Magnetic Learning Placards for the bombshelter ft. Learn & Love

I don't think I am kiasu, but I do believe in putting in place a good learning environment for my child. I am not sure whether it is true, but it is said that the Chinese language is harder to master. And hence, you should speak to the child in mandarin. So far, when it is just us, I communicate to baby in English...oops. But fortunately, my parents, in-laws and my husband speak to him in mandarin. 

I think it is never too early to learn. Don't be surprise but there are already magnetic placards in my home. To be honest, I was wondering what to do with the bomb shelter door. We didn't do any works to cover it so I was considering a mural (which my husband disagrees because the design can't be changed in future). 

This is how my bomb shelter looks like now and I think they look da bomb (no pun intended). The placards are from Learn & Love. They have a few series. Depending on your choice, it can cost between $15 to $22 for more than 20 pieces. In terms of design, my favourites are "The Loving Family", "I want to be..." and "Actions and Activities".

For now, baby is quite young. We would carry him and point to him the words etc. Sometimes, we would also point out other areas such as colour, body parts etc. Apart from mandarin, we would also verbalise to him in English. When he is older, we can probably mess the cards and let him match them back. He can either do it on a magnetic surface or on the floor. 

Surprisingly, my friends are the ones using the cue cards to test each other when they are at my house. To be honest, we haven't been reading/ writing mandarin for the longest time. Yup, these has also ended up as "educational" drinking props. Can't write the word in mandarin, drink a glass! Once we are done with them, we attach them back the bomb shelter door. :P

Pretty good investment for families with young kids if you ask me, not only do the children get to learn. The friends of Daddy and Mummy get to brush up their Chinese a little too!

Magiclean Stain and Mold Remover Works!

Ok, I admit we have been lazy. We didn't get the squeegee at first so for nearly 3 months, we did not clean the  glass shower screen of our bathroom. By the time, we were ready to clean it, there was already soap stains that could not be removed through normal soap and water. Honestly, I was really disappointed with myself because the house was new. I felt like I have failed my adulting journey. 

When Try and Review (Referral Code: 4506) offered a chance to try out Magiclean stain and mold remover, I was pretty excited. There just might be hope for my shower screen.

We are happy to announce that it works! However, you have to use it generously and you can wipe it off with a cloth. You don't have to use much strength too! Check out the before and after! I am stoked and I do see myself buying another bottle after I am done with this bottle to keep my shower screen clean. 

I have created some "mess" in my adulting journey, really quite a greenie. If I managed to resolve them, I will share them here so that you guys don't have to go through the same heartbreak as me!

Looking cute in Cheekaaboo Thermal Swimwear

So exciting, last weekend, we took our little one for a trial swim class. Because baby is still very small, a parent had to enter the water with him. I am quite jealous of the Hubs because he went down with baby. They did look like they had a lot of fun. For parents who are curious, the classes take place in an indoor thermal pool and the classes are pretty small (about 5 students). 

Each class last about 30 minutes. Try to go early so that the parent taking photos can get a good seat to capture nice shots. I was quite lucky some parents let me have a seat (maybe cos I was too excited and disturbing their peace). There was an instructor around and baby did some water training such as floating and picking water toys. 

As you know, we went for BabySpa as well (read our review here!) Personally, I feel that the BabySpa seems a bit safer for the baby because the swim school did water submersion for baby. (My heart did stop a bit at that.) I know many parents feel that swim classes are more value-for-money because the pool is bigger, but I do think baby is a bit too young to appreciate swim class. 

Comparitively, he didn't smile as much but he didn't cry either. He was completely exhausted at the end of the class and we got to enjoy some date-time :P It was quite tiring for the Hubs as well as he had to squart most of the time. Swim diapers is not provided and you do have to spend quite a bit to invest in the whole gear.

