Aiden's Birthday Wish: A Day At The Polliwogs VivoCity

Aiden turned three a few weeks back and one of his birthday requests was for us to take him to an indoor playground. It was perfect that The Polliwogs opened a new centre at VivoCity and we thought it'd be awesome to bring him!

We celebrated with his friends in school before we headed to VivoCity where we watched the Lego movie & then had a great time at The Polliwogs. 

Happy Birthday our dear son!

Happy with his birthday jelly cake.

Sharing a sweet moment with daddy dearest.

His first movie and he needed a ticket!

Sharing their love for lego & popcorn.

As much as Aiden enjoyed the movie, he couldn't wait for the movie to end, and kept asking if we can go to the indoor playground soon. And here we are, making our way to level 3 of VivoCity, a nice walk along the linkway leading us to Harbourfront Centre.

Making our way to The Polliwogs - on the linkway.

Wow! What an amazing place.

There were two main play areas - one area for kids 3 years and below, and the main play area for kids above 3. For the more adventurous kids, they can go straight towards the main play area. Aiden spent 15 minutes in this area before running towards the giant wave slides!

 

Wow! Look at these slides. I have to admit I got pretty excited too. I lost count of the number of times he excitedly shouted, 'Come mummy, follow me!' as he gestured for me to go with him on these slides. The spacious slides fit us adults better, so we have fun while keeping a watchful eye on the kids.

Whee! Love these bright colored spacious slides.

Yay his favorite - pool of balls.

'This is really fast Daddy!'

Love the burst of colors on these rainbow climbing tunnels. Initially very cautious making his way through this tunnel, Aiden very quickly got the hang of it and went many times through it. We could hardly keep up with him! It was also good that the entire play area is well padded so parents need not worry about the bumps and tumbles.

'Daddy! Stand here.' 'Mummy, go there!' Our little bossy one commanding us to take our positions at the shooting area.

There was plenty of space for him to run about and independently explore, but he preferred for us to follow him as he went around. It became a workout for myself and Daddy Darren as the restricted height of the play area gave us backaches as we chased him around.

This two-level checkered spring forming a trampoline looks fun but may be a little challenging for toddlers his age. With much assistance, he enjoyed himself in this area.

How do I get up there?

Run Aiden run!

Seeing all smiles and no eyes, our dear son definitely had an awesome day out! Bring your kids to The Polliwogs VivoCity if you haven't done so.

'Let's come again!'

Location:
The Polliwogs VivoCity is conveniently located at 1 Harbourfront Walk, #03-12 VivoCity, Singapore 098585 (linkway towards Harbourfront, opposite Marche).

Price:

Children below 2 years old
Weekdays: $13 per entry
Weekends and public holidays: $13 for 2 hours. Subsequent half hour at $5.

Children aged 2 to 12 years old
Weekdays: $20 per entry.
Weekends and public holidays: $25 for 2 hours. Subsequent half hour at $5

Free admission for two adults with every paying child. Subsequent adult pays $5 each.

Disclosure: The Polliwogs invited us to their centre for a review. No monetary compensation was given, all opinions are my own. 

Appreciating fatherhood - Guest post on SakuraHaruka.com

 
I would like to thank Ai Sakura for inviting me to share my thoughts on whether fathers are an unappreciated bunch. Although a parent's love for their kids may be unconditional, being appreciated by those who matter certainly gives us the strength and encouragement to do things better.

Read about what I had to say on the topic at SakuraHaruka.com!

Ava is 3 months old

In a flash, three months have gone by, and I will be returning to work in a week's time. I am having withdrawal symptoms and stress level has gone up judging from the plunge in milk supply these couple of days. Lack of rest also contributed to impatience and more stress trying to manage my emotions. Constantly reminding myself to take deep breaths, relax and things will fall into place.

Over the past three months, I am glad to have spent quality alone time with Ava, as well as with Aiden and bonded with each of them. Being able to be present when they each achieve their milestones makes me happy, and that's priceless.

Ava is melting hearts at a tender age of three months. When she first smiled at me, I couldn't stop grinning and am really excited for the beginning of more interaction and play time with her.

This is one of her first smiles, not to me but while looking at the cot mobile.

Before I forget this period when she is three months old, these are some of the things I love about her at this stage.

Just chilling out over CNY at a friend's place.

Cuddling her in my arms, humming a tune while I watch her drift off to sleep.

Stealing kisses while she's asleep, when she's awake, while we are playing, I guess all the time whenever I can.

