The calm before the storm?

The countdown is up. I am expecting my second and it really came as a surprise to me because I did not want to have kids in first place. But it was God’s intention to bless me with #2 and so far it has been a smooth pregnancy thankfully. I am in the 5 week countdown till we meet baby girl. Emerson will be such a great big brother.

How will life change shortly? What should we anticipate being the same or different from the first time?

Since five years ago, we moved further from the city, we opened another store in another borough, we welcomed mother-in-law into our home, Emerson is not a baby nor toddler anymore and fast becoming a quick-witted, intelligent boy who needs as much love as he needs discipline.

I have changed, my better half has more responsibilities. The optical are steady for the most part with staffing stable fortunately. I solved the doctor quandary last year and now onto retention and making sure the insurance credentialing is up to par.

Many would think i have nothing to worry about and most likely, I do not as I prepare to take a longer maternity leave than Emerson. Enjoy the baby and have no regrets is what i feel. Time did go by so quickly with Emerson -I blinked and he is now approaching five years old. It is so true that the nights are long, but the years are short and I look forward to these baby times with my baby girl.

I can’t wait to meet her and also find time with Emerson during the summer months, and I will also find time to be productive remotely if need be. 🙂

Increasing prescriptions and myopia control

When I was a kid, my prescription kept increasing no matter what. My dad told me to rest my eyes after a long period of reading . Reading was my favorite thing to do and I loved to read my Babysitters Club and Nancy Drew mysteries non-stop. I believe I did not listen so well or maybe it’s genetics, but my prescription quickly increased every other year.  There was no myopia control or management in the past. I only wished I could wear contact lenses when I turned 12 and not only wear glasses. Isn’t it lucky my parents owned an optical?

My myopia became worse even in early teenage years until I steadied in late teenage years. At that time, I also tried Corneal Refractive Therapy, rigid gas permeable lenses to sleep with at night. If it was successful, I wouldn’t need to wear glasses in the daytime. However, my cornea was too flat, so I was not the right candidate. I had residual nearsightedness of one or two diopters which was not a success. I gradually turned back to my prescription of -5.50 and -4.00.

Right now, children that have a history of myopia in the family have a chance to try something different that can manage their chance of increasing prescription. No one wants to wear heavy lenses when the prescription gets to -4.00 and above.

Modern lifestyle has children spend too much time in front of tablets or tv and not enough time outdoors.  It is fortunate that now we have myopia control tools like soft contact lenses like the brand Misight so that children as young as eight can wear the contacts to control the progression of myopia. Misight slows myopia progression and corrects vision at the same time.

I believe it’s exciting that children can have a chance to control nearsightedness by having an option of soft contact lenses. I have a young son and I always try to reduce his time on the Ipad or in front of the TV. You can encourage your young child to spend an hour or two outdoors in order to lessen their chance of having too much time in front of digital devices. Fresh air doesn’t hurt anyone!

Learn more about Misight at my www.mottoptical.com stores today. 

Time to look cool in the sun!

Did you know that even on a cloudy day your eyes are exposed to ultraviolet light from the sun? Ultraviolet light or UV can cause long term issues like early on-set cataracts and macular generation, to short term issues like photo keratitis (eye pain and blurry vision) and pterygium (bump on the eye). Wearing sunglasses or photochromic lenses is the best way to prevent against easily avoidable eye diseases. You can look great too!

There are different ways in which you can protect your eyes. If you constantly need prescription lenses are always in and out of the office, consider wearing photochromic lenses. They change up to 80% dark in color when you go outside.

The brand we work closely with is Transitions which are convenient and stylish to have. In fact, most of my own glasses are Transitions because of the ease in which they change from dark to light and back again when going inside and outside. This comes in handy especially while driving.  They can come in different colors as well from amethyst to blue to the more popular grey and brown.

Another great option is polarized lenses which are great for those that drive frequently, participate in outdoor activities, or at the beach. They reduce the sun’s blinding glare and gives the sharpest vision while being outdoors. Unlike tinted lenses, polarized lenses have a permanent filter so are longer lasting. These lenses come in both black and brown colors. For the best results try adding a black anti-glare coating. Look sharp and see the best outdoors with polarized lenses!

The third option you can get are clip-ons. We recommend this option if you adore fashion and a fast option you can get in a week. They work with any material frame (acetate or metal).

Remember you only have one pair of eyes and protecting your them against the harmful glare of summer’s sun is critical. Please ask our stores about these options today.

