A year's happenings

Serene Joy during the year end service this past Sunday

As we approach a brand new year, I am prompted to reflect on this past year. 2014 has simultaneously been a gift and a whirlwind. In 2014:

• I returned to work from maternity leave the day Serene Joy turned three months, one of the hardest realities I've ever faced.
• Alex and I celebrated our two-year anniversary.
• Alex attended a pastor's conference, during which Serene and I had our first girls' week without our favorite guy.
• We celebrated our Lord and Savior's resurrection on Easter Sunday.
• We went vintage rummaging for my first official Mother's Day.
• Alex graduated from seminary with his Master's in Divinity.
• We celebrated Alex's seminary graduation and 28th birthday with a birthduation fiesta.
• We heaped lots of love on Alex for his first official Father's Day.
• We took our first family road trip up north this past summer.
• I received my dream promotion: stay-at-home mamahood.
• Serene Joy attended her first Vacation Bible School, a decade after I attended my first one.
• We celebrated Serene's first birthday with a woodsy one-derland bash. She tasted cake for the first time. We also celebrated as a family at the happiest place on earth. 
• I finished writing monthly letters to Serene during her first year of life.
• Alex got officially installed at our church as the assistant pastor.
• We took our annual (?) family photos.
• We celebrated my 27th birthday at Disneyland and with a sushi feast.
• We dressed up as Alice and her jolly entourage, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, for Halloween.
• We announced our littler love is on the way, who happens to be a boy.
• We reached our one-year anniversary as on-site missionaries at our apartment community.
• We celebrated Christ's birth during the Yuletide season.

So much can and did happen in just a year, more than we could have dared to imagine. As I wrote the highlights down chronologically, I am reminded of God's great kindness and mercy on me and our little family. We are blessed, indeed. I've high hopes for the new year, which I plan to share soon. We cannot wait to see what God has in store for us all in 2015. A very Happy New Year to you and yours!!!

Our merry Christmas morn

Hope you all had a very merry Christmas! We were blessed with a sweet and simple one. We spent Christmas morning just the three (four with our littler love baking cheerily away in my womb) of us at home. Alex labored away the night before, building his Serene Joy Joy a rocking horse while she snoozed away, which is so sweet because he is a self-proclaimed un-handy man. When she woke up the next morning, she followed us into the living room where she made a beeline for her surprise, turning back at us with the hugest, giggly grins. At that moment, I totally empathized with parents who are tempted to buy their kid(s) extravagant toys - the joy on Serene's face was priceless. She got to try out her new horsey before Alex led us in singing, reading the Christmas story, and praying in reflection and gratitude of the greatest gift of all: the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Our hearts swelled to be able to devote time to celebrate the heart of the season.

Then gift-opening ensued. We've been learning that ever since we became parents, all attention is transferred onto our offspring. Such as people acknowledging only Serene's presence when they see us. Alex got a hard reality check on Christmas that it's truly not about him anymore, since 98% of the presents under the tree ended up for Serene. We laugh every time God uses these moments to teach us not to be selfish, because we are so thankful so many love our little love. Out of all the generosity bestowed unto Serene, she favored her rocking horse, her mama-made puppy purse, and a stuffed puppy (gifted by sweet family friends) most. She didn't want to get off the rocking horse, carried her purse around all day, and kept hugging her new "pah-pee." We also got her this wooden block set, which we're foreshadowing she (and her baby brother) can use for creative play in the years to come. We got to spend time with dear family over the Yuletide season as well - at my auntie's on Christmas Eve, and my mama-in-law's for Christmas lunch. Our hearts are full. Praise God for Christmas.

How we announced our littler love's gender

Merriest Christmas to your sweet family from our little one: Alex, Helen, Serene Joy, and baby boy arriving May 2015! We are so blessed to celebrate Jesus' birthday today, and we hope you are too! "O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord."

