Monday, August 30, 2010

How to be a Mumzilla

I get asked every now and then about how I manage to keep everything together and not fall apart.
It sure is tough juggling work, a baby, clothes-and-bags-disease, shopping etc .. and unfortunately for me, I am not a SAHM!
On top of that, I have to study at night, fighting deadlines and exams.
I try to make effort in my appearance though there are days when I can't be bothered.
So anyways, here's a post for all you amazing Mums out there.


P.S. Included my pregnancy stuff for the Mumzillas-to-be


Holy grail when I was preggers:

L'Occitane shea butter soap
When I was preggy, if there's anything I remember most - it was having sensitive sense of smell. I couldnt stand most scents. And perfumes made me puke. I had to use this because the mild milky smell reminds me of a baby and this was the only smell I could tolerate.


L'Occitane Shea butter 15% body lotionThis is a light moisturiser but it smells babyish and till today I'm still using it. I prefer its richer version though, but this is good if you dont have ultra dry skin like I do.


L'Occitane Shea butter 25%
I swear by this even during my Poly days. I love its rich texture that hydrates my skin in cold air-con lecture halls, and its special milky smell which leaves me smelling like a baby!
I'm using it now because my hands are almost wrinkled from too much hand-washing. I'm not suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder or anything like that, but the nature of my job requires me to wash my hands about a gazillion times a day with chemical chlorhexadine soaps. Sounds terrible, no?



Body Shop cocoa butter
I alternated using this with my L'Occitane one, because I was reading reviews online and found mixed reviews on shea vs cocoa butter. I was kiasu and decided to use BOTH. Heck, I had only ONE chance at it, because I was only pregnant that ONCE. Can't afford to screw that up, can I? :P



Johnson & Johnson baby oil
This was recommended to me by my dearest Charmaine, who said all her mom and sorority of aunts used J&J baby oil and they have beautiful tummies with no stretchmarks.
I used the lavender version because of the smell. Works well, cheap and results (coupled with the above-mentioned butters) - I have not a single stretchmark. So Mommies, you dont have to splurge to have a killer post-partem bod.







My holy grails for Baby:

Cavilon diaper rash cream
This was first recommended to me by my Mum, and is used by the nurseries in KKH. Thank goodness for her, this has to be the Creme De La Mer for nappy creams. A small pearl-sized amount goes a long way, and heals nappy rashes by the next diaper change. Leaves a slightly greasy film as a barrier.
This really works wonders, just ask my sis Meena.




Secura diaper rash cream
This is another of my fav cream, I have to say between Cavilon and Secura, it's a tie for me. Unlike the Cavilon which leaves a slightly greasy finish, this leaves a matt dry finish on baby's bum. But I have to say that both works great.


Dentinox Colic drops
This is a real life saver when your baby is colicky and cries on top of his lungs. I've tried another brand recommended by Kai's ex-PD which was called Rid-wind, but this is definitely better at a fraction of the price. Easily avail OTC at Watson's and Guardian's.




Earth Friendly Baby bath products
They are organic and cheaper than California Baby's bath range, for organic freaks like me who want to go easy on the pocket.







Holy grail for my skin:

Origins Clean Energy oil cleanser
I am marvelled by this clever invention. It is clearly an oil which removes even your most stubborn MAC waterproof mascara but once you rinse it off with water, your face becomes soft and supple. Not a trace of oiliness. Brilliant. Worried about the mess? It comes with a pump.


Origins Never a Dull Moment brightening cleanser


Origins Checks and Balances foam cleanserI alternate both cleansers depending on my skin's needs.



Origins Never a Dull Moment scrub
I have been using this for years now, also since my Poly days. I try to find other scrubs but I just keep going back for this. I love the fruit enzymes.


SK-II Facial treatment essence.
My polymate Ivy told me this broke her out, and I was quite skeptical to use it at first because first of all, the price tag doesnt make this a pdt you can just "try for fun". But glad I did cos this works in reducing my oil production but you have to keep using it to see continued results. And the price ain't pretty!



Shiseido White Lucent emulsion
This is what I use to moisturise, hydrate hydrate hydrate. Like that it doesnt feel greasy after application.



SK-II masks
I slap them on when I am lazy to go for facials or have no time. At least I can use them in the comfort of home and still go about my chores - feed baby, wash bottles, sterilise bottles, yada yada.



