Pregnancy Journey with Baby Kim

Exciting news – We are expecting a baby boy due New Year’s Eve 2023! 🤰🏻

04.26 // Got a positive pregnancy test in the bathroom around 10 PM and kept the news to myself while P was watching the Warriors in the playoffs on TV. I would normally watch the game with him, but I was too busy processing the news! P was distracted with the game, but later told me that he was wondering why I was in the bathroom for such a long time.

04.27 // Told P the news on his birthday!

05.13 // Confirmed 2nd positive pregnancy test

05.14 // Shared the news to our parents and siblings on Mother’s Day! We have a virtual OB orientation 5/17 and first OB appt 5/24 to confirm pregnancy with doctor.

05.25 // We had our first OB appt yesterday. A healthy pregnancy so far at 8w3d. Praise the Lord! 🙏

06.15 // Appt with NP at 11w4d today! I gained 1 lb since last appt, normal weight gain. We heard baby’s strong heartbeat! Then I went to the lab for prenatal genetic testing and prenatal blood work with 2 urine samples and like 10 blood sample vials, which is the most blood I have ever gotten drawn. Feeling fine!

06.23 // Nuchal translucensy (NT) ultrasound at 12w5d today. Everything looks good so far!

Hi L,

Your ultrasound looks great! The baby is growing well and there were no abnormalities noted.

06.28 // Gender is out! But haven’t clicked to take a look yet 🙈

Dear L,

Thank you for taking this important step during the development of your baby.

The results of your Cell Free DNA/NIPTS/NIPS show that your pregnancy is not at increased risk for Down Syndrome, Trisomy 18, or Trisomy 13. Please see the attached for Fetal Sex.

07.03 // Gender Reveal… It’s a boy! 👶🏻💙 It was exciting and fun to do our gender reveal down in San Diego! Had the results since Wed, but hadn’t decided how we wanted to find out and couldn’t figure out how to send the file to someone without accidentally looking at it. 🙈 P managed to send the file on Sat night to his sister who we asked to order confetti cannons and ship them to L&K, which arrived on Mon just in time for family photos my mom wanted us to take for her Christmas card. We last minute planned a video call with P’s parents in Korea and his sister’s family, and my family captured video & photos. Glad both sides of our families celebrated with us!

07.17 // Appt with OB at 16w1d today – baby heartbeat healthy and pregnancy going normal!

08.09 // Anatomy ultrasound at 19w3d today. Saw baby’s body parts all healthy, confirmed it’s a boy, baby measuring 19w6d 12/28/23 but still going by LMP 12/31/23, doctor said baby looking great!

08.28 // Appt with NP at 22w1d today! Feeling good. Had lower back pain around 19-20 weeks but resolved with heating pad. Feeling baby movement since 20 weeks, but not daily yet. Heard a strong heartbeat! Thankful for healthy and smooth pregnancy so far, praise God!

Babymoon to Singapore (3 nights) & Bali (3 nights) booked for 9/30-10/8 during my fall break just before 28 weeks and 3rd trimester starts!

09.19 // Appt with OB at 25w2d today! Normal weight gain, belly growth, and baby heartbeat. Planning to take glucose test for gestational diabetes this Sat AM.

09.20 // I am out sick with COVID for the rest of this week 😓 I tested positive last night and took 2 tests to be sure. It started with a scratchy throat and now I have a runny nose, congestion, and sneezing. Not sure how I got it, didn’t hear of anyone around me getting it, but COVID is going around. My OB could tell I was sick and has a list of medications I can take. Nothing for multi symptoms like DayQuil & NyQuil which I can’t take, list is only for separate symptoms like cough or nasal congestion or sore throat. I mainly have runny nose and nasal congestion, worried it will turn into a cough that lingers… I have been doing a lottt of nasal sinus rinses that P uses too.

09.21 // I tested again today, still positive. But P tested negative!

09.23 // Feeling better! Thank God for a speedy recovery without meds!

09.24 // Phew I made it through my 2 hour glucose test with fasting and 4 blood draws. Going home now tired and hungry haha. I find out the results in an hour!!

09.25 // Just checked my results! PTL!!! 🙏😅

Hi L,
Good news, your 2 hour glucose tolerance test came back negative–so no diabetes in pregnancy!

Your complete blood count is normal – no signs of anemia (the highlighted value is within normal limits in pregnancy).