Having her close to me and smelling her comforting baby scent. If only we could bottle this scent, for times when we miss her.

Babies are only so little once, those chubby feet, her small and dainty hands. I am sure I will miss this period as she grows up. 

For Full Time Working Mums: Your Best Companion For Breastfeeding

Many new mums often have these questions in mind about breastfeeding, 'Would I be breastfeeding my baby?', 'Would I need a breastpump?' and 'How should I go about selecting a suitable breastpump?'. Here's my experience with selecting a breastpump as a full time working mum to three year old, Aiden and three month old, Ava.

I decided to breastfeed in a heartbeat. I wanted to give the best food to baby and what can be more natural than breastmilk? Breastfeeeding also helps bonding between me and my baby with more skin on skin contact, and it relaxes me while I try to decipher her cries & adjust to her routine. I believe breastfed babies fall sick less easily too and being easier to digest, baby gets lesser tummy issues. I breastfed Aiden who is three year old now, for twelve months and am currently breastfeeding Ava for the past three months. Throughout the time I breastfed, I also expressed milk so that other members of the family can help to feed the baby while I am away or when the baby refuses to latch on, we can have the option of feeding her expressed breastmilk instead of formula.

When I decided to breastfeed, I shopped around for a suitable breastpump that would fit well with my lifestyle as a full time working mum. After comparing the various brands and models of breastpumps in the market, I decided to go with Medela Freestyle and it has impressed me with its ability to save time and providing me with the freedom of movement - believe me, this is something much needed for a full time working mother of two. When I saw how it looks, I was won over too. So compact and so easy to bring around.

Here are why the Medela Freestyle Breastpump works for me.

The time saver

Being able to double pump under twenty minutes all thanks to the two-phase expression technology behind the Freestyle Breastpump, I get more time to bond with my baby. In the first few weeks, a new born baby sleeps for more than 18 hours a day, so every little bracket of time spent with her is very precious to me.

Watching baby sleep wins handsdown vs. long periods expressing breastmilk

The Freestyle Breastpump also allows me to multi-task while expressing milk. All of us time-pressed mums would be glad for this. I am able to reply to emails on my laptop, surf the internet on my phone and pat my elder son to sleep while expressing milk.

The easy to assemble parts of the Freestyle Breastpump also saved me time to wash and sterilize them. Imagine repeating this pump-wash-sterilize routine 6 times and more in a day, you'd be thankful for this.

Just these few easy parts to put together, it saved me time!

The reliable companion
Through late nights pumping to keep up with the milk supply, expressing milk during my overseas trips when baby is away from me and pumping on one side while nursing her, the Medela Freestyle Breastpump fits seamlessly with my lifestyle. I've started to use the breastpump right after having Ava as she had difficulties latching and I wanted her to still be able to enjoy the benefits of breastmilk. The large LCD screen on the breastpump shows all the relevant information I need at one glance so I am in total control of the time and vacuum settings. It also shows the battery life, so you know when you need to recharge it.

Chilling out in the hotel room, expressing milk with the Freestyle.

The work horse
With one full charge, you can get about 200 minutes of pump time. Saves time for me, and I need not bring around the charger when I am out and about. I brought the pump along on a three day overseas trip recently and the battery life was sufficient. Compared to the single pumps and manual pumps in the market, this works best for me as I would need double the time with a single pump and I prefer the electric pumping vs. manual pumping to spare my hands the aches.

The quiet worker
My husband is able to sleep through next to me while I express milk in the night and this is great as I need not find an empty room or space to express milk. The breastpump also has a backlight which is especially useful for pumping at night so I can express milk with a bedside lamp, without disturbing my husband's sleep.

The portable mean machine
Who would think such a small hand held pump can be a mean machine at the same time? Using this portable electric pump on a daily basis is a pleasure to me. I can carry it around in my handbag and it is so discreet and convenient. Find a nursing room, and I can chill out and express milk under twenty minutes.

Easy storage & transportation of breastmilk.

So to all full time working mums who are deciding on a breastpump, I would strongly recommend the Medela Freestyle. It is made with mothers in mind and it is really easy to use. You can change between the two phases yourself or pre-set the vacuum setting which is most comfortable for you with a touch of a button. Once you have chosen your preferred vacuum level and pumping pattern, the unique memory function will save your setting for the next time you use the pump. So simple and so efficient.

