash potatoe and banana. well good thing i wasn't hungry then. the next day, i was getting hungry and the nurse allowed me to start eating, yeah! and good thing my mom bought in some yummy food to keep our energy going.

the hospital had good medical staff, but it was no Marriott. the shower was kind of yucky and no light in the shower. good thing i packed flip flop, hair blow dryer, tooth brush, tooth paste, hair brush, hair piece to tie up hair, change cloth for hubby, small blanket for the hubby during bedtime (hospital provided sheets and pillows for us, and blanket for me), light jacket, baby clothes and swaddle, baby car seat (installed), bath towels, shampoo for me, straws, cell phone charger, digital camera, pen & notepad to keep track of things, boppy pillow which was very helpful during feeding. UCH has wireless internet connection, so it was nice to have a laptop with us.





I had a bandage on my suture. Dr. Y, another male doctor was going to tear it off, but I said no, it'll hurt. I'll do it later. The nurse eventually wanted me to remove it so that it can get some air and heal better. The nurse gave me the tip that when I shower, rub some soap and water, it'll remove easier and won't hurt as much. I couldn't see over my tummy, so hubby had to help me with that one. Another example that male doctor never experience something like this and has no idea what woman are going through and how to comfort the patient, just the text book answers.

Before we leave the hospital on Thursday, they had to remove the staples. I was kind of scared, but the nurse said it was no worse than getting needle shots. I made sure I took some pain killer. the nurse was very gentle and it wasn't bad at all.

The hardest part of c-section recovery were breastfeeding, taking care of baby, and still handling the pain from the cuts and uterus contracting back. The doctor recommended that I rest a lot and not do much. Thank goodness I had hubby and mom around. My mom offered to take care of the baby at night so we can get a good night sleep, oh my god! it made such a difference!! Talk about lack of sleep, the first day back home, hubby went to CVS to fill the prescription for my pain killer med, and due to lack of sleep, he ran a red light! thank goodness nothing happened.

After the PUPPP experience, you think I can escape the itchiness. The PUPPP itchiness went away, however, I had allergic reaction to the med or the pain killer that I was taking. I was either suffering from the pain or the itchiness, and it was driving me crazy. My legs and arms must look horrible, plus the stretch marks on my tummy. My body really took the bruise and the beating. Dr. recommended to stop the prescribed pain killer and antibiotic med all together. So back to Sarna lotion and trying to detox my body. The first two weeks were the hardest, but it got easier day by day. Don't give up on the breastfeed, keep at it.
Plum juice is supposed to help regulate digestion. and drink plenty of fluid especially when you breastfeed.

I was also suffering from worrying that I'm not providing the baby enough breast milk. it just didn't come fast enough to feed her hungry stomach. and trying to get the latch thing going... all the expectations and trying to do what's right at the same time recoup from c-section were just overwhelming.

I'm feeling better day by day and Jasmine is such a good baby. She's very healthy and well developed at 95 percentile. She can already move her arms with good coordination and try to hold the bottle to her mouth. She can really eat! we can't feed her fast enough and when she's hungry, she gets really, really mad. She already outgrow many of the clothes. Her pediatrician said she's big now, but that doesn't mean she'll stay like that when she grows up.

The whole experience was still surreal and I couldn't believe it. The most most essential thing is the safe delivery of the baby and well being of the mother. We knew from start that labor delivery can be so unpredictable and to be flexible with whatever comes your way. No one predicted that we have a 10 lbs turkey :) you can prepare by educating yourself so that you can make the right decisions. it is also essential for the mom to get as much rest as possible. good food and plenty of fluid.



looking back, we wished we have more photos of her and us when she was just borned. we were in recovery and getting adjusted to her that we didn't have an ounce of energy left. so be sure to ask your visitors and family to take lots of photos for you from your camera!!!

now i experienced this, to all the moms out there, to my mom, her mom, and moms before that, you're amazing for bring a person to the world. and thanks daddys and family support. we couldn't do it without the team. It is indeed a miracle how a life formed inside of me. i looked at every inch of her body, her little toes, little fingers, chubby cheeks, eyes, little nose, full head of hair, cute mouth. mommy and daddy are going to spend rest of our lives with you. It is simply amazing. We created a human being...



Here is Wesley's story from his perspective:

We just had our baby girl, Jasmine, Monday, Jan. 26, 2009. Below is our birthing story.

Mary was 3 cm on Wed. Her labor started on Friday but stopped in the middle of the night. It started up again on Sat. and became 5-8 minutes apart around 8 pm on Sat.

By Sunday 3 pm, she was consistently at around 4-5 minutes apart so we walked around, squat, and labor 4-5 more hours at home. We checked into the hospital at around 9 pm when her contractions were 3-4 mins apart. When we checked in, she was 6 cm with the baby at -1 station. She continued to have contractions throughout the night and we continued to walk and squat until Mon. morning and the contractions were getting to 2-3 minutes apart. The doctor checked and she was still 6 cm and the baby was still -1 station. We were offered pitocin or breaking of the membrane to speed up the labor so we chose the latter.

The membrane was broken at 3 am and it has meconium so the doctor was a little concerned. He asked what we'd like to do and we decided to continue with her labor. By 9 am, her contraction has already been 2-3 minutes apart and very intense for about couple hrs. The doctor checked her again at 9 am and she was still 6 cm and -1 station.