A step towards independence

We are in jolly disbelief around here because we've made it through a huge hurdle. Serene is officially weaned as of last Tuesday! We want to throw our hands up and dance with abandon (a la Serene in the photos above when we were at Disney's California Adventure last week) because when we commenced weaning, it was a harrowing ordeal. We had been nursing once a day before bedtime for the past month or so, and gave ourselves the New Year deadline to stop all together. To our surprise and delight, Serene was ready to call it quits last week. She had been nursing rather briefly (for less than 5 minutes every night) the past few weeks. Then last Tuesday, she decided she would rather go straight to bed. She is a champ at drinking her soy milk now too, especially since we got her this fun straw cup. The weaning journey took us two and a half months, and we are so thankful she self-weaned. Now we've a little love who is one step closer towards independence. Although I loved nursing Serene, I was ready to stop as soon as she was. After all, I have a five month break before I take on my cow alter ego again. ;)

Making up for last year

Although this is Serene's second Christmastide, it feels like her first in many ways. She was a week shy of turning three months last year, so her very first Yuletide season was spent largely at home, hanging out on her tummy. This year, we're out and about more since we've now an extroverted, mobile toddler. We didn't get to attend Christmas chapel at Alex's seminary last year during his final year as a student there, so we made up for it this year. We donned our holiday attire last week and joined our favorite guy as an alumni family at chapel. We got to hear the Word preached, and then celebrated with a Christmas cookie buffet, eggnog, and friends. Alex always gushed about the homemade cookies, chilled eggnog, and cute families with kiddos running around in their Christmas dresses/suits when he was a student. It was a treat to witness and take part in it this year, especially when it came to observing Serene stuff her face with cookies like she had never eaten in her life.

Serene is still a little young, but we've been brainstorming all the Yuletide traditions we hope to establish with our kiddos. Our most cherished one thus far, which Alex began for us our first Noel as married folks, is prepping our hearts for Advent every day in December with this. We substituted Serene's bedtime stories with it this past month, and we've been finding it so sweet to orient our hearts and dwell on the beauty and joy of Christ's birth, even if Serene doesn't fully comprehend it yet.

Before I knew Christ, Christmas was a jolly holiday full of family, festivity, decorations, and gifts. While all of that is quite splendid, it pales in comparison to what Christmas truly celebrates. So thankful God opened my eyes to behold His truth, and that we get to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, without whom there would be no Christmas. God has given us the loveliest, purest, most valuable gift in His beloved son, who came into the world in utmost humility to die for wretched sinners like me so that we might enjoy a relationship with God. Hark the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King! Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled." Praying that our hearts would be grounded in this truth not only during Advent, but every single day, and that our children would come to know and enjoy Him deeply.

Puppy love

Serene has an affection for puppies (or small dogs that look like puppies). Ever since she was about six months, she lights up at the sight of the furry creature. She will always unabashedly attempt to pet a dog with a silliest laugh or smile on her face. Admittedly, she'd often end up slapping its face or grabbing its tail, but her affectionate intentions are apparent. So much so that her sixth word spoken was "pah-pee" (puppy). I've also noticed her inclination to accessorize since she was about ten months. She will often go to her room, fish out her mommy-made scarf and put it around her neck, then pick up her sand bucket and pull it up onto her shoulder like a purse so she can amble around and play in style, all while looking simultaneously cute and ridiculous.

As I was brainstorming a gift I could make her for Christmas, I thought about making a puppy purse. I've been seeing cute kitty and fox-faced purses, socks, and similar accessories for kiddos, so I whipped up a simple puppy-faced purse for our little love. I used off-white vintage feedsack for the front and back of the purse, lining the inside with a bright pop of cotton fabric. I used tan felt for a spot of color on the puppy's face and then embroidered a simple, jolly face on the front. I found some wool felted ribbon in my stash and used it as the purse strap. It was a simple project that took me less time than I thought it would, especially since I sewed it while Serene colored and played one afternoon. I'm debating whether to stuff the little purse with goodies like a stocking since we don't have stockings up. I'm thinking Serene would love finding snacks, a headband, or a small toy within when she unwraps it.

