Benjamin Moore: Baby-friendly Paints

Grrr...my house is coming soon and we have commenced on the renovations. Due to Covid, the keys to the house was delayed (had to literally appeal to HDB to prioritise us ahead). Initially, we really wanted the house to be ready before our baby arrives. But renovations were halted. And so, sigh baby arrived before the house. 

We had to re-design the house and also make a lot of  changes here and there to accomodate our newborn. One thing the Hub was really particular about was VOC emissions. Vinyl flooring was out of the question. We used tiles for the flooring. Then it came to paint. 

We came across Benjamin Moore and thought many parents should know more about them. They are the only paint brand in Singapore that pride themselves for being Zero-VOC. (Note: the others are just low emission.) Initially, I have to admit I was very reluctant to make a trip down because it was so far from my house. >_<

Homeowners, let me tell you. You need to make at least a trip down because a lot of your questions will be answered once you are there. Just in case, you have the same questions as me, let me share a bit of what we found out here. 

• All the series of paint are Zero VOC. Regal is being phased out. Aura is an ideal choice if you are using vibrant colours. Natura is the most eco-friendly range which is also certified to be asthma and allergy friendly. We chose the cheapest Ben because our house colour was just a simple shade of white and the salesperson also assured us that Ben would be good enough if we were on a budget. 
• Cost saving tip: Benjamin Moore is more expensive than other paints in the market. To enjoy some cost savings, buy in Gallons (4L) to enjoy economies of scale. For orders more than $1000, which is quite easy to hit, you get to enjoy free delivery as well. 
• Even when I was there, I couldn't tell the difference between the various paint finishings. My ID could so we followed his recommendations. 

Benjamin Moore holds a large variety of colours. If you are like me who is terrible at matching, you can download their mood-book brochures, which have some nice themes ready. For me, I printscreen the moods I like to my ID and he reverted with his recommended combi and litres required. We cross the samples collected from the mortar store against the tile to be absolutely sure. FYI, we made slight changes to our ID's choices for the tinge of white. The change is so slight, it was not very visible to an untrained eye like mine (never knew white has so many shades!)

Our paints have been up and I am quite pleased with it because there is no smell at all! We change from the basic Nippon paints to Benjamin Moore and this set us back by roughly 2 times the initial budget. Our friend used the basic paint for their renovation and she did feedback to us that it was starting to flake after a year. Her advise was 2 times the price was not an issue if the quality is good. But as we all know, only time can tell. Will update you guys here a year later on the durability. 

Boosting my immunity system with Blackmores Vit C

I am not sure whether is it because I am breastfeeding, but my immunity was kinda of bad lately, such that I would sneeze whenever the wind from the fan blows at me. Yes, it was that bad. Baby was also sort of getting a bit phlegm and would be snoring slightly in his sleep. I am generally quite cautious when it comes to supplement and medication (don't give a shit when it comes to food...have been guilty of snacking).

Based on my research, it is okay to take Vit C supplements to boost your immunity even when you are breastfeeding. The brand that I am trying needs no introduction. Blackmores is quite reputable. I have tried their folic acid too (highly potent but the pills were so huge and it made me nauseous). Try and Review sent me the chewables Bio C for review and I found them to be rather delicious and effective. 

Although the recommendation is to take 2 every meal, I personally feel that 2 a day should be more than suffice to see an effect for maintenance. I still think that the best form of nutrients definitely come through food and not supplements unless of couse you are lacking due to some reasons. 

Story Time: The Tale of Motherhood

 In "Mummy's Guilt", it talks about squeezing some me-time for a cup of Joe. I used to read a book every month. Ever since the arrival of my child, I have to admit that my life revolves around his schedule. When he is asleep, I either catch 40 winks or get a few things done. And when he is awake, boy, he sticks to me like a glue and expects me to come out with stimulants to entertain him. 

I am not saying it is not worth it. Motherhood to be has been rather sweet and challenging. I relish those days he smiles and always hurriedly dash about to his side when other caregivers inform me about his new milestones. Days have just gotten more tiring but meaningful. 

And so, to usher in 2021, I decided to launch a whole series on book reviews (preferably one article a month) just to get my life back. My preference would be of course to feature to local literature. But of course it really depends on what I read. Believe it or not, just reading this book alone took me a few day, split between a series of nap-time of my child. Sigh.

