I found this in my Draft folder the other day.
Moments I want to remember.
This post was originally written in June 2013.
The other day, we popped by Baby Kingdom and Baby Hypermart to check out the cots.
I wanted to be sure that when it comes to the furnishing, we are on the same page as well.
Well, we are.
We saw this cot in a colour we both like, only to realise that it has the same shade of brown as the bedroom floor.
Yikes!
The cot will blend right in.
In the wrong way.
We were both quiet for a moment, and he spoke.
Him: You know.. we should just get that cot. Then when baby asks us where we got the cot from, I'm going tell him/her.. "I don't know. Once we found out we were pregnant, it just sprouted out from the floor."
Me: (Suddenly embarrassingly myself by laughing and responding a little too loudly) Oh my gosh!! That was exactly what I was going to say!
Great minds think alike.
Showing posts with label Baby Prep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baby Prep. Show all posts
Monday, December 9, 2013
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
A day of temptation and we succumbed.
Aden + Anais.
I swooned at the pretty packaging when I first came across it in one of the baby stores in May.
That lovely brown box.
But $70 for 4 pieces of swaddle cloths was way out of my league.
I searched online hoping to find a better rate at the official website.
Still way out of my league.
Come the Taka Baby fair and these things were waving at me with their very attractive price tag - $39.00 for a pack of 4 muslin swaddles.
But my then-very-rational-brain told me that I could probably swaddle my baby in nappy cloths.
I ran my fingers through one of the sample, imagined stroking my face with the very soft fabric, sighed, and walked away.
Just like that.
But you know, that longing feeling of wanting the oh-so-soft swaddle cloth doesn't disappear so easily. The next few days, I consulted mummies on swaddle cloths and they all highly recommend Aden + Anais.
"$39.00 for four is a very good buy!", they say.
Of course, there were also a few who finds it unnecessary to waste money on "branded" swaddle cloths.
After a long mental struggle, and a short discussion with the hubby, I decided that I should just leave it to fate. I'll get it if I can pop by the fair again before it ends, or if I can decide on what I want (a couple of friends offered to pop by the fair and get it for me.)
Destiny.
Saturday morning, we woke up miraculously early.
We were both up by 6.30am.
It was a sign! Perhaps we should pop by the fair after all!
Alas, by the time we were done with the car wash, we had time to only pop by one place - Giant for the plastic chest of drawers, or the Taka Baby Fair. (we can't cope with crowds, remember? Saturday afternoons = crowds)
Then, we were given another sign. It started to rain.
Carrying a not-too-small carton box in the rain is a huge turn-off.
Taka Baby fair it is!
I wanted to be at the fair to take a closer look at the bamboo swaddle cloth. And check out if they are selling the sleep bags as well. It turned out that the sample I checked out in the earlier visit was the bamboo swaddle cloth. The hubby agreed that it is really very soft.
So, even though the muslin swaddles ($39.00/4pcs) are supposed to get softer with each wash, they didn't have the designs I wanted (Jungle Jam and Super Star Scout).
And the bamboo ones with pretty artsy designs looked like that could double up as my shawl in future. (Such feeble attempt to rationalise my purchase...)
I succumbed, and we came home with this:
And $55.90 less rich.
(We were so early that we managed to get the early bird goodie bag again with this purchase.)
Lodge.
The hubby has been eyeing cast iron pans since March (shortly after getting the WMF stainless steel pans) -.-'
The 12-inch Lodge cast iron skillet is selling at $20+ on Amazon and if we could get it with free shipping, it's a pretty good deal. Only, 12-inch cast iron skillets are not light at all.
We checked out Razorsharp some time back. The 10-inch Lodge skillet will cost us around $90. It'd probably be ok if we hadn't purchased the WMF pans earlier on.
So while we were in town on Saturday, we decided to check out Crate and Barrel at Ion Orchard.
The hubby was like a little kid in Candyland. All the things he loved.
So we wandered around, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the selection of kitchenware and couches, and pretending that we can afford everything for our pretend home.
Then I saw a burger press, pointed it out to the hubby, only to see his eyes gleaming at what was below the burger press ---- the 10-inch Lodge cast iron skillet.
For $59.95.
It wasn't on impulse. It was with much consideration.
He succumbed and we came home with this:
And yet another $60 less rich.
But oh-so-happy.
*That said, I didn't know I was so near MT Expo Singapore. I walked into Print thinking that was the one. I only remembered MT tapes, it didn't occur to me that an expo should be of a larger scale. Turned out the MT Expo was just beside Print. Impossible how I could have missed it. Especially since I'm such a fan of washi tapes and have been eyeing MT Casa tapes for as long as it launched. Gee.. those fuzzy pregnancy brains...
I swooned at the pretty packaging when I first came across it in one of the baby stores in May.
That lovely brown box.
But $70 for 4 pieces of swaddle cloths was way out of my league.
