January 30 - End of January? Can't believe it's almost the end of January. In case you were wondering about the lack of updates, I have been updating on Jenni's Alternative Blog. Sorry if it's confusing. Frankly, it's much easier to update there. Anyways, here are some past blog entries.
What else. Even though I'm taking a leave of absence from The Manzanar Committee and JACS, I did update both websites this week. I also added one of Tony's articles which was requested by someone, China Meshi Manifesto, which was written in 1993.
We're due in 3 days, we're ready and we're waiting. Hopefully the next update will be more substantial. Sunday - Click here to comment:
Comment January 22 - Still Waiting No baby yet but due in 10 days. Currently unable to boot my computer at home. Am updating in Word via laptop and uploading a temporary page. Not sure if this will work. Please see http://kuidaosumi.blogspot.com for updates. Saturday - Click here to comment:
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January 11 - Nesting and Resting!
Tony hanging curtains in bedroom.
Note the new wall colors.
Baby's room is ready! Cute, eh?
Note the nice hardwood floors.
Man, oh man, have we been busy. In the last 3 weeks, we have done an amazing amount of work on the house, with Tony working around the clock, and me doing as much as a 9 months pregnant lady can do, and then some. We have to thank my mom and dad, Mike and Laura, Larry, Uncle Bill, Gayle, Darin, Ayako, Mark, Hector, Lily, Letty, and others who have helped us prep our house in the past 4 months. There's still more work to be done, with maybe 20 more boxes to unpack, but we're almost back to normal. Here's a list of what's been finished:
* painting in 2 rooms and hallway, door knobs, light switch plates, smoke alarms replaced
* closet organizers installed in 2 rooms
* laundry room cabinet removed, wall sanded and spacked, laundry door removed
* new fridge installed
* curtains hung in bedroom
* dining table brought in and set up
* TV/stereo/dvd player set up in living room
* DSL installed (finally reached the 21st century!)
* baby's room finished; crib assembled, newborn clothes washed and hung
* platters and stuff in china cabinet and hutch removed from boxes, washed and put back
* kitchen cabinet removed, kitchen floor and wall repaired
* new kitchen counter top assembled and moved into kitchen
* boxes moved from garage to den, old fridge, washer/dryer and bedroom furniture donated
The last two days, I have relaxed, slept in, took naps on the couch, watched some DVDs and remarkably I'm starting to feel like I can unwind from the chaos of the last few months. Just in time to do some nesting. Birth plan done, things falling into place, but we still need a name! Tuesday - Click here to comment:
Comment January 8 - Plants to go
Here is a piece in the January 2005 issue of Sunset Magazine (page 47) that features Plant Depot, which is owned by my cousins' families in Orange County. It's such a thrill to see my cousin Rod and his son Reid in their beautiful nursery. In 2005, instead of going to those mega-garden/hardware stores, support family-owned businesses like Plant Depot! Plants to go January is the month to invest in houseplants, when colder, wetter weather tends to keep us indoors. But that doesn't mean we have to do without color. Pick up a plant with dramatic foliage, such as a croton (Codiaeum variegatum "Pictum") or elephant's ear (Alocasia), and tuck it into a handsome basket. Suddenly it's "Aloha, Hawai'i."
A good place to shop for both is Plant Depot, in San Juan Capistrano. This family-owned nursery sells a wide range of exotics in its 2,000 square-foot greenhouse, as well as handsome, affordable cachepots (mostly basket type). The two sections are conveniently side by side, so you can gauge the success of plant and cachepot pairings on the spot. The nuersery also sells garden pots and a wide range of perrennials. ---SHARON COHOON
INFO: Plant Depot (33413 San Juan Creek Rd., San Juan Capistrano; 949/240-2107)
KuidaOsumi House Update: In the last few days, new bedroom curtains hung, fridge and DSL installed, baby's room ready, newborn clothes, lap pads, receiving blankets and towels washed and folded, baby gear organized in closet, garage cleared out (boxes back in den), kitchen cabinet demo'd, Tony's patching up the floor and getting a kitchen workspace/counter put in. It's been a very busy week, to say the least. Saturday - Click here to comment:
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January 6 - Need a Name!
