For Tea Lovers

Now that I have "expelled" my baby out of me and is no longer breastfeeding, I am back to drinking tea. I have always thought that all tea contains caffeine and so I stopped taking them during my pregnancy. After attending a masterclass for Haflong Tea, I realised that this was actually not true. There are some teas that have more caffeine content (good for perking up on a tired day) while others can have zero content!

I tried out the Personali-Tea Christmas and I have to say that I am quite blown over by their tea (and mind you I know my tea).  The packaging of the tea was also quite impeccable. My father even told me repeatedly he wants to box. And you know what, I want to keep the can. If everyone wants a piece of them, they make excellent gifts for closer friends and family (price range $20 to $30).

1. Safran Des Indes ( (S$20.99 for 15 bags)

This tea is absolutely caffeine free. Really suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers! Apart from the fact that it has zero caffeine, I was also enthralled by its mix. It had so many things in it- turmeric, orange peel, rosehips, blue corn flower and even blood orange. After tasting it, I realised it wasn't quite my thing. It does feels a bit like drinking chai.  Best brewed: 100 Deg for 2-3mins in a teacup

One thing you might note after trying Haflong Tea, is that each bag can last for multiple refills. I have this bad habit of using one tea bag for as long as half a day. Usually by the last few refills, I am basically drinking water. But with their tea bags, I can still taste a nice brew. Pretty crazy if you ask me. 

2. Spirito Di Vita (S$25.99 for 8 balls)

Based on my personality, this was the tea recommended for me. And I do love this tea. This tea taste of Jasmine (which is one of fav. teas by the way) and happens to bloom too! Taste-wise, I wasn't too excited about this because it sounded so normal as compared to the rest. After I tasted it, I am pretty sure this was one of the best jasmine tea I ever had. It was so fragrant!

On top of that, this is a flowering tea, which means that it will bloom in a teacup or a teapot. To see a full bloom (place it in a teapot at least 8cm tall). Each ball is basically made of a flower with leaves sewn onto it. This is not my first flowering tea, but it does bloom very beautifully. My son was mesmerised by it. Definitely a must try for those who have not experienced a flowering tea. Best brewed: 80-90 Deg

3. Kakao Kreme (S$20.99 for 15 bags)

This was one of the more exciting teas for me as well because I love tea and chocolate. So I had quite a bit of anticipation for this chocolate tea. Compared to the other teas, this tasted a lot more creamy and aromatic (possibly from the chocolate). It is actually my first time hearing/ trying a chocolate tea and I think it is pretty good. Don't think it will be just an one-off fad. 

This tea contains quite a bit of caffeine, so I drink it every now and then when I need a good perk during the day. Best brewed: 100 Deg for 2-3mins in a teacup. Hope our 3 reviews help you readers who are thinking of getting these pretty packages as a gift. Especially for WFH workers, these are great thoughtful gifts. 

First Buffet at Sofitel Sentosa in 2021

 Yea believe it or not, 2021 had so much restrictions that we ended up eating so much at home. I think I am going to end 2021 with no BBQs, but at least I ticked buffet off my list. Last year, we also went to Sofitel Sentosa for their Champagne Brunch (read here about it)! It was then I fell in love with tranquil environment so this time round, I decided to bring my little one this time round for the Christmas Mega (Safe) Brunch.

This is actually his first buffet and second time out on a dining setting. If you are our frequent reader, you would know how much of a dear he actually is on our recent trips out. This one didn't go very well (regrettably) cos I even planned to take some pictures with him after. Haha, but in retrospect, the first time we dined out he bawled throughout. So this was possibly an improvement cos he just wanted to explore.

Can't really blame him cos Sofitel Sentosa is truly beautiful. It has this resort vibe and even have peacocks strutting around. Now that I have become a Mum, I have to admit that my world sort of revolves around this dude. I want to share with him my favorite places. I always feel that children sometimes can be left out during buffets, pinching food here and there from their parents. 

Was pretty stoked that Christmas Mega (Safe) Brunch got it covered. The kids even have a special corner for themselves with their favourite food such as pizza, nuggets, fries, sandwiches and fruit jellies. My boy really love their pizza and fries (look at his smile haha). When the peacock came, he got really excited and started tossing his sandwich to feed it. Oh manz. But still it is quite a wonderful experience and he was thoroughly thrilled. 

