Happy Birthday Emma!

Hi all!

Sorry it's been a long time since our last post.  Obviously, parenting has taken total precedent over extracurricular activities. 

Today will mark Emma's 2 month birthday!!  We can't believe how fast time flies.  Everyone always said: "Wait until you have kids... time will really go fast then."  Sometimes you don't believe what you hear until you experience it yourself and boy is it ever true :).  We have had some remarkable times already as a family and we seem to learn from one another everyday.  Barb mentions all the time that things in life happen to teach us about ourselves and similar experiences continue to occur until you better understand what that life lesson is...  We have certainly learned a bit more about patience, community, family, team work, & support (to name a few).

Emma is mostly bottle feeding at this point.  Becky is able to provide about one feeding a day with breast milk.  Although it wasn't what we expected initially, it has allowed me to bond with Emma more intimately and she's getting the nutrients she needs from the bottle.  Emma is getting stronger and stronger everyday.  In the mornings, she likes to do her calisthenics by standing on mommy and daddy and waiving her arms around.  We love this time with her.  Emma is now starting to smile more at both mom & dad, and we get pleasant surprises with a large smile when she recognizes us.  Sleep wise, Em has been a champ.  She is perfectly okay to sleep in her crib for 6 good hours.  On most nights, Emma is sleeping by 10:30pm, gets up around 4am for a feeding and then up around 7am for the morning feedings.  We are certainly lucky on this front.  However, sometimes it's a struggle to get her settle by 10:30pm.  As good as she is with sleeping; she is just as good with staying awake.  On some days, Em will stay awake for 4+ straight hours and by this time she is so over tired she gets very frustrated and fussy and getting her calm/relaxed becomes a challenge.

We are gearing up for our next home trip where the rest of the family will get a chance to meet Emma.  Getting to this point has been an adventure in itself as we had to apply for several important documents for Emma to leave the country.  She even has her own passport with a "naked" picture of her when she was about a week old.  It's pretty funny; you'll have to take a look the next time you see us!  We're excited to see family and friends in a few weeks time.  I will be in New York for a week to work and hopefully find out next steps after my Singapore post.  This will be the first time I've been away from Emma... and I'm not looking forward to it.

We hope Emma can meet you in the near future.

Here are some recent pictures:

Catching Emma smiling.  What a joy!

The Nguyen Family (Emma was only a month old here)

Emma Jeanne Lan Nguyen

After much eager anticipation & waiting, Emma Jeanne Lan Nguyen was born on January 11, 2010 at 2:26pm at Thomson Medical Centre in Singapore.  She weighed 7.8 lbs and was 20 inches long. 

In typical Rubin-Nguyen fashion, Emma entered the world at her own pace and in her own way.  Dr. Paul Tseng used a vacuum to assist in the delivery, but all was well and Emma's cone head has since subsided. :)  Becky and Emma were discharged from the hospital Wednesday afternoon and last night was our first night home.  What seemed like a calm Emma while at the hospital was not the case last night.  I'm amazed how such a tiny being can produce cries as loud as Emma did last night.  Obviously, we have a lot to learn from each other, but last night, Emma was not a happy camper from 1:30am to 4:30am.  After many attempts to sooth Emma, Grandma Barb came in to help.  It took granny's magic touch to bring Emma's blairing cries to a few whimpers within minutes and then completely knocked out on Barb's chest.  Albeit the small spat last night, we already have some great memorable moments, which brought laughter, smiles, and even left us a little verklempted.  Emma is truly a gift and even though we have not gotten much sleep, her grace, beauty, and sheer presence remind us how wonderful life can be! Here are some shots over the last few days:

A proud papa and his daughter!

Granny and Emma's first meeting.

The newest member of the Nguyen family...

Emma certainly knows how to sleep in style

Tuff reading to Emma for the first time

Tuff has been coming home during lunch everyday to give Becky & Barb a "breather"

Happy New Year!

2009 has come and gone in a blink of an eye.  Time sure does fly!  We've had some great memories this past year which include discovering Becky was pregnant, our 1st trip to Japan, my back fully healing, friends coming to visit us in Singapore (Carrie & Jeremy, Mandy & Kelly), family coming to visit us (Barb, James & Angela), going to Vietnam with James & Angela, to mention a few.  We are excited about the next year and new decade, which we hope will bring  much happiness, peace, and good health.  More importantly, we are thankful to have our wonderful family and friends by our side to share in the experiences and we wish each and every one of you good health, peace, and happiness for 2010.

Barb made it into Singapore safely on Dec 29th and celebrated New Year's eve with us and our good friends, Mike and Mary Jo.  The night was filled with good laughs, lots of wine (for everyone but Becky) and some heated board games.  The New Year started with fireworks from Marina Bay, which we were able to enjoy from our balcony. 