I searched online hoping to find a better rate at the official website.
Still way out of my league.
Come the Taka Baby fair and these things were waving at me with their very attractive price tag - $39.00 for a pack of 4 muslin swaddles.
But my then-very-rational-brain told me that I could probably swaddle my baby in nappy cloths.
I ran my fingers through one of the sample, imagined stroking my face with the very soft fabric, sighed, and walked away.
Just like that.
But you know, that longing feeling of wanting the oh-so-soft swaddle cloth doesn't disappear so easily. The next few days, I consulted mummies on swaddle cloths and they all highly recommend Aden + Anais.
"$39.00 for four is a very good buy!", they say.
Of course, there were also a few who finds it unnecessary to waste money on "branded" swaddle cloths.
After a long mental struggle, and a short discussion with the hubby, I decided that I should just leave it to fate. I'll get it if I can pop by the fair again before it ends, or if I can decide on what I want (a couple of friends offered to pop by the fair and get it for me.)
Destiny.
Saturday morning, we woke up miraculously early.
We were both up by 6.30am.
It was a sign! Perhaps we should pop by the fair after all!
Alas, by the time we were done with the car wash, we had time to only pop by one place - Giant for the plastic chest of drawers, or the Taka Baby Fair. (we can't cope with crowds, remember? Saturday afternoons = crowds)
Then, we were given another sign. It started to rain.
Carrying a not-too-small carton box in the rain is a huge turn-off.
Taka Baby fair it is!
I wanted to be at the fair to take a closer look at the bamboo swaddle cloth. And check out if they are selling the sleep bags as well. It turned out that the sample I checked out in the earlier visit was the bamboo swaddle cloth. The hubby agreed that it is really very soft.
So, even though the muslin swaddles ($39.00/4pcs) are supposed to get softer with each wash, they didn't have the designs I wanted (Jungle Jam and Super Star Scout).
And the bamboo ones with pretty artsy designs looked like that could double up as my shawl in future. (Such feeble attempt to rationalise my purchase...)
I succumbed, and we came home with this:
(We were so early that we managed to get the early bird goodie bag again with this purchase.)
Lodge.
The hubby has been eyeing cast iron pans since March (shortly after getting the WMF stainless steel pans) -.-'
The 12-inch Lodge cast iron skillet is selling at $20+ on Amazon and if we could get it with free shipping, it's a pretty good deal. Only, 12-inch cast iron skillets are not light at all.
We checked out Razorsharp some time back. The 10-inch Lodge skillet will cost us around $90. It'd probably be ok if we hadn't purchased the WMF pans earlier on.
So while we were in town on Saturday, we decided to check out Crate and Barrel at Ion Orchard.
The hubby was like a little kid in Candyland. All the things he loved.
So we wandered around, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the selection of kitchenware and couches, and pretending that we can afford everything for our pretend home.
Then I saw a burger press, pointed it out to the hubby, only to see his eyes gleaming at what was below the burger press ---- the 10-inch Lodge cast iron skillet.
For $59.95.
It wasn't on impulse. It was with much consideration.
He succumbed and we came home with this:
But oh-so-happy.
*That said, I didn't know I was so near MT Expo Singapore. I walked into Print thinking that was the one. I only remembered MT tapes, it didn't occur to me that an expo should be of a larger scale. Turned out the MT Expo was just beside Print. Impossible how I could have missed it. Especially since I'm such a fan of washi tapes and have been eyeing MT Casa tapes for as long as it launched. Gee.. those fuzzy pregnancy brains...
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Preparing for Baby - Takashimaya Baby Fair 2013 (Jul)
THE Taka(shimaya) Baby Fair.
I've heard colleagues talking about it way before I got married.
And once I found out I was expecting, most advice from friends were
"Buy the big-ticket items at the Taka Baby fair. They've got pretty good deals. And freebies."
It's like the go-to fair.
The Takashimaya Baby Fair* (Jul) is currently ongoing (24 Jul - 11 Aug).
Being people who can't deal with crowds (I will feel sick, literally), we decided to hit the fair on the very first day, at 10am when it starts.
There was practically no crowd at 10 in the morning so it was a lot easier forus me to do our my shopping for baby essentials. I learnt my lesson from the Motherhood Exhibition and reminded myself that I will not fall for the freebies trap again. I prepared a list to things to buy and tried to stay focus. It's so much easier to do that without a crowd.
There were 4 "must-buys" on my list : cot bed, car seat, breast pumps, steriliser.
The big-ticket items.
I managed to see how the breast pumps work and find out more about the cot we were interested in getting while the hubby went on to search for car seats. This is the first time in 13 years we walked separately while shopping.
We came home with these.
The cute daddy-to-be lugged 4 bags and still smiled so happily.
So we bought...
