Baby goes staycation

I did think quite long and hard before finally deciding to risk it and bring the family for a staycation. At this point, the Covid situation was worsening and we could only dine in 2s. Back in June, we couldn't even dine outdoors and we thought it would be lame to go ahead with the staycation so we postponed it. 

Initially, we were supposed to stay in Sofitel @ City Centre. However, as they became a Stay-Home Notice Dedicated Facility, we were moved to Fairmont Singapore instead. I was quite impressed by their honesty (which gave me a bit of faith in the measures that they would put in place) so I decided to go ahead. Upon reaching, I realised Fairmont was an approved hotel for the Green Lane Passengers when I spotted people in PPE. I admitted I freaked out a bit and wanted to take a cab back but the taxi driver being highly efficient had unloaded my luggage.

To be honest, the first day at the Fairmont didn't go well. During the weekends, the restrictions changed so the operations teams probably couldn't react too. My booking was apparently not transferred properly. They got my name wrong and addressed in the wrong salutation too. The complimentary dinner was no longer part of the package (sad), but since we were in town there were quite a lot of good food around so the Hubs told me look on the bright side and not let this affect my mood for the next few days. 

Since we can't dine out as a family, we decided to have our meals in our room. They had this online ordering system. But somehow, it wasn't working very well and I had to call in to make my orders. They also got my orders wrong (I think) and we ended up with Antidote's high tea (around $90 for hotel guests). I have to say this was the best high tea I ever had. It was so good that it made my day literally (and after that, everything just got better too!)

Our plan was to use our staycation as a base to explore the other areas. The CBD area was like a ghost town and I managed to take many nice scenic shots. (Nobody in sight!) It is kinda of surreal and sad at the same time. But it was quite safe for baby because of the lack of crowd. Fairmont is at quite a nice location so we could take a nice stroll to most of the nice attractions - Gardens by the Bay (read about our experience here!), Esplanade, Chjimes.

Although it was a staycation, it did feel a bit like we went overseas haha. Nice food around their vicinity (if you are not into room service) includes - Hvala, Senor Taco, Wooloomooloo steakhouse etc. Yums. 

One of the highlight for any kid (if you don't stay in a condo) is probably the pool. Not only did I bring our own unicorn float, I also brought his shades along. The pump ($25) and float ($20) (both from Baby Spa) took a good 25% of our luggage. In fact the husband and baby's stuff took a good 60%. For the first time, I packed very very light for myself. Baby was decked cutely in the Short Sleeve Rashie Set ($51.90) from The Baby Closet. (First time and probably last time wearing cos he grows big so so fast!)

We were initially quite hesitant to bring him to the pool but according to my husband, Covid doesn't spread at the pool. Also, you had to book for a slot at Fairmont. So at any one time, there were a max. of 2 families at the different ends of the pool (non-heated by the way). You could also only swim in 2s, hence I was the official photographer. Cute towel is from Cheekaboo.

Thought we will end with some quick tips for parents who are planning to bring their kids for a staycation as well. We did prepare food for the baby - mainly fruits. He also shared our fruit platter for breakfast. For the sterilizing of bottles, we brought our own tingkat (yes, you didn't hear us wrong) and poured boiling hot water in it to do it the traditional, portable manner (haha).

By the way, room cleaning is only on request. So thank god, I brought along my zip-lock samples packets for baby's soiled diapers. Locked the stench in and kept our room fresh throughout the whole stay. My favourite collapsible snack container ($19.90) from iTOTS was also very useful for acting as a bowl for baby or a container when on the go!

*

*

*

For  Baby Spa products and services, quote "Chaa10" to get 10% off. 

For Cheekaboo products, quote "CHAAYEN20" and you can get 20% off! Valid until 31 Dec 2021. 

Babyspa Toys!

Here's a big fat secret that many parents don't know. Babyspa sells toys and at quite a great price too. (Pss..quote CHAA10 and you will get to enjoy 10% off the products from their online store). You can either get them online or purchase them from the shop. To avoid disappointment, I would suggest to cart what you want online. You can arrange to collect from a shop to save on delivery charges.

I decided to put some of the toys to the test and review whatever I got. To be honest, the quality was surprisingly good. For the cost, I wasn't expecting much. But you know what, I am never buying off those dubious shops in Shopee ever again. 

100 Pcs multi-coloured fun balls ($15)

This has to be my absolute favourite purchase. I created a DIY ball pit at home. Basically, I just poured the whole sack of balls into the a bath tub. Easy peasy! It is great fun. Baby loves sinking himself in it or simply standing by the side and picking balls out or throwing them back in. For older kids, you can even hide items in them for your child to find or teach colours with them. 

My kid is at a stage where he puts every thing in his mouth, so I am quite thankful to share that the balls are of really good quality (smooth texture). Plus point, they look great in photos too! Definitely a must-buy!

Link Hoops ($6)

My personal preference has always been to invest in toys which have more possibilities. And hence the link hoops caught my eyes. Its actual use is probably used as an extender to hang toys and other items on the stroller. For us, we made it to a necklace so that he can pretend be an ah-beng is his gaudy shirt (it has a real loud motif at the back!)

Can't say he exactly like the necklace considering he enjoyed tearing it apart and fiddling with the texture. The links are not particularly rigid so it doesn't have much strangulation risk. Love the colours again cos it brightens up photos and provide opportunities to teach colours. 

3. Rabbit Birthday Cake ($10)

I do feel a little extra for saying this, but this toy is really quite a good trainer for first birthdays. Initially, we thought this would be a great prop for the first birthday. I have to admit as of now, it is quite under-utilised for its other possible functions - decorating of cake (maybe when he is older), pretend play etc.

Somehow this smart little boy has learnt how to make the rabbit sings but he still haven't figure out how to blow although he can purse his lip. Usually, he will clap along to the birthday song, watch me cut a cake and then snatch a piece and try to eat it. Pretty exciting, I can't wait to see how he reacts to his birthday on the actual day. :) 

*

*

*

Note: Will be updating the reviews along the way...we don't introduce too many new toys to baby at one go! Bookmark this post to read more!

Say ooh to BabySpa Massages

We went back again to BabySpa! This time round, baby wasn't as cheery so the camerawoman mama didn't manage to catch as many good shots. I realise some of you readers are curious about their other services as well so I thought we will share a little bit more about the massages. 

So basically, all the water training package comes with a relaxing massage after. You can go for the massage service on its own too, which is priced at $26 per visit. Even during the second visit when baby was fussing a lot, he did calm down during the massage. This boy really enjoys his massages!

The massage helps to relax the baby and reduce anxiety in them. Usually after the massage, my boy would fall asleep on his way home (massages are said to promote regular sleep pattern but by then, he slept at a specific time already so I couldn't really verify this.) The massage also helps to improve blood circulation and in turn their immune system. For colic babies, these help to relieve the wind in them.

For parents who think that you will only capture cute moments in the water training session, you are utterly wrong. Don't stop those shutters because when your child is enjoying his massage, he will be giving some of the most adorable expressions. Also, you can learn a few tips from the ladies at BabySpa so that you can try it out on the baby yourself.

A typical massage would consists of some stretches, tummy rubs, face massages (optional) and back prods. My kid particulalry enjoyed his face massages, giving his "oohhh" face every single time, hehe. My boy used to have colic and I wished I had tried out massages earlier. We let him grow out of it and that took 2 difficult months, sigh. 

Yes, we do have a promo code for BabySpa. Quote CHAA10 and you can get 10% off their products from their online store. Unfortunately, this doesn't apply to the services but this is quite a steal for their bath toys, swim products and even toys!

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!

*

*

*

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

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!