So baby Nguyen decided not to be a 2009 baby and looks like no tax deduction for us.. shucks :).  Becky is getting closer and closer so it's only a matter of days (we hope!). 

Here's a youtube video that Becky can't get enough of.  This kid is too cute for words: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErMWX--UJZ4

Enjoy the long weekend and we hope to see you all very soon!

Becky & Tuffli

Singapore Baby Shower

We are so blessed to have wonderful friends on both sides of the globe. This past weekend we were given another amazing shower for the peanut. Our friends planned a wonderful shower and BBQ! There were games, fun, and wonderful friends. Everyone's gifts were so thoughtful and amazing. We even received a book that is made especially for the baby, using her Vietnamese name and everything. Then to top it all off, at the end of the evening we were presented with an amazing gift, a Rocking Chair. It has already gone to good use, and we know that it will when she comes! Thanks to everyone for the shower, and to Li and Mary Jo for organizing it all!

What a beautiful Cake!

Becky and Tuffli arriving at the shower.

 A wonderful card filled with all sorts of heartfelt messages!

 

That evening; Mary Jo, Mike, Rupert, Roger, Meg, Andrew, Li Chin, and Becky

Awwww what a cute couple- Roger and Meg

Rupert manning the grill, it was all delicious!

Later that evening. Around the circle starting on the left- Li, Rupert, Meg, Roger, Mike, Vikram, Padma, LiChin, Andrew, Becky, and Tuffli- and we are missing the photographer- Mary Jo.

 

 

Even later that evening, Tuffli preparing the rocking chair!

36 Week Check Up!

Well, two more weeks have gone by...the peanut is continuing to grow at a healthy rate! We are very pleased. In this ultrasound she even was sucking her thumb, guess she takes after her mom on that front! The image is a bit hard to see, but if you look in the center of the picture you may be able to see her side of the face and her fingers in her mouth. We will see Dr. Paul on the 23rd of December for our next check up, and we are anxious for Barb's arrival on the 29th. It will be a race to see who will arrive first, either the grandmother or the grand-daughter. Either way we will be excited to see them both. 

First Half Marathon

Last Sunday, December 6th, I completed my first half marathon in Singapore, the longest distance (to date) I've ever done.  Although the race course was considered fast and flat, it was one of the most physically & mentally challenging things I've done.  I felt great after 18 km, but then it quickly went downhill for me.  It didn't help that I ran past every drink station available on the course and relied solely on my fuel belt (32 oz of Gatorade), which I didn't completely finish.  Becky is still a bit peeved at me for this.  Needless to say, the last few kilometers felt like an eternity, but I tried to focus on the finish line and kept my legs churning.  3 months of training left me with a finishing time of 2 hours and 18 seconds, which I'm pretty happy about.  My worst case target time was 2 hrs 10 mins. Here's a pic of me towards the finishing area with a painful look on my face.

If that wasn't enough, here's a link with video of my finish:  http://www.marathon-photos.com/scripts/event_entry.py?event=Sports/2009/Singapore%20Marathon;match=40084

If that wasn't enough, here's a link on how I faired up against the rest: http://www.runpix.name/sin09/00/finord.php?LastName=40084&lan=&aset=0&dist=21

I think I'll stick with 10km runs for a while now, but I'm sure I'll find the half marathon (or even full marathon) itch in the future.

Week 34 Check up- she shows her face!!!

Hello all, we hope that you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. We certainly have a lot to be grateful for! We went for our 34 week check up, and Dr. Paul is please with the baby's growth. He even commented that she is going to be tall- judging by the length of her thigh bone- I guess she takes after her dad! Much to our delight, our little one showed her face today. Previously she has been shy and stayed away from the limelight, but not today. As the scan proceeded Dr. Paul moved the sensor- and there she was! We even got to see her blink and stick out her tongue. So all and all a good Doctor's visit!

So who do you think she looks like??? :-) 

32 week check-up

Greetings from Singapore! After a wonderful, albeit seemingly short trip to the US, we have been back for just over a week. We had our 32 week check-up/scan this week. The peanut is doing well, her heart rate is good and her growth is normal (She now weighs two kgs). In this scan you can see her head on the left and her back on the top of the picture. Dr. Paul is pleased with her growth, and we now will begin to see him every two weeks! It is amazing how quickly time flies. Mommy is feeling well and is very excited that she can continue to workout; in fact Dr. Paul said that it is very good for the labor process. We continue to feel so blessed by everyone's outpouring of concern and love and we are anxiously awaiting the birth of our first daughter!

Farewell New York (for now...)!

Greetings to all...we arrived safely back in Singapore yesterday morning after an amazing, yet short visit in New York City. The trip was filled with time with friends, working, and unfortunately for me, getting over a cold. I am happy to report that the cold is going away and I am feeling much better.


