Under The Nile - Sleeping Doll and Banana Toy

So, we have been pretty determined to build a more natural home and I went all crazy-gaga about getting natural toys for J. After pulling all-nighters for weeks, researching on the best natural toys, I got these from Under The Nile.

Why I love them?

They are made of 100% organic Egyptian cotton. Yes, even the filling! And that's probably why it is incredibly soft and smells really good. Not kidding. I had a good sniff of the toys right after it was done in the dryer.

Oh, And it can be machine washed and tumbled dry, so double yay!

What makes me love it more?
This is why.

How we feel about the toys

Animal print sleeping doll ("Lovie" as on Amazon)

I love how soft and cuddly it is. It screams "Baby!!!" all over. Just look at the colours.

I wish it was bigger though. This doll measures around 20 cm from the tip of the hat to the base. In fact, it is so little I think it didn't even catch J's attention. Its neutral colours didn't help either. (I specially picked this print because it resembles the one on our pillows which J loves.) She can't really hug it because the cotton-filled area is too small so she just flings it around. Like a handkerchief.

I introduced it as the "Lovie" to J once I got it washed and dried. I asked J couple of times, "Where's the Lovie?" and she behaved as though the doll is not there. I told the husband that night that I should have gotten the Scrappy Dog instead because it is bigger. This is so small that it seems barely noticeable to J and he went "Where's the doll doll?"
J immediately bent over to pick up the lovie which was left lying among the other toys in the playpen and passed it to him. 

!!!

So J actually noticed the doll, prefers to call it "doll doll" and choose to not play with it so much because it is too small?

J still doesn't seem to enjoy the sleeping doll as much as the banana so I think I'm gonna make it mine. Heh... :)

Under The Nile banana toy

Ah. This, is bigger than what I expected so it's good. I was searching for natural teethers and this popped up. I was actually looking for wooden rings but the ones I like don't ship to Singapore for free. I guess organic cotton isn't so bad either. Especially when the filling is organic as well. I said that already? Right.

J seems to prefer the banana, perhaps due to the bright colour. I've spotted her hugging it a few times. And of course, it's long and easy to bite on, and so, is serving its purpose well as a teether.

I'm looking at getting more Under The Nile toys in future (if the $$$ permits. It's a spurge-item after all.) You know the fruit tote (or if anyone can help, the veggies in a crate) would be great kitchen-play toys.

{Baby's Day Out} Takashimaya Baby Fair 2014 , ION (Part 1)

It's the Taka(shimya) Baby Fair again! :)

Baby fairs excite me. We have been more prudent in our spending ever since we became a one-income family so I see baby fairs as a legitimate reason to shop. Just saying.   ;)

I made a list of things to buy so that my goldfish memory won't fail me and I won't end up buying anything I do not need.

How disciplined, right?

Wet wipes
There were no Johnson and Johnson products at the fair. At least I didn't see any.


Pigeon hand and mouth wipes, $5.50 for 4 packs of 20s, and $6.60 for 2 packs of 60s


Teething Toy
I decided to wait for the husband to make the purchase. I'm not good with all the BPA-free stuff and all.

Stroller/ Diaper bag: OkieDog, $62.93

So, I mentioned earlier on that "Hey! I need no diaper bag!"
Then we went on a rather long shopping trip over the weekend and our shoulders couldn't take the weight of the existing 'diaper' bag. I tried hanging the Longchamp on the stroller but it blocks the way and retrieving stuff from the bag became a challenge.

We decided that we need to get a bag that fit the stroller.
Any bag.

I was eyeing Skip Hop's Dash because it's so cute. But the price tag is not too friendly to our wallets.
This OkieDog one is on sale and at $62.93, we thought it is a rather reasonable price to pay.

I didn't really pay attention to the inside of the bag because all I wanted was one that could attach to the stroller and allow me to retrieve things easily. So, I am pleasantly surprised when I saw that it has a bottle warmer and a wet bag included. (Yes. I realised it only after I paid.)

It also comes with a diaper changing mat. Love that it's tucked nicely at the back of the bag and is easy to retrieve. We used it shortly after and the mat is quite padded so I'd think it should be rather comfortable.

The inside of the bag. I require more compartments than the existing ones so I put my diaper bag organiser in it as well.

The front compartment of the bag is just nice for Momma-stuff like the wallet, and iPhone.