Dear Skin Ampoule masksThese are only $2 per sheet, and a quick cheap method to masking when you just need a quick skin-rescue and dont feel like throwing $$ into an expensive mask. I'm having the Placenta mask on now as I'm typing this post.






Last but not least, the most important ingredient of my recipe is - lots of love from Hubby!
We check ourselves into a spa every month, just to destress and have some private couple time.
We dont sign any packages because we like to spa-hop depending on which credit card had promo.
For the month of August, we went to Furama Riverfront spa which had a nice couple room with a pond filled with lilies. Very zen and relaxing. After the therapy, we were served ginger tea and helped ourselves to the free Hermes perfumes in the spa. I used the Kelly Caleche one and smelt good all the way till past dinner.

So anyway, that's all about my current lifestyle must-haves.
Time to catch some sleep!

Love,
V.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

happy

As the week is drawing to a close, I'm feeling happy and psyched up because... I finished one of my 2000-word essays!
So I can relax for the weekend and not be stressed by deadlines. Yay!

Last weekend, Hubby, Adam & I went furniture-browsing and we fell in love with a red L-shape sofa set in full leather, and a beige marble-top dining table. Soooo nice lorr...
Adam loves it too, he kept bouncing on it approvingly Hehe
When is our new home ready man??! *taps fingers*
Luckily for us, our new home comes furnished so we just need to get the furniture/electronics (which FIL has kindly offered to sponsor.. Why didnt we say Yes to his offer of buying landed property and stay all under-one-roof?) and do abit of tweakings to the design, coupled with some logistics planning, which I'm not worried at all with Hubby around.

Also, I'm in a I-wanna-go-shopping-and-forget-all-my-troubles kinda mood. Ok, I wouldnt call it "shopping" so as not to scare Hubby, but more like doing abit of research.. Ehem... before our Nov HK trip.
It's gonna be a short trip, so I might as well make the most of it by comparing prices here first. Also, we're bringing our portable son to Disneyland and I expect it to last an entire day so all the more to make the most of our time right?

Oooooo I am so looking forward. Can't wait!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

A Raging Bull



As if this Supercar ain't fast enough, the Murcielago has wings, perhaps all the more to make it fly faster.

With a price tag of a private property in the prime area, one sure can get used to living out of this gorgeous little monster.
Hahah just kidding :P

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

New chapter in my (work) life

I would like to say I have a big promotion, but no lah.... unlike my SAHM Tai-tai friends, I am the only one who is unfortunately still slogging my ass off.

Apart from my pay increment and mid-year biannual bonus, what Im gonna say is that I'll be converting to shift duty from the month of September.
Which translates into - shorter work hours per day, and (even) more dough for me.

I hope this will be the answer to my tiredness because right now on office hours, the hours are too long at a stretch and simply too exhausting for me. Weekends come and go in a flash, with me hardly ever resting or stopping because everyone's at home with all the activity and hype.

Anyway, with shift duty, it also means I can have random noons free to meet Charmaine for shopping and high tea. Whee!
until next year lor, that is, when I will most probably jump ship to a new company [home] and new boss [Toddler A]

Sunday, August 22, 2010

It's hot in here




My poor baby, his first time running a temperature. The highest was 39.4deg celcius, started today.
It's a common side effect of MMRV jab, but still..... having a sick child is every parent's greatest nightmare.
He's never been sick before, 'cept for a common cold last Xmas and a cough last Month which never lasted long.
My occupational and motherly instincts kick in - I've been sponging him, diligently feeding him antipyretics, sticking on the cooling pad, and giving him lots and lots of water.
I even called Dr Simon on his after-hours line just to make sure whether Andy & I should check him into "chalet" but the good doctor said we have to monitor and continue what we're doing for now and ensure the fever doesn't last more than 3 days.

But other than the fever, he's still active and bubbly, singing and going about his activities pretty much normally.
I'm not leaving it to chance, and taking the day off tomorrow to stay home with my baby.
After becoming a mother, I realise one thing - whether you are old or young, ugly or pretty, rich or poor - as long as you are a parent, you are reduced to the same status as all other parents out there, loving your child before yourself.
I know I can give the world for Baby Kai.
One of the best things about being a parent is - they don't care if you look like the frumpy housewife in baggy clothes. Even if you have no makeup on, have no Chanel or Hermes purses, your children will still come over and hug you, calling you Mama all the same.

Dear God, please bless this strong-spirited boy, and may he continue to grow into a healthy and happy God-loving person.