"Me-time" no longer comes naturally. It is about deliberate prioritising. If I do this, I can't do that. Sigh. For any mummies, "Mummy's Guilt" is relatable for all even if you are a SAHM. Honestly, part of me wished I had gotten this book before our little one came because the checklist and experience shared pre-baby was very useful. If you are a lazy mama that hates doing research, this book has quite a good summary. :)

The book explores quite a bit of topics that go through many mothers' head, one of which is going back to work after maternity leave. Personally, I oscilliate between achieving my ambitions, taking a temporary step back and just staying at home for my child. Eventually, after reading the book, I am pretty certain I will never be happy to just be a stay-home mum. 

My personal favourite section is the cases at the last section. The interviewees were mainly successful working mothers that gave some tips on how "to have it all". One of the tip which I actually use as well is creating a to-do list. It helps to get things done although a bit slowly. Overall, I would recommend this book to new mums! It is an easy read and very informative!

Tips on Baby Bath Time (Feat. Shears Bath Tub)

I may not have shared it here, but I actually didn't have a confinement nanny during the first month after post-partum. And I survived! We ordered confinement food delivery and the whole village helped out (yes, we even had help from the extended family.) After I was freed from confinement (hate that period by the way), I started taking over my baby's duties in piece-meal.

I felt most things were quite manageable. The washing machine did the laundry. There were a lot of pump parts and bottles to be washed so I ended up taking out more bottles to be used so that I could reduce the number of washes. I am still staying with my in-laws and we do have a helper, so that help a bit on the household chores. 

There was one thing that daunted me big time. It took me 3 months before I can confidently say "my baby now enjoy bath-time with me". Finally, we are having fun. My MIL and the hub's aunt was helping out during the first 3 months. I did a lot of eye power observation and sometimes I would pretend wash a pillow *embarrassed chuckle*

The choice of bath tub is very important. Ours was a foldable piece from Shears in my favourite Tiffany Blue shade ($36.90), which was spacious enough for our baby to grow up with. If you are staying with your in-laws or have space constraints, do consider foldables as they are very compact! So far, I find this piece very sturdy and durable. I am quite clumsy when it comes to moving big pieces but so far this bath tub still looks as good as new. My favourite feature is the star plug. When filled with water, gosh the bath tub can be so heavy. Tip: I always unplug it after we are done and just go about my day. When the tub is empty then I keep it effortlessly. Hehe.

Some quick tips on bathing a baby now that I have mastered the skill. Always prepare everything you need ahead! Usually, I would strip my child and wrap his bottom in a diaper cloth (lest he pee) and hang his towel over my neck (following the elder's methods). I sit on a stool when I bathe him for better balance. To prepare him for bath-time, I will splash some water on his chest to test his comfort level with the water temperature.

We start off with shampooing his head and washing his face with a cloth (outside the bath-tub). I find it easier to soap his body before placing him in the bath-tub. To wash his front, I would place him in a lying position, with my arm behind his back and grab his other arm with my hands. To wash his back, I would place him in a burping position. Now he is a bit older, I let him drag his bath time a little and let him splash about. There is still quite a bit of room in the bath-tub for us to introduce him bath toys (stay tune to read about them!)

After he is done with bath time, I will just quickly wrap him up in the clean towel. After placing him on the changing mat, he will be dried and dressed up as fast as I possibly can to prevent him from catching a cold and him flipping away naked. *Gosh* Can you spot our clothes from Little BB Love (read our review and discount code here!) and diapers from Pee-Ka-Poo (Read our review on their products here!)

Shears  is a local baby toy and gift set maker. Their variety of baby products is amazing and we will be reviewing more of them here. Bookmark "Shears Baby" tag if you want to find out all about them!

Thoughts about the home protection scheme

I didn't know before-hand, but apparently every HDB owner is required to have a mortgage insurance to protect members of your family from losing the flat should you die or suffer any terminal illness or permanent disability. The thing is most people (including me) assume that we have to take up the insurance by HDB. You can actually use your life insurance policy as a replacement for the mortgage insurance if you insured it at a high enough value (mine is very low value, by the way) and skip buying a mortgage insurance. 