10.08 // Enjoyed a packed few days in Singapore of walking a lot, exploring, and eating good food! Then enjoyed relaxation in Bali with cheap massages. Now boarded flight to Taipei to SF, flying home will take 19 hours…! Babymoon is over 😭 But our trip was so great, time for the 2 of us to enjoy the last of our freedom before baby comes 😆

10.18 // Appt with OB at 29w3d today – Measuring healthy weight gain, belly growth, baby heartbeat! Got flu shot and tdap vaccine!

11.09 // Appt with another friendly OB today at 32w4d since our OB is out for medical emergency but hopefully she is okay and will be back for next appt, otherwise pregnancy still going smoothly!

11.11 // My baby shower was amazingly done! We loved every little detail from the extravagant food spread to the cuteee dino theme, it was so perfect for us and baby boy! So thankful for the love and support of family and friends celebrating Baby Kim with me! 🥰

11.17 // I had my work baby shower, which was nice of my coworkers to throw me one! 🎉 Baby Kim & I feel so loved 🥰

12.01 // Appt at 35w5d today with another NP while my OB is still out for medical emergency, hopefully back next week when I start to go in for weekly appts. Normal weight gain, belly growth, baby heartbeat. Confirmed by ultrasound that baby’s head is down and normal amniotic fluid.

Happy-sad last day of work 🥲 11 parents of 21 students came with cards, gifts, and flowers for my goodbye & baby shower with my class at the last block of the day! My students wrote baby predictions and advice for us 😂 and played baby shower bingo!

12.02 // P built dresser in baby room

12.08 // We saw a different OB on Tue at 36w2d since our OB is still on medical leave. She recommended we get an ultrasound because my belly was measuring small.

We went yesterday for the growth ultrasound at 36w4d. The doctor said that the estimated weight is 9th percentile and abdomen size is 5th percentile. Otherwise, the baby is healthy. The doctor thinks the baby is small because the placenta isn’t delivering enough for normal growth. He recommended regular scans twice a week to make sure baby is doing fine and induce at 39 weeks if there is no complication. I am scheduled for my next appt on Tue with another OB.

12.09 // P built crib in baby room

12.12 // OB appt at 37w2d today – OB measured belly as normal with tape measure, but still going with diagnosis of restricted fetal growth by measurements from ultrasound. She also recommends induction at 39 weeks, earlier in the week preferred, although up to us to decide the date, if we want to avoid Christmas. Baby passed 1st nonstress test (NST). Will continue to have semiweekly NSTs – one with OB appt and other with ultrasound to check for amniotic fluid and doppler.

12.13 // Finished all 4 online Childbirth Education classes for childbirth, newborn care, infant and child safety, and breastfeeding and attended 3 livestream sessions with practical tips and strategies

12.16 // Finished packing hospital bag for mom and baby

12.19 // Ultrasound last Fri and OB appt at 38w1d yesterday – Baby is healthy and active! Next ultrasound on Fri and OB appt on 12/26, but they won’t keep measuring baby since there can be variance week to week. Doctor’s recommendation for induction at 39 weeks when baby is considered full term seems general to all, not specific to me for fetal growth restriction. Everything otherwise is normal. We decided to schedule induction on 12/28 Thu night when I will be 39w4d and hope to be home for the new year!

12.20 // We are still talking about whether to go through with induction on 12/28 or wait until on/after due date to see if I go into labor naturally. We will wait for the next ultrasound and OB appt. Prayers for peace in our decision and trust in God’s sovereign timing!

12.23 // Another NST and ultrasound at 38w5d yesterday – Baby is still healthy and active. They took another growth scan to compare 2 weeks ago so we can have all the info for OB appt on 12/26. Baby is now 13th percentile for estimated fetal weight (6 lbs 5 oz) and 9th percentile for abdomen. Still diagnosed for mild fetal growth restriction since abdomen is less than 10th percentile. Docs still recommend induction at 39 weeks. But we are thinking to move induction from 12/28 to due date since baby is doing well, maybe just on the smaller size.

12.28 // Appt with a different OB on Tue at 39w2d – 2cm dilated and membrane sweep done. Despite medical recommendation for induction at 39 weeks due to fetal growth restriction and concerns about the placenta, I would like to try going into labor naturally. Booked NST and ultrasound on 12/29 and moved induction to due date on 12/31 Sun at 9pm!

12.29 // 39w5d today! Baby passed another NST, still happy and active. Everything looks good with amniotic fluid and dopplers on ultrasound. Waiting any day now or induction on 12/31 at 9pm!

We are so excited to meet our little one!

2023 Thanksgivings

So much to be thankful for in 2023!