From 1 - 31 March 2014, Medela is offering their Freestyle Bundle Set at a special price of $799 (usual price $983) and it includes the Freestyle Breastpump, Handsfree Kit, Disposable Bra Pad & JL Full Body Changing Pad

Medela Freestyle is available at all leading departmental stores, baby specialty stores and selected pharmacies.

Disclosure: Mums & Babes loaned me the Medela Freestyle Breastpump for review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

DIY Coin Bank using plastic food bottles

Mummy Cher and I had been on a lookout for a coin/money bank for Aiden.  He already understands the concept of money, and we intended to use the coin bank to teach him delayed gratification, financial planning and the habit of saving.

We knew that he would receive lots of Ang Baos during Chinese New Year and a coin bank would come in handy, but CNY came and gone and we still did not manage to find a coin bank that we like.  They were either too small, too heavy or made of porcelain.  It's also counter-intuitive to be spending good money on a expensive coin bank to teach Aiden how to save money!

And then one day, post CNY, while trying to gobble up the bottle of kuih bahulu before they expire, I realised the answer was right in my arms.  Why don't I make the coin bank out of a CNY goodie bottle?! 

And so I did.  And wow, it's so simple that even a guy like me can do it!  Here's how:

Materials/tools used

• Empty, clean CNY goodie bottle
• Fancy fabric tape (from Daiso)
• Nail polish remover
• Stickers
• Marker pen
• Scissors
• Penknife
• Ruler

Instructions

1. Firstly, remove the existing sticker labels.  I know our grandparents used to keep their money in biscuit tin boxes but I'm not quite a fan of that look.  I used Mummy Cher's nail polish remover but there are many alternative ways to do this.
2. Next, carefully cut a rectangle on the plastic lid of the bottle.  I was too forceful and the plastic lid cracked, so do cut patiently with the help of a ruler.  Make sure it is just big enough for coins and notes to be pushed through.  You don't want money to drop out unintentionally.
3. If your kid cannot write yet (like Aiden), help to write anything you want on the fancy fabric tape with the marker pen.  Before you start, wrap the fabric tape around the bottle so that you know the limit to how much to write.  I thought the bottle looked like Pooh's honey pot, so I called it "Aiden's Money Pot!".  Other suitable phrases include "O$P$", "I wanna be a billionaire, so freakin' bad" and "My HDB downpayment".
4. Remove the backing of the tape and stick it around the bottle.  I did this myself as I want to make sure the fabric tape wraps nicely. OCD, I know.
5. Get your kids to stick his/her favourite stickers on the bottle any way they like.  Tell them what the coin bank is for while they are at it.
6. Make the first deposit of coins/notes together with your kid.
7. You're done!  Smile and take a picture together!

It may not look like a million bucks, but I thought it's a wonderful activity to try with your kids.  The best thing is, I was able to justify eating the entire bottle of kuih bahulu all by myself.  Ingenious!  Alright alright.  More importantly, it recycles the bottles, saves you money, inculcates the right values, and is a great bonding activity.

Go try and see what you can come up with!

Aiden Turns Three!

In a flash, three years have gone by. Just three Valentine's Day ago, I was lying in bed at Thomson Medical Centre, cradling my precious bundle in my arms. Aiden arrived a day before Valentine's Day and he was the best gift I could have.

At home with mummy (A few days old)

As he turned three yesterday, here's a letter to my dear son.

Dear Aiden,

Happy Birthday to you!

I am a proud mum, seeing how you have grown from a tiny little baby who fit right in the nook of my arm to a charming little boy who is curious about the world (questioning about everything you see and learning all about why things are the way they are) and exploring it cautiously. You are a reflection of Daddy Darren and myself and sometimes hearing the things you say reminds me that we need to be mindful of what we say or do in your presence as you mimic and learn from us.

I miss the time when you were a baby - having you sound asleep on my chest, your chuckles when we play with you and being able to carry you with one arm, for extended periods. Nowadays I struggle to carry all 16kg of you in my arms but I love being close to you and I won't turn you away when you ask to be carried. I also enjoy conversations with you as you reason and discover new things everyday.

His first smiles (3 months old)

Chubby thighs (4 months old)

Your latest obsession is all about transportation & vehicles - cars, lorries, trucks and motorcycles. I am glad that along the way, you learn about the traffic rules, how to look out for traffic signs before crossing the road and even warns us to be careful in the car park and at road junctions. Recently, you also started looking out for empty car park lots for Daddy and differentiating lots for season parking (white vs red lines), which both came as surprises to me. I enjoy these moments where you surprise us with the things you say and do.

