The other day, we celebrated Thanksgiving Day.

This year we celebrated with just family who live nearby due to the coronavirus.

• Turkey

• Cornbread

• Sweet Potato Casserole

• Gravy Sauce

• Stuffing

• Mashed potatoes

• Cranberry

• Walnut Bread

Before the meal, we sang along to the song "Edelweiss" played in the musical "The Sound of Music" and thanked our family and food.

I love the food on Thanksgiving Day because it's delicious. I am thankful that my family has a healthy and tasty meal despite these difficult circumstances.

• "Grace before meal（Edelweiss）"

It was my birthday the other day and they celebrated in my mother-in-law's yard.

My sister-in-law and her husband were also coming from California and Iowa because Thanksgiving Day was near.

Arizona is warm until after dark even at this time of year and there are no bugs at all.

• Lasagna

• Vegetarian lasagna (because my sister-in-law is a vegetarian)

• Caesar Salad

• Garlic Bread

The vegetarian lasagna was made with zucchini, spinach, mushrooms and gluten-free pasta. It was so good that it was hard to believe it didn't contain meat.

• Cheesecake (I like cheesecake, so I requested it)

Because of the coronavirus, we blow out the candle with the wind. Before I made a wish, my husband used a booklet to quickly extinguish the fire from the side.

My mother-in-law found a beautiful birthday card in Japanese. She didn't seem to know the details of what was on it and checked with me. We were relieved to see that it was correct. I also received maternity clothes and a gift card.

My sister-in-law also got together and it was fun day. Thanks to everyone (especially my mother-in-law who prepared everything ).

Pregnancy and childbirth in the U.S. can be a time of worry and anxiety due to language differences (especially when communicating in unfamiliar medical words) and different ways than in Japan.

It's instructive to read about their experiences which different conditions of every pregnancy and birth, depending on the condition of the expectant mother and the fetus. There are many blogs and websites nowadays about Japanese mom pregnancy and birth in the United States that are helpful.

I've summarize a list of blogs and sites I've found that I thought were good and easy to understand.

◉ Blog Site Stories

【Epidural Birth】

- 和ごころLA

• Wagokoro LA, Los Angeles resident, first child born in 2019, first birth, epidural birth

- Days in the U.S.A

• Apricot, resident of Charlotte, North Carolina, gave birth to her first child in the summer of 2018 (a girl), first birth, epidural birth

- うぇぶ母@NY

• Ryo, New York resident, first son born in 2016, second son born in 2018, epidural birth

- 【ハワイ出産】カピオラニ病院 無痛分娩体験レポ

• Hawaii-based mom, summer 2019 birth of her first child (a girl), epidural birth

- TechガールのTheUsLife

• Tech Girl, Arizona resident, delivered her first child (a boy) in August 2016, epidural birth

- HGDハバグッデイ！

• Aruga Toko, living in Iowa? October 2013, first child (a boy), first birth, epidural birth, Japanese couple

- アメリカで生きるぜUSA

• Kiyoway, of Torrance, California, delivered her first child in 2018 and her second child in 2020, epidural birth

【C-section】

- Mama Mari アメリカリポート

• Mari, San Francisco resident, first child (a boy) born in 2016, first birth, emergency C-section

- アメリカ生活　〜食と文化と育児日記〜

• ELmama, Missouri resident, April 2020, first child (boy), first birth, emergency C-section

- Calm and Herb 〜マサチューセッツ徒然日記〜

• Yuko, Massachusetts resident, first child born in December 2018 (a girl), first birth, emergency C-section

【Surrogate birth】

- みんなの保健室〜サトコミュニティ〜

• Sakko, September 2017, first child (boy), surrogate birth

【Dad's Blog】

• I checked the opinion of Japanese men about the "Circumcision". In the United States about 70% dose "Circumcision" (which seems to be decreasing in recent years due to reconsidering of its necessity). In Japan, we rarely perform circumcision. Parents usually care for their children regularly.

• I found out about "Circumcision" in my parents class and I am not sure if it is really necessary and I should do it.