Baby cot bed: Bon bebe Vermont 4-in-1 (White), $419
There were 3 packages available. We took the cheapest one which included
- a 3" fibrelux (coconut husk) mattress
- 5 piece bedding set (full bumper, fitted sheet, 2 bolsters, 1 pillow)
and freebies like the
- Munchkin diaper change organiser
- Munchkin diaper change kit
The $469 package comes with a plushier bedding set (half bumper) and the above-mentioned freebies.
The $519 package comes with a 12 pc bedding set with removable covers, the above freebies and an additional freebie of a nightlight.
Packages for the cots in natural colour all cost $20 less.
We went ahead with the most basic bedding because I thought I might want to splurge a little on another set of bedding for Baby. Can't possibly have only one! :)
They had some purchase-with-purchase options. The baby mobile at $39 (usual $59) was really attractive. It took quite a bit of self-control to stop myself from buying that on impulse.
I haven't quite figured out the purpose of a baby mobile yet. After all, we grew up without one!
Breast pump: Ameda Lactaline Personal, $420
I managed to get the demo on the breast pumps at both the Philips Avent booth and the Ameda booth. I was still pretty sold on the Philips Avent Double Electric Pump ($550 bundle) because of the 'oh-so-soft' petal cushion. I decided on the Ameda because it is cheaper, and so much quieter.
This bundle comes with milk storage bags, breast pads and a cooler bag.
The $399 bundle comes with a manual attachment (for manual pumping) and 3 Gumdrop milk bottles (which I don't really fancy).
I later remembered that Isetan had an almost similar bundle to the one I bought for $399.
Steriliser: Philips Avent 3-in-1 steriliser bundle, $135
This comes with:
- the 3-in-1 steriliser
- one 4-oz Natural bottle
- one 9-oz Natural bottle
- bottle brush
They have another bundle that come with the Single electric pump going for $388. Really attractive bundle but I have been advised by many to get a double electric breast pump.
Again, I recall a seemingly better deal at Isetan's baby fair. I think that bundle ($199) consists of the above items, bottle warmer and a cute Moo Moo Kow diaper (in cow print!!).
But, then again, let's not splurge on items we do not really need. Especially when a friend offered to lend me her bottle warmer. (Bye, cute cow print...)
Laundry Detergent: Pigeon, $6.90
Wash cloth: Alex, $4.90
That was the only laundry detergent we spotted and we were not picky about the wash cloths.
The other little things...
We were short of a couple of dollars to hit $600 for the freebie so we bought these as well, since we will need them anyway.
Nail clipper: Safety First, $6.32
Brush and comb: The First Years, $5.52
Nappy Changing mat (not in picture): Pigeon printed nappy changing mat, $18.50
and the impulse buy of the day: Pink cap and bootie set, $4.90
And we got more freebies!
With purchase of $350,
the Little Tikes 'Tap-a-Tune Xylophone' (pillows not included)
We didn't quite know how the fair works. The breast pump was our first purchase so we naturally went to pay for it first (so that we can collect out product). We later had that receipt that allowed us to collect this freebie.
I love xylophones so this was really one of the best thing we brought home yesterday.
And because we so happened to be the first 50 customers to spend $50, we received this goodie bag too!
The pink socks are a sweet surprise and the toilet bowl lock, who knew there's such a product?
With purchases of $600 (max 3 same-day receipt), this is the freebie
Our later purchases totalled up to $600.somecents and we got this adorable giraffe too.
Also with $30 spent, we could redeem a Mustela travel set at the cashier on the 4th level (Baby section).
We had two separate receipts so, were given two sets.
Good for Baby to try out various products so that I know what suits her skin / what she likes.
I like getting freebies like this. It's like shopping for comestics and facial products in Korea. :)
And for the first time, we took part in lucky draws.
Both of us had never had luck in lucky draws so we hope Baby can bring us some luck. :)
This is the crowd at around 1 pm.
It's still not exactly crowded but I know I wont be able to handle this.
I'm glad we were done by 12.30pm.
We went home $1000+ less rich, arms full of bags, and legs that were about to give way.
But quoting the hubby,
"As long as Baby is happy, everything is worth it." :)
*Motherhood has opened my eyes to many fairs and sales.
I learnt that there are two Takashimaya Baby Fairs each year. One in March, the other in July. Because I had nothing better to do, I noticed that the Baby Fair in July usually starts on a Wednesday. At least it has been so for the past few years. I took special notice because fairs and sales at the Singapore Expo usually start on a Thursday.
Other than the go-to Taka Baby Fair, a dear friend also recommended that I should go to baby fairs organised by magazines and/or TV stations "because they are more worth going than other smaller fairs." There's the Motherhood Exhibition (usually in May) and the Parenthood Fair (usually in November).
** Car seat update: We figured it's probably not worth getting a brand new infant car seat (that probably lasts less than a year) especially if we don't go out so often. We contemplated getting a second-hand one but a dear friend offered to lend us hers.
I've heard colleagues talking about it way before I got married.
