Natalie & Family

Since Natalie's birth, we've had tremendous support from our moms (Gramma Tong and Gramma Wang) and our families. Not only have the moms been living with us and helping with diapers, bath-time, and overall care for Natalie, but they've also been cooking up a storm (yummy homecooking... deeeee-lish!), and keeping us from spiraling into a house of dirty diapers and chaos.

Also, (auntie) Lisa, and (cousin) Vanessa have been over almost everyday, chilling, helping out, and keeping us company. Despite having to work, (Auntie) Carol has also been over to help out alot.

This week, we also have Grampa Wang and (uncle) Alex as visitors. It's been a full house and it's been great having everyone over and supporting us through the first few weeks (and months!).

Here are some family photos...

Gramma Tong with her grandchildren Vanessa and Natalie.

Auntie Carol and Auntie Lisa share a cuddle with Natalie.

Proud grandparents Gramma Tong, Gramma Wang, and Grampa Wang.

Gramma Wang with newborn Natalie in QMH

Lisa with newborn Natalie in QMH

Uncle Alex making faces with Natalie, and Grampa Wang.

Grampa Wang with Natalie.

Lisa Yee-Yee and Dennis Yee-Jurn with Natalie.

Natalie Cutie Patootie

Couldn't resist... more photos of Natalie serenely sleeping in her moses basket and also fussing on the change table. Even in just 2 short weeks, she's filling out and getting chubbier :) Plus a new youtube video (see links on the right or click here) of Natalie with very loud (and cute!) hiccups.

Welcome Baby Home Party

Yesterday, we hosted a welcome home party for baby where our family and close friends came by to meet Natalie. The moms cooked up a storm, including traditional chinese ginger-vinegar eggs and pig's feet, fried noodles, beancurd veggie rolls, almond fruit cocktail, fruit and veggie platter, chips (the food of champions) and dip. It was great to catch up with friends and have everyone meet the new addition to our family.

Funny Photos

Natalie's been home 1.5 weeks now. In that time, she's been so much fun. Here are a few funny pics...

Stoners Uncle Alex and Natalie


Like father like daughter


Natalie? Or Clark after a night out?


Definitely Clark after a night out.


Baby hands in Tracy's hands... so small and cute!


Baby feet with Daddy's feet... teeny tiny!




Sweet girl (she does this pose all the time by herself)

The Birth Story

Finally, over a week after the birth, here is Natalie's birth story...

June 10, 2007

6:00am - Tracy wakes up to contractions that are light and irregular. Not sure she's really in labour, she putters around the house for a couple hours.
8:30am - When she is sure she's in labour, Tracy wakes up Clark and together they time the contractions.
11:00am - Contractions start to come regularly at 4 minute intervals, lasting 30 seconds each. Tracy, Clark, and Carol play mariokart and watch CSI. Tracy (who usually really sucks and always comes in last) kicks major mariokart butt through her contractions.
1:00pm - Tracy, Clark, and Mama Wang head to Queen Mary Hospital where they find out Tracy is dialated to 2cm, and her cervix softened and fully thinned.
2:30pm - Tracy's contractions become stronger and she is admitted into labour & delivery. Clark puts on gown and cap to accompany her.
3:00pm - Tracy sucks desparately on Entonox gas through her contractions, but it doesn't really seem to work. She asks Clark to check if it's really attached to the machine.
3:30pm - Clark is asked to leave the room, and Tracy almost asks to marry her anesthesiologist after getting her epidural. Clark and Tracy sleep.
5:15pm - Tracy is almost fully dialated to 10 cm, but her water has not broken.
5:30pm - Baby's heartbeat is irregular, changing with each contraction (up to above 150 during contractions and below 100 without contractions). The doctor is concerned the baby is distressed and decides to break Tracy's waters to check the color. The water is clear (yay!) so they have bought some time. But the doctor believes Natalie still needs to come out as soon as possible and recommends Tracy come off the epidural to be more effective at pushing. Tracy fearfully promises to be a good pusher. They try a test push, but the doctor's recommendation stands. Tracy asks if they can just turn it down a bit? The doctor restates her recommendation. Tracy (reluctantly) agrees.
6:30pm - The epidural is turned off and they wait an hour for the drugs to wear off.
7:45pm - Tracy's epidural has not fully worn off yet. She only partially feels the contractions. The doctor says a vacuum delivery may be necessary. They setup for the delivery. And suddenly, it's time to push. While offering encouragement and support ("Push!"), Clark watches Tracy's face turn red, then purple, and the veins pop out from her forehead. 2 contractions and 7 purple pushes later, the doctor declares she is going ahead to use the vacuum to speed up the delivery. During the 3rd contraction (somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd push), Natalie's head as it is born. Inbetween hyperventilating, Tracy asks if Clark can take a picture, but the answer is no. And with just one more push...
8:45pm - Natalie (a.k.a mini-Clark) is born!

Tracy models the latest hospital fashion.

While tracy sucks desparately on Entonox gas through a contraction, Clark thoughtfully takes a few pictures as the proud husband / father-to-be.

Friends Angus, Gerald, and Marian wait outside in the lobby for a couple hours.