To help fellow parents out there, here's our packing list:

1. Thermal swimwear ($53.10) including swim hat ($15.90) and reusable diaper ($22.30) and cute panda towel ($17.90) from Cheekaaboo. The swim school will check on the reusable diaper and this passed. FYI, if your baby contaminate the water, you would have to pay a fine of $500!
2. Disposable Swim Diapers (In retrospect, I should have bought them off BabySpa since there is a 10% discount, just quote "CHAA10")
3. Body Shampoo (not used in the end) 
4. Clean set of clothes and diapers 
5. Wet bag with extra compartment 
6. 2 bottles of milk (not in photo)

Initially, I did dress our cutie in his full gear. But since this was at an indoor pool, the instructor took his swim cap off. This was his first time wearing his thermal swimwear (6-12m) and dang it was getting tight. Tip: Get a bigger size for your baby for longer mileage! Psss...Cheekaaboo is having 19% off right now and there is free shipping when you spend more than $100!

If you plan to let your child swim frequently in the condo/ public pool, it is pretty important to invest in a thermal swimwear so that your child can be kept warm. This piece by Cheekaaboo had a velcro at the back to prevent it from falling off. FYI, babies do struggle quite a bit. Not to boast, but my child did turn a few heads when he was dressed like this (have to admit I was beaming with pride throughout). Go for neutral colours like ours if you want to pass this piece to baby #2 in future. Erms, nope this is not a baby announcement. There is no sibling yet la!

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[Update] For our readers only, quote "CHAAYEN20" and you can get 20% discount at Cheekaaboo. It is valid till 31 Dec 2021.

Having the hots Ft. Fanmi Thermometer

If you have a young child, you will know how horrible the night of each vaccine can be. Ever since baby's first vaccine, I would do nightly hourly monitors on his temperature. I would have fever patches nearby and would be ready to sponge him anytime. I heard from many mothers that the using the tradidtional thermometer at the armpit is the most accurate in measuring the baby's temperature. 

But somehow, I don't find it true for my case. When I use the traditional thermometer at baby's armpit, the temperature always seem to be below 36 deg. In the end, I just used Mummy's instinct. When I feel that he seems warmer than usual, I start my sponging routine. 

From a mother to fellow parents, I would like to recommend you the Fanmi Thermometer, which you can use either on your ear or your forehead. I tested it on a few items (my fridge, myself and random items) and personally I found it more accurate when you use it on your ear. When the temperature is really high, the thermometer would flash red. (When I measured the air in my fridge, it flashed "LO" haha)

I have been using it on baby after I received it. I have heard of stories of parents who thought their babies were not having a fever because of the thermometer was not showing a high temperature and I feel quite reassured that I now have a reliable thermometer at hand. The price of Fanmi Thermometer is also very reasonable at $49.90 (after discount).

If you are a weaning mum, the thermometer would also come in useful. I am not the luckiest when it comes to breastfeeding. Even weaning hasn't been particularly kind to me. I have been suffering from fever flashes and I use Fanmi as well. 

I wish I have more tips to share on weaning, but honestly I am not faring too well at it. I don't take medication and just pump out the lumps to bring the fever down. Have pretty much given much on weaning with a a targetted date in mind. I am now letting nature takes it course and when it ends, it ends. Sigh. 

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Follow "Breastfeeding Journey" tags for more tips and tricks!

Updates on my living room!

The thing about having your own house is that you can finally design/ deco the house the way you want them. Am not sure about you guys but I have always fantasize about having my own beanbag. Never got one in my earlier years because my parents practically don't really let me buy any big ticket items to put in my bedroom (sad life).

There are a few considerations when it comes to choosing your own beanbag (i) design (including size and colours), comfort and most importantly whether the covers are removable. Now that I have a baby, having removable covers are very crucical because babies spill/ puke milk everywhere. Particularly if you are feeding breastmilk which attracts tons of ants, you should try to ensure your important fabrics can be removed and washed!