And once I found out I was expecting, most advice from friends were
"Buy the big-ticket items at the Taka Baby fair. They've got pretty good deals. And freebies."
It's like the go-to fair.
The Takashimaya Baby Fair* (Jul) is currently ongoing (24 Jul - 11 Aug).
Being people who can't deal with crowds (I will feel sick, literally), we decided to hit the fair on the very first day, at 10am when it starts.
There was practically no crowd at 10 in the morning so it was a lot easier for
There were 4 "must-buys" on my list : cot bed, car seat, breast pumps, steriliser.
The big-ticket items.
I managed to see how the breast pumps work and find out more about the cot we were interested in getting while the hubby went on to search for car seats. This is the first time in 13 years we walked separately while shopping.
We came home with these.
So we bought...
Baby cot bed: Bon bebe Vermont 4-in-1 (White), $419
There were 3 packages available. We took the cheapest one which included
- a 3" fibrelux (coconut husk) mattress
- 5 piece bedding set (full bumper, fitted sheet, 2 bolsters, 1 pillow)
and freebies like the
- Munchkin diaper change organiser
- Munchkin diaper change kit
The $469 package comes with a plushier bedding set (half bumper) and the above-mentioned freebies.
The $519 package comes with a 12 pc bedding set with removable covers, the above freebies and an additional freebie of a nightlight.
Packages for the cots in natural colour all cost $20 less.
We went ahead with the most basic bedding because I thought I might want to splurge a little on another set of bedding for Baby. Can't possibly have only one! :)
They had some purchase-with-purchase options. The baby mobile at $39 (usual $59) was really attractive. It took quite a bit of self-control to stop myself from buying that on impulse.
I haven't quite figured out the purpose of a baby mobile yet. After all, we grew up without one!
Breast pump: Ameda Lactaline Personal, $420
I managed to get the demo on the breast pumps at both the Philips Avent booth and the Ameda booth. I was still pretty sold on the Philips Avent Double Electric Pump ($550 bundle) because of the 'oh-so-soft' petal cushion. I decided on the Ameda because it is cheaper, and so much quieter.
The $399 bundle comes with a manual attachment (for manual pumping) and 3 Gumdrop milk bottles (which I don't really fancy).
I later remembered that Isetan had an almost similar bundle to the one I bought for $399.
Steriliser: Philips Avent 3-in-1 steriliser bundle, $135
- the 3-in-1 steriliser
- one 4-oz Natural bottle
- one 9-oz Natural bottle
- bottle brush
They have another bundle that come with the Single electric pump going for $388. Really attractive bundle but I have been advised by many to get a double electric breast pump.
Again, I recall a seemingly better deal at Isetan's baby fair. I think that bundle ($199) consists of the above items, bottle warmer and a cute Moo Moo Kow diaper (in cow print!!).
But, then again, let's not splurge on items we do not really need. Especially when a friend offered to lend me her bottle warmer. (Bye, cute cow print...)
Laundry Detergent: Pigeon, $6.90
Wash cloth: Alex, $4.90
The other little things...
We were short of a couple of dollars to hit $600 for the freebie so we bought these as well, since we will need them anyway.
Nail clipper: Safety First, $6.32
Brush and comb: The First Years, $5.52
Nappy Changing mat (not in picture): Pigeon printed nappy changing mat, $18.50
and the impulse buy of the day: Pink cap and bootie set, $4.90
And we got more freebies!
With purchase of $350,
the Little Tikes 'Tap-a-Tune Xylophone' (pillows not included)
We didn't quite know how the fair works. The breast pump was our first purchase so we naturally went to pay for it first (so that we can collect out product). We later had that receipt that allowed us to collect this freebie.
I love xylophones so this was really one of the best thing we brought home yesterday.
And because we so happened to be the first 50 customers to spend $50, we received this goodie bag too!
With purchases of $600 (max 3 same-day receipt), this is the freebie
Also with $30 spent, we could redeem a Mustela travel set at the cashier on the 4th level (Baby section).
We had two separate receipts so, were given two sets.
Good for Baby to try out various products so that I know what suits her skin / what she likes.
I like getting freebies like this. It's like shopping for comestics and facial products in Korea. :)
And for the first time, we took part in lucky draws.
Both of us had never had luck in lucky draws so we hope Baby can bring us some luck. :)
It's still not exactly crowded but I know I wont be able to handle this.
I'm glad we were done by 12.30pm.
We went home $1000+ less rich, arms full of bags, and legs that were about to give way.
But quoting the hubby,
"As long as Baby is happy, everything is worth it." :)
*Motherhood has opened my eyes to many fairs and sales.
I learnt that there are two Takashimaya Baby Fairs each year. One in March, the other in July. Because I had nothing better to do, I noticed that the Baby Fair in July usually starts on a Wednesday. At least it has been so for the past few years. I took special notice because fairs and sales at the Singapore Expo usually start on a Thursday.