We need your help! Yes, you, personal and blogger friends and family who reads the site often and rarely ever comment. Yes, you who are here for the first time and don't know what it is to comment. This can be an interactive website and we are asking for your help. We are at 36 weeks, and we found out today that the baby's head has dropped down into my pelvic girdle. Which explains all the recent cramping. This also means that we need to get in gear, pack our bag for the hospital, pick up the infant car seat (and other gifts) from my office, and narrow down to a couple of names for the baby. Thinking of the book, "Beyond Jennifer and Jason," we'd like to give the baby a unique name that has some meaning, something not on the list of top 10 baby names for 2004, and reflects his/her Japanese or Jewish heritage, someone or something meaningful to us politically or socially. So, any name suggestions? To make your suggestion, click on the link below which follows: "Click here to comment:" We appreciate your help so much! Thursday - Click here to comment:
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January 5 - Welcome Nephew Kevin
Congratulations to Darin & Saori on the birth of their new baby Kevin. Got to see him last night at the hospital--it was a quick delivery! He's a little cutie, with black hair and brown eyes! Wishing the best to the new parents and big brother Kyle! (Also congrats to friends Rich & Joyce on the birth of their son Sam, born just a few hours after Kevin!) Wednesday - Click here to comment:
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January 1 - Omedeto... Ch Ch Ch Changes
Omedeto Gozaimasu! Happy New Year! Seems like it's been a long time since I've updated. But hey, I'm almost 9 months pregnant, we're still fixing up the house, and we're trying to prepare ourselves mentally and physically for the big change in our life for 2005, which is the baby due in a month.
Physically, the baby has a good strong heartbeat, regularly kicking me in the ribs, and everything seems on track as I enter this last month. For me, I am tiring easily, but not sleeping well, peeing hourly during the daytime, and in the last week (or actually the last 5 months) having very severe pelvic pain, which means I am having difficulty standing or walking, getting up or down, getting out of bed, getting dressed, taking the 2 steps up to the house, you get the picture. One of my doctors tells me that my pelvic bones have opened too far, and through the internet, I've discovered that I have most all of the symptoms of SPD (symphysis pubis dysfunction), and have found excellent resources for dealing with it and ways to prevent it from getting worse.
One of the most significant changes for me is that as of today, I am officially on medical leave from my work with Great Leap. It's a major adjustment for me, as I've been working there for over 7 years and have been very connected to my work (actually working full time for the last 18 years). I am looking forward to doing some relaxing and preparing for the baby in my last month.
I've been eating my way through the holidays. For Christmas Eve, we went and had tamales at the Ayala's house. On Christmas, we went to my mom's, I had a lot of fun this year. My cousin Russell brought his hand bells and did a little concert for us, and we all got to play the bells and make music (Jenni, Tony at top, Russell middle). Last night for New Year's Eve, Tony & I went to see "Meet the Fockers." Today for New Year's, we slept in, went to visit my grandparents at the Evergreen Cemetery in Boyle Heights, went to my Auntie Kaz and Uncle Fumio's house for Oshogatsu (Japanese New Year's feast), and then went to our friend Evelyn and Bruce's house for Oshogatsu amongst activists and friends, which is always a fun social event.
In the news, 150,000 deaths and millions devastated by the tsunami and increasing by the hour. I'm annoyed at the press coverage and at the pathetic response of our government. My prayers go out to all the families affected throughout Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Sumatra, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Thailand and throughout South Asia, and the South Asian Americans with families affected by this disaster.
On the homefront, Tony is installing closet organizers, Mike & Laura came over with Amani (at right) and helped with some laundry room demolition, and we're cleaning up, getting things together to move back into our bedroom after over 2 months of sleeping in the dining room and living out of the den. Slowly but surely, things are getting back to normal, although what's normal will soon be changed. Looking forward to the changes in 2005. Saturday - Click here to comment:
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