New Year, New Clothes

I can't believe 2020 went pass in a flash like that. Quite honestly, I don't think I have much of any achievement to boast of, except the birth of a baby and as a result a launch of a rather sucessful series - Baby Talk. This year, most of my money has been spent on my child and the vast quantity went to his clothes. It is really something you can never have too much of. Oops. 

Many people will tell you that you shouldn't spend too much on your child's dressing in their early years because they grow up way too fast. But please don't go to the extreme and don't spend at all. I am saying this because I do derive a lot of joy dressing my child and I know one day he won't let me dress him the way I please anymore. 

And so, now when I am shopping, I decided to get bigger-sized clothes for baby. Believe it or not, our little one is wearing clothes nearing 9 months-old. He is really growing up too fast and outgrowing his clothes even before wearing them. Such a waste! A lot of my friends have commented that our child dress very dashingly. 

Everyone thinks we spend quite a lot on our child's clothes. Actually, if you buy during sales, you can get quality apparels at a very good price. Today, let me introduce you a new clothes store we found - Piou Piou Club. The clothes there is really stylish and I can assure you their product quality is very decent. My only grouse is their selection is a little limited, but on the bright side, if they had any more clothes, they might truly slowly burn a hole in my pocket. 

Just look at the intricate details in some of the designs I pick. This time round, I am getting greater than 1 year old clothes for my kiddo, haha. (This mama growing smarter already...hehe.) I am generally very satisfied with all the pieces except one - the YEAH PERFECT Children Boy Denim Shirt, which might seem a bit warm given the furry materinal on the inside. Was actually hoping to double it up as a top but I guess it can only be used as an outerwear (this is adding on to the 8 outerwears my boy already has, OH GAWD!)

Here's a lobang alert, all the pieces are currently on 30% discount, sales item included. It is really quite a good time to snatch some pieces off the shelf. After all, Chinese New Year is coming and if you are pantang like us, New Year MUST wear new clothes!

Merry Christmas: Feat. Ed Charly

This year, I feel like any form of structure in my life has been pulled apart yet not re-assembled. Haha. First, covid struck and we pretty much started to work from home. This was the first time I stayed at home so long. I got pregnant too this year so this mean I was pretty much stuck at home most of the time (very boring yes). And then, we welcomed a baby late this quarter and this child almost rob all our time away in the first year. 

Finally, after 2 odd months since his arrival, we have a breather. Can't really slack too long because I still needa rush out the reno and launch some new series next year! But since it was Christmas, I really wanted to give thanks to my partner who has been steadily supporting me throughout this period and putting up with some illogical outburst at time. 

Getting a gift for the husband has always been a difficult task. His style is at the opposite spectrum of mine. He loves his things simple and classy, better if timeless. When I saw Ed Charly's products, I knew he would love them! For the longest time, we have been searching for a functional yet gorgeous slim wallet and I am glad to say Ed Charly made the cut. 

There are 3 different designs available and I decided to go for Ed Classic because I thought it would be cute to twin. We are people with quite a bit of coins and I prefer designs that could snap shut. The Hubs doesn't use pure card holders so Ed Classic was a design that suit both our needs.

Each design came in 3 colours and I settled for the classic brown for the Hubs and a nice trendy red for myself. The brown actually look darker in real life while the red isn't as vibrant as it seems. (We both adore our choice in colours by the way...hehe.) For pure leather products, the wallets are retailing at S$59, quite a steal really. Free shipping if you are located in Singapore and a flat shipping fee at $6 if you are overseas. 

The wallets comes in a very nice box and dust pouch, making it look like a rather luxurious gift. The Hubs was so happy with what he recieved, he actually used it immediately (quite rare of him, usually he just politely thank me for the present when I get his taste wrong). He thought it was perfect for his suit (no bulging wallet in pants) and also for Reservist (although honestly I think this is way too premium to be brought into camp...zzz). But you know, I can't control the user on how he uses it. 