You can also opt out (a lot of liasing and conversations as usual) and take up the insurance from a private insurer instead. My bank loan was with DBS so a personnel called me about it, but honestly the guy was so lousy. He was only keen to make a sale and didn't really have any of my best interest at heart. (Note: If you have a multiplier account with DBS, the premiums paid can also count towards it. However this staff was so pushy that I decided NOT to even open a multiplier account with them and seek my own insurance instead.)

Personally, I felt the premiums of the HPS was quite competitive. You can use the calculator to obtain the annual premiums. This was caculated for an mortgage-reducing policy. I used this as a guideline to seek other quotations from other insurers. Quite honestly, only my Manulife agent bothered to get back to me promptly. At the time, they even had a promotion so I gamely took up the policy with them.

Just in case you are wondering, you have to insure both owners (if there are two). Under a private insurer, you also have the option to insure the full loan amount throughout the loan years (at a slightly higher premium). I didn't choose that cos I felt it was very unnecessary since I already had a life insurance. 

Most of the information can be found at CPF website. However, they did not mention the minimum interest for the mortgage to be based on. I insured mine at a very conservative 3% (my loan interest is less than 2.6%) and they rejected my application to opt out of HPS. I had to make a call and provide another supporting document (i.e. my life insurance policy) before the application went though.

The only silver lining was that CPF didn't put me on hold for very long and I could speak to an officer immediately who quite promptly resolve my issue. :) If you have some time on your hand, I guess you can find your own insurance. Going through it, I can tell you the savings ain't that significant if it wasn't for the promotion at Manulife. 

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Disclaimer: I am no finance guru. All the above rambles are my own opinions.

I shave my baby's head and preserved my baby's umbilical cord!

To be honest, I was initially very hesitant about doing this, mainly because everything did not seem to go that smoothly in the first month. My milk supply was low, my body was frail, I was exhausted...from planning the little one's first month party and was still coming to terms with my new body. But...I have to say upon receiving the package, I was very glad I went ahead with my first gift to our child. 

You may have seen other parents do it during the first month (some 100 days, others at 4 months), they would shave their baby's hair. There is no particular significance in doing it, but it is to allow the subsequent hair growth to be more even and thicker. I didn't know at that time, but apparently, baby's infant hair will start dropping at around 4 months. Eeeks, that explains why some babies have a patchy head. 

Our baby had quite a bit of hair and by his first month his umbilical cord has fallen. I am quite a hoarder so I actually kept his first nails and the umbilical cord. My Mum reminded me that the umbilical cord would decay if I didn't keep it properly and that set me thinking on how to preserve it. Eventually, I decided I would make some keepsakes out of them. 

I heard that calligraphy brushes made out of the infant's hair was of the best quality so I decided to make a set for him. We arranged a meeting with Huat Sing. Don't fret about the packages and what comes in it because their staff will bring the samples for you to see on that day and you can decide whether to upgrade them. (Note: A pricier product may not necessarily suit your liking, I preferred the design of a cheaper stamp and a more expensive brush.)

We eventually took up Package E6 with Huat Sing and went ahead with the auspicious hair-cutting ceremony (complimentary with the package) on our baby's full month celebration. It was the highlight of the day. Can you imagine how boring it would have been without it? Baby's grandparents came with great anticipation to witness this. 

I admit I am quite a cheeky Mum and Huat Sing being quite accomodating allowed me to try 4 different hairstyles for my baby. For info, some mothers decide not to go all bald for the baby (esp. if it is a baby girl) for fear that they won't look cute. For such cases, snippets of hair enough to make a brush would be took. Personally, I really love the mohawk and the tuft but we decided to "monk" him instead so that he will have even hairgrowth.

The haircut ceremony was very smooth. Our child did not wake up during the whole procedure and for the ritual there was not too much preparation work as well. You just had to prepare 2 red eggs (圆圆满满）, 2 oranges （心想是成）, some spring onions (聪明伶俐）and Mee Sua  (长命百岁） as well as some red packets to keep the baby's hair. 

Overall, I would have to admit it was quite a fun process and provided quite a bit of photoshoot moments. Also, I guess baby is only young once, so no harm just doing it. The whole set of scholarly tools actually represents the parents well wishes for their children（望子成龙， 望女成凤）. Whether you believe such rituals, you have to admit that the products make good keepsake to be displayed on their study table in future. 

We presented the gift set to our baby when he was 100 days old. Because we did a grander affair on this first month (read it here), we decided to go simple this time round. We made a simple photo booth (out of leftover decos, am I creative or what?) and used the brush made of his hair and the stamp which consisted of his umbilical cord and hair as part of the backdrop, looks pretty dope, don't you think. 

