Happy Birthday, Eric!

Some people are like the pompous attention hog kid in front...I'm the screaming girl and Eric's the content kid on the left who the cake actually belongs to...

So, I've been a horrible wife this year...I didn't really get into the whole Valentine's Day thing...and then Eric's birthday rolled around (on the 22ND) and I had planned a few things...but not with the intensity of past years... by past years, I don't just mean for Eric...but for any of my friends' and loved ones' birthdays, I always rallied the troops and would plan a great party...Birthdays have always been a big deal to me...it's a celebration of you as a person...I used to intentionally NOT remind people of my birthday and see who cared enough to want to celebrate my life and my influence. Each year I think I received a wonderful out pour of love...but each year I set myself up for disappointment...nothing could ever "prove" that I meant enough, one year one of my friends disappointingly gave me her gift and said that she had wanted to plan a surprise party but when she asked around...everyone told her to ask me for help...anyway, this is not about me...but it is about wanting to celebrate Eric.
On his actual birthday (last Sunday) I woke up ready to set into motion my special day for Eric...until the dreaded...MASTITIS hit me like a ton of bricks and before I knew it, I had a fever of 104 and I was delirious! So, not only did Eric not get all of my special gifts and meals...he had to take care of Max and drive to Evanston to get me medicine until I could go to the doctor.
Eric works so hard at work, at home and everywhere else and I was so disappointed that he didn't get a huge celebration to "prove" to him how appreciated he is. The frosting on the irony cake is that he's such a good guy, that he doesn't even need or want the big party. He just wanted a special dinner with his family and friends. So, thank you, to all who called and wished him a happy birthday (and to those who didn't...I think that's pretty crappy!...but Eric won't give it a second thought! So, be thankful for his temperament.)
Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone and Eric know how incredible of a father, husband, friend, attorney and person he is. I don't know if you know this Eric, but you are my hero...you were content to let me shine...because that's your way...you are the wind beneath my wings...and I believe the children are our future...teach them well and let them lead the way...show them all the beauty they possess inside...give them a sense of pride...
yea, if you really thought I would really tell someone they were the wind beneath my wing...you do not know me and maybe should not be reading this blog!!!

Happy Birthday, Eric!!!

The Eric we know and love:

Cheesy Post

If only life could be this fair!!! :)

So, a couple people have asked that I write a post about my labor and delivery...so, here's the quick run through...Day before...doctor's appointment...blood pressure a little high...Julie's surprise party...Morning of...off to work I go...blood pressure a little too high...doctor called, admitted at noon, pitocin at 2:00, dialted to a 1.5 at 8:30...l almost lost it when I heard that...epidural at 8:45, fully dialted 45 mins later, pushing 15 mins later, baby Max at 10:00...so,there's all you really need to know (or would want to know you sick-o's!).I did want to do a quick synopses of things I wish someone had told me before I had a baby...some of these on my list really should be labeled things people told me that I wish I had remembered...