To all my readers, I hope you have a very blessed Christmas. One last photo featuring Ed Charly looking rather snug under our mini tree. We are moving soon so the house is looking like a mad storeroom (no thanks, covid!) with no space for a bigger tree. And with a baby who needs plenty of stuff, haix the whole place is disturbingly cluttered. May 2021 be a better year cos I can't deal with this mess any longer!

New Ears for the New Year

It would be awesome if we could change ears haha although I really love mine with a lobe. By now, readers you would realise that not only do I love my bags and shoes, I absolutely adore my earrings too. Now that 2021 (and Chinese New Year too), it only makes sense to get yourself some new earcessories to to start the new year right. 2020 was just too wrong. 

You may or may not have realised (depending on how sensitive with fashion you are), but clay earrings are raging. Clay earrings can both have very classy or cutesy design. I came upon ChurRo which holds the cutest (not kidding here) selection I have ever seen.

Morandi color autumn scenery earrings ($17.90)

At first glance, many would be thinking that this piece must be weighing me down. Erms...nope! In fact, it is really light-weight. This is a very intricate and pretty piece, but to be honest, it is not the usual colour I go for so I do have some problems matching it. Am thinking of wearing them for CNY because I am usually go for brighter colours and more floral prints and this piece would go nicely with it.

If you have plain earth-coloured clothes, this piece would also give it a nice pop. Am not sure if this is a sign from the higher powers to try more earthly tones...hehe.

Simple Studs ($15)

If you like simple pieces, you might want to go for the studs. Personally, I prefer my clay accessories to be a bit more complex with more colour gradients so that the designs are more obvious. Both the sizes of the green and brown pieces work for me, but in terms of designs, I prefer the brown stud more. You have to stare a lot harder before you can notice the designs on the green piece. 

For formal work setting, the green piece might work a little better. I have never really tried clay accessories with corporate wear, maybe this is a sign to just try!

Little Daisy Honeycomb Earrings ($17.90)

This was definitely my favourite. I even wore this on my first twinning shot with my baby (but oops the earrings not very obvious in the photos). This is just one of the many quirkier pieces at ChurRo. For such detailed and unique pieces, you will be glad to know ChurRo charges them at quite an affordable price. If you like such pieces, you can find animals and even food variations. :D

Really looking forward to CNY so that I can mix and match these pieces. Can't help but wonder if visitations will be still the same, will be quite bummed to dress up and have nobody to see/comment/criticise.

Cleaning infant's gums (feat. Marcus & Marcus Finger Toothbrush & Gum Massager Set )

 Do you know that babies, even though they don't have teeth have to clean their mouths/ tongues too? I am quite sure many parents actually don't know about this. Babies unlike us don't produce as much saliva, so after drinking milk you will observe that they have a build-up of white residue in their mouth. The excess milk can lead to bacteria growth. 

By right, you should clean every feed. My Mum helps to clean his tongue/ gums once a week ever since our child passed 4 weeks and so far he seems fine. (I can do it myself but my Mum really enjoy this exclusive bonding moment so the honour is all hers.) The tool we use is Marcus & Marcus Finger Toothbrush & Gum Massager Set ($8.90).

From what I heard from other mothers, there are other different options in the market. However, this comes in a set of 2 and is reusable. I intend to use it to clean baby's tooth too! Ever since baby's mouth got bigger, my mum changed to the bristles. She dips the brush in a cup of water and give baby's mouth a good scrub. The silicon is very gentle and baby doesn't fuss at all when his mouth is being cleaned. 

The only grouse I have with it is that it doesn't fit all fingers. My husband has insisted that his finger (even his pinky) can't fit in snuggly. My Mum and I have no problem at all, so I can safely say that it works for females. By the time he starts toothing, he will probably be used to this routine and hopefully he doesn't bite and hurt my mum >_<

Festive Dining at Kwee Zeen @ Sofitel

I have to admit, I love festives. I love crowds and most importantly, I adore the yummy feast that come along. This year, Christmas seems rather muted, maybe cos I am spending my time mostly at home. Nonetheless, we are not cutting down on the feasting even if it means I will be growing FAT. Haha. 