By this time she was completely exhausted and her uterus was probably exhausted as well since it started to go back to 5-8 mins per contraction again. At this point, the doctor recommended that we take epidural and pitocin to help with the contraction. We decided and agree that we should try it.

She got the epidural and pitocin and when the nurse increased the pitocin dosage, the baby's heart rate started to drop so they have to stop adminstering the pitocin. We tried pitocin again in an hr and the baby's heart rate dropped again.

At this point, the doctor thinks that the baby may be stucked and recommended C-section. I was thinking "oh no", this is what we were warned in Bradley class and here it is happening to us. Mary and I were very upset but we decided to go ahead with C-section since she's been in hard labor for about 60 hrs and there's no progress at all. At the end we were both glad that we went with C-Section. It turns out that baby was nearly 10 lbs so no matter how much contraction Mary had, the baby just won't move down.

The birthing experience didn't turn our the way we wanted but we're still blessed with a healthy baby and mom and that is the most important thing.


P.S. new parents, as soon as you're feeling well, document your birthing story while it's still fresh in your mind, because after few months later, you'll forget and it's probably nature's intention to erase the pain so you'll want another child :) People want to know what caused your situation/problem, what did you decide how did you decide, what techniques helped you, and what was the outcome.


after listening to other's birthing story, seems like the best supportive place to have birth is at a birthing center assuming your birth is a normal birth. however, if something happen or the birth won't progress and you have to go to the hospital through emergency, seems like the doctors and staff on call can be spotty. my obgyn group said they won't take me if i come in emergency, they don't want to fix other medical profession's mistake and increase their chance of malpractice. also, it seems that a lot of doctors recommend things that's convenient for them, not what's the best for their patients. maximize earning, minimize time spent per patient. we see doctors would use scare tactics, bully, or just simply perform it without asking your consent. so it's important to find a good doctor that will do and recommend things that are good for the patient, not because it's easier for the doctor. ask around, bradley method teacher and la leche league. we asked doctors hard questions, but they answer what we want to hear, and when it's critical time, their intention is something else. we went over our birthing plan each time we meet with obgyn group, they're okay with it, but when it's time, the story changes. seems like the doctor want you to deliver on their shift so they can get paid instead of the next shift. also, it's best to get the anaesthesiologist as late as you can. seems like many moms didn't have a good experience like I did and had bad side effects. a mom got the epidural but it weared off when it's time to push.


P.S.S. Expecting parents, we were so glad that we took the Bradley method birthing class. the class meets 12 times, but at the end, we were so much more prepared, not as afraid of the unknown and the birthing process. we know the steps, the signs, and how to make better informed decisions. The class not only inform you of the birthing process and teach you relaxation methods, but also to teach the spouse how to be a coach and be invovled throughout the process. my husband said all the guys in the Bradley method class must be good guys, because to be that invovled and attend the classes take committment :) Melissa Taylor our Bradley method instructor was so supportive throughout the whole process. she's amazing. We're so glad to know her and be part of her class! looking back, the cost of the class is minimum compared to the sonogram and the doctors fee. i would recommend it to anyone who want an informed birth!



Monday, February 02, 2009

Baby Announcement - Jasmine Wong


Dear family and friends,

We would like to announce the arrival of our baby girl, Jasmine LeAnn Wong.
Meaning: Gift from God, God's Gift

黃理安 (nickname 安安)

January 26, 2009 at 1:21 p.m.
Weight 9 pounds 15.3 ounces.
Length 21.5 inches.
Head 14 inches, Chest 14.5 inches, Abdomen 14 inches.
Apgar score 8/9.

University Community Hospital, Tampa, FL

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

America's Song

"America's Song" performed by Will.i.am, Faith Hill, David Foster, Mary J. Blige, Seal and Bono.


Monday, January 19, 2009

A Letter from a Father to His Daughters

From the Parade Magazine.

'What I Want for You — and Every Child in America'
By President-elect Barack Obama
Publication Date: 01/14/2009


PARADE asked the President-elect, who is also a devoted family man, to get personal and tell us what he wants for his children. Here, he shares his letter to them.

Dear Malia and Sasha, I know that you've both had a lot of fun these last two years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn't have let you have. But I also know that it hasn't always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn't make up for all the time we've been apart. I know how much I've missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.

When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me-about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that's why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.

I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential-schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college-even if their parents aren't rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity.

I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you'll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other.

Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and other dangerous situations to protect our country-but when we do, I want to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that we try our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, and that we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe. And I want every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans fight for are not free-that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.

That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean something.

She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better-and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be.

I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you've had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much-although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.

These are the things I want for you-to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That's why I've taken our family on this great adventure.

I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.

Love, Dad

Monday, January 05, 2009

Financial planning with a baby

Started saving for college

With the rate college tuition are going, prepaid college plan might be a good idea since mutual funds are not earning as fast as the cost of the tuition. Florida Prepaid College Plan

Open a 529 college savings plan - allows the college savings to grow tax-free. When you take money out to pay for college (including room and board), no taxes on earnings.

529 plans offer unsurpassed income tax breaks. Although your contributions are not deductible on your federal tax return, your investment grows tax-deferred, and distributions to pay for the beneficiary's college costs come out federally tax-free. The tax-free treatment was made permanent with the Pension Protection Act of 2006.

As your kid getting ready for college within 5 years, be sure to watch the market and move the investment to a no risk portfolio. When you need the money, you need take the risk out and make sure the portfolio doesn't decrease.