Outing with Girls, then Kai at the Garage

Today was the day, after so many weeks of delaying and more delaying, we gals finally kept our date!
First, Charm came to fetch me in her new Mini Cooper S cabrio, which was great because for the longest time, I've been missing the feeling of sitting in the passenger seat! It's always either I'm driving, or sitting behind with Kai if Daddy drives.
I love my first time sitting in a convertible! But I just cant stand the sun beating down on me. Contradicting, no? Heh heh!

So anyway, we went to Meena's place at Telok Kurau then walked over with Vetrin in the pram to Garden Slug cafe for our lunch. I had deliberately left Kai at home because it's almost impossible to bring him out these days - he's always running and trying to bowl things over in a vicious attempt to make his parents bankrupt!
Too many car-mods, Chanels and a recent Hermes disease maybe? :P

But at the cafe, I found myself checking out the kids' menu uncontrollaby, and then immediately I wished Kai was there with us. I'm sucha sucker, I know. Hur hur.









After the quick lunch, we brought the Baby Mobile for a service. With Baby Kai in tow of course!

So there he was at the garage with us, he's clearly engrossed watching Uncles Wilson and Nigel jacking this and turning that.

'cuse my car plate number, too lazy to edit away. But if you see me on the roads, you know to keep away from this kayu driver!


Kai was imitating the engine sounds of the Porsche. "Oooorrrhhhhh.... OOrrrhh" he went. And Uncle Wilson went "You be careful when this fella gets his licence!" .. Well, till the day he stops soiling his diapers, young man. LOL





Okay so this was our Satuday. Good night peeps!

Friday, August 20, 2010

Hermes Bleu Jean Dogon wallet clutch



Oooohh my new baby, my first H :)
It's sooooo beautiful and delicate, I cant bear to use it.


I have to say, I'm looking forward to more orange boxes in future pls! ;)
Right now, I'm just glad the long and horrid week is over, time to embrace the weekend!
Loves,
V.

Kai at the fish farm

It has been raining lots, and then some. Last weekend, once the rain had reduced to a slight drizzle, we brought Kai to one of the fish farms at Pasir Ris.

Cheeky boy in the car














He's wearing an aptly themed shirt :)














Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Limbo

I havent washed my car in bloody WEEKS. In fact, about a mth now - ever since the photoshoot. Everytime I wana wash it, Im either bloody tired or busy or it's raining.

Kai is going through some hyperactiveness now, and Im close to tearing my hair out. He's wakeful, I'm sleepless.

This is a horrid horrid week. I've been sooo friggin' busy but it seems like I havent achieved anything. I wish I can take a looonggg break away from it all.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Hanging by the pool






What a way to wrap up our Sunday - hanging by the pool.
The weather was beautiful - not raining but not humid.

I worked on my tan while Hubby went for his swim.
I love it!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Revamped cereal


A quick brekkie fix in the mornings when we are rushed for time:
- Organic cereal
- fresh milk
- honey corn flakes crushed into smaller bite-size pieces
- a dollop of Manuka honey

Caution: Pls do not feed your child honey if he/she is less than a year old.

Otherwise, it's a much-loved recipe and Kai has been polishing his bowl for the past week!
Time to come up with a new recipe for next week.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Gone shopping!

Not me, but my son!
He is the great imitator nowadays... copying our every action.

Here, he is hanging one ratty plastic bag off his arm and pretending it to be a handbag while he goes "shopping". HAHA



Very yaya somemore... LOL




I'm increasingly convinced that he's got more of my genes.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Celebrating our Nation's 45th birthday~

In the end, Hubby & I didnt manage to charter the boat to celebrate ND because firstly, it was fully booked, and secondly, I was sick with flu and the works. But nonetheless, we managed to do something special and totally fun with friends and Baby A, minus the sweat / sticky armpits / shoving with thousands.

As it's Adam's FIRST time celebrating National Day, we were glad that it went fabulously :)
We had a potluck gathering at Andy's Indonesian-Chinese friend's pad, which is at Suites @ Central, Devonshire Road.

The 16th storey apt even had its own personal elevator. Awesome.




Mummy, Daddy and Baby A had the birds' eyeview in the balcony.




Adam on his throne waiting for the airplanes and fireworks.





The view was magnificient and breathtaking


and finally it starts!









Everyone had dinner before the fireworks begun




Start-shaped fireworks







That's all the photos of fireworks, taken with my DSLR.


Thanks for all the food, icecream cake and champagne everyone. We enjoyed the evening very much :)

Love,
Andy, Veron & Adam