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Words can't express how terrible I feel that I haven't been able to keep up with this blog. However, I'm starting up again! Come follow me on Twitter @AmandaPanee for updates! I just started it a few days ago, but come follow so you can find out when I post something on the blog!

One Month Old 凱妹滿月了

Mei Mei is one month old today!  We are so in love with her!  She is so calm and sweet.  She only cries if she is hungry or has a messy diaper.  She sleeps well at night and only wakes up 1-2 times to feed.  I am very lucky.  No technique there, just pure luck! 

今天凱妹滿月了。我們實在是太愛她了。她是一個非常安靜甜美的小baby，只有在肚子餓和屁屁濕的時候才會哭。半夜裡睡得很好，會醒來喝奶1到2次。我真的很幸運，沒有任何技巧。純粹是”狗屎運”。

Her brothers love her very much.  Malakai loves to hold her and kiss her.  He loves to help me get wipes or diapers and always offers "I'll hold her for you, mommy" or "you can go take a nap, mom, and I'll watch her."  He is starting to be so independent and has been helping me so much, especially by playing with his little brother.  He definitely is more stubborn lately.  I know it's because he wants to be one of the "adults" because he doesn't want to be one of the babies.  when we don't treat him like an adult, that's when he gets mad and acts up.

她的哥哥們非常愛她。凱凱喜歡抱她，親她。

他喜歡幫我拿濕巾，尿片，也常常自告奮勇的說"馬麻!我幫你抱她”或說”妳可以去睡一下，我來看她。”

凱凱越來越獨立，幫了我很多忙。特別是會陪凱弟玩。

不過近來凱凱有越來越固執的情況。我知道他很想成為我們”大人”中的一員，不想再被看成小baby。所以只要我們不以對待大人的方式對他，他就會生氣表現任性。

Eli seemed to take having a new baby very well.  But it's obvious that he has been acting different as well.  He whines a lot more and doesn't like to listen.  He also really needs me.  as much fun as he has with his dad or with his brother, he still cries when he doesn't get enough attention from me.  I do my best now that I feel a little better to spend more time reading and playing with him in the morning when his brother goes to school.

表面上凱弟對家裡多個新生兒這件事，接受的很好。其實不然，很明顯的，在他的一些行為上可以看到改變。他比以前哭鬧的次數增加也變的不很聽話。

目前他還在一個很需要媽媽的年齡。雖然他跟爸爸哥哥可以玩的很開心，但只要他感受不到我足夠的注意，還是會哭。

現在，我盡量利用早上哥哥去上學的時間，讀故事給他聽，陪他玩。

Things are crazy.  That's pretty much all I can say.  Having 3 kids is crazy.  But I love them so much! 

我的生活非常忙亂，所以目前只有時間寫這麼一點點。

帶三個孩子是一件很瘋狂的事。

不過，我真的非常非常愛他們。

She's Here!女兒誕生

I have a very good reason for the lack of blogs lately. 

我有一個很好的理由來解釋為什麼最近都沒有寫新的文章。

Our baby girl has arrived!

我們的女兒誕生了。

She came on October 1st, at 1:13pm.  She was 7lbs 9oz, and 19.5 inches long!  

她出生於10月1日下午1點13分。重3430克，身長為49.53公分。

We went to the hospital on the morning of October 1st at 5am.  I didn't want to get induced, but because of my husband's busy school schedule, I wanted to make sure he was there for the birth of his daughter, so I made an appointment to be induced on Saturday morning.

我們在10月1日凌晨5點到達醫院。我一點也不想被"催生"，但是由於我先生學校課程忙碌，而我希望女兒出生時他能在我身旁，所以我約了醫生在星期六把女兒生出來。

By this point, I was already 5cm dilated, so I thought she would come pretty fast.  I didn't want to use pitocin, which is the medicine they use to start contractions.  I just wanted the doctor to break my water, and see what would happen.  I was put on antibiotics when I first arrived because I tested positive for Group B Strep.  Then at about 8am the doctor broke my water.  Then I walked around the hospital halls to get the contractions going.  Nothing was really happening so the nurse asked me if I would be okay if they turned on the pitocin just a little bit.  I really didn't want to, but nothing was happening so I agreed.