• New home — Moved out of rental home that we loved and lived in for first 1.5 years, bought a newly remodeled house after a year long search, conveniently 5 minutes from my school, hosted family & friends and church gatherings
• Travels — Most international trips in 1.5 years: Mexico City & Cancun (Feb), Taiwan & Hong Kong (Apr), Singapore & Bali (Oct), also Hawaii (Sep) and 3 trips to San Diego (Apr, July, Sep)
• 2 years of marriage — time with just the 2 of us from busy days to quiet moments at home
• Growing family — Our baby boy and a smooth and healthy pregnancy so far, and nephews from both of our siblings
• “End” of teaching career — 13 years of doing what I love and loving what I do

A year of many highs, PTL!!! 🙏

A year of celebrating many life transitions with family & friends:

• housewarming 🏠
• pregnancy announcement 🤰🏻
• baby shower 👶🏻🎉

20 Memories of 2020

We made it to the end of this crazy and challenging year. Still, there is much to be thankful for! It was a year of trusting that God was and is and will be in control, no matter the circumstances we are in.

Somehow 2020 felt both long and fast at the same time with everything that happened – and didn’t happen – this year. COVID-19 pandemic, shelter-in-place turned stay-at-home, WFH, school closures and distance learning, Black Lives Matter protests, curfews, fires and smoke, election, to name the obvious. On a personal level, here are 20 of my memories of 2020:

• My cousin Jeffrey’s passing, and family reunion in New York in January
• PRed my half marathon in February, and stopped running for most of the year
• Stepped down from leading Nursery Ministry at Pillar
• Growing in my relationship with P – our nightly video chats, walks, dates, adventures, discussing God’s Word and praying together
• Distance learning – teaching from home in the spring, and then from my empty classroom since August with the dream team, Kaylin & Marlee-Jo
• Taught Pillar School with Charissa & Jo for a few weeks during school closures in the spring
• Started new hobby of hand lettering
• Quality time with my mom – streamed Pillar Sunday service, watched Crash Landing on You, ate a lot more meals at home, watched my amazing mom complete many house projects
• Health concerns, and COVID scares
• My 31st birthday surprise in Palo Alto with close friends, Salt & Straw, and Lady M cake
• Lots and lots of video chats, and socially distanced hangouts, picnics, hikes, softball games, and quarantine birthday surprises
• Food adventures with takeout & outdoor dining
• Celebrated marriages, pregnancies, newborns, and big birthdays of friends & family
• Saw my brother & sister-in-law 5x (2 trips to San Diego – last flight in February and first drive down in July) despite our canceled family trip to Prague & Budapest in April
• Finally completed a 1026 piece photomosaic puzzle of Eeyore started years ago with help from my brother, sister-in-law, and P
• Dad’s 10 year passing on Halloween
• Virtual workouts with Pillar friends 2x a week since March, and finished 40 days of 25-30 burpees per day in October-November
• Fell in love with P and got engaged on 11/14! Our siblings flew up to surprise me and celebrate with us at our surprise engagement party that our close friends put together and where our families met each other for the first time!
• Finished 12 books including Harry Potter 1-5
• Read the Bible in one year with accountability from P

What a year. Praise the Lord for always being good and faithful and sovereign over our individual lives and the whole wide world! To God be the glory both now and to the day of eternity!

Bye bye 2020, looking forward to an exciting 2021! Happy New Year!! 🥳

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” –2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Reflections on My Twenties

Sad – How I felt about turning 30, but also how badly I failed to revive my blog this year (I kept up for only 3 posts in the first 5 days of January), but turning 30 calls for a moment to process and reflect on my 20s! The last of my 20s was packed with playing hard during the school year and this summer, my two-week trip to Europe (Paris, Florence, Cinque Terre, and Rome!), my early 30th birthday weekend trip to SLO, hosting relatives visiting town, and starting work with my birthday a day before the first day of school. When my actual birthday came around, I didn’t realize it was my last day of my 20s until my brother called to tell me just before 9 p.m. Hearing my dread about turning 30, he was encouraging about it and told me that 30s is better than 20s! He said I can live up my 30s and now have the money to do so. I responded that I already have been doing that in my 20s, which he agrees and why he knows that I will be able to do so even more in my 30s! By the time I got to starting this post, I had 5 minutes left to midnight, I said a quick prayer and looked up a new phone background to remind me daily of my life verse, Romans 12:12, which helped me through my dad’s health situation, as I headed into my 30s!