1)Epidural, epidural, epidural!!!! When I was first admitted into the hospital three other girls were in labor...one in particular was wailing at the top of her lungs...up until that point in my life nothing had scared me more than that sound...and she had an epidural...I don't know what she was given, but my epidural wasFANTASTIC!!! (thank you Dr. Carver) I even took a moment from pushing to comment on how easy labor was after the epidural!
2) If you think people care about you, you are WRONG! (and to Lumpy's credit, she did tell me this)...it's like the first time you go through the temple...the world is focused on you..you get doors opened for you...people lead you down the right hallways, everyone showers you with compliments on how you are the most beautiful bride EVER (which they tell every bride)...then you get married and you go back...no nice old lady to hold your hand and tell you how wonderful you are...same thing when you have a baby...everyone is full of encouragement, "You're doing so well!""What a good pusher!" "I'm so proud of you" "I love you's" from everyone. Man, you push that baby out and you think, 'I've done it...now shower me with accolades..." but you look around and everyone has gone with the baby...it's just you and the doctor...he delivered the placenta and was gone, too...all I know is that I had to go pee and Iwasn't sure if I could walk there by myself...so, for all of you first time moms...be prepared...they will follow the baby!
3) Your Milk doesn't come in right away...you read in all the books that say you should try and breastfeed within a few hours of birth...nothing was happening and a nurse suggested that I try to pumpto stimulate production...well, nothing makes you feel as inadequateas pumping for half an hour and looking down at the bottles and seeing NOTHING come out...I know, I know...Colostrom is liquid gold...but you know....you still feel like a failure...so, yes, be patient...and it will come...with a vengence!!! Breastfeeding is natural...but that doesn't mean it comes naturally! Thank goodness for the internet!
4) Nurses are trained professionals, let them do their job! I'm not a physically aggressive person, but I tell you, I was ready to throw down with one of the nurses as she pricked Max in the foot. It took all the self control I could muster to smile while she pricked him for the 5th time in five hours...those are your hormones...you don't really want to fight the 62-year-old nurse!
5) Nurses are people and can totally be wrong...I was actually doing pretty well as a new mom...Eric and I fell asleep around midnight and changed his first diaper around 3:00 a.m. Then around 5:45 a.m. I noticed a little pool of white stuff next to Max. Apparently he had alittle mucas in his throat that didn't get pushed out since my labor was so short...so, I called the nurse in and she told me, "It's a good thing you are such an attentive mother, if you hadn't been watching him while he threw that up, he could have chocked and suffocated."Well, that sent me into a tail spin, I hadn't been awake and I wasn'tattentive,...so, I stayed awake for the next 50 some hours just staring at him and had a total melt down...I've never been one to needmuch sleep...but I do need SOME!!! Which brings me to my next item...
6) Listen to your mothers and mother-in-laws...they did it and their kids turned out fine! So, after my melt down, my mom kindly but firmly(no, not really kindly,...just firmly) told me to CALM DOWN and relax.I think that message hit home when my mom asked me what "high strung"meant because she had heard the nurses refer to me as such...yea, I know...BREATHE!!!
7) Circumscisions are neccessary...but it's not neccessary for you to watch...I'm still happy I did because I was able to be the first to comfort him...but, still...to each their own! My mom was insistentthat I not coddle him too much because that would be detrimental tohis ability to self-soothe...I did some research and it seems that newborns are not capable to being "spoiled" in this way...they are designed to cry when something is wrong...it is not a manipulation and you can at least wait until their umilical cord falls off before you need to start to worry about cutting the metaphorical cord...so, spoil away!
8) It's not fair to ask your husband, "Does he look more like me oryou?" right after they are born (particularly if one of you happens tobe Asian). I've discovered that ALL newborns look super asian...I waslooking at pictures on my mother-on-law's computer and found one of anewborn Asian girl...or so I thought...it turned out to be Eric'ssister's (Annie) baby Audrey (who now looks totally NOT Asian).
9) You're still going to look 5 months pregnant...I knew this one...but somehow thought I would be exempt from this. It's crazy that the baby is out and yet, still so much stomach left!!!
10) It's not fun or easy but totally worth it...Trials help humble usand teach us patience so as to be ready to receive greaterblessings...most of you know about some heartache we had in March oflast year...and seeing Max's face for the first time taught me that .Iecho Eric's earlier sentiment...I have never loved something/someone so absolutely and so instantaneously. I could not and can not imagine a better or higher purpose to live for.

Also, Max's blessing is two Sundays from now on the first of March...we hope all of you who can make it will come! We love you!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

So, Valentine's Day has never been that high on my list of holidays...I don't like chocolate, I think flowers are a waste of money and it always seemed like it was the day for guys that you didn't really like to show up on your door step full of false hope...I'll save those stories for another post...this year I have been trying to see Valentine's Day in a more unbiased way...but it's kind of hard...did you know that in North America, Men make up more than 75% of sales? That always seemed unfair to me...it's like the whole toilet seat issue...if they have to put the toilet seat up everytime...why shouldn't I have to put it down...why should the guy have to put up AND down and the girl have to do nothing...that's setting an unequal expectation...

Well, then I got pregnant and gave birth...so, yes...Valentine's Day is O.k. in my book...in fact, let's come up with a few more holiday's like it...I'm in!

All kidding aside, though...I think I always disliked Valentine's Day because what the movies portrayed as romantic and what I think is romantic are two different things... Eric, much to most people's dismay, is quite romantic...he understands that it's very tailored to each person and circumstance. So, I woke up at 3:00 a.m. to feed Max and at the entrance to the nursery were my favorite gummy candies and a card...now, that's romantic. So, to each their own and a happy Valentine's Day to all!

Here's a little Valentine's Day history if you are interested:

Legend has it that Valentine was a priest who served during third century Rome. There was an Emperor at that time by the name of Claudius II. Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those that were married. With this thought in mind he outlawed marriage for young men in hopes of building a stronger military base. Supposedly, Valentine, decided this decree just wasn't fair and chose to marry young couples secretly. When Emperor Claudius II found out about Valentine's actions he had him put to death.

I have no doubt that everyone has wondered at least once what they would look like if they had a different cultural heritage or what they will look like at certain ages. Well, the Phillips family no longer needs to wonder.

My drop dead gorgeous wife Aimei. I realize I am a bit bias, but she seriously has the most beautiful face in the world.

Aimei the half monkey girl.

Animated Aimei

Aimei as a man. This one freaks me out a little bit.

Aimei as a baby.


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Eric in all his original glory.

Monkey man.

Eric as a girl. I must have very manly features because even as a girl, I still look like a guy.

European Eric. You've gotta love the pink highlights. I wonder who creates these programs.

Eric the old man. Sweet! I kept my hair.

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The adorable Max demonstrating one of his famous facial expressions.

Max the half monkey man.

Max as an old man.