到醫院時，我已經開了5公分，所以我想她應該很快就會出來。我也不想用藥去讓我開始陣痛，我只想要醫生把我的羊水弄破，然後看情形。

由於我的B型鏈球菌抗源測定為陽性，所以我一到醫院時他們就給了我抗生素 。到了8:00左右，醫生弄破了我的羊水。接下來我就在醫院裡走來走去，希望能早些開始陣痛。但是一點動靜也沒有，所以護士問我，要不要打一點催生針，我真的很不想，但是因為一點都沒有要生的意思，我只好同意。

They gave me a minimal amount and I continued to walk through the halls.

他們給了我最低劑量，然後讓我持續的在醫院走來走去。

For some reason I really didn't want to get an epidural this time.  I wanted to experience natural labor.  And it hurt.  A LOT.  I was crying and screaming.  

也不知為什麼，這次我就是不想用無痛分娩。我很想經驗一次自然生產。

但是，真的痛，痛死我了。

從頭到尾我都在大哭和尖叫。

At around 1pm the pain was almost unbearable.  Lucky for me I had a fabulous nurse who would push on my back and talk me through each contraction.  I had very long contractions so the time in between each contraction was very short, and I didn't have enough time to take a breath before the next one began.

下午一點左右，我幾乎已經無法承受這種痛。還好我的護士非常棒，她在我每次陣痛時都會推我的背，並和我說話鼓勵我。我的陣痛很長而兩次陣痛間的時間又非常短，短到連喘一口氣迎接下一個陣痛的時間都沒有。

Finally, I was allowed to push.  Every person within 15 miles of the hospital could probably hear me screaming.  My poor husband had no idea what to do.  In 4 pushes, my little girl arrived.

終於，到了我可以推的時候。

我想醫院中離我方圓15里的人都聽得到我的大呼小叫。

我可憐的丈夫被我慘烈的叫聲弄得不知所措。

還好，

在經過四次的用力推送後，

我的小女兒瓜瓜落地。

I couldn't believe how absolutely exhausted I was.  

真是無法想像人可以累成這個樣子。

But she is here now.  And I love her.  She is beautiful.  

但是，

她誕生了。

我愛她，

她真的好美麗。

Flying to Taiwan長途飛行

I have been having contractions here and there.  But that's not what has kept me so distracted.  I am NESTING like a crazy person.  It's supposed to be a sign of labor when you just want to clean, clean, clean.  That's all I want to do!  I'd rather clean than blog.  Who am I?! Haha. 

最近常常感到肚子一下這裡一下那裡的在收縮。不過，這不是造成我心煩意亂的原因。我覺得自己像一個瘋子一樣愛清理東西。這應該是要生產的前兆…你只想整理，整理，整理….這是我目前唯一想做的事。我情願花時間整天整裡也不寫我的部落格。我到底是誰?哈哈。

I have had lots of requests to write about my experience flying long distances with my children.  I have done it quite a few times, including one time alone with Malakai, from Taiwan to LA and then straight to Utah, when he was about 7 months old.  

許多朋友要我分享我帶孩子長徒飛行的經驗。這種經驗，我有許多次。其中還包括我一個人帶著七個月大的凱凱從台灣飛到洛杉磯再轉機的經驗。

Here are some things that I learned from my experiences that may be helpful for those of you who might be doing the same.

我有一點心得，可能對也要帶孩子長途旅行的 妳有一些幫助。

1.If your baby is still nursing or taking a bottle, wait until the plane is taking off to feed them.  That will help with their ears, and it will also help them calm down.  

如果你的孩子還在哺乳的階段，請等到飛機起飛時再喂他(她)喝奶。這樣既可以避免孩子耳朵不舒服又可以安撫孩子度過起飛時的不穩定。

2.Bring a few new toys they have never seen before.  They don't have to be expensive, or even new.  Perhaps just something they haven't played with for a while.

帶幾樣他們沒玩過的玩具。不需要是甚麼昂貴玩具，甚至可以不要是新的，只要是他們有一陣子沒玩到的東西即可。

3. Bring treats that they haven't eaten before (if they are old enough!).  It could be a new kind of cracker or snack if you don't want your kids to eat candy. 