Other than the go-to Taka Baby Fair, a dear friend also recommended that I should go to baby fairs organised by magazines and/or TV stations "because they are more worth going than other smaller fairs." There's the Motherhood Exhibition (usually in May) and the Parenthood Fair (usually in November).
** Car seat update: We figured it's probably not worth getting a brand new infant car seat (that probably lasts less than a year) especially if we don't go out so often. We contemplated getting a second-hand one but a dear friend offered to lend us hers.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Preparing for Baby - Baby Clothes #2
The other day I posted a list of baby clothes and items we have bought/collected so far, without the photos.
Just a while ago, Mummy was sorting out the clothes and she sent me the photos.
It looks like an overwhelming pile but since they can last till Baby is 3 months old, I guess it's not too bad?
The "old-school neighbourhood' clothes and supplies we got from Shen Kwong Trading.
All for 88 bucks.
The swaddle blanket, sleepbag, two new sets of pjs, and the Primark stash that was collected over the year (onesies, bibs, security blanket, hooded blankets..). We picked out the girly ones.
It's...so...pink! Whatever happened to being gender-neutral?
And that, is a whole lot of pink.
Just a while ago, Mummy was sorting out the clothes and she sent me the photos.
It looks like an overwhelming pile but since they can last till Baby is 3 months old, I guess it's not too bad?
The "old-school neighbourhood' clothes and supplies we got from Shen Kwong Trading.
All for 88 bucks.
The swaddle blanket, sleepbag, two new sets of pjs, and the Primark stash that was collected over the year (onesies, bibs, security blanket, hooded blankets..). We picked out the girly ones.
It's...so...pink! Whatever happened to being gender-neutral?
And these..
Pjs for the night Chinese New Year Eve, the first night of CNY and a sweet little frock for visiting.
( ~ 20 pounds. Not too bad?)
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Nesting Begins! - Baby Clothes
It's so easy to overspend on baby clothes.
Every outfit looks so adorable and sometimes we forget that babies grow fast. Really fast.
Fortunately, I'm think I'm still pretty rational when it comes to the purchase of baby clothes.
After all, we are living on a single-income now. And the hubby doesn't earn big bucks. To give our little one(s) the lives and the holidays we want, I guess it's better to spend wisely now. So, other than preparing for the arrival of our little one, I'm prepared to spend wisely, and make fun out of frugal living. :)
We needed to get some kimono tops for Baby to wear during the first month. I do have some onesies but newborns are so delicate, we figured it'll be easier to dress Baby in kimono tops.
We found out about Shen Kwong Trading on a blog, and decided to check it out since we were going to Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple (Bugis) to pray. The shop is located at 269 Queen Street. That is just directly opposite the temple where the sundry shops are located. We've walked past the shops along the same stretch so many times but have never once come across the shop because it's nicely tucked in the left corner near to the public toilets.
Shen Kwong Trading is a local distributor of baby clothes so you can imagine how overwhelmed I was when I stepped into the shop. I chucked thoughts about Carter's, Oshkosh and Moo Moo Kow aside and decided to raise Baby the same way I was - old school neighbourhood style.
I'm pretty picky about the prints on baby clothes so I probably wouldn't have gotten these if I was still working. But the clothes were pretty comfy and they are really cheap, so we left the shop with these:
- 6 short-sleeved kimono tops, as day wear ($12)
- 6 long-sleeved kimono tops, for sleeping ($13)
- 6 pairs of pj pants ($13)
- 12 pieces of old-school square cloth nappies* ($16)
- 4 large bath towels ($11 x 2 = $22)
- 12 pieces of wash cloth/little hanky ($4)
- 2 nappy covers ($4 x 2 = $8)
Total damage: $88.
We went over to Mummy's to check out the stash Sweet Sis has collected from Primark over the one year. We had wanted to venture into a baby biz but I never got to it. So I made her buy and stash, and yet I did nothing to sell them. :(
Mummy selected a mini pile from the box and with Sweet Sis' current purchase, Baby now has these as well (these can last her till 3 months and CNY I hope) :
- 3 plain white onesies ( for me to customise her X'mas outfit, hopefully)
- 7 short-sleeved printed onesies
- 6 adorable looking sleepsuits
- 2 sets of pjs
- 2 pairs of sweet pink leggings (can't stand those.. incredibly adorable with diaper bums!)
- 2 incredibly adorable sleepsuit sets to be worn over CNY
- 1 pretty dress and cardigan for CNY
- 6 pairs of mittens
- a pink elephant security blanket
- a hooded towel
- a hooded blanket
- a thick plush baby blanket
- a pair of bear soft shoes
- a swaddling blanket
- a sleeping bag (6 - 18 months)
A bag of socks to choose from when Baby gets older.
WOW... That does sound like a lot.