We were very satisfied with the products by Huat Sing. Thanks to the sealed stamp, baby's umbilical cord can be perfectly preseved. Also, the quality of the products are quite superior and on top of that, it comes with lifelong warranty. Most importantly, they are quite transparent with their pricing (mine cost around $250 eventually). If you are quite particular about the designs, you can even go down to the workshop at Woodlands. They do have other products such as accessories and hand-foot prints. 

I thought this was quite interesting for those who are curious on what goes behind the scene, seems quite a lot of work, don't you think?

Things you need to know about newborn photoshoots

I feel like I am going down memory lane. It feels like it was just yesterday our little one was still a newborn fresh from the womb. One thing for sure, I actually don't miss those days. Haha. When our little one was a newborn, life was really tough. My body was frail and I barely had enough sleep. Looking back, gosh our chubby little cutie was so wrinkly and unphotogenic >_<

I wish people could have told me earlier that the first month postpartum was a case of too many things and too little time. I thought I would have time to slowly figure out many frills, but it was more of a case of priorities. Maybe it was my grit that made me ensure all my frivolous projects pulled through. Here's some tips I would like to share on newborn shoots. 

1. Always plan ahead. Most parents are very kiasu and have pre-booked ahead. I didn't but I was lucky that Alvin from dphotofolio managed to squeeze out time for us. If you find his photography familiar, it is because he was also the photographer behind our maternity shot. Honestly, Alvin is becoming more like a family friend after going through 2 of our major milestones with him.

2. When to take the newborn shoot? I always had this impression that you had to take it within the first 2 weeks. Our little one took it on his third week. Alvin shared that actually you can take it after Mummy's confinement, baby is still soft enough to be contorted. It is just that some babies might be more spoilt by then and would need certain conditions to sleep through the shoot. Personally, after witnessing my child's growth, I would suggest to do it within the first month. Because after that, the baby face would evolve to a more permanent look and the crinkly face is lost forever. 

3. Should I do a home shoot? As this happened during the Covid period, the decision for a home shoot was more obvious. During the first month, Mummy's body might be a little more weak so if you are breastfeeding etc., home shoot is actually more convenient. Because most people were working from home, our family manage to witness the behind-the-scene. (My in-laws and us had an eye-opener on how good Alvin is with babies. He effortlessly coaxed my little one to sleep a few times. P.s. after he left, I tried his method but it didn't work for me. LOL! Guess, his tricks are exclusive to him only.)

However, there are more props at the studio and there is better control of the lighting (which also means better photos). Home shoots also means you would have to incur additional cost for the photographers' transport. If you are wondering why you have to pay so much for transport, it is because the amount of stuff that the photographer have to bring over is crazy. Alvin brought over 3 backdrops, so many bags of clothes and props. o.O

4. Be clear on the package you are getting. Alvin is already more of a family friend, so it is easier to discuss the nitty-gritty with him (anyway he is also quite easygoing). Try to negotiate on number of themes/ looks instead of by hours. Reason being, lots of shit (literally) can happen. Our baby fed and even needed a diaper change mid-way. Our whole shoot took nearly half the day, by the way. 

5. Prepare a bottle of milk on stand-by. I was a breastfeeding mum (low-suppy then) so I had milk powder at hand. Formula milk makes the baby fuller and this will reduce the number of interruptions at the shoot. If you are very particular, then just make sure you have some expressed milk at hand. Please don't latch and waste precious shoot time. 

6. Pray that your baby is cooperative. Whether the photographer get a good shot that day is really luck-based. This photo of my baby smiling so sweetly made me felt that it was all worth-while. Mine didn't stick out his tongue or pout (he does that quite often) that day, but I am thankful that we caught this precious moment. By the way, we have both the raw and edited photos, so we kept images of him and his blotchy skin as well hehe. 