帶一些他們沒吃過的糖果(孩子夠大的話)。如果你不想給孩子糖吃，可以帶一種新的餅乾或點心。

4. Don't stress.  I know you don't want to disturb other people on the plane and are afraid your baby will bother them, but believe me- your baby's cry seems MUCH louder to you than it does to other people.  Besides, the plane is pretty loud anyway, and people also have headphones.

不要緊張，不要有壓力。我知道你不想打擾到飛機上其他的客人，所以擔心孩子吵。相信我!孩子的哭聲對父母而言感覺很大聲，但是對其他的人卻不是那麼大聲。此外飛行時機艙內也會有吵雜的聲音，再說，乘客們也都有耳機。

5. Another reason to not stress is because if you stress, your baby will sense something is different, and they may stress too.  Just try not to worry.

另一個不要有壓力的原因是，如果你有壓力，孩子會感覺到有事不對勁，他們也會緊張。試著不要擔心這個擔心那個。

6. The plane is not the place to discipline your child.  If they are toddlers, they will not be spoiled forever if you let them have candy or snacks one time on the plane.  You may just have to let them do what they want just on the plane ride.

飛機上不是管小孩的地方。你的孩子不會因為在一次的飛行中吃了糖果或餅乾而被寵壞。飛行中，你可能需要讓他們做自己喜歡的事。

7. Ask the flight attendants for help.  When I was flying alone with Malakai and they saw that I was holding him, they were very nice about serving me a meal later.  

請空中服務員幫忙。我單獨帶凱凱回美國那次，空服員看到我抱著孩子，他們在其他人都吃過飯後才送來我的。

8.  Don't expect anything.  You will probably stay up a few nights before the big trip, worrying about what to pack and what's going to happen, but you really just have to do your best to go with the flow, and play it by ear.

  

不要想著要去預測出所有可能發生的狀況。你可能在出發前的幾個晚上都因為擔心有甚麼突發狀況而東西帶的不夠…

真的不需要這樣，只要把你想到的都帶好了，其他的就隨機應變囉。

9.  I don't know if this counts as advice, but I think flying red-eye is the best choice.  They will be tired, and you will be tired, but least sleep might be more of a possibility! 

不知道這算不算一個建議。我覺得能在晚上飛行應該是最好的。孩子應該會比較累，大人也會累，所以大家都能睡覺的機率較高。

10.  You can do it.  You are a great mom/dad.  If you are there, your baby will feel safe.  

你一定能辦到。你們是最棒的爸爸媽媽。只要有你們在，孩子都會有安全感的。

Well, that's all I can think of right now.  Hopefully that helps a little! 

這些，是我現在所能想到的。希望能幫上忙。

Just Some Thoughts 一點感想

I have been really distracted lately.  I know it's because of the baby's pending arrival, but I can't seem to turn my brain off.  I think about labor all day long and a very LONG list of things I still have to do grows longer and longer.

最近的我實在是有一些心煩意亂，思想不集中。我知道原因是這個即將來臨的小baby，但是我就是無法讓我那想東想西的腦袋休息。總是想著生產和不斷增加待辦事物的一條長單子。

Being a mother is hard work.  I know everybody knows that, but I often wonder if people REALLY understand how much work it is to be a mom.

做個媽還真的不容易。我想大家都知道，但是我也常常在想大家到底是不是真的了解一個媽媽所擔負的工作量有多大。

Besides the physical things I do each day (cook, clean, grocery shopping, laundry, run around with kids, cook more, clean more, answer questions, get juice, etc. etc. etc) mentally and emotionally motherhood is hard work.

除了每天的體力勞動(煮飯，打掃，買菜，洗衣服，跟在孩子後面跑，還要…….繼續煮飯，繼續打掃房子，回答問題，拿果汁…….等等等。)

不管是心理上，情緒上，母職都是一項艱難的工作。

I am constantly thinking things like "is this the right way I should handle this right now?"  or "am I treating both kids fairly?"  when I only had Malakai, discipline was easy. Well, easier.  He listened to me and his dad.  Two sources of right and wrong.  But Eli gets a 3rd source, his older brother.  Malakai is not perfect and he is, in fact, a 3-year-old.  But he is WAY more fun than mommy, so Eli tends to copy him more often.  It has been mentally exhausting trying to discipline both equally, fairly, and yet still try to teach them differently because they are very different boys.  I feel like I have to be "on the ball" with parenting 24-7.  It doesn't end when they go to sleep because I think about how to handle a question Malakai asked me, or I wonder if I should be doing more with Eli.