- アメリカ在住Naoの資産運用ブログ

• Nao, December 2019 birth (boy)

- 海外で子育てに仕事に奮闘パパ。世界の中心でオムツ交換する

• NY Dad, October 2017 birth (boy)

◉Other Basic Information Site

- ライトハウス・Lighthouseによるロサンゼルス生活・観光情報

• Pregnancy and Childbirth in the United States

- シアトル最大の日本語情報サイト・Junglecity.com

• Parenting in Seattle (pregnancy and birth)

- Coco's room Los Angeles　ロサンゼルス発のアメリカ生活基礎知識情報

• Pregnancy and Childbirth, Pregnancy Insurance, Postnatal Procedures, Vaccinations

The other day, I took a 3D・4D ultrasound of the fetus. (29th week 2nd day of pregnancy)

In the United States, 3D・4D is taken at another facility. (Some obstetrics and gynecology clinics have the service.)

I summarized of the facility I used, costs, good points, and precautions below.

◉ Facility I used

We made a reservation by calling this facility that looked good in the Google.

• Enchanting Baby 3D/4D Ultrasound Studio

◉ Cost

• Silver Package ($99)

【Details】

・ 8 photos (black and white photos)

・ 4 photos (color photos)

・ CD (all photos taken during ultrasound)

・ Email or Air Drop (all photos taken during echo)

・ DVD (all videos taken during echo)

◉ Good points

• I was relieved to see the fetus growing (in the United States, the number of ultrasound is small and I have not see the fetus for more than 2 months after the second echo (after the 17th week)).

• My husband felt more baby is real. (My husband was the most excited to see the face and moving of the fetus.)

• The owner was a cheerful and nice (Pleasant service is important)

• It projected on the big screen of the projector (It is fun to see with everyone accompanying you)

• Since we have iPhone, all data could be saved on the spot with AirDrop (141 photos, 1 photo = about 50KB, which is small)

◉Caution

• Drink water well from a few days before and drink orange juice on the day (Drinking water makes it clear and orange juice makes baby active)

• You can bring 2 people due to coronavirus (I went with my husband and mother-in-law)

• Since it is not a medical facility, there is no medical talk such as breech birth or body length.

◉ In the end

3D・4D ultrasound is one of the memorials and is not essential, but I recommend you to take it.

I feel relieved to be able to see the state of the fetus more clearly, and I think it will be a good opportunity for my husband, who has less chance to feel the presence of a baby than pregnant women, to feel baby.

＜Ultrasound photo＞

Have you ever heard of the Debt Collection Agency?

I've never heard of it before.

What is a "Debt Collection Agency"...

A group of professionals who resolve problems related to debt collection that cannot be resolved between the parties involved, without resorting to legal means, inexpensively and quickly.

◉ The whole story

The other day, my husband received a call on his cell phone from an insurance company, saying, "We have filed a claim with a 'Debt Collection Agency' because your payments are overdue. We were surprised by the sudden thing.

My husband said, "We haven't received any payment bills from you. (We check the mail every day and haven't received it).

"Then let me see your name and address." they said.

My husband was suspicious and hung up the phone to check with his legitimate insurance company.

When we contacted our legitimate insurance company, they told us that we should indeed receive a bill from that other insurance company to pay for the x-rays for our OB/GYN checkup.

But the bill never arrived in our hands, Why? he checked the address.

It turns out that the address given by the legitimate insurance company to another insurance company was wrong. (Of course, we won't get it...) .

We don't know which side made the mistake. The address we have registered with the legitimate insurance company was correct, so it was a completely insurance company miscommunication.

◉ Problem

This time, my husband's credit score will be damaged because the application has already been submitted to a 'Debt Collection Agency'.

In the United States, the credit score is very important to prove your creditworthiness.

(If your credit score is low, it is considered inability to pay and it will affect your life. My husband was very careful and always had a high score of Excellent).

◉ Response

We are not convinced that his credit score will be damaged because of a miscommunication by insurance company.

He contacted the insurance company that contacted him and told them that it was a miscommunication by insurance company comrade and that he don't want his credit score to be damaged.