My beanbag is from Softrock and we love it! It is our very first furniture in the living room and even now that the place is being furnished with a sofa, this beanbag is still my (and our guests') favourite. We are perpectually playing musical chair to fight who gets to sit on it. If you are not into the typical round shape, you should really check out Softrock as they have beanbags that are of different designs. Mine is the Bohemian ($399) which allows you to recline. 

They have a nice selection of block colours to choose from and is very easy to match your house's design. The Bohemian has a slit at the side for you to place your remote control though we don't really use it much often. You can easily remove the covers and throw it into the washing machine for a good wash. The fabric doesn't shrink too!

Although beanbags generally are not very good for postures, this one is so comfy I can't care less. As you can see, even our little kiddo is a fan of this beanie. He really enjoys sitting on it while watching the cars zoom by. He still can't sit unassisted so we have to watch him lest he falls. Each beanbag comes with one free rejuvenation of the pellets to ensure your comfort an also a year's guarantee against manufacturer's defects.

Softrock is retailing on Mrphy which is a designer brand that the Hubs and I have grown to love because of its quirky design. Apart from the bean bags, Mrphy holds lots of home accessories and deco. Even for the most mundane thing such as a toilet bowl brush, Mrphy has the most amazing designs that brings both character to the house and a smile to our face. :P

Psss...because we love this brand so much, we will be sharing with you a discount code so that you can get 10% off your purchases (min. purchase of $20) at Mrphy from now till 31 Dec 2021. Quote "FF10" to enjoy it. This code cannot be used with other promo codes. Oh, there is free shipping too, so enjoy shopping!

Tips to make your BabySpa trip enjoyable

Okay, please be prepared for the overload of photos. We brought our baby to the BabySpa and honestly, it was quite a lot of fun (both for baby and us!) I am sure many of you (even non-parents) are familiar with BabySpa and their services. They have a few outlets (Punggol Oasis Terraces, Harbour Front Center, North Point City and Westgate) and you must have at one point in your life, ogling at those cute little babies floating around. 

For parents who are considering to bring your little one there, we thought we should come out with some tips to make your trip even more awesome than it already is!

1. To set the record straight, the water training at BabySpa is not just a frills bucketlist for your baby. It can help to strengthen the heart and lungs of the baby as well as to develop the motor control, agility, coordination and balance. 

2. If you have old folks at home (like mine), you will know how adverse they are to babies "swimming". After knowing our child is going to BabySpa, they were a lot more assured (probably because they have seen other babies swimming in the pools). The pools at the BabySpa is designed for babies aged 1 to 24 months under the supervision of the staff. A staff will also be with the baby at all times to ensure that it is safe. 

3. Each session is about 15-20 minutes, and will be increased in the following sessions. Our little one was around 6 months by the time he was exposed to a pool. He love his bathtime and had pretty good stamina by then. And so, we managed to enjoy a slightly longer session (Note: The duration would depends on the condition/ mood of your baby.) So, don't jam-pack your schedule cos your baby may be enjoying himself/ herself for a longer time. 

4. Charge your phone or bring a powerbank. My baby isn't even there that long but I have tons (I am not joking here) of photos and videos. I have to even create a whole album for him. Now, whenever I miss him, I would even view those photos and videos to relive his smiles. Don't miss any moments (like my husband), charge your phone so that you can have more gadgets to use and snap every shoot. 

5. Don't be disappointed. The babies usually start off without smiles and without the neck float. Even my smilely one was slightly worried at first. The ladies at BabySpa are very friendly and will try their very best to set the baby at ease. Just give the baby some time to flounder about (may take more than one session) and soon you will see them kicking, smiling, chewing the toys like it is their home.

6. BIGGEST TIP: Go on a weekday! This is crazy, but the weekday package is cheaper and comes with a hamper of goodies (will write more about them in the subsequent posts). You literally get all the attention and the whole place to yourself . For working parents, just try to get the Friday evening slot and you probably get the best of both world. *winks*

Psss. for my readers only, quote CHAA10 and you will get to enjoy 10% off the products from their online store!