“我現在這樣做對嗎?""我對兩個孩子公平嗎?"這樣的問題時常浮現在我腦中。當我只有凱凱一個孩子時，管教是一件好容易的事。不，不能說好容易，只能說容易些。他總是聽我和他爸爸的話。對凱凱來說，只有兩個聲音，告訴他”對”或”錯”。但是對凱弟來說，卻有三個聲音…媽媽，爸爸，和哥哥。凱凱不完美，而且，事實上他只有3歲。但是他比媽媽有趣多了。所以凱弟總是喜歡模仿哥哥。

要對待這兩個孩子公平，又要對兩個完全不同性格的個體因材施教弄得我精神上非常疲累。感覺上我一天24小時，每週7天無時無刻都站在"做媽媽"的崗位上。就算是孩子們睡著了，我還在想著要如何回答凱凱問的問題，或，猶疑是否給凱弟的時間太少…..

And I'm going to throw another baby into the mix! 

在這樣的混亂中，我的第三個孩子即將加入….

Don't get me wrong.  I LOVE being a mom.  But it is definitely hard work.  Rewarding, but exhausting.
請不要誤會，我非常愛做媽媽。

只不過這真是個艱辛的工作。

雖然有很大的酬賞，

但是…..累斃。

Pregnancy Photos懷孕攝影

Here are some pictures that my very talented friend Alana took for me. 

這幾張相片是我一位對照相非常有天份的朋友拍的。

I'm 35 weeks, and I can't believe baby girl is coming so soon!  154 pounds and feeling very big. 

我現在是35週。真的不可置信，我的小女兒就要來了!

目前體重是70公斤。感覺自己好龐大。

My doctor took a random blood test to test my sugar levels and she said I'm doing fine.  She told me to still stay away from eating large amounts of sugar. 

醫生替我做了一個隨機抽血的血糖測試，結果正常。

她要我持續遠離含糖太多的食物。

I am so tired but I am getting excited! 

真的很累。
不過，非常興奮!

Pregnancy Update 懷孕近況

Last week I still felt like I was walking like a normal person.  This week I feel HUGE.  All of a sudden sitting isn't comfortable, lying isn't comfortable, and turning from one side to the other actually kinda hurts.  Just look at this picture!  I thought I was pretty small, and then today I took this photo of myself.  My eyes were definitely lying to me.

不過是上星期，我還感覺自己可以像正常人一樣走路。但是這星期，忽然感到自己變的好巨大。忽然之間坐也不舒服，站也不舒服，翻身時還會有點痛。請看相片。我自己還以為自己蠻嬌小的，今天照了這張相片才知道，我的眼睛對我說了謊。

 33 weeks

34 weeks

I have Braxton Hicks ALL the time.  Not only does my stomach tighten during the false contraction, I can feel my uterus pushing on my lungs, making it hard for me to breathe.

在我整個懷孕的過程中我不斷的經驗”假性陣痛”。在假性收縮的時候，它讓我的肚子變的好緊，我可以清楚的感覺到我的子宮推擠著我的肺，讓我呼吸困難。

Drinking water and sitting down helps to reduce my Braxton Hicks a lot.  When I'm up moving around too much, I get tons of Braxton Hicks contractions.

喝水和坐著不動可以幫助我減緩這種現象。但是如果我起來活動太多，這種”假性陣痛”就會一直發生。

My new doctor here told me the baby has already flipped around and her head is down, but she thinks I will probably go into week 39, maybe 40, since I did with both previous pregnancies.

我的新醫生告訴我，我的baby已經翻轉成為頭朝下的姿勢了。不過她判斷由於我的前兩胎都到快40週才生出來，所以這次應該也會撐到39，甚至40週。

My weight is 153 lbs.  Total weight gain so far is 27 pounds!

我目前的體重是69.5公斤，總共重了12公斤。