They accepted that it was a miscommunication and said they would also contact the 'Debt Collection Agency' and make arrangements to ensure that his credit score was not damaged.

They said "We've already filed an application and your credit score may be lowered once. We will arrange to get it back on track. However, we expect to receive a bill from the 'Debt Collection Agency' and ask you to pay it. .

.

◉ Later Stories

A few days later, we received a bill from a 'Debt Collection Agency'. We paid it right away.

We will have to check later to see if they will make proper arrangements to return his credit score.

→ The score didn't go down.

.

◉ In the end

In the United States, I think it is easier to forget what the bill is for because you will receive the bill later. It's good to keep track of them properly.

We take pictures of our bills and keep them in DropBox.

Also, when something goes wrong, it is important to not panic, not to be timid, but to respond calmly and unobtrusively, to check the facts.

◉ Reference Site

• 海外では一般的。コレクション・エージェンシーとは

• クレジットスコアとクレジットヒストリー

The other day, I took a maternity photo at JC Penney. (26 weeks and 5 days of pregnancy)

Below is a summary of the shooting flow, costs, good points, and precautions.

◉ Shooting flow

① Make a reservation by phone

• We make a reservation at this store: JCPenney：5050 E Ray Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85044

② On the day, confirm the plan at the store

• This plan was recommended as general, so we chose this: Mini Media Bundle

③ Shooting

• Prepare your own clothes and wear them. (Excessive skin exposure is No good. Belly lightly is OK.)

• Choose two backgrounds.

• Pose according to the photographer.（about 25 poses.）

• The shooting booth looks like this.

④ Select a photo to print

• Choose 8 photos. (Division such as 4 division is also possible.)

• It is also possible to put multiple pose photos on one sheet. (However, which means you have selected two photos.)

⑤ All the photos taken can be checked on the Web as digital data

• Lifetouch

⑥ Printed photos will arrive in about 2 weeks

◉ Cost

• Total cost: $ 179.17 (about 18,000 yen)

＜Details＞

• If you join a club member (initially $ 39.99), the session fee ($ 29.98) is free for 2 years. We joined it because we thought we will take pictures more often from now.

◉ Good points

• You can manage digital data on the Web.

• It depends on the shop and people, but the cameraman instructed us cheerful and kind.

• The quality of the photo was better than I expected.

◉Caution

• It is good to wear simple clothes. （Check Session Tips）

• You can bring baby shoes, ultra sound photos, and other small items.

• It seems that there are terms of use, but it is good to check coupon before. (We didn't know it, the clerk told us and gave us discounts): Promotional Offers from JCPenney Portraits

◉ In the end

When I checked a professional photographer, the market price seemed to be $ 350 (only for mom) to $ 1000 (including dad). I want to take pictures with my husband, and I want to take pictures again after the baby is born, so I thought that I shouldn't spend that much now. But I want to keep a maternity figure as a memorial. We were happy to be able to shoot with JC Penney.

◉ Reference site

（There seems to be more cheaper and simple plan using Groupon.）

• 和ごころLA：アメリカでマタニティフォトの撮影！安くお得に撮影する方法

We had a Halloween dinner at my mother-in-law's house.

＜Costume＞

I made a simple outfit by painting drawing paper with color pen and sticking it with tape. The theme was "Pumpkin pi" together.

＜Food＞

• Strawberry and spinach poppy seed salad

• Pot roast

• Roasted nut apple pie

(I don't have a photo)

• Shrimp cocktail（Appetizer）

• Chips & Salsa Guacamole (homemade by my mother-in-law's friend)

＜Trick or Treat＞

Around 7 pm, children in the neighborhood came in disguise and brought a big bag. When my mother-in-law opened the door, I said "Trick or Treat" and received sweets from her.

When I was in the first year of middle school, I remembered I was invited by a friend and teacher who were an English studying class to attend a Halloween party at a military base (Camp Kinser) in Urasoe City. I went around each house and got a lot of sweets. However, I remember that American sweets were too sweet to eat.

Being able to go out at night with friends will be one of the special and fun memories for children.