When I reflect on the whole decade of my 20s, the first 5 years or so was coping with my dad’s passing, finishing school, and starting my career in teaching with all the instabilities and work-life imbalances for the first few years. But the second half from 25 on has been so much fun, and I really enjoyed being 25 all the way up to turning 30!

20 memories from my 20s, both the highlights and lowlights:

• Getting my first car at 20
• Graduating with my bachelor’s degree at 20
• Losing my dad at 21
• Getting into my first car accident at 21
• Graduating with my teaching credential and master’s degree at 21
• Moving back to the bay at 21 and living with my mom
• Getting my first teaching job at 22
• Starting to attend Pillar Baptist Church at 22, and now being at Pillar for 8 years
• Finding a love for hiking and the great outdoors, and hiking Half Dome at 25
• Going through my mom being diagnosed with breast cancer at 26
• Going to my first NBA basketball, MLB baseball, and NFL football games
• Running a few Turkey Trot 10ks, 2 half marathons, and 2 Ragnar relay races
• Attending too-many-to-count weddings of friends and family, and being in the bridal party of my brother’s, best friend’s, and college roommate’s weddings
• Gaining a sister-in-law
• Traveling over summers, breaks throughout the school year, and at times every month
• Visiting Boston, Seattle 2x, Vancouver, Chicago 2x, Milwaukee, New York 3x, Portland, Utah, Arizona, Denver, Sydney 2x, Hong Kong 5x+, China, Thailand, Japan 2x, Paris, Italy
• Getting diagnosed with a stomach ulcer after Thailand at 27
• Serving in the church, specifically Women’s Group, deaconship, and Nursery Ministry
• Buying a new car at 29
• Finishing 8 years of teaching

I’m so thankful for my 20s! God is faithful, sovereign, and good all the time!!

A conversation at my 30th birthday dinner in SLO was asking my friends to share their life advice! One said, “Never say ‘You’re too old’ for anything.” Another said, “Take care of your health so you can keep up with your active life.” Another later said, “Life IS short, so live every day remembering that like everything else, it is a gift from God that we must cherish.”

I wasn’t excited to turn 30, but I’m thankful for every day! Cheers to 30, the best is yet to come!!

Goodbye 2018 and Cheers to 2019

New year, new beginnings! Back to blogging!

There is so much to be thankful to God for, but joy, energy, and good health summarize my 2018!

Working Hard

At work, I had the opportunity to mentor my first two student teachers through a process of applying and being selected to be a mentor teacher. I had such positive experiences working with both of them that I will continue to reapply for next school year. I enjoyed the new challenge to not only teach the next generation of children, but also raise new teachers in my profession. My first student teacher Carolyn who was full time last spring was the support I needed for last year’s class with a few time-intensive students with special needs. Also, I had the opportunity to bring her and her boyfriend to Good Friday Service at my church and pray with her during her job search. Thankfully, she got hired as a first grade teacher like me! My second student teacher Corina who was part time this fall was also a big support to me and my students since the first day of school. Thankfully, my 8th year of teaching has been smooth sailing!

In addition to mentoring student teachers, I got to co-lead Student Council with my closest coworker Kaylin last year and meet with 4th and 5th graders twice a month to get experience working with upper grade students if I decide to move up the grades one day. Also, I had to work an extra week over the summer for an early literacy training. With all of these extra responsibilities at work came extra income. I realized this past year was my hardest-working, but also highest-paying year. Somehow I find myself working later this year than years past, but I love my job!

Finishing Deaconship

At church, I finished my two-year term of deaconship in October and transitioned from leading Women’s Group to overseeing Nursery Ministry over the summer. I am thankful for the opportunity to have served the past two years with my elders and fellow deacons, to have been behind-the-scenes of church ministry and have seen the heart of the elders at our quarterly elder deacon meetings, and to have grown in my private walk with God through the Word. Also, I will always remember feeling so loved and affirmed in my ministry during campfire at summer retreat.

Passing On Women’s Group

In my four years of leading Women’s Group, I am thankful for the sisters who were consistent and encouraged me through the challenges of this ministry. While I felt inadequate to make decisions for all the women in various life stages, God was faithful to grow the faith and fellowship of sisters through this ministry. I am thankful to have passed on Women’s Group to my pastor’s wife Jenn who co-lead with me in years past. She is doing so great with Women’s Group. I am thankful for her thoughtful and intentional planning for our meetings. It’s cool to see more moms come out. This fall, we read through Women of the Word by Jen Wilkins, which was helpful as I found a new excitement to read and understand the Word! I am excited to see the direction of our ministry, as we move from doing a book study (since everyone may not like reading books and may struggle to find time to read the Bible) to actually studying a book in the Bible together this year.