People usually go buffets for the variety and you will be happy to know that there is a seafood, Indian, pizza, Oriental and even counters for the cheese and pastry. (Note: The pastry corner is also a good place to find some yummy bread for your little ones) The brunch is currently priced at S$218 for 2 (unless you are going on the actual days) and $60 per child. 

If you have kids, you would know that time is of essence and sometimes you just don't have time to try all. My personal favourites are the Indian food, Foie Gras (yes there is Foie gras) served on the most delicious bread on Earth, Laksa, as well as the sweet treats. I ended up eating my kid's leftover pizza and it was delicious too. 

My BIL jokingly calculated that you just had to eat 50 oysters to break-even, which is quite doable. For the benefit of you folks, I have even included photos of the food that you shouldn't miss. There is also the xmas special cocktails (which I missed but you shouldn't). The brunch is from 12pm to 3pm, which gives you a good time to eat all you can. You should be pretty much done within 2 hours. 

For those with kids, outdoors is quite nice as there will be peacocks to catch. You might also want to sit further away from the pool because somehow the kids are all attracted towards it. Even my boy made a fuss wanting to go for a dip. Do dress for the occasion too because there are a lot of pretty spots to take nice photos! 

Bath Toys from iTOTS!

It is quite cool that now baby is older, he interacts more with his toys. Having said that, he has also grown fearful of water, especially when they splashes all over his head. Showering him has definitely grown a lot tougher. One of things which I always wondered if there were any true value (apart from being fun) was bath toys. 

There are a lot of bath toys in the market and the price range can differ greatly. I have a few from different sources/ price range (some of them being gifts) and I am starting to see the difference between a cheap-ass toy and one from a reputable source. Here's some tips on what to get:

1. Toys that promote sensory learning: Rain showers, squirt toys are great for showering too. We got silicone bath toys from iTOTS - Submarine (S$13.90) and Seaplane (S$16.90). We use them to shower his head and introduce him to the sensation of trickling water on his head. Because it is "fun", he lets us get away with it. He is now very curious about how the water squirts out. I think soon we will be having water fights. 


2. Toys that are made of softer material: We have those that are made of hard plastics as well. Maybe it is just my kid that behaves badly. Sometimes when he is frustrated, he would whack himself with the toys. Hence, anything silicone/ soft plastic is much preferred. 


3. Toys that are easier to clean: One thing about bath toys is that they can be a breeding ground for bacteria. So always get toys that don't trap water. Go for things that can be opened to clean. Especially for squirt toys it can be quite hard to find. Glad we got our handy submarine and seaplane!





4. Get quality toys: I got a few cheapos from shopee that was pretty much blessed out immediately because they are (i) rough at the edges or (ii) don't look true to its pictures. Some were pretty good buys but most were bleh. As my kid gets older, I also find that the toys from established brands seems be more thoughtfully designed (apart from the details they put in the aesthetics) to engage kids such that they would play with them in different manners. I don't know whether it stimulates their brains more. Maybe it does. But, if you ask me, I think there is no harm giving a variety to see what works!

For Mummies who are sitting on the fence on thinking whether to get a set of nice bath toys for your kids, please go for it. I think there are just too many times we forget that this is just a one-off expense and the child actually plays with it so many times. (I am very guilty of this too!) Mine bathes twice a day and plays with his toys every single time. By now, each play are probably in cents/ play HAHAHA!

Comfy Bra for Mummies

 

So, before I became a mother, I used to be wearing wired bras. I wear it because it is said to give better support. But the truth is - my boobs ain't that big that they need those support. It was after becoming a mother I started wearing the maternity and nursing bras that were ooo so comfy. Most of them didn't have wires and were made of soft, silky materials for the more sensitive chest. 

I am still wearing such bras even though baby has long been popped out. My only grouse mainly stems from the lack of attractive designs. For those that had more variety, oh boy they were uncomfortable. And so, I was pretty glad that I chanced upon Skin Lava. It hails from our friendly neighbours and you can just import them!

1. Wireless T-shirt Bra (~S$27)

Among the bras, this was my least favourite because it is does have a bit of a tightening effect at the bottom. It is very seamless as promised even in the tightest of shirts and gives a very nice cleavage. Despite not having a wire, it has a push-up effect. If I were younger, this might be my go-to. Now that I have leashed my man (LOL!), I go a lot more for comfort. So sexy, effect like this don't rank that highly :P

2. Bella Bralette (S$35)

I am quite surprised I like this set. Personally, I hate all this lacey pieces because they are all so uncomfortable. But this one was really comfy because the laces were sewed on the bra. I actually enjoy and feel sexy in it. The undies is still an issue because it gives me aa wedgie but I can live with that. 