Looking back at the first trimester

Friday, November 21, 2014

Praise God the first trimester is over! Let's be honest: I am beyond blessed to have a teeny human being growing inside of me, but I am not one of those women who love being pregnant. I am on the opposite end of the spectrum. I dread the fluctuating hormones, the persistent hunger, the overwhelming fatigue, and the ever-growing belly. Going through the the first trimester again this time around reminds me how it wages war against my body and emotions, and my flesh almost always wins. Our littler love's first trimester symptoms were similar to Serene Joy's, except the fatigue and nausea hit even more forcefully this time around. When I was pregnant with Serene, I could usually rest after work at my own whim. This time around, I had a rambunctious one-year-old to chase after, thereby causing my body to wage war against my will. I spent much of the first 3 months throwing up, feeling queasy all day, and not being able to get up from bed. So thankful for my attentive husband who helped out with Serene so that I could rest. He overcompensated for all the ways I fell short during that season. I had a case of baby blues too, coupled with mild depression over weaning woes. Even though I knew this was but an ephemeral phase, a momentary affliction, I was immersed in a despondent, foggy, hormonal haze that prevented me from wanting to do anything.

When we went in for our first trimester ultrasound on Friday, November 21, all of that subsided. As we saw our littler love moving calmly across the screen, the sheer wonder of a wee human creature being fearfully and wonderfully made overwhelmed me to tears for the second time around. Our littler love kept choosing to burrow his/her head into my right pelvic area. Which explains the dull ache in that area for the past couple of weeks! Alex and I couldn't stop grinning as we listened to the little heartbeat. Even Serene seemed fascinated (probably more by all the fancy equipment in the room). They found me measuring 13 weeks and 3 days that day, putting our littler love to be due May 26, 2015. I feel like time is flying by, and our littler love will be here before we know it!

Reminiscent

We hadn't an inkling we were going to the Huntington Library last week until a couple of days before, when a friend bestowed upon us free tickets. We had been there one other time - when we got engaged three and a half years ago. Therefore, it was a doozy to go and rehash that whirlwind of a day, except with Serene Joy in tow this time around. Alex sped walked the whole time, bent on retracing our steps on the same path we took that afternoon in July 2011. He also took the liberty to remind me how I grumbled about the blistering heat the entire time that day. I was in such a sour mood that he had to nab a spot quickly to pop the question before I reached the peak on my sin-o-meter, he teased. Apparently, I had no idea what he had in store for me. And obviously, God showered me with undeserved mercy and kindness that day.

I found the trek rather pleasant this time around, for it was a balmy and beautiful Southern California December afternoon amongst natural splendor. We even attempted to take a picture on the same exact bench at which we got engaged, but Serene was much more interested in exploring the bubbling stream before us than in sitting still for another picture. So grateful for Alex, whom God uses to astound me every single day. He is ever patient, sacrificial, and loving, even amidst my most shameful moments. He's been especially sensitive to my crazy feminine emotions and hanger (hunger + anger), and so helpful with Serene since we found out we were pregnant with our littler love, particularly back when the first trimester seemed to be an ongoing battle. We are so blessed to have Alex to lead our little family. So thankful for his steadfastness, his integrity, his love, his silliness, and his willingness to serve us in any way possible - all of which are evidences of God's grace in him and to us! Never would I have imagined we'd be where we are now that day we got engaged, but I love God's sovereignty, Alex, and our little loves so!

O Christmas tree

As we picked out a Christmas tree last week, Alex and I kept laughing because Serene moseyed about the trees on a mission to touch and embrace every fir she encountered. The process of procuring and decorating our Christmas tree went more slowly this year, but was exceedingly endearing. We spruced up the tree with mostly handmade ornaments from the past two years: feedsack fabric ornaments and paper doily snowflakes made during our first married Christmas two years ago; a paper heart garland from our wedding; vintage message-in-the-bottle ornaments made last year; and fabric toadstool ornaments on clearance from here last year. Serene just wanted to play with the decorations the entire time, and once they hung on the tree, proceeded to destroy. We spent most of the rest of that day and week disciplining her and teaching her not to touch the tree. Thankfully, she doesn't approach the tree much anymore, though it's probably because she's much more keen on unearthing the gifts underneath. Every Christmas is so special, as we reflect on all the goodness with which we've been blessed that year. Grateful to be celebrating our third married Christmas, Serene's second Christmas, and most importantly, lest I forget in the holiday hullaballoo, another glorious year to celebrate Christ's birth.