* I wanted to go with cloth diapering because I was worried that baby might get nappy rashes like I did when I was little.
Mummy has assured me that cloth diapering is absolutely manageable and nappies are easy to wash and they dry fast. She also revealed that she toilet-trained me when I was a newborn (pre-empting when I will do the wee wee, and teaching me to indicate when I want to, which according to Daddy, I did make sounds when I needed the toilet.) Amazing.. Mummy proudly told me that I don't wet the nappies often and Daddy proudly announced to the husband that I barely used a packet of disposable diapers.
** I had wanted to take photos of the baby clothes we've gotten. But as we were going through the stash at Mummy's, it became andoverwhelming pile and I gave up. So once again, this is one text-loaded-no-pictures-post.
*** Just realised we have no booties for baby. Have to get those.
Every outfit looks so adorable and sometimes we forget that babies grow fast. Really fast.
Fortunately, I'm think I'm still pretty rational when it comes to the purchase of baby clothes.
After all, we are living on a single-income now. And the hubby doesn't earn big bucks. To give our little one(s) the lives and the holidays we want, I guess it's better to spend wisely now. So, other than preparing for the arrival of our little one, I'm prepared to spend wisely, and make fun out of frugal living. :)
We needed to get some kimono tops for Baby to wear during the first month. I do have some onesies but newborns are so delicate, we figured it'll be easier to dress Baby in kimono tops.
We found out about Shen Kwong Trading on a blog, and decided to check it out since we were going to Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple (Bugis) to pray. The shop is located at 269 Queen Street. That is just directly opposite the temple where the sundry shops are located. We've walked past the shops along the same stretch so many times but have never once come across the shop because it's nicely tucked in the left corner near to the public toilets.
Shen Kwong Trading is a local distributor of baby clothes so you can imagine how overwhelmed I was when I stepped into the shop. I chucked thoughts about Carter's, Oshkosh and Moo Moo Kow aside and decided to raise Baby the same way I was - old school neighbourhood style.
I'm pretty picky about the prints on baby clothes so I probably wouldn't have gotten these if I was still working. But the clothes were pretty comfy and they are really cheap, so we left the shop with these:
- 6 short-sleeved kimono tops, as day wear ($12)
- 6 long-sleeved kimono tops, for sleeping ($13)
- 6 pairs of pj pants ($13)
- 12 pieces of old-school square cloth nappies* ($16)
- 4 large bath towels ($11 x 2 = $22)
- 12 pieces of wash cloth/little hanky ($4)
- 2 nappy covers ($4 x 2 = $8)
Total damage: $88.
We went over to Mummy's to check out the stash Sweet Sis has collected from Primark over the one year. We had wanted to venture into a baby biz but I never got to it. So I made her buy and stash, and yet I did nothing to sell them. :(
Mummy selected a mini pile from the box and with Sweet Sis' current purchase, Baby now has these as well (these can last her till 3 months and CNY I hope) :
- 3 plain white onesies ( for me to customise her X'mas outfit, hopefully)
- 7 short-sleeved printed onesies
- 6 adorable looking sleepsuits
- 2 sets of pjs
- 2 pairs of sweet pink leggings (can't stand those.. incredibly adorable with diaper bums!)
- 2 incredibly adorable sleepsuit sets to be worn over CNY
- 1 pretty dress and cardigan for CNY
- 6 pairs of mittens
- a pink elephant security blanket
- a hooded towel
- a hooded blanket
- a thick plush baby blanket
- a pair of bear soft shoes
- a swaddling blanket
- a sleeping bag (6 - 18 months)
A bag of socks to choose from when Baby gets older.
WOW... That does sound like a lot.
* I wanted to go with cloth diapering because I was worried that baby might get nappy rashes like I did when I was little.
Mummy has assured me that cloth diapering is absolutely manageable and nappies are easy to wash and they dry fast. She also revealed that she toilet-trained me when I was a newborn (pre-empting when I will do the wee wee, and teaching me to indicate when I want to, which according to Daddy, I did make sounds when I needed the toilet.) Amazing.. Mummy proudly told me that I don't wet the nappies often and Daddy proudly announced to the husband that I barely used a packet of disposable diapers.
** I had wanted to take photos of the baby clothes we've gotten. But as we were going through the stash at Mummy's, it became andoverwhelming pile and I gave up. So once again, this is one text-loaded-no-pictures-post.
*** Just realised we have no booties for baby. Have to get those.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Cot Talk #1
My poor husband, family and close friends...
All they've been hearing these few days are cots... Cots... and COTS...
Things would be easy if I put baby in the nursery or if I have decent space in my room.
I may be thinking too much and complicating things, but here's how I've made things so difficult for myself.
Nursery
- I will have to walk from room to room. Not too feasible for night feeds especially during the early days. (I can actually sleep in the nursery, but...)
- We will have to clear out the boxes that are lying around in the spare bedroom.