Mummies would know that sometimes our breasts changes after breastfeeding. After you wean off, the boobs deflate. I am lucky that my boob sort of remain the same maybe cos they were small to begin with. Between you and me, bralettes are made for small-chested women. Especially the lacey ones, it makes...hmm the next baby arrive LOL!

3. Seamless Lava in V-Neck (~S$29)

Presenting my favourite bra from  Skin Lava, I love it so much in fact I wear it immediately once it is washed. This is my most comfortable bra I ever owned. This bra can also double as a breastfeeding bra (note these bras would have a removable clasp) just that it might be a little more difficult since the clasp is at the back.

You can also replace the bra pad if you have certain preference. Theirs work perfectly for me. Some pads get squashed in the wash, but this one comes out fine. Once my other bras get worn off, I might replace all my bras with this. Hopefully, by then Skin Lava would come out different variations of this!

My Customised Tiffin : Tiffinsbycandy

I feel like I am becoming a lot greener. I would now think hard whether I need the item before committing to it. Also I find myself recycling and blessing items a lot more. I actually quite like this about myself. So, during Covid, my husband and I found myself taking away (tabaoing)a lot more. We cut down on the utensils (always used our own) but we wanted to go one step further and cut the down plastics used. 

So we thought of using a tingkat (tiffin). Just so you know, in the market, tiffins come in many tiers (from 1 deep one to as many as 4). It really depends on the type of food you eat. For soup dishes, 1 deep tier works well. For noodle soup, you would want 2 tier to separate the noodles and soup so that your noodles won't be soggy. If you like mixed vegetables (aka cai fan), then 3-4 tiers are perfect. 

For me, the material used to make the tiffin is very important. After all, it is used to contain food. As a woman, I wanted a pretty-looking tiffin. I mean, we rarely even go out now. A tiffin might a more used arm accessory than my own handbag. I came across Tiffins by Candy and was really impressed by their variety and best of all, it is even customisable. 

A 2 tier cost about $22+ and a 3 tier cost $25+. I went for 3 tier cos it seemed more value for money. I have to admit I struggled with the design because there were so MANY choices. In the end, I settled a Peranakan batik looking print because Little Nonya was replaying on TV :P

You could even customised words too! I tested the system (lol) and customised chinese words "一口吃不成胖子" Well obviously, I picked these words because someone was obviously eating too much and was trying to psych herself that one more bite won't kill her. It was also awesome that each set came with a set of recyclables utensils. 

Personally, I felt these made pretty decent corporate gifts because they came in a nice box and the whole set was really put together. It also has a nice environmental message to it. The price was also rather reasonable too!

These tiffins also make excellent deco in our house. The Hubs kept reminding me that I need to use and display them during CNY when the guests come over. Apart from deco, we also use the tiffin to clean the milk bottles while we were at staycation (read here about our innovative use)

Sometimes, I have to say our forefathers do it better. Tiffins are amazing products, which bring quite a lot of convenience and can have multiple uses. By the way, if you are into other customised products. you can check out TiffinsByCandy!

My Surface Pro is finally fixed!

This is possibly one of the happiest days of my life. For a good 4 months or so, I have been living without a laptop. For most people, it is probably not too bad (since we can still use our phone). But for me, it was quite horrible because I can't write. The first 2 weeks were exceptionally bad. I was complaining to all my friends and seeking help from a lot of avenues. I was just so close to going to Sim Lim. 

My surface pro just couldn't boot up one fine day. It went dead and my baby's photos and my writing works were all stuck inside T.T And because it was a surface pro, honestly most shops don't really want to touch it. They will just tell me oh it is gone. 

For the last 4 months, I basically survived on my husband's laptop to do my writings until our baby spoilt his laptop too, haha! But sharing is always difficult because I don't have first priority to the laptop. Some of the options I considered:

1. Buy a new laptop: Honestly, Surface Pro X looks so much more sleek than mine. It did make me wanna dump it and get a new piece.
2. Trade in with Microsoft: Many people don't really know you can trade in for a new, refurbished piece (for around half the original price) until you call Microsoft and consult them. This option was tempting until I realised it was a re-furbished piece which didn't seem so worth it anymore. 
3. Fix it: My budget was $300 max. to save my data. 