This year, Sofitel has launched The Ultimate Festive Champagne Brunch at Kwee Zeen. For every Sunday in the month of December, a tower brunch can be served at S$128++ per diner, with min. 2 diners to order. Top up another S$98++ and you will get to enjoy unlimited champagne. As I was still breastfeeding, I had to sadly give my champagne a pass. Nonetheless, I still had lots of fun feasting on such a luxurious meal. This brunch was particularly popular with couples and catch-up gatherings.

The tower was 3 stories high, with the meats at the bottom, the cheese platter in the centre and the sweets on top. And it comes with a whole bowl of seafood with caviar and lobster with roe (yum!) Tip: There was so much food that there was even enough to bring back. So start on the seafood platter and the perishables first because there was no way to finish everything!

 

My personal favourite was the second platter. The cheese was so good I had a hard time stopping myself :P The seafood bowl and the meat platter was definitely the most value for money but the Christmas feast is not for everybody. The Hub who was more of a Chinese cuisine type of dude did seem to enjoy it a little less. You can also opt for takeaway options (including orders for turkey and log cakes).

While you are there, do set aside some time to explore the place because Sofitel is gorgeous. Once you step in, you do have a resort vibe. Even though I was only there for a meal, I do feel I have stepped out of Singapore and is on vacation. As we were walking away some calories, I managed to capture some nice shots :P

If you still have your Rediscover Singapore vouchers, you may consider using it here. For families, you can consider the Infinite Family Experiences which includes kids acitivities and full dining experiences. For couples, do consider the Retreat to Sanctuary which looks super shiok. Final tip for those without cars: There is a shuttle bus to Sofitel from Harbourfront MRT station. :D

Snowperk review

Skincare routine is really not for the lazy. Now that I have a baby at hand, anything that takes up too much time or effort has pretty much taken a huge step back. Time is really too much of a luxury and I would rather spend the time either sleeping or sleeping haha. Yes, I need my beauty rest darn badly. 

By now, you may have realised that I am slowly laxing in terms of my requirements of my skincare products and reintroducing chemicals on my face and body. The reason being, my skin is slowly losing its glorious pregnancy glow (boo!) and I really didn't want to look too tired most of the time. 

I was introduced to Snowperk by Try and Review. Snowperk is a personalised skincare product. Each set comes with a base moisturiser and a booster that is based on your skin needs. I was recommended to use Booster No. 7, which is mainly for skin protection. The products aims to defend my skin against harsh elements such as environmental pollutants, and help my skin be more resistant to aggressions so that it will look more radiant and healthy. 

Personally, I don't use any product of similar function in my regime. Currently, I barely step out of the house and my poor skin condition is mainly due to lack of sleep and breastmilk that somehow always end up spilling on my pillow and clothes (no thanks, baby! Hmph! )

I have been using for 7 days and so far my sensitive skin shows no sign of further irritation. The product is very light and non-greasy. However, I don't really the fact that we have to mix the booster into the base moisturiser ourselves. To a new mummy, I prefer simplified products. 

Packaging wise, I appreciate the cover that squeezes out the moisturiser so that you don't need to have any contact with it. However, the cover could be removed so I am not sure if this would help the product to not be oxidised that quickly. The product is quite reasonably priced so I do see myself using it again since I don't have any product in my regime that does the same function. :D

Shopback: It's shopping time

I really have a love-hate relaionship with the last quarter of the year. Part of me really love the good deals that come along with it. Another part of me truly abhor the face that I am spending non-stop this quarter. First 9.9, then 10.10, next 11.11 and now 12.12. My pocket has truly burnt a big hole. 

Here's a money saving tip. When I am shopping at the platform, I always access them through Shopback. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Shopback, it is a rewards platform that give you cashback when you shop with their partners. Yes, you get cold hard cash back. I have tried and tested it :P

This year, Shopback launched the World's first christmas cashback cake from Bake Inc.. The light and fluffy chooclate sponge cake is layered with a rich dark chocolate cream and is topped with chocolate cream. It is dusted with powedered sugar and decorated with lots of money to remind us the amount of savings shoppers can bring for us. Here's a spoiler, within this delectable treat lies cold hard cash waiting for you to unravel. :P

The 800g cake costs $58. For every purchase, you will get 1% cashback credited into your Shopback account which can be eventually withdrawn to your personal banking account. In addition, you will find S$12 embedded within the cake. In total, the cake will cost less than S$50, which is quite a good steal. The cake can feed more than 10 pax (although it humbly claims to feed 8 to 10 people) and for the health-conscious you will be happy to know that it is low in sugar and does not contain any preservatives. 