Protect your children’s eyes

I’ve always been interested in glasses and part of the optical world.  I remember my first pair of glasses vividly. They were pink multicolor metal frames and I wore them to my third grade classroom proudly. It was a cool and different look for me. My dad had picked them out for me so they were extra special. I was one out of several kids who wore glasses at school but I didn’t mind them–they helped me stand out.

I was also one of those kids whose prescription increased every year. I only had a slightly near-sighted (inability to focus on far objects) prescription (-1.25) in third grade but kept increasing by a quarter or half a diopter every year until I stabilized in my late teens. My family and I blamed the fact that I read a lot while not getting adequate lighting. I was also known to be quite studious but didn’t listen to my father when he told me to rest my eyes after a long time reading or doing close work. 

That is why it is recommended to do the 20/20/20 rule- Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. The 20/20/20 rule was popularized by Dr. Jeff Anshell, a specialist in “vision ergonomics.”  This should reduce eye strain caused by looking at digital screens for too long.

We encourage your children to book an eye exam anytime he/she feels eye strain or limited clarity. It is very important to take your children to the eye doctor so we can detect refractive errors more early on. It’s important to determine if your child has nearsightedness, far-sightedness, or astigmatism which are the common refractive errors. but there are other conditions to look out for as well.  For example, the earlier we detect amblyopia as well as color blindness and depth perception, the better we can do to refer to the right pediatric ophthalmologist for more treatment and care.

In addition, the Vision Council reports symptoms like reduced attention span, irritability, eye strain, headaches if a child is exposed to screen time for two hours or more. In this digital age, it is important to monitor your kids’ usage of these devices and get their eyes checked today! Also, be sure to rest your eyes at the appropriate time so that you will reduce eye strain and headaches!

Book an appointment TODAY https://www.mottoptical.com/pages/appointment-booking to make sure your children’s eyesight is the best for the coming school year!

Confessions of a new mother

So yes, a milestone has passed, hasn’t it? My baby turned 1 and that signaled him to be officially a toddler. I am grateful beyond words everyday. However, I would like to express myself in words so here it is:

I never thought that i would feel as emotional as I feel. I capture every moment that I could and feel very lucky to have my little baby. My Emerson has been the calmest, happiest baby ever and it’s really such a blessing. How could a small human change me so much?  Remember, I never imagined a life with a baby and now I cannot mention life without. Life works really oddly and I guess God has intended me to raise a kid and learn the adventures and challenges of motherhood. I can’t wait to grow with my little one and experience the many firsts that there will beAT8A4217.

I never also knew how my mom would feel until I had my young one. My mother even now always worries about me and only has me and my siblings’ best interests at heart and now i can say, not one moment passes without me thinking if Emerson had enough to eat, sleeping enough, warm enough, cold enough, etc. Not until this moment this past year has brought do I feel my mother’s feelings in its entirety.

I believe the worried feelings will even increase as my baby grows older. He walks around and explores EVERYTHING at the moment. He is an early walker as compared with other babies i know of. Therefore, the closets, bathrooms have to be closed; we supervise him 24-7 when he’s not on his high chair or in bed. It’s gratifying but tiring work since my husband and I both work. I am thankful for our nanny too who takes a big load off of us.

Regarding work- I am still part time (4 days) at store and half day Work From Home when I can and I think that is good enough because I do not want to miss my baby’s moments. He changes a lot every day and can pick up new knowledge in an instant. I also need him to prefer me like how he loves daddy and nanny. Sometimes I feel like I’m third in preference. Maybe it’s just a feeling. But balancing is hard. I feel guilty when I’m at work that I’m not with my baby but guilty when I’m at home when I’m not working. It’s hard. Working moms do not have it easy. I can be flexible with my time but sometimes I feel like I’m not optimizing my work time. Again, this feeling can change and I need to work on productivity. Are there any working moms out there?

 

There is someone bigger than yourself.

That was the realization that finally hit me after a life-changing event of the birth of my son on July 20, 2019 almost 3 months ago. It was an indescribable feeling of knowing that you were actually in charge of giving birth to a human being that would rely on you in a way that you haven’t been relied on before. In the wee hours of the night the subsequent two nights after the birth of Emerson in the hospital, I would wonder what an accomplishment this was and how hard labor was. Granted it was not as hard and long as other pregnancies and labors that I’ve heard of and my labor and delivery was give and take 27 hours- but i had no epidural and that by itself is quite an accomplishment. I was up the next 48 hours with jagged sleep just thinking what this would all mean. I was responsible for this little beautiful cute little baby boy! He is mine. I made him.