For surface pro owners, just go to Star Shield direct if you need repairs! They are part of Challenger and are more reputable than other repair shops (don't need to fear of stolen data). They are also very professional. They are the only store that could give me advise on what is the possible problem/ outcome.

They charge a $50 down-payment and would refund it if my laptop cannot be fixed. Thank god, it was only a motherboard issue and once it was fixed I managed to get all my data back. Best of all, it was within the budget I set aside. So now, no more delays in my post moving forward! Can't wait to produce more reviews!

Beautiful Clothes from The Baby Closet

By now, you would have seen our little one wearing some really gorgeous pieces from The Baby Closet. Now that x'mas is coming (very soon it will be CNY), I thought it would be good to share early so that you guys can stock up early if needed.

 

If you haven't heard of The Baby Closet before, that is because they are quite new. The Baby Closet is a Singapore grown family run business with curated baby essentials. Not only are these products very beautiful, they are also organic and produced through sustainable methods. Each piece is individually tested and hand picked, hence this might explain the price range. Also after multiple abusive washes, the apparels still look brand new. What sorcery is this o.O

What I love about their pieces are how intricate they are. The material is also of good quality and soft to touch. I always grumble about the lack of designs for boy's apparels but The Baby Closet proved me wrong with their variety. 

• Sail Away Bodysuit ($42.90): This is one of my favourite pieces cos I love everything nautical. I like that it can also be unisex and is a very fancy piece for a boy. There are 2 buttons on the strap so you can adjust the length as baby grows older. The details are very intricate too! Check out baby wearing this here!


• Polo Bodysuit in beige ($39.90): Personally, I am not into simple designs. But this piece look really good on my boy. I think it is because most babies look good in white/ beige. I like the metal buttons though on the piece cos it is a bit different from the other plastic-buttons rompers. And how do you know, this piece is of superb quality? The buttons doesn't rust after multiple washes! Watch him wear this here!

• Suspender Shorts ($40.90): I like this piece the least because my baby has very thick thighs and it is difficult to dress a big baby in this. In terms of design, it is really intricate with functions pockets, suspenders (nice, finally the boys get a bit of fashion) along with my favourite metallic buttons. Looks best with a plain inner piece but being an excessive mom, I don't have that many plain inner pieces to match. Baby wore this here!


• Short Sleeve Rashie Set ($51.90): This is a really beautiful swimming suit (non-thermal). The only grouse would be it is pretty small fitting. Thank god the pants could be stretched further (even after he wore his swim diapers) and to fit his thick neck and big head, we zipped the top partially. He still really looked really cute, you can see him flapping around in it here. 

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Note: Laptop is down, so posts won't be as frequent!

Baby goes to USS!

Most parents must be wondering why on earth did we bring our child (who just crossed 1) to USS, it is probably not value-for-money as there is nothing much to do. FALSE! Quite the contrary, we saw many families with little children roaming around. 

It did help that we were using our SRVs and children under 4 can enter for free! Total damage was around S$50 (including some souvenirs). To be quite frank, I really wanted to go to a theme park (2 years stuck in SG is driving me a little imbalance.) and it was my first time going for the Halloween Horror Nights (yes it was a lot more muted but I can't take the horror). As usual, some tips from us to make your trip to USS fun and fuss-free!

• Brace yourself for the crowd: As parents, most of us are trying to avoid crowded places given the Covid situation. We went on a weekday and there was still quite a lot of people (as compared to the other attractions in Singapore - near empty). Personally, I think there is still enough space/ boundaries. There are some teens that came in group but I don't want to be a party pooper and rain on their parade. 


• No more shows: It is a bit of a downer for me personally. But legends say that the mascots are now more free than ever to roam the place. Somehow, we didn't manage to get any photos with the mascots (only see 3 teams max). Some kids are also quite frightened of mascots, mine isn't but it is quite a pity that we didn't manage to get any. 


• Bring a power bank: One thing I love about theme parks is how they seemingly bring you to another land. My favourite areas for photos are definitely the Jurassic Park and Fairy Land. Having said that, it is pretty difficult to do anything when you have a child around. That's all the family shots we got but I am really satisfied by how they turned out. 