Coincidentally, my little brother's birthday lie within the Christmas season and we decided to double this up as a birthday cake. So you lucky readers get to have an early review on the taste. The cake definitely taste as good as it looks. Be reminded to thaw it before consuming so that the runny chocolate would taste nicer. My brother was tickled pink by the surprise embedded in it. 

Personally, I was more excitied by Cashback Troopers Plushies (comes with the cake) which I thought was extremely adorable and good as props for my future photoshoots. So don't be surprised to see them popping up as and when in future photos. :D Ending the post with a boomerang. Yes, this cake is so good for photos and Instag! Fastest fingers first cos there are only 400 cakes available!

Baby's First Toy: Taf Toys All Around Me Activity Hoop

 

Although I didn't write about this first, this was actually the first toy we opened for baby. It was really interesting because we got to witness how baby rearcted and eventually warmed up to it. Taf Toys All AroundMe Activity Hoop is basically a circular hoop which you can pop in interesting items to engage the child. It consists of a rainbow baby-safe mirror, felt cards (both in black-white/ coloured, creaking koala, butterfly and snail rattle as well as a plushed koala with a baby teether. 

Honestly, it was initially quite disappointing because at 0+ month, the baby was barely interested in any of the toys. Most of the time, he was yawning at me despite my desperate efforts to play with him. There were some points I wondered if he was behind his peers in his development (Note: It is just me being over-zealous.) Fortunately for us, the toy was quite easy to set up so I had enough patience to keep trying. 

By the second month, our little one can be seen cranking his head to look at the felt cards. As he grew more active (and aggressive), we saw him punching some of the more advanced toys. For me, I only use a-third of the Taf Toys All AroundMe Activity Hoop to make baby turn on his left side so as to shape his head.

At his stage, he would be more reactive to the mirror and black-white felt cards but I incorporated all the toys (different one each time) to expose him to the different textures. Also, I didn't want him to be bored by the same toys. His favourite thus far is the butterfly rattle which we always hoop onto his arm when he is in the rocker. 

By now, as a parent, I have learnt that toys don't always have to be played in their intended manner. My FIL hung the toys on the top of the bunk bed and I thought it was ingenious. I am quite happy with the taf toys thus far as they are encouraging our baby to lie in different poses and seem to develop his motor skills. He used to be rather lazy in doing his push-ups. Now, he would occassionally show them off to me and would even be seen "lifting pillows". It is really fascinating sometimes to see how much he grows and develops, although I admit I don't entirely let nature takes it course (by creating opportunities for him to practice his motor and coordination skills).

Taf Toys All AroundMe Activity Hoop is retailing at S$69.90. It is cheaper as compared to the Koala Musical Newborn Cosy Gym (read my review here). Personally, I prefer the Koala Musical Newborn Cosy Gym  more because I am not very creative when it comes to modifying toys and the baby seems more engaged in the  Koala Musical Newborn Cosy Gym because he is not a fan of tummy-time. But if you are on a budget, Taf Toys All AroundMe Activity Hoop is a great option because it is versatile and can grow up with baby, making it quite a value for money investment!

I love Clarins

I don't usually write reviews that fast. But for this product, I am very confident of its effect. I am still using Clarins products post-partum (didn't use it during pregancy and utterly regret it) and is now a converted fan. Apart from the samples I received from DreaChong x WeBarre, I also received more Double Serum sachets from Try and Review. 

Although Clarins products are quite expensive, they are very effective and really deliver what they promise. To regain the pregnancy glow, we tried out the Double Serum. Within 7 days, visible improvement can be seen. My skin looks more refreshed despite the sleep deprivation. The product promises instant radiance, reduced pores and fine skin and visibly looking skin, which I think I will be able to see these effects only when baby is older.