Monday, Tuffli worked and got time to reconnect with the New York office. That evening he had a really nice dinner at Fig and Olive with Scott, Erin was under the weather, Anand and Beth, while I stayed at the hotel and slept. Tuesday night we got to spend some time with Carrie and Jeremy, at one of our favorite upper west side eateries- City Grill. Wednesday I had some time with Kristen to hang out in the city, including getting a “spooky” manicure in time for Halloween- blue was certainly stepping outside of the box- even got some comments in the elevator of our hotel! Wednesday evening Tuffli and I had dinner with Alex at Pig Heaven- a little taste of Singapore. Our last day in New York was finally sunny, after several days of rain. I was able to walk from our hotel down to Chelsea Market and get our coveted 8 year old balsamic vinegar. After work, Tuffli and I met up with Chris and Bethany for a delicious dinner at Quality Meats. It was a quick bite before we had to head to the airport for our 11 pm flight back to Singapore.

So there is a quick run down of our few days in New York. It was great to see everyone and we are looking forward to visiting again some time soon. The next time, however we will be a family of three no longer two.
The baby is readjusting to Singapore time and is trying to figure out when I need to eat. Her kicks keep me vigilant.


Thanks to all for a wonderful journey to the states. We really feel so blessed to have each of you in our lives and are looking forward to many more times together.

Hello New York!!!

After a white knuckle flight from Detroit to JFK yesterday, Becky and I finally settled in the Days Inn at midnight on the upper west side. However, it was well worth the trip as we were welcomed by family and friends on Sunday. My day started at 6:45AM (after 4.5hrs of sleep) getting ready to run the 5 Mile Poland Spring Marathon Kickoff in Central Park. I was greeted with a sunny crisp fall New York morning where I met Lena, Bernard, Kerry, and some of Lena's friends for a nice casual run. I spent most of my run chatting with Bernard and Kerry, exchanging running and triathlon notes :). Good luck with your upcoming marathon and half marathon in Philly!!!

After the run, Becky and I met up with Uncle Bill & Aunt Gerry, from Vermont, to enjoy a tasty brunch at our favorite spot, Good Enough to Eat. The bacon waffles were divine and the strawberry butter was to die for :). After brunch, we strolled around the upper west side and soaked in some rays. Boy it was a beautiful day out today! Afterwards, Becky and I checked into the Hilton and took an afternoon siesta to gear up for the rest of the fun filled day. At 4pm, Becky's NY friends, mainly from TC, organized a baby shower at Carrie's apartment. Thanks Carrie for hosting another shower for Becky! Meanwhile, Uncle Bill and I enjoyed some suds at Soldier McGee's, watched some football, and had some guy time.

The day ended with a fantastic dinner at Carmine's, another one of our favorite spots, with Uncle Bill, Aunt Gerry, Carrie, Jeremy, Chris, Lena, Marcus, Joe, Lesley, Katie, and Kristen where we enjoyed stories, laughs, and Uncle Bill's "Birthday" :-). We are only here for five days, but this was a fantastic first day back in New York and welcome from our family and friends. Thanks to all for the memorable day!

The runners after the Poland Spring Marathon Kickoff: Left to right - Lena, Tuffli, Bernard, Kerry, Lena's friend, Lena's other friend, Alison

The beautiful cake that Kristen made for the baby shower.  Very impressive!

Katie, Lesley, and Kristen hanging out.

Aunt Gerry & Lena enjoying the cake Kristen made

Becky appreciating all the amazing gifts for the baby.

 

Uncle Bill's bday cake!!

Aunt Gerry & Uncle Bill

The TC Girls: Top - Lesley, Carrie, Becky, Lena; Bottom - Kristen, Katie

The dinner crew.  Good times!

Parfrey's Glen - A day with the Rubin - Nguyen family

Today, the Rubin - Nguyen family (sans a few members due to the workday) embarked on a family tradition of trekking through Parfrey's Glen.  Parfrey's Glen is located about 4 miles east of Devil’s Lake State Park and is administered by the park. Norman Carter Fassett while chairman of the Natural Areas Committee from 1945 to 1950, selected Parfrey's Glen as the first state Natural area in Wisconsin. At its uppermost part, the glen reaches a depth of nearly 100 feet and embraces a mountain-type stream flowing through its floor. The Glen’s walls are sandstone embedded with pebbles and boulders of quartzite. This quartzite is conglomerate, sometimes referred to as a “plum pudding” stone. The sandstone layers represent ancient sandy beach.