His collection of vehicles, arranging them orderly (3 years old)

You are ever so sensitive, and get hurt easily by my words. I hope you'd learn to be more understanding and patient in the year ahead. It saddens me to hear you sob and say 'I don't like it when mummy scolds me' when you misbehave. Mummy loves you dearly and I hope you will always be assured of this. Being strict with you will teach you the right values and hopefully shape you to be a more responsible and tougher individual as you grow up.

I hope you enjoyed your special day out with Daddy & Mummy. We brought you to your first movie - Lego Movie and you surprised me by feeding me popcorn in the dark! We had a lot of fun at The Polliwogs VivoCity, especially seeing all your joy.

You will always be the special boy that came into our lives on 13th February. Wishing you happiness and laughter in the year ahead!

Love,
Mummy

Reminiscing the time we fell in love

Reading Daddy Darren's blog post, I teared up a few times - all happy tears. No one can beat him in this - having me cry buckets and buckets of tears.

I remember throughout the years that we dated since 2003, I cried a lot. I cried over his tone on the phone when I called, I cried when he didn't reply a phone message after a long while. I cried when he got upset on my lateness and stomped off. I cried when we quarreled during our wedding preparations. I cried when he got upset during our overseas trips. But then our babies came and I find myself becoming a stronger woman and cried much lesser. I guess it's largely because we improved on our communication and his threshold for my behavior & bad habits has increased.

So Valentine's Day is in 2 days time, and I already know there won't be a date to a fancy restaurant, no beautiful bouquet and no surprise gift. Those treats are reserved for random, spur-of-the-moment days. But I am not complaining as these are not what I would trade for time with Daddy Darren & our two kids.

Nowadays, it is a luxury for Daddy Darren & me to dine out and spend alone time together. But it is important to remember that our love provides the foundation for our family, and to always show appreciation for each other. Looking at how happy Aiden is, I think it reflects the love that we have!

Since we went out in 2003, these 11 years have not been always smooth sailing for us. Despite our differences, our unwavering love for each other & trust that we would work things out together helped us come this far. Here's what Daddy Darren have always been for me, and I am so happy & lucky to have him as my life partner.

A supportive partner
He has always supported me in my decisions but challenging me all the time to achieve greater things. He helps me believe in my capabilities, be it in my career, in my passion, as a mum and in our own business. I may be stubborn and indecisive at times so having his opinions as a balance and check against my own helps me make better decisions. He motivates me to achieve bigger things than I think I can.

Our life planner
In our relationship, Daddy Darren is definitely the planner and I am really glad for that. He sets his mind to working towards a better life for both of us and now for our family of four. I never would have thought we would be where we are currently, but I don't think any of these are left entirely to chance. The cars, our homes, home designs etc. All carefully planned by him!

My happy pill
He has always been able to cheer me up whenever I feel down, stressed and depressed. He makes any good day even better as I feel good sharing the joy with him. His sense of humor and not-shy antics are what I need to get through any tough periods or a dull day.

Our Daddy Darren
The times I see him feeling down when our boy hurt his feelings, I know he really loves Aiden to bits. It also helped me see that our own relationship mattered a lot to him.  You will only feel agitated when something means a lot to you, right? The twinkle in his eye and excitement as he held our second child, she is as precious to him, daddy's little girl for sure (though he would argue that he will treat both of our kids the same). I think fatherly instincts kicked in later for Daddy Darren (though his parenting views formed even before I met him!), but I could see how much love he has for our kids and how he wants to shape them to be happy people who try their best and be tougher in preparation for the challenging future they have ahead of them. His role as daddy to our kids complement mine, and though we do not agree on several parenting ways, we work out what's best for each situation, for ourselves and our kids. This helps strengthen our relationship with each other too.

Thank you for taking this journey with me. We have many great years ahead, which I am sure will be filled with many more memorable moments, trips, experiences together and yes, more happy tears. You complete me and I would choose to say 'Oui' again and relive the moment with you!

An unforgettable experience with you, our DIY wedding photoshoot in Paris.

The breathtaking Eiffel Tower, where we decided to spend our lives together. 

Missing the times we wandered where our feet brings us.

Sharing your joy in your passion for soccer.

Trying to recall when we had distinct, well defined jawlines sans photoshop.

Indulging in our love for food.

Life may not always be a bed of roses, but it's definitely better with you by my side.