It hangs on the stroller! I can almost hear our shoulders rejoicing.

I've just used it for a couple of hours but I think that this is the best purchase of the day.

Diapers
I learnt from the husband that we should compare the price of the diapers (per piece) to know if it's a good deal.

Huggies (M size) are going at about $0.295 per piece.
Should have gotten it at the BabyCare Festival when it was going at $0.23.
I wanted to wait till the Taka fair to try my luck. I'm a sucker for freebies so I wanted to see if they give away free toys this time round. They do, but Lil' J already has the same toy so I didn't see a point in trying to spend $150 for the free toy.
(Dang.. Why no Cupcake Kitchen?)

I ended up not stocking up on the diapers.


Teething Pad, Ergo Organic Teething pad, $19.90

I never knew teething pads are this soft.


Rain cover for stroller, Peg-Pérego Rain Cover, $59.90
Splurge item.
Why did I buy a piece of plastic for close to 60 bucks?
I think I just wanted to play it safe.

And....

THE IMPULSE PURCHASE OF THE DAY

Tiny Love Rattle , $10

  

I really didn't want to get any toy for Lil' J, but she saw this and got really excited.

And the level of excitement was hilarious.

With eyes looking intently at it, her arms were just flailing everywhere in attempt to get hold of the toy.

There is also a red version of the rattle but she didn't want it.

We tried giving her other toys but she didn't display the same level of interest.

I got so excited about her being excited about toys, I went ahead and got her one.

I paid for the toy while my mum fed her milk. And once Lil' J was done feeding, I gave her the toy.

She wasn't interested in it anymore.

That's when we realised....

She might have mistaken this for her milk bottle!

Oh gosh!

I tried giving the toy again back at home.

She only tried to grab it when she was hungry.

(|||-_-)

*I wanted to write about ION but this post is already so long so I'm just going to separate it into two posts.

The magic cot

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.

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...

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 for us 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.

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 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?) 

And that, is a whole lot of pink.

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.

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 the very 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.)

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?

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.

Maternity Buys

I've been trying to hold off purchases of maternity wear for as long as I can.
Since I'm not working, and I don't really go out except on weekends, I  don't wish to spend that money.

It seemed that fashion from 5-8 years back were big on loose-fitting clothes.
Mummy actually kept a small stash of tops and dresses while clearing out Sweet sis' wardrobe.
Those spaghetti dresses have served me well so far.
I think they can easily double up as nursing wear too. ;)

Since I'm home most of the time, my FBT shorts and oversized tees work fine.
It's nice that the shorts still sit pretty nicely over my bump. Not the best in terms of fashion sense but no one is going to look at me anyway.
I'd never think I'd say this but putting on weight before pregnancy helped too. My Cotton-On shorts still fits nicely under my baby bump.

To date, I've gotten myself a pair of maternity leggings, a pair of maternity stocking (both from Citrus Sox, total $39.90) and this comfy pair of lounge pants from Uniqlo.

I'm hoping to keep it that way till I hit the third trimester. :)

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.

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

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?

Baby Bums

Lately, our weekends are usually spent on 'product research'.
We'll pop by malls and check out any store that sells baby-related stuff.
There are so many things to buy, and so many choices.
I'm quite overwhelmed.

That day in Metro, I saw the hubby fiddling with Moo Moo Kow's cloth diapers.
He had to touch the one that is the tiniest on display.
And it had to have these adorable cow prints.
Just like this one.
Only that the snaps are adjusted to the smallest size possible.
Really tiny.


Source: Moomookow.com

I went nuts.
Think Agnes in Despicable Me. It's so adorable I'm gonna die!!!

There's something about baby bums in diapers, don't you agree?
Whatever diapers. Disposable ones, cloth ones.
They look incredibly adorable and it makes you wanna squeal and hold that bum in your arms and kiss the baby all over. No?

I think I'm gonna be one momma who kisses her baby's bums so often.
Oh dear, that's a fetish, isn't it?




Motherhood Exhibition 2013

Otherwise known as "The Day I Should Have Brought My Brains Out" or "The Day of Many Lessons Learnt".
(Long post ahead!)


Just a little bit about me and fairs.
I don't function well in fairs mainly because I get overwhelmed by the booths, the crowd and I usually end up with nothing but a headache after.