Baby home again! (after 2 days sun-tanning)

On Saturday (June 16), Natalie went again for her check-up at Pamela Youde Hospital and we found that her jaundice levels had risen (from 254 to 263 to 315). Poor baby! So off to the hospital for 2 days / 2 nights of "sun-tanning" under UV lights. She's now safely home (yay!) after chilling in her tanning bed for 2 days. Hopefully, with levels back at 215 today she doesn't need to make a return trip. We missed having her at home!

Here are a few (illegally taken via phonecam) pics of Natalie in her tanning bed. Don't worry, it looks scarier than it is... the head gauze is just to hold her "sunglasses" in place over her eyes, and the glass box is to keep the temperature nice and toasty warm. It's like baby's version of relaxing on the beach :)

The nurses also took great care of her during her stay. And now she's home, relaxed, and just chilling with us again. Welcome home (again) Natalie!

 

New baby videos

Wow, can't believe Natalie is one week old today! It's been a crazy week getting settled at home with baby, but we're loving it so far. She's a such a cutie! And ummm no, we're not biased...

Also, check out some videos taken last week (see links on the right). Enjoy!

Welcome to Natalie Wang!

We are so happy to announce the birth of Natalie Wang on June 10, 2007 weighing in at a heathly 7.6 lbs!

Tracy and Natalie just arrived home this evening so this is just a short announcement with more details (and photos and videos!) to come soon. In the mean time, here are a few select photos. Enjoy!

Tracy and Clark in L&D


Natalie in her crib at Queen Mary Hospital


Close-up of Natalie at QMH


Natalie being burped at home

39 weeks

No new updates... just that we're officially 39 weeks! Can hardly believe we've finally reached this milestone. One week to go! (Or hopefully less?) Saw the doctor yesterday and she said "Any day now." Baby, come out soon please! :)

38 weeks - baby is 7.28 lbs!

Just arrived home from visiting Dr. Lam's and baby has grown even bigger! Based on measurements of her head (34 cm circumference... erm, that's not small!), her body, and the length of her femur bone, doc says she is now approximately 7.28 lbs (3.3 kgs). Whoa, big baby! With 2 more weeks to go, she could be over 8 lbs at birth! But a big baby is healthy and supposed to be easier to care for than lighter weight babies so all's good. And the key thing is she is healthy, with a good heart beat, and still kicking her mom every day :) Tracy's ribs are a bit bruised feeling these days!

Can't wait for her to be born, but hope she can wait at least a few more days (until Mama Tong arrives next week). Also, Mama Wang arrived today! The first of many visitors, and she is already cooking up a storm in the kitchen ...yum!

We're FULL TERM (37 weeks)!

Today, Natalie is officially full term. This means she is ready for life on the "outside" and can be born any time now (even though her due date is June 12). We are both super excited! Here are some family photos taken last night to celebrate. Enjoy :)

So far so good at 36 weeks

Clark and I registered at Tsan Yuk Hospital (for delivery at Queen Mary Hospital) a few weeks ago, and had a visit with the doctor today. We always feel a little better and reassured after seeing the doctor, especially when everything looks so far so good! Baby is in the head-down position and already 2/3 moved into the pelvis. This likely means that, although she has a big head (already 10 cm at 32 weeks!), she "fits" so a natural birth is possible. For those who aren't grossed out reading this... Yay! That's great news because we definitely prefer natural over caesarian :)

We've also unpacked all the little baby clothes (one-sies, receiving blankets, socks, mittens, bedding, etc... everything is so small and so cute!) and are bringing it out to wash this week so baby has clean things when she's born. Her entire wardrobe, including mattress is less than a full load of laundry. Hehe!

History of belly photos

Oh, before we forget, here's a look at a few select belly (baby home) photos taken over the past few months. Enjoy!

Little belly bump! Taken Feb 19, 2007 at Lisa and Dennis's apartment.


They say babies can "taste" food through their moms. Here is baby trying Baci pizza and salad (Feb) at Angus' birthday party.


Look at all the big bellies! Photo taken during mommies-to-be get-together at Grand Hyatt on April 5, 2007. Most mommies-to-be shown here are already moms (except for me and Elena)!


Photo: Baby tasting Thai food with cousins, taken April 25, 2007 at Chit Chat Station. She's getting BIG :)

Update at 35.5 weeks preggers

Here is another 3D/4D photo of baby taken at 32 weeks on April 21, 2007. I think we can definitely see some resemblance to Clark now, especially the nose! Such a cutie... can't wait to meet her.

As for her mom and dad (that's us!) we're so far so good. We're at 35.5 weeks pregnant (just 1.5 weeks from being "full term") and Natalie continues to kick and wriggle around all the time. It's a bit uncomfortable, but good that she is getting a good work-out and building her little muscles for life "outside the womb".

And we feel ready (well, as ready as we'll ever be!) to meet her. We bought a cute little moses basket for her bed, have about 30+ one-sies for her wardrobe, and have almost completed packing of the "birth bag" (for the hospital). Only thing left to do is wait for her arrival. We can't wait, we're so excited!