These feelings were reconfirmed of its importance by my mom in the first week that I went back to her home to spend the month to recover. She said that work can wait but Emerson was all I had and i was in charge of feeding, cleaning, taking care of him to the best of my ability and i’m all he has (besides from dad). This is a momentous time since I never before thought to have another person so reliant on me. I was also not ready to face motherhood since baby came early, and I didn’t anticipate feeling a bit of trepidation in this new stage of life.

From that moment on, whenever I did things for myself I would also think of my son too- was he going to be ok if i went to the gym? Can i run to the bathroom quickly and will he be ok? Can I go to work without feeling guilty that I’m leaving him behind? These thoughts and worries would subside as the months went on- as I relied more on my husband and the nanny and as I settled down to become a new mother who can relax after all. The whole point is that I could no longer just think of myself and think of what motherhood would mean in the long-term. There is overwhelming joy, so much change and a little person that I loved with all my heart, with a love so unimaginable, special, overwhelming.

From playtime, to feeding time, to his first smiles and non stop adorable expressions, I feel a love so overwhelmingly sweet and constant, that it is no wonder all women who has had the great fortune of being a mom say that it is a unique and one of a kind feeling that must be felt if one is fortunate and lucky enough. I do not doubt it anymore.

From all my reservations I’ve had all my life I had with motherhood has been dashed in the brief 3 months since Emerson has been born. Whatever I do now would be for him, first and foremost. He has become such an important priority.

I’ve always thought of myself as a selfish person -that was the reason why I didn’t want to have kids in the first place. It was all about my ambition, my success, my life, my travels, my desires. However, it is different now. Life is richer with my little boy and life will never be the same but for the better. I am so grateful since July 20th 2019 and I am looking forward to all the firsts that there will be with my little bundle of joy.

“Sometimes the littlest things take up the most room in your heart.” 

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Does your child need glasses? When should you get your kid an eye test

One article that I came across with recently is about when you should bring your kid to an eye test.

Since I’ve been born, I have been immersed with glasses and eye test so normally , i would get one annually.  I remember my first pair of glasses vividly. They were pink metal frames and I wore them to my third grade classroom proudly. It was a different look but they were cool and my dad picked them out for me.

When you take your children to the eye doctor is very important and we can detect more than refractive errors. Amblyopia can be detected as well as color blindness and depth perception.

This article talks more in-depth about receiving an eye exam and more details on when you should bring your child.

https://us.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/2018061649493/kids-eye-test-glasses-children/

 

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Book your appointments today!

Quote of the moment

“NOTHING IS CHANGING UNLESS YOU MAKE IT CHANGE. THE BEST TIME TO ACT ON A FEELING YOU HAVE IS RIGHT NOW. THINKING ABOUT IT JUST MAKES IT HARDER. REMEMBER THE FIRST FIVE SECOND RULE. IF YOU ARE WAITING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE UNTIL YOU HAVE MORE TIME, MAKE TIME TO START YOUR SEARCH RIGHT NOW. THE LONGER YOU WAIT, THE LESS LIKELY YOU WILL TO ACT.” – Mel Robbins

So everyone knows I’m on a Quest to make my best self. It started with the Miracle Morning with Hal Elrod, and now extends to what comes next in building my Level 10 Life in all aspects- work, family, finances, health, personal, spiritual, giving. I’ve been reading books about finance first, and now also reading management books and books regarding focus and maintaining it throughout each day.  I do want to earn more this year and i will not wait until i’m “ready” and delay any longer.

Another goal is to meal prep. This month, April- i will cook every Friday or Sunday for the rest of the week. I will find accountability partners to hold me accountable. I will not be lazy and make excuses to make sure i have the best healthy body ever.

For my business goals and ideas, I will join a local Mastermind Group and was in touch with one yesterday. She sounds like a solid leader so far and i hope I can benefit from it. Remember what JLD (via Jim Rohn) from http://www.EOFIRE.com says: we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. I do believe in having like minded individuals to push me.

Additionally, I need a plan for exercise in which i just wrote down this morning. I intend to work out everyday and in the morning. I need to adjust Miracle Morning for exercise to go first or it won’t get done because I tend to lag with my writing and reading during the morning. Hope the coffee and smoothie will kick in earlier so that I will be less sleepy. Yes, I can do it.

For my personal and family goals, I will share in next post. =)

As Mel says, takes 5 seconds for change and i will start changing TODAY.

And for those who want to read the book “5 Second Rule” it is available on Amazon: