Hannah May Cui Block arrived May 28 at 6:58 AM. New parents --Marc and Fang --and the new born are doing great. We came back to our sweet home today! Will have a Baby album soon.

I am waiting for my mother-in-law and brother-in-law to come to pick me up. They are accompanying me to the docotor's. Will this be the last visit? Should I accept induction on Monday?

Last time when we tried to park at our usual place--Center Street parking garage, one of the guys told me that there was no space. They did that before, because my mother-in-law's Landrover is too big. My mother-in-law played tough. She told them I was due any time. 

so confusing! Today is THE due date. No baby yet.

Went to see the doctor again. He said from the last period. the due date should be May 11. The ultrasound result from the hospital  came out, they moved the due date to May 23. Then by judging the size of the baby some time ago, he decided May 19 should be the more reasonable due date. I do not care "DUE" any more. I guess my daughter will be as stubborn as her parents. In my school years, I had too many deadlines to beat. The baby, like me, might be tired of "DUE".

All right, the doctor said I should go back to visit Friday if nothing happens between now and then. If still nothing happens over the weekend, we will use induction. That means baby may come either 30th or 31st. We will choose a date.

Got up when Marc left. Had cereal for breakfast. Then read the novel Lili written by Annie Wang for a while. Went back to sleep.

Around 11:30, my cell phone rang. Surprise! The nanny I hired (I ask her to start working after I come back from hospital) decided to drop by. She got lost who-knows-where. Luckily, a nice Korean-American helped her, walked her all the way to Joralemon St, three blocks from my building. I offered coffee or lunch to the guy, but he said he need go back to work. My nanny AYi Chen tried to tip him, he shied away.

Got to know more about the nanny. Her daughter came to the US 10 years ago, she met her husband, who was a Ph. D then and now works for an oil company in Texas. They sponsored her and her husband's green cards. They came here to live with her daughter five months ago. Apparently, she did not like Texas much, primarily because of food. Also she did not want to be a burden on her daughter. So she came to NYC two weeks ago to look for opportunities. Now she was hired, her husband is coming to NYC tomorrow to join her. She told me it only took her four years to get green card. but most people she knew only took two years. Does that mean after I become a citizen, I can sponsor my parents and they can come in two years (although my parents are not interested in getting green cards)?

I told Marc the nanny's daughter sent her daughter back to China when she was four months old. Now she was almost four, and she came back with her grandparents this time. Marc might have heard too many stories of Chinese families sending children back to be raised by grandparents. He decided to sit me down. "I love you, I know your mom raised a good daughter like you, but we are not send our daughter to China". I laughed. I knew it all along. I am not planning that. But Marc was so serious, I could not help but to laugh.

I think I might be the longest pregnant woman patient my doctor Roland Nyein has served. I went in to do pregnancy test when I was into 6 weeks. I was due May 11th. but today it was 17th, I went to see him again. He checked my blood pressure, listened to the heart beat, and did the dilation examination too. He said I was 1 cm dilating. The baby should come next week, hopefully Monday May 23. But we arrange another visit that day anyway. Will it be the last visit before I give birth?

My mother-in-law said having a baby might be the only thing that machines have not replaced human beings yet. My father-in-law added that calculating the due date was not science. They are eager to meet the Bean as much as I do.

Went to Old Shanghai for lunch. I had shrimp with cashew nuts, my mother-in-law had shrimp and string beans, another order of chicken with broccoli, both steamed, no salt, no sauce at all. She does not eat rice either.  But she becomes more adventurous with food since we go out together.

We went to Hello Kitty store at Times Square afterwards. My mother-in-law bought a few stuff for the Bean, including a diaper bag. I found myself still looking things for me. I bought a key chain. So my mother-in-law decided to buy herself some hello kitty chewing gum. Later she told me they tasted horrible.

Then the whole family met. We decided to have dinner at the East Sea restaurant next to Dad's office. We had jelly fish, spare ribs, wonton in hot oils, Peking duck, fried sea bass, triple delicacy (steamed chicken, shrimp and scallop in a flower basket), steamed vegetable with jumbo shrimp. The food was great. Marc asked me about the three statures in the doorway. Dad figured out them by what they carried. "Fu", "Lu", "Shou"---meaning happiness, prosperity and longevity in respect. Really impressed.

My brother-in-law Harry got A and A- for his finals. We were so happy for him. He is expecting to come back for summer vacation Next Monday.  His girl friend got into a law school in Michigan for academic year of 2006. The family had another reason to celebrate. But the reason is not what it seems ().

All right, go to sleep. Do not have plan for tomorrow, but Marc asked me not to take subway, not to leave Brooklyn Heights. Need friends to drive me to shopping. Volunteers?

The Bean must be strong-willed just like her parents. She decides that she is not ready to come to the real world yet. When I went to see my OB&GYN this afternoon, he said we might have to wait for another week or so. He even mentioned the possibility of the end of the month. Hem, do not know whether I should feel dissappointed or relieved. Poor Marc, he has cleared his schedule for next week, but not the following week after that. But who knows, maybe the Bean will change her mind. Whenever she is ready, wherever she feels comfortable.

Went to a Vietnamese restaurant for lunch. Had a big meal. My mother-in-law ordered steamed salmon with ginger sauce. I had black mushroom with Chinese vegetables, corn and minced chicken soup, and shrimp rolls. Of course, we follow Chinese customs, sharing everything.

Went to Ming Pao Chinatown office. All my colleagues were surprised I was still hanging out. They said it might be a good idea for me to walk around in Chinatown. It was close enough to the NYU downtown hospital. And if in emergency, they could get me there. Very sweet!

Marc bought me more gifts!!! An iPod shuffle and a necklace pendent. Pleasant surprises!

Only one and a half hour to go for May 11, Bean has not arrived yet. I was nervous the whole day. So I kept myself busy, cleaning the apartment and watching my stocks going up and down.

Got a few phone calls from friends and family. Very touched by their concerns. Thanks to you all. Marc called many many times. We decided to meet at our favorite Thai restaurant Joya for dinner. I have not realized the weather have been so nice recently that actually the restaurant started seating people outdoors. But we picked a table inside. There must be something strange about me. Because the little girl sitting the next table crawled over to my side, gave me a baby doll and asked me to play with her. She had another doll herself. We took the dolls to park. She sang a song, something like "bear on the mountain". Her parents are a nice couple. The father sounds having been to Shanghai. He said "ni hao ma" to me. They were surprised today was my due date!

A few friends have bought or are looking into buying cars. Maggie got an offer from a research and consulting firm. Congratulations!

Oh, Marc presented me the bracelet over the dinner. It is absolutely gorgeous and elegant! 1 carat of diamond, 5 carats of sapphires. Beyond any description, just like our love!

I guess the idea that I do not have to go to work did not sink in yet. A former colleague called up to vent. Maggie called to check on me. Another friend of hers gave birth last week. She struggled for a few hours. Finally she had to choose to have a Cesarean section. Darn it, I forgot to ask what she had, a girl or a boy?

The whole day I was thinking what the labor would be like. Sometimes I feel that I will be alone home and won't be able to make it to hospital. So here is what i find out under "Emergency Delivery If You're Alone"

1. try to remain calm. (Iwill, but no guarantee)

2. call 911 for the emergency medical squad. Ask them to call your practioner. (hm, should post the number on the fridge door, wondering whether marc's knows my doctor's phone number: 212-226-5530)

3. find a neighbor or someone else to help, if possible (ok, not possible)

4. start panting to kep from bearing down (practicing)

5. wash your hands and the vaginal area, if you can (use soap or not?)

6. spread some clean towels, newspapers, or sheets on a bed, sofa, or the floor, and lie down to await help (do car services come upstairs to move you to the hospital? )

7. if despite your panting the baby starts to arrive before help does (this is humorous) , gently ease it out by pushing each time you feel the urge, catchign it with your hands (probably you only feel the pain) 

I was so tired today. I only slept 4-5 hours last night because I had to do some work in the morning. I had thought it only took a couple of hours, but it was almost 3:00pm when I got myself out for lunch. Guess what, I went to McDonald's. I ordered No. 7 crispy chicken burger. The saleslady asked me whether I wanted large size. My eyes did not blink, "ok". "Medium" used to be my limit. Now "super-large" was not a scary concept any more. Did not like the chicken, the French fries, the Coca. But I swallowed them anyway.

Went shopping. Target advertised for Liz Lange sales. My mother-in-law bought me some maternity clothes at Liz Lange store in Manhattan, very expensive stuff. So I was intrigued to find out what Target (Queens) offers. Turned out it was totally different. The price was 10 times lower, so was the quality. Disappointed. Bought some mother's day cards instead.

Got caught in the rain on the way to work. My brain was as swollen as my hands and feet, due to the pregnancy and fatigue. Then it was the same shit at work. I felt so tired that for a while, I thought the baby was straggled in my tummy. I started sweating. I talked to her, asking her just to kick me, punch me, move around, so that i know she is all right. I went to the bathroom. Then I was thinking I should take my cell phone. What if I fainted?

I was in panic for about 10 minutes. Then I recovered. But I started feeling guilty. What if something bad happens to the baby only because I worked so hard, I did not eat healthy, I did not sleep enough?  Please, baby, we have to work for two more nights. I promise you we will rest.

do not have clear ideas what has been going on these days. it seems that i am really slowing down for the last couple of weeks of pregnancy, physically and mentally.

a brief recount of what happened in the last few days:

Took April 20-24 off for Passover; Soyoung came to visit over the weekend; went shopping at buybuybaby, actually more like registered there; bought two boxes of strawberries; took Lamaze class; went to see the doctor, everything is normal, good to know; farewell party for my retired colleague.

went to see the doctor again. gained one more pound. surprisingly, the doctor gave me a copy of my medical record, in case of i have to go to the hospital in emergency. he also gave me birth certificate forms to fill out. the baby becomes so real, i cannot believe it.

got a facial afterwards. my facial lady is going to help me find a mandarine-speaking nanny, but another surprise, for the whole month, she will live with us. i am not prepared. have to discuss with marc.

too lazy. should call soyoung, arianne, jenifer.

hm, turns out the baby product expo will be in long island.