Overseeing Nursery Ministry

While deaconship has ended, I feel busier with responsibilities from once a month in Women’s Group to every week in Nursery Ministry. I am thankful for my good friend Sam who paved the way and did the hard work of setting up the groundwork in this ministry during her deaconship and also supported me through our transition over the summer. While I previously wanted to separate work and church, I am thankful for the opportunity that God gives me now to use my skills from work to serve the church from communicating with parents to working with children.

Running

2018 was my healthiest and most active year yet. I ran my first half marathon in February and beat my goal of finishing in under 2 hours. I finally checked that off my bucket list and accomplished my 2017 New Year’s resolution. My most humbling moment in 2017 was not being able to run the SF Half in July after being diagnosed with a stomach ulcer a week before the race. It took me years to find the confidence to sign up for a half marathon and months of discipline and dedication to train even in humid HK that summer, so I was disappointed to say the least. Six months later with another 10 weeks of training, my friend Jimmy made last year’s Christmas wish come true by signing me up for the half marathon just a few weeks before the race. Thank God for better health, strength in my legs to carry me forward, and coworkers, friends, and family who encouraged me along the way. With a team of 12 runners, I also ran my first Ragnar, a 200-ish mile relay race, from SF to Napa in November. For many years of being at my church, I was the odd one who liked to run, but now I am thankful for the community of runners there who keep me accountable to train and run these races with me!

Hiking National Parks

Other than running, I also did a lot of hiking with my national parks annual pass that I got with my friends Patty, Jon, and Charissa. Over the year of being a passholder, I used it 13 times and visited 11 national parks: Zion Canyon for 2 days, Bryce Canyon, and Grand Canyon in October 2017, Pinnacles in November 2017, Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia in January, Crater Lake and Lassen Volcanic in June, Clouds Rest in Yosemite in September, and Rocky Mountain in October. The annual pass for only $80 was so worth it! (Each park already has an entrance fee of $30 per car.) These visits grew my appreciation and love for the great outdoors and the beauty and wonder of God’s majestic creation! I also enjoyed my company on the hikes!

Traveling Almost Every Month

Another reason I love my job is the opportunity to travel on my school holidays. I took trips near and far almost every month for the week-long breaks, summer vacation, and 3-day weekends.

• January: SoCal for Winter Break, Yosemite day trip over Winter Break, Fresno/Kings Canyon/Sequoia over MLK weekend
• February: Irvine for Ski Break
• March: Bear Valley weekend trip, Sacramento day trip for a failed winter Tahoe weekend trip, San Diego weekend trip for a wedding
• April: New York for Spring Break
• May: Failed Crater Lake weekend trip
• June: Road trip up NorCal to Crater Lake
• July: Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka) for 2 weeks, Hong Kong for 3.5 weeks, China cruise
• August: Failed Shasta Lake houseboat weekend trip
• September: Yosemite weekend trip
• October: Denver for Fall Break, fall Tahoe weekend trip
• November: Seattle for Veterans Day weekend
• December: SoCal for Winter Break

Playing Even Harder

While I worked hard, I played even harder. I learned just how extroverted I am and how much energy I have. For 10 months, I had Moviepass and organized movie nights at the theatres as often as once a week. As my student teacher took over my class last spring, I hung out with friends past midnight on school nights. I was out of the house all the time, and at the end of long days, I came home to hit the sack right away, hence the lack of blogging for all of 2018.

After coming home from Asia over the summer, I scaled back in organizing hangouts for the church and learned to prioritize rest and responsibility and the people who matter most. I try to make time to see friends who don’t go to my church, hang out with church friends who don’t attend big group hangouts, and welcome newcomers. I also try to meet up 1-on-1 with friends to check in on them and deepen those relationships for fellowship and accountability.

2019 Resolutions

Being 90% extroverted, I pack my schedule and hardly leave time to process my busy life and evidences of God’s grace every day and be more prayerful. These were my goals for 2018, but I have a long way to continue growing. This year, I hope to work on these goals by going back to blogging and adding to the collection of my memories on this blog, so check back for new posts! While I think my goals of processing and praying are lifelong and the internal roots of all the external areas that I can work on in my life, here are some of my other resolutions this year:

• Read the Bible in one year by following my church’s reading plan
• Be on time to church for Nursery Ministry
• Beat my time (1:55:58) for a half marathon
• Read the news to pray for the world
• Cook new recipes with the Instant Pot

Goodbye 2018 and cheers to 2019!