But this is the 'Motherhood Exhibition'.
It's my first 'mommy-baby' fair. And a pretty large-scale one.
I'll have to be there to experience what it is like.
Are the discounts great? Are the deals attractive?


THE DAY

The sweet sis had a day off so we had a good mummy-daughter bonding day with my mum.
It has been a long while since the three of us hung out together.
I'm deeply appreciative of these two wonderful ladies in my life.
I love them so, so much. ♥


In order not to spend too much time at the fair, I did research and shortlisted the booths I wanted to visit and the talks I wanted to attend. Remember that I don't function well at fairs?

This was my brain before I entered the fair.

And on my to do list:
1. Subscribe to Motherhood magazine. (Just one year at $50 will do)
2. Check out Cordlife. Get brochures and info.
3. Get the Theraline Pillow from Spring Maternity.
    (If there's a special promotion to get the Mom's card, get it!)
4. Listen to the talk on 'Caring for Newborn'. Hope and pray they'll talk about bathing newborns.
5. Go home!

Short and sweet.
We should be out of the fair by 3pm.


Alas, there is some kind of magic in such fairs. Mix that in with the "Oh! I'm a mommy!" brain, and you get this:

THE TALK:
The talk was pretty informative for me.
I'm glad I actually remember how to bathe a baby from watching my grandma and mummy bathe lil' bro 18 years ago. :)
There were a couple extra tips to take note of, which I diligently typed into my phone.
(I'd have taken photos or a video if my phone stopped acting like it was going to die on me. Then the hubby reminded me that I could have used my sister's phone.
Right... he could do with the video. *slams head on table*)

The lady brought up a good point about checking the mittens before putting it on the baby.
She mentioned a horror story about how a baby almost lost his finger because the loose thread got wound around his tiny finger, stopping the blood flow.
Should have seen our faces after she said that.

Lesson 1: Always update the phone's software and ensure that phone is in proper working condition.



THE SHOPPING:

Motherhood Magazine
I got a three year subscription instead. And ended up with something I probably have no use for.
After I did the Math, I wanted to shoot myself for being a Math major and yet, making all the mistakes I shouldn't make.

Lesson 2: Never ever let the "Sale and Freebies" part of the Brain take over the rational portion of it.




Spring Maternity

Source: Google Images

The Theraline pillow (it looks like a boomerang... teehee) is going at $116.10 from Spring Maternity.

It's the same price if you get at the store. The deal?
Mommies need to spend only $150 at the fair (instead of $200, though website states $400) to get the Mom's Card . Not bad at all!

I got an extra cover for the Theraline, and a couple more products just to make up to $150.
When preggie and unemployed (even though by choice), think like an 'auntie'.




Baby Kingdom
I wasn't planning to get any big-ticket items partly because Baby is playing along with the gender-guessing game and we also thought it might be a little too early to decide on the cots and strollers now.

But sweet sis being sweet sis, and the awesomest aunt in the entire world, gave Lil' One his/her first gift.

Source: Google Images

The Combi Rashule (dx) Parenting Station. ($359 before discount)
I love the mint green.
The sister is really an indulging aunt because she almost ended buying the Combi Roanju for the Lil' One.
Have I mentioned before how sweet sis is like a Santa Claus? (The gifting)

Almost all my friends have one of these for their babies and they swear by how wonderful it is. This must be the best purchase of the entire day.

There was a 10% discount, free delivery, a PVC cover to protect the cushion while the lil' one dines, and a 'mystery' gift. Pretty good deal!




SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS/OBSERVATIONS:

1. People do buy diapers in bulk.
    Bags and bags of Pampers.
    Cartons of Merries.
    Huggies seems to be giving away Little Tike's Cupcake Kitchen.
    Everyone holding on to the Cupcake Kitchen was holding on to two boxes of Huggies.

2. It was really quite an eye- opener.

3. There are so many booths which I've missed. All looked like they have pretty good deals.
    I was quite sold on one of the playmats because of its pretty drawings.
    And I am quite tempted to get the cots, strollers and breast pumps at the end of the day.
    The discounts look pretty attractive.
    Should we return during the weekends?


***

We left the fair for the John Little Fair at Hall 3.
Two fairs.
Four hours.
All our hands full.
I was dehydrated.
Despite the silly irrational moments of buying things I absolutely don't need, it was a good day.
It was a day well-spent with my loves.

For that, I shall be grateful.