7. Consider themed shoots. If you have been following me long enough, you will know that I have grown to love conceptualisng shoots. I have been accumulating quite a bit of related props for this moment hehe. (Pokeball hat from Sunflower Bee and Pikachu pillow from @beau.sg (go to post for discount code) Of course, please discuss with your photographer ahead. For us, Alvin is always game to take up any challenge and help me bring my ideas to life. Personally, I always feel that there is a lot of joy when you play a more active role in a shoot. :)

If you are looking for a photographer, I would strongly recommend dphotofolio. I have worked with Alvin enough times to assure you he is really nice and easygoing. Most importantly, he is very experienced with babies so you can safely leave your child with him. Also, feel free to discuss with him if you have any specific ideas in mind, because he will be open to them :D

Would I recommend newborn shoots? Yes, and not just for first-born. Some moments once gone are lost forever. I am so glad I persevered and made these photos possible. :)

Cray Cray about Food Panda

I want to deny it but I can't. I am a huge fan of Food Panda. To be honest, I only downloaded the app in Dec and have hence referred so many friends on it. It started with my friend's referral so that I could get $11 off my 7-Eleven purchases (see above). I used this code to try out some of the things I always wanted to try. So here's a review:

1. Lan Fong Yuen Teas ($3.10 each) - This thing is so expensive, but it is so good! I am hooked. It is better than the original at Hong Kong which tasted like drain water. Bleh!
2. Good Vibes Milk ($2.90 each) - I won't say that it is bad tasting, but I would be reluctant to spend so much. 
3. Hai Chi Jia ($3.30 each) -  The Hubs is hooked on the clams, personally I like the spicy & sour cup better. 
4. Pokka Cookies n Cream ($2.40) - Argh! Please don't buy this, it was horrid. 

Food Panda has quite a bit of vouchers and promotions always available (click on my link to get $8 voucher!) It has make me quite a bit of a spender because it makes shopping so much more convenient. I grab most of groceries from Panda Mart (it has quite a bit of interesting food in it). I also like this surprise boxes which let me try out new food! (Yes, I am quite a bit of a food taster). 

Apart from grocery, you can also make use of the vouchers to make purchases on the shops at their platforms (my favourites are Mothercare and Bodyshop). There are also challenges for you to complete and earn extra vouchers to offset the delivery costs. 

For those of you who don't like to queue, there is also the pick-up option (with 15% discount). But please do check the price because sometimes even after the 15% discount, it is still more expensive than if you were to buy direct at the store. T_T 

My personal favourite is the delivery of food (which I find cheaper than other services). Wish I had known about it earlier because this would have come in handy when I was pregnant. I actually kept walking out for food initially and started cooking my own when I became too heavy (ate the same food everyday bleh cos I could only cook that much and I had gestational diabetes). Let me know if you would like to read more about my Food Panda lobangs and I might just create a series.

Should I take a bank loan for my BTO?

I have procrastinated long enough. In 2021, we will be launching our new series "Homemakers", where I will be sharing with you our experieces relating on the finances, renovations and decorations to our first home. 

Decided to start off this series talking about bank loans. Most people tend to be lazy and when there is too much at hand, we tend to go for the simplest, most fuss-free route which is take the HDB loan. The HDB loan is pegged at 2.6% (at the time of the post) and generally does not require strict underwriting. However, if the interest market is depressed (like now), there is actually merits in exploring bank loans. 

Especially when you have enough cash in your CPF and on hand, you would be eligible to take up a bank loan. For us, we decided to go with DBS. (Admittedly, we were quite lazy and did not really check on the rates with all banks. We only checked among the 3 local banks and some other foreign banks which we already have accounts with.) For people who want to avoid the hassle, I heard that DBS tends to offer quite competitve (if not the lowest rate) in town. 

Apart from a lower rate, this can also contribute as part of the requirements to your multiplier account (I don't own one) so I won't comment much on this. For info, you can also re-finance your loans from HDB. Psst...banks tend to throw in quite a bit freebies, so do hunt around. 

Having said that, the documentation is a chore. You have to find your own lawyer to do the paper works. DBS has a panel of legal firm partners and you basically have to call down the list for the best rate (Most of them charge about $2,000, we got ours at about $1800. Drop us an email if you want us to refer you. Personally, I don't find there is much differentiations between the legal firms.)

I am not sure whether it is due to the Covid, but applying for the bank loan at DBS also took quite a while with many papers flying here and there. The Hubs was very convinced it was worth the one-time hassle and the time for the cost-saving. (Maybe because I was the one doing all the work!) Feel free to hit me up if you want to know more on our experience before you decide the best move for yourself.

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Disclaimer: I am no finance guru. All the above rambles are my own opinions.