- I will go a little overboard on the decorations. Like, I'll want to do so much but will end up achieving nothing at all. And with all the weird superstitions, I'm actually banned from crafting by the mothers now.
Master Bedroom
We do have space in the master bedroom but we call them wasted space. It's impossible to put the cot in any spot other than the foot of our bed. Could we rearrange the furniture? Not really.
Thanks to thevery small and pathetic built-in wardrobe we have and the built-in power points.
After pulling out quite a few strands of hair over the cot arrangement, plus a few phone calls with daddy-and-mummy-friends, we taped (thanks to a dear friend's suggestion!) up the area the bigger cot bed might take. We realised that this was the standard cot size of the past (at least that was the size of the cot Brother was using.)
It wasn't as scary as I thought it might be. The space is still tight, but comparing to what I had imagined, this space is pretty luxurious. I'll just need to walk like a crab. No big deal...
Mummy did a run through on how I can carry Baby out of the cot at night so I don't risk her bumping her head on the cot. It's pretty hilarious. I practised with a pillow.
With this I've finally decided on the cot. Well, Mummy helped. She don't see why I should be so stressed up over a cot. This is the measurement of the Bonbebe Vermont, so we should just get that.
Don't need to kill more brain cells.
If Baby outgrows the cot, the sofabed style makes a pretty play-pretend garden bench too.
Perhaps I just need to think of the colours..
White.. or natural?
White... or natural?
These past few days, Baby has been participating actively in the selection of her new bed.
Whenever I talk, text, or even think about cots, she would be moving inside my tumtum.
I think she's trying to make a point but I can't really decipher the kicks and movements.
And she only calms down when hubby places his big warm hands over that spot.
All they've been hearing these few days are cots... Cots... and COTS...
Things would be easy if I put baby in the nursery or if I have decent space in my room.
I may be thinking too much and complicating things, but here's how I've made things so difficult for myself.
Nursery
- I will have to walk from room to room. Not too feasible for night feeds especially during the early days. (I can actually sleep in the nursery, but...)
- We will have to clear out the boxes that are lying around in the spare bedroom.
- I will go a little overboard on the decorations. Like, I'll want to do so much but will end up achieving nothing at all. And with all the weird superstitions, I'm actually banned from crafting by the mothers now.
Master Bedroom
We do have space in the master bedroom but we call them wasted space. It's impossible to put the cot in any spot other than the foot of our bed. Could we rearrange the furniture? Not really.
Thanks to the
After pulling out quite a few strands of hair over the cot arrangement, plus a few phone calls with daddy-and-mummy-friends, we taped (thanks to a dear friend's suggestion!) up the area the bigger cot bed might take. We realised that this was the standard cot size of the past (at least that was the size of the cot Brother was using.)
 |
| Those are clean towels waiting to be folded |
It wasn't as scary as I thought it might be. The space is still tight, but comparing to what I had imagined, this space is pretty luxurious. I'll just need to walk like a crab. No big deal...
Mummy did a run through on how I can carry Baby out of the cot at night so I don't risk her bumping her head on the cot. It's pretty hilarious. I practised with a pillow.
With this I've finally decided on the cot. Well, Mummy helped. She don't see why I should be so stressed up over a cot. This is the measurement of the Bonbebe Vermont, so we should just get that.
 |
| Source: Infantino Singapore |
Don't need to kill more brain cells.
If Baby outgrows the cot, the sofabed style makes a pretty play-pretend garden bench too.
Perhaps I just need to think of the colours..
White.. or natural?
White... or natural?
Whenever I talk, text, or even think about cots, she would be moving inside my tumtum.
I think she's trying to make a point but I can't really decipher the kicks and movements.
And she only calms down when hubby places his big warm hands over that spot.
Friday, July 5, 2013
Shopping has never been tougher.
I wasn't quite expecting the many decisions to make when Baby comes along.
I'm talking about shopping. Sure it's fun, but it's commitment too.
I'm good when it comes to buying cheap, affordable items (read: Daiso). I can walk into the store and walk out with two hands full. Within minutes.
But when it comes to a huge price tag, my brain doesn't function so well.
(The flat doesn't apply. My concept of money dies when $ exceeds 5 digits.)
***
To date, I have a folder filled with notes and lists on the things we should purchase.
Some days I wonder if that's just because I miss writing with a pen.
With so many different models and brands in the market, it's not an easy choice.
My brain pretty much looks like this now:
Cot vs Cot Beds vs Playpens
Cot beds can be converted to toddler beds when the child is older. But it's bigger. Space is an issue.
And what if Baby decided that she's sick and tired of the bed and wants a new 'big-girl bed'? *Gasp*
I think too much.
Playpens sound like an interesting option but I'm not sure if they are sturdy enough.
Strollers - the sturdy but heavy 'atas' ones vs the cheaper, lighter Asian brands
This, I really have no idea.
