Browse Month: August 2013

Alameda Afternoon

DSC_2921On Sunday we met up with the Agustins.  For lunch we went to Hang Ten, which is a Hawaiian place that is more like a crab boil complete with bibs and butcher paper on the tables.

IMG_4298 DSC_2919We had quite the feast that day including whole crab, fried catfish, seasoned fries, garlic noodles, mac salad, rice, kalbi, and spam musubi.

IMG_4280DSC_2923 It was all delicious and the two little girls thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

IMG_4285After lunch, we went wine tasting at Rock Wall.

IMG_4292We didn’t buy any bottles that day but I had fun hanging out with little Zoe.

DSC_2949It’s on an old naval base with a great view of the city and Bay Bridge.  It’s oddly cool to be in such a unique location.

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After the tasting, Jimmy bought us a round of wine and we sat outside for the rest of the afternoon.IMG_4294We had a good time enjoying the sun, sipping wine, and letting the kids hang out and share snacks with each other.

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They also had some cute games and some sidewalk chalk out there for your enjoyment.DSC_2962 DSC_2966

It was a fun afternoon with some good friends.  Thanks for taking us around, Agustins!

Members again!

DSC_2881When the California Academy of Sciences re-opened with their new and improved building in 2008, we got an annual membership.  After it expired, we never renewed.  With Kumquat around, we thought it would be worth it to renew my individual membership.  It allows me to take any guest for free for the next 12 months.  Kumquat is free until she turns 4 so it’s perfect!  Adult admission is already $34 so it’s totally worth it.  Does Sophie want another playdate soon?!  *wink wink*

DSC_2865We arrived just a little after it opened this morning and it wasn’t crowded at all.  I guess we have a lot of late risers in SF.  We got there at 10 and were on our way home by noon for Kumquat’s nap.  It’s nice to have the wide open halls for Kumquat to roam freely on foot without having to be in fear of her getting trampled or lost.

IMG_4273To celebrate the America’s Cup Series, they also had a special exhibit called “Built for Speed”.  It featured the fastest fish in the ocean and also had one of Oracle Team USA’s 45-foot catamarans on display.  Cool!

Egg Bites

IMG_7886I had some chicken and spinach in the fridge so I made some egg bites for Kumquat.  I got inspiration from Pintrest but kinda winged it.  It started out with the following ingredients:

  • 7 eggs
  • chopped baby spinach (about two handfuls)
  • chopped cooked chicken from two nights ago (about two handfuls)
  • 1/2 cup of shredded cheese I found in the fridge
  • 1/2 cup of whole milk

IMG_7887They all went in a bowl together.  I mixed the wet ingredients together first and then dumped all the dry ingredients afterward.

I used a little baking spray on the bottom of each of the muffin wells and wiped it up with a paper towel to spread it evenly.  Then I used a ladle to get them into the muffin tins and I had just the right amount to fill all 12 wells.

IMG_7888They went into the oven at 350 degrees until they were puffed up and golden around the edges.

IMG_7890Here’s the final product!  They went into the freezer in ziploc bags for future meals.  Let’s hope Kumquat eats them up!

 

Crappy Traffic

IMG_4210Yesterday I got off at 3 pm so that Mirian could go home to Karla who was sick with a fever.  Because of a big rig fire that occurred earlier that morning (5 am), there was a terrible back-up even as I was trying to get home in the afternoon.  It took me 45 minutes to drive 9 miles!  Thank goodness there wasn’t a BART strike today.

IMG_4239Look at how different it was today!

Berkeley

IMG_7860This morning I got a text from Mirian saying that Karla had a rash and a fever.  Initially, Jes thought he could stay home with Kumquat but the hesitation in his voice made me think it wasn’t going to work out.  So, I called in sick and felt so bad for having to canceling my appointments today but I just had to do it.  Once everything was settled, I texted Steph to see if she was free for the day.  We met up at the Berkeley campus area for lunch and a special treat.  It was cool being in that area again after all these years.  I spent a summer there and numerous days and nights visiting everyone there on the weekends.

IMG_4224I took a photo of Kumquat in front of the Golden Bear and sent it to Dayantha just for good times’ sake.

IMG_4231IMG_4228After lunch, we stopped at CREAM for ice cream sandwiches.   IMG_4234Kumquat wanted a bite but I didn’t give her any. She’ll have to wait until she’s a bit older. IMG_4235It’s like Diddy Riese and a sandwich was only $2!  I got double chocolate chip cookies with coffee ice cream in between.  Yum.

It was so nice to see Stephanie and Vivian today.  Too bad we don’t get more days like this.

a whole year

DSC_0930It’s been one year since I went back to work from maternity leave.  Going back full-time was rough but I guess it’s painful regardless of how many days per week you have to work.    I gotta say that it hasn’t been easy but it’s been manageable too.

I thought I’d reflect on some things I’ve learned over the past year:

  • Getting Kumquat on a schedule a month before going back to work really paid off.
  • Pumping milk and storing it ahead of time made it less stressful for me the first week back at work.  I didn’t have to worry as much about how much milk I was expressing during the day.
  • The transition back to work was made a little easier with husband and grandma watching Kumquat the first month.
  • Finding a reliable nanny that we trusted made a big difference in how productive I was at work.  I didn’t have to worry very much when Mirian started caring for Kumquat.  She also sent photos of her once in a while to keep me posted on their activities and Kumquat started to sleep through the night once she started.
  • Pumping once per day at work wasn’t enough.  My milk supply started to dwindle until I increased the pumping to twice per day at work.
  • Balancing life and work is hard but it’s worth it in the end.
  • I think Kumquat is more social and well-adjusted without me being around all the time.  I’m not sure I would have taken her out and met as many people as she has this past year with Mirian.
  • The 2-3 hours between work and Kumquat’s bedtime is so precious.  Skipping Happy Hours is a real bummer but when I get home to my little one, it’s not as bad after all.
  • I’ve learned to be creative with how I use my time after work.  For example, I run with the baby in the stroller and the dog on the leash to maintain my health.  We also go to the store together and I make meals for Kumquat after she’s gone to sleep.
  • Making baby food is actually pretty fun.  I just wish I had more time.
  • Taking daily photos and/or videos has really helped me remember and cherish all the funny, sweet, and hard moments.  Time really does fly by when you’re not paying attention.DSC_1966
  • I’ve learned to accept that I’m not going to be the perfect mother and that the house will never be as clean as I want it to be.
  • Sleep and time to do nothing is now a luxury.
  • I now use some days off to have a day without the baby.  If I’ve gotta pay the nanny, I might as well make the most of it.  I usually just spend the day shopping and getting a pedicure but we’ve also taken a day trip to Napa.
  • I miss going out to nice dinners every Wednesday.  One day I will be able to sit down for a tasting menu with wine pairings again.
  • We eat dinner much earlier now.
  • I realized that I don’t really go outside after 7pm on the weekdays.
  • I worry more about bathing my baby than getting to the shower myself.  Don’t worry, I still shower everyday.
  • I make decisions at work based on whether or not it will put me at risk for bringing home unnecessary germs.
  • Yes, my co-workers were right when they said “it’s different when it’s your own child”.
  • Getting to work every morning never gets easier.