• Rides: If your baby can sit upright and can walk a bit, they can go on the rides. We took King Julien Party Go Round (2 times), Dino Soaring (long queue), Treasure Hunter (2 times) and Accelerator. By right, he should be able to go on the Crate Adventure but the person in charged barred him. Oh wells not our day. 


• Opening Hours: USS is no longer open daily (only from Thurs to Sun) and starts operation only at 12pm and rides start at 2pm. So most people only start streaming in from 2pm onwards. As the sun sets, families with kids will start leaving. My kid managed to last from a good 1pm to 7pm haha cos he really loves being outdoors!


• Toilets: I felt there was a need to inform about this because some of the toilets were close. The toilets we went all had a diaper changing area and they were all amazingly clean :D

• Pack light: If you really want to take the adult rides, try to pack light. We only brought our stroller, a carrier, a diaper bag and stuffed all the snacks/ milk/ food in. No snacks for the adults just a giant 2L bottle of water. Most of the time, we just dump our stroller/ carrier at the parking area and would run on the rides with our diaper bag. Haha. I have grown smarter too, I use a poncho instead of an umbrella now


• Bring your own food: Most of the eateries ain't open and for those that are open, it isn't baby friendly. I brought instant food and packet milk this time round. The weather isn't very good so it was difficult to feed on the go. My playful didn't want to waste time eating. So he would suck on his bottle of milk in queues. 


• What to wear: I attempted to wear a costume. Bad idea. Just dress comfortably cos our weather is rather humid. I did dress baby up in a jinpei. But it was really airy so good call on my end. 

• Sales: There is a lot of sales so we did end up getting a gingerbread toy (cos my baby wouldn't let it go) for a whooping $10. I love it too by the way. Each of our tickets came with a $5 retail voucher so it gave us a great excuse to buy some souvenirs home. 


• Sitting arrangement: We still have to sit in 2s, so it is quite sad. Sometimes one of us would have to be a loser and sit alone. I managed to squeeze on 2 adult rides when our baby was asleep. Thank god the Hubs is not into rides because there always has to be one tending to the baby. Haha. 

Overall it was really fun. With a baby, I am taking rides I didn't use to take and it is quite impossible to finish the park when your little one insist on walking slowly. Sighs. Haha. 

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Note: Laptop is down, so posts won't be as frequent!

Tips to prep your little one for his first photoshoot

Many photographers have called our little one lovely to work with. To be quite honest, we can get quite a nice bang for our bucks most of the time because he looks and poses straight to the camera. Unlike his old man, this little boy is not camera shy and even knows how to put his best face forward. 

I am not entirely sure if this is trained by me but I am happy to share a few tips and at the same time spam more photos. You know I love this collection from Bite Size Affair! Hehe.

1. Pick a good timing: Preferably pick a slot immediately after your child's nap. This would ensure that the child is in good mood and you have more awake time to attempt to capture the shoots you want.


2. Bring lots of snacks: This is a common but really handy advice. Most kids would settle down better as the are munching. We ended up with a lot of photos of our little red panda holding some snacks in his hand with a cheeky grin. It wasn't what we expected but the effect was pretty good. 


3. Pick a studio shoot: Personally I prefer that option especially when a cake smash is involved cos the aftermath cleaning is massive. I know some parents DIY but I totally can't imagine myself doing that. 





4.  Discuss on theme/ expectations: I think this is very important. A lot of parents end up being disappointed because they expect perfect shots. I do take a bit of photos of my boy at home but sometimes when the smile is right, the background is chaotic. Either that he is on the move. Realistically, perfect shots are hard to come by. Having said that, Bite Size Affair had so many hits. I am very pleased. 


5. Baby clothes: Generally, you have the option of wearing your own or going with the photographer's available wardrobe. We used our because I had this suit in our cupboard that was so appropriate for the woodland theme. Honestly, if you are ok with a slightly less fitting clothes, I think you should avoid using your own clothes especially when a cake smash is involved. It took me 3 washes before I could get all his cake off. #Exhausting 


6. It is not all about the baby: Remember to get some shoots together as a family too. I love this series as well because it captured the happy moments I have as a mother /parent amidst the bad, grouchy days. It also reminds me how much baby love me and I enjoy his company. 

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Quote "ba13yg" for an additional 10% off for a photoshoot with Bite Size Affair!