I only know I want a fully-reclining one with the option of the baby facing the parent.
Car seats - A separate car seat? Or with stroller?
This? I'm clueless too.
I'm pretty keen on the ones that attach to the stroller.
I remember reading somewhere, that it makes it easier to 'transport' the baby when he/she is sleeping.
Breast pumps
Ah. At least I settled on this one. Well, kind of.
I was contemplating between the Phillips Avent Comfort Double Electric (from Amazon) or the Ameda Lactaline.
I'll let fate decide which one I should get when I am at the fair.
Bottles
Diapers and nappies
I am liking the cloth diapers from Moo Moo Kow. I know there are many other brands out there but honestly, I'm a little lazy to do anymore research.
After the talk with Mummy, she gave me the confidence that washing of cloth diapers/nappies are manageable, and I should get some cloth diapers and/or nappies after all.
Clothes, Swaddle Cloths and Wash Cloths
I'm pretty sure Sweet Sis have bought quite a bit of clothes for her little niece. We are still looking for the kimono-styled ones for Baby just for the first month.
Sweet Sis got an adorable swaddle blanket from Mothercare. It's adorable.
I'm just thinking if I should get more swaddle cloths for the little one. The muslin ones like this?
Ah, my brain now. Still messy but slightly more organised.
I guess writing helps.
And I think I've just came up with a list on what to look out for at the upcoming baby fair. :)
Update:
The husband read this post, saw the pictures of the brains and wondered out loud, "Is there any difference?"
Then he figured it out.
"Oh! They are organised by colours now."
Men...
They are so adorable at times, aren't they?
I'm talking about shopping. Sure it's fun, but it's commitment too.
I'm good when it comes to buying cheap, affordable items (read: Daiso). I can walk into the store and walk out with two hands full. Within minutes.
But when it comes to a huge price tag, my brain doesn't function so well.
(The flat doesn't apply. My concept of money dies when $ exceeds 5 digits.)
***
To date, I have a folder filled with notes and lists on the things we should purchase.
Some days I wonder if that's just because I miss writing with a pen.
With so many different models and brands in the market, it's not an easy choice.
My brain pretty much looks like this now:
Cot vs Cot Beds vs Playpens
Cot beds can be converted to toddler beds when the child is older. But it's bigger. Space is an issue.
And what if Baby decided that she's sick and tired of the bed and wants a new 'big-girl bed'? *Gasp*
I think too much.
Playpens sound like an interesting option but I'm not sure if they are sturdy enough.
Strollers - the sturdy but heavy 'atas' ones vs the cheaper, lighter Asian brands
This, I really have no idea.
I only know I want a fully-reclining one with the option of the baby facing the parent.
Car seats - A separate car seat? Or with stroller?
This? I'm clueless too.
I'm pretty keen on the ones that attach to the stroller.
I remember reading somewhere, that it makes it easier to 'transport' the baby when he/she is sleeping.
Breast pumps
Ah. At least I settled on this one. Well, kind of.
I was contemplating between the Phillips Avent Comfort Double Electric (from Amazon) or the Ameda Lactaline.
The Phillips Avent Double Electric Comfort cost only US$199.90 (free shipping to SG too!), as compared to S$799 if purchased locally. It looks incredibly comfortable. This must be the prettiest breast pumps I've come across. I was this close into getting it. But I wasn't sure if there is international warranty.
The Ameda Lactaline (S$399) doesn't look as appealing but my friends swear by it. It doesn't not look as comfortable as the Phillips Avent but I like the dials that allow you to select the speed and suction. 32 different combinations according to the website. I think this is one feature I liked better than the Phillips Avent.I'll let fate decide which one I should get when I am at the fair.
Bottles
 |
| Source: Google.com |
I really like Phillip Avent's Natural Feeding Bottle. They look adorably fat.
And its anti-colic feature is wonderful. I know how it feels being colicky. It's not fun at all. Diapers and nappies
I am liking the cloth diapers from Moo Moo Kow. I know there are many other brands out there but honestly, I'm a little lazy to do anymore research.
After the talk with Mummy, she gave me the confidence that washing of cloth diapers/nappies are manageable, and I should get some cloth diapers and/or nappies after all.
Clothes, Swaddle Cloths and Wash Cloths
I'm pretty sure Sweet Sis have bought quite a bit of clothes for her little niece. We are still looking for the kimono-styled ones for Baby just for the first month.
Sweet Sis got an adorable swaddle blanket from Mothercare. It's adorable.
I'm just thinking if I should get more swaddle cloths for the little one. The muslin ones like this?
 |
| Source: Google.com |
I guess writing helps.
And I think I've just came up with a list on what to look out for at the upcoming baby fair. :)
Update:
The husband read this post, saw the pictures of the brains and wondered out loud, "Is there any difference?"
Then he figured it out.
"Oh! They are organised by colours now."
Men...
They are so adorable at times, aren't they?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)