The day started a bit dreary due to the drizzling rain and overcast, but our optimism paid off as the weather cleared up and the rain dissipated by the time we arrived Parfrey's Glen.  We were welcomed with vibrant foliage, crisp air, blue jays, woodpeckers, and rushing fresh water from the stream that hugged the hiking trail.  The last time we hiked Parfrey's Glen was just before Becky and I left for Singapore and the trails seemed a bit different this time around.  Heavy rains during the June 14, 2008 weekend rushing down off the bluffs above the gorge turned normally placid Parfrey’s Glen Creek into a roaring torrent of water which dislodged boulders weighing several tons, uprooted trees, washed out a wooden boardwalk, and strewed rocks over part of the trail.  Parfrey's Glen was again opened to the public in 2009, although the man-made trails & bridges destroyed by the flood were not replaced.  Here are some pictures from our journey:

Becky next to a large tree that was uprooted during the flood.

The Rubins and The Nguyens

One of the many beautiful scenes from our hike.

Deciding whether we should march forward beyond the trail limits.

The day was too perfect to pass up, so we marched forward to uncharted territory.  Note that Bich is leading the charge :). Way to go!

How could you pass this up?

Becky & Barb

Brother & Sister

The reward at the "End of the Trail"

Lake Geneva

It was a bautiful sunny autumn day today with unseasonably warm weather (~60F) for WI standards and what better way than to spend it with our friends from Chicago.  It's always tough to make the journey to Chicago from Madison (approx. 3hr drive), especially for a day trip and during a short trip from Singapore.  Davies made a great suggestion to meet half way in Lake Geneva, WI which makes a day trip much more doable.  So Becky & I jumped in the car at 10am to meet Matt, Bethany, Ryan, & Mindie at Bistro 220 at noonish for brunch.  We enjoyed a nice brunch with good stories & lots of laughs.  After brunch, we all grabbed coffee (Matt denies ordering a tall warm glass of milk in lieu of coffee) and walked around the lake and through town.  Thanks guys for making the trek to see us.  It was really nice to catch up and hang out for a bit.  Next time we see you guys, you'll meet your "niece".  See you soon!

Catching some rays by the lake.

...

Left to right: Tuff, Becky, Matt, Bethany, Mindie, Ryan

Finally Home

We made it to Madison without any issues or delays (thank God) and boy is it cold!!!  From a balmy Singaporean 90F a few days ago to bone chilling 35F in Madison has been a huge change and not to mention how dry the air is.  You really feel the difference once you get used to tropical weather. 

We were welcomed at the Airport by the whole family sans Huyen & Greg since they were still in La Crosse.  It was really nice to have such a warm welcome.  We'll be in Madison for the next two weeks and the nicest part is that there aren't any big events or holidays to make the trip "shorter", so we'll really have the chance to get much needed rest and time with family and friends.

Hope to catch up with as many people as possible while we're here, so if you're in town, do drop us a line.

Mom & Dad hanging out with everyone after we got back from the Airport

Becky showing off the belly!

"Kicking it" with their neice/grandaughter for the first time.

NY Layover

So we made it through the 19 hour direct flight from Singapore to Newark.  We slept a bit (about 5 hrs each) ate a ton, and watched a lot of movies.  The Hangover is a great movie!  We arrived Newark around 6pm and checked into the Hilton Airport Hotel.  Our good friends from Yonkers, Chris & Elaine, were gracious enough to trek out to NJ for a great dinner to catch up on life and there was a ton to catch up on, since the last time we got together was 2 years ago just before we left for Singapore.  To top off a great dinner Chris & Elaine brought us Rice to Riches all the way from NoLita, one of our most favorite desserts from NYC.  Thanks guys, you're the best!  See you again soon.

October check up

This morning we had our 26th week check up....Baby girl Nguyen is doing well. Dr. Paul is happy with her growth and heart rate! In the scan, you can see her side profile. The visit was productive as we started to talk about the labor plan, making her birth more of a reality every day!


She and I got the clear to travel, and Tuffli and I are so looking forward to our trip to the states! We will spend some much need time in Wisconsin with our families, relaxing and enjoying fall. It will be nice to experience pregnancy, even for a few weeks, in a cooler climate! Then we will be off to New York City for a few days before we head home to Singapore. We are looking forward to seeing good friends and family while there, and Tuffli will even manage to get in a race in Central Park, in preparation for his half marathon in December.

Surpise B-day Dinner

Tuffli did it again! Several years ago Tuff planned a surprise birthday party for me and he did it again. On Tuesday, September 15th, we were just going to go out for a nice dinner, as far as I knew, and much to my surprise there was a table full of our wonderful friends! We had a wonderful time together! I am so blessed to have such a caring husband and wonderful friends!
Thank you all!

Surprised and pregnant Becky

From Left to right- top row: Andrew, Tuffli, Mary Jo, Li, Padma

Bottom row- Mike, Li Chin, Me

Missing from this picture- Rupert :(