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.

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.

It's in the genes.

It's 6 in the evening.

Me: Is baby hungry already? I just fed her at 5... Why is she constantly eating?

Him: You're also constantly eating.

Ah. That explains it.

{Daddy Moments} Bird's Nest Soup

Other than tracking Baby's progress, I think I want to remember the moments and conversations we have as we embark on our journey to parenthood.

Especially since the hubby surprises me sometimes.
Just like 'Little Bits of Married Life', I want to be able to look back at these moments on days I find a drag, or on days when he annoys me, and remind myself to appreciate the man a little bit more.

********
We were having bird's nest soup last night.

Him: You didn't tell Baby where the bird's nest come from?

Me: ?? (Actually, no. I just tell Baby that we are having bird's nest soup, and I'll gulp the whole bowl within minutes.)

Him: The swallows built the nest, and it is harvested after the baby swallows are all grown up and
         have left the nest.
         (Then to me) If not, Baby might be sad thinking " :( I'm eating the baby swallow's home."

See?
He surprises me.

This makes me warm and fuzzy inside...

The hubby texted.

"So excited. 3rd trimester now. Baby will be born soon."

Baby Nicknames

When I announced that we are having a girl, I texted my friends and parents saying that we are having a princess.
So during conversations, I referred to Baby as princess to some of my friends.
One of them asked "Are you sure you are going to call her 'princess'?"

A couple of days ago, the husband and I had this text conversation.

Me: "Should we call baby 'princess'? Or 'precious'?"
Him: "Just baby? I like to just call her baby. Simple."

I kind of liked that too.

{Reading to Baby} An ethusiastic Daddy-to-be

Hazy-stuck-at-home-Saturday, 4 pm

Time for Baby's afternoon story.

Me: Do you want to read Baby a story? Or should I read it?
Him(enthusiastically, almost pleading): I'll read! I haven't read to Baby for such a long time...

This man is taking the storytelling very, very seriously.

Storytelling didn't commence until bedtime because the hubby was so busy with the chores.
(Poor guy. After a day of collecting, distributing masks and air cleaners to family, grocery shopping, getting me food, sweeping, mopping, cleaning... I do have to give him some credit here. He's always pretty much mistaken. He's actually really very sweet!)

We have a specific bedtime story so the hubby had to read that.
As usual, he will usually read through the story on his own before 'officially' reading it to Baby.
It's funny how he tried to use different sounds for the characters as well and ended up sounding like how I did it.

"I sound like you."
"It's okay. You can make your own character voices."

He did.
That night, I couldn't stop giggling while he was reading the story.
This man puts in a lot of effort in making the story interesting.
Even though Big Nutbrown Hare did sound a lot like an old wizard that night.

"Sorry Baby, it's Daddy's first time reading this story. I will get better!"


Not-so-hazy-anymore-but-stay-indoors-Sunday

The hubby volunteered to read to Baby again.
Can you imagine how happy I am with the whole storytelling thing?
I like the hubby being so involved like this.

This time, he picked out a different book I borrowed from the library.

Source: Bookdepository.co.uk

When I read, I make sure I have my hands on my bump.
It's this strange rule that I have.
So when the hubby reads, he has to have his hand on my bump too.

Somewhere along the story, there was a little twitch.
Hubby must have felt the magic twitch too.
He was mighty pleased at the end of the story.
I am mighty pleased too.