Pee-ka-Poo Starter Pack

If you have read our last post, you would know that we are quite huge fans of the diapers and baby body shampoo/soap. For Mummies (and Daddies) who are keen to try out their products, here's some tips (I think you can save a bit of money too) on how to navigate on their site. 

If you are new to their products, I would recommend you to try out their starter packs. Each pack contains 12 pieces of diapers, 1 small bottle of body shampoo/soap and 1 big packet of wet wipes (80pcs) as well as small packet of wet wipes (10 pcs). With this starter pack, you can get to sample all their products at quite a discounted price. The tape diapers starter pack costs $12.90, while the pull-up pants starter pack costs $15.90.

Personally, I found the starter box very presentable. Although it is not meant for this purpose but it makes quite a good gift for newborns (I think it is ok to give a bigger size cos babies upsize very fast!) or babies/toddlers at their important milestones :D

Many people probably don't know this, but every month Pee-Ka-Poo has some promotions with freebies. It changes every month. For the month of February, the free item were tops from Bootiquewear. The tees were super comfy. I was seen wearing them on my 6-months celebration (yes, I had 2 celebrations one for Daddy's side and another for Mummy's side)

Currently, the free stuff are quite practical. There is the cutlery set, wet wipes and even milk cans. If you love their wet wipes, there is a clearance sale going on now. Don't say we don't share!

To get a good bang for your bucks, always buy in carton. The downside is that the little ones do upsize very fast. For Pee-Ka-Poo, they have this exchange policy which I find it to be very considerate to parents. As long as it is unopened, you can do an exchange and the timeframe is 90 days (very generous) and quite a decent time period because so far baby upsize every 3 months, sometimes even earlier. 

Ending off the post with some unboxing boomerang of the starter box. :P By the way, baby's favourite game now is peekaboo, lol. Can't help but wonder if this is under the influence of his diapers. Hehe. 

We got our sofa online ft. Zinus

Ok ok, most of you know how much reservations I have with purchasing stuff online. For big ticket items, somehow I still like touching them. My sofa is from Zinus. If you find them sounding very familiar, that's because they are more known for their mattress. Zinus does have a showroom around Paya Lebar area, but this time round I was so tied up with the baby and the housework, I was like "Let's give online purchase a go"

And so, I didn't go down. We just checked the measurements online and decided to take the plunge because the design does fit very well with thouse and I was really quite sick of going to showrooms after showrooms and going home with nothing. (Yes, I am picky like this.) The whole process was quite fuss-free and you could select your preferred delivery date (3-4 days after working day).

It arrived on the dot and boy this was one huge package. Assembly is not part of the package, but by now the Hubs and I actually do enjoy doing some DIY. Given the price-point, doing some work ourselves was still acceptable. Believe it or not, the fixing was really simple. There was some turning to fit the legs, snips to insert the middle leg and sliding of the parts into a hinge. In less than 30 minutes, we had a sofa.

But as life would have it, shit happened. Our sofa had some defects. If you have bought things online, you would know that the worse fear would be poor after-sales service. I would have to commend Zinus for its prompt after-sales support. The next day, I had someone sending over the replacement parts. 

The sofa looks as per the prictures. The measurements are also true to the measurements given. For our house, we go for a very simple look so this sofa fits in very well to the overall theme. We will be putting a few cushions to make it more homey. The only grouse is that...the sofa covers isn't removable (not the best when you have a little pukey baby at home). We will probably be investing in a throw or a nice blanket to add in some colours.

The chair is very deep. I don't have the longest legs but I sit cross-legged normally, so this still works for me. The back cushion is really soft while the seat cushions are rather firm. Depending on your preference, some people actually do like their sofas like this. We will be slowly building up our living room and will share more pics here. So stay tune. :P This series is truly rather exciting for me!