Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Group Picture

I just received this group picture from Karen today - more than 4 months late as her wedding was on 9th May 2009. :)
This picture was taken in front of Starview Restaurant @ New World Park.

Somehow I feel like posting this up for remembrance as I was 9 months pregnant at that time and this was most probably the only picture I have left while I was pregnant! (my laptop was stolen and all the pics are gone, remember?)

My tummy probably looks small coz I was wearing black I suppose.


l to r: Alan, BW, me (Shern inside my tummy), Peter, EeXion, Daniel, Karen the Bride, Weng Hoe the groom, Justin, Siow Sen (baby inside her tummy too) and Chun Hoer

Yiu-Shern - week 16


25 Sep 2009

Yiu-Shern's 16 weeks Milestone

Shern has lots of achievement this week *mummy Shu-Yin beaming proudly*

Grasp/Grab/Bat
Shern has started reaching out his hands to grasp, grab and bat at things.
He loves touching his birdie toy at his rocker. And he also likes to grab his Eddie the Elephant when put in his cot in mum's place.

Tummy Turnover
I was surprised when I put him down on his tummy and he turned over and was facing back down. Wow...he has finally learned to turn. However, he only knows how to turn one-way. He still doesn't know how to turn from back to tummy.
So for now only tummy-to-back.

Chuckle-Laugh
I think I am witnessing the start of a laugh from Shern. It was more like a chuckle-laugh. He does his chuckle-laugh whenever we tease him - be it burying our face onto his stomach or making monkey faces at him - whatever pleases him I should say!
Ohh...I am still waiting for the day he laughs out loud! :D


24 Sep 09
left: Feeling happy & contented after 4oz of milk-milk
right: Oopss...I did it again!




25 Sep 09
middle: happily listening to kong-kong singing Oldies


Ok, enough said about all his angelic moments. Let me now mention a few of his naughty moments.

Cough-like Sounds
These few days, Shern is making cough-like sounds. I know it is not an actual cough. He seems to 'force' the cough-like sounds out. He usually makes the sounds when he is grumpy and wants to be carried or seek for attention.
Is it one of his attention-seeker tactics, I wonder?

Middle-of-the-Night Wakings
One of the nights, Shern woke up in the middle of the night at 2am and started 'goo-goo-gaa-gaa-ing' with me. I nearly fainted when I saw how alert he was.
Initially I tried to ignore him. I refused to look at him in the eye or to talk to him. He of course started to make noise.

I then turned on his musical cot mobile for him hoping and praying that he will play by himself and then will go back to sleep.
Ahh...I should have known my son better! After staring at his musical cot mobile for a mere 5 minutes, he started crying for me to carry him.

I gave up and carried him in my arms and starting singing songs to him softly. I finally lulled him back to sleep after 1 hour! *pengsan


How Is Mummy Doing?

I bought extra 24 BPA-Free Bumblebee Breastmilk 5oz Storage Bottles at a discounted price online. I finished filling them up in less than a week's time. I need more!
Sigh...I should have bought more. Now I am going to waste money on delivery charges.

Review: Matern Program Stretch Marks Cream



Product Descriptions :
Prevention and reduction of stretch marks. The appearance of stretch marks is related to the loss of elasticity of the skin.

Formula:

  • Concentrated shea butter, complex of vegetable oil and silicon by-product.
  • Vegetable oil complex rich in essential fatty acids : Soften the skin and protects it from free radicals
  • Silicon by product : Improves the flexibility of elastic fibres and regenerates elastin and collagen
Result : Smooth and regenerated skin


My Review:
Pros:
- It works for me - I'm stretch marks-free!

Cons:
- Expensive - Retail Price is RM75
- Oily

I bought it at Modern Mum @ Gurney Plaza with a 20% discount if I remember correctly. You can also purchase it online through Little Whiz.
It comes with a heavy price tag retailing at RM75 for a 200ml bottle.

The manual recommend users to apply twice daily, but I only usually only apply once a day. With once a day application (and many 'missed' days as well) , a 200ml bottle can lasts me more than 3 months! ;P
I bought 3 bottles but I could not finish using the last bottle.

I find it a bit oily upon application. But then once it dries up, it is no more oily and leaves a pleasant smell.

They actually have different cream/oil under the same brand, such as Matern Bust Care, Matern Post-partum Skin Care, etc but I did not buy them. I use the same Matern Stretch Marks Cream for my tummy, thighs, buttocks, breasts, etc...
It is pricey you know!

Most important of all is that it works for me - I am a stretch marks-free mum SO FAR! ;D

Monday, September 28, 2009

Shern with his Lamaze's Gardenbug Foot Finders & Wrist Rattles

This is one of the item that I bought for Shern.
I was looking for wrist rattles for Shern and they don't come cheap. Around RM15 each without any brand and the designs do not appeal to me.

Bee design that looks like ugly 'retarded' monkeys. (saw that at Puku @ Gurney Plaza)
Blueks.

Then I came across Lamaze: Gardenbug Foot Finder & Wrist Rattle Set. The colours are all so vibrant and I really believe in Lamaze's toys since Shern loves his Lamaze Eddie The Elephant & Lamaze Pupsqueak.
It costs a bomb - retailing at RM49.90. I got it with just a 10% off at Peekaboo.




Don't you just love them? I love 'em the minute I set my eyes on them. They are just way too cute!




Shern has no idea that the wrist rattles are on his wrists. He just bring his hands up and pop his whole fist - fingers and all into his mouth as usual...oblivious to his wrist rattles.





Shern saw the bugs in his feet but he does not know how to reach out with his hands to touch them yet. So I need to lift his feet up for him to admire them. Haha



After that, I packed them back into the box. I guess I need to wait awhile to bring them out again.
Til then - another post!

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Review: Anakku Infant Carrier Car Seat




I bought this Anakku infant carrier car seat from Ebay.com.my as mentioned in my earlier post. Shern has been sitting in it for more than 3 months almost daily every time we traveled by car - to & fro mum's place and our home, hospitals, government clinics, to Ah-Ma's hse, etc.


Shern in his Anakku Infant Carrier Car Seat - 23 July 2009


29 Sep 2009

My Review:

I find this infant carrier car seat not 'that safe' because it does not have a base. It is easy to strap to the car using our seat belts but you really need to know how to tighten it to a sense that the car seat do not wobble during the ride.

The cumbersome part is that you can only strap it after you have strapped the baby in. And if you want to carry your baby out, you need to unstrap it first before you can release the baby's harness belt. Which means you need to 'install' the car seat to the car EVERY TIME you seat the baby inside it.
That's the problem when the car seat do not have a base.

However, once the baby is strapped in, I see Shern fit snugly into it and he seems pretty comfortable in it. The shoulder strap padding is good as the belts do not cut into his flesh. (for safety, you need to strap baby in tightly with only just 2 fingers gap)

The 3-point harness belt also makes me feel not so comfortable knowing that 5-point harness is the safest for baby.

But I still use it every time Shern travels with us in the car (unless he starts screaming and I need to unstrap him to carry him out).
I want Shern to get used to sitting inside the car seat. You need to start them young. If not, they will refuse to be seated there when they are bigger.

Pros:
- Good padding - is soft and cushion-y
- With shoulder strap padding

Cons:
- 3-point harness (not 5-point harness)
- Without a base


Rating 5/10

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Fried Porridge @ 113 Cafe, Fettes Park

Met up with Wang Wei who came back from Melb & SooHuey last Thursday and we went to someplace new. Fried Porridge @ 113 Cafe @ Fettes Park (opposite Prima Tanjung).

Soo Huey was fetching Wang Wei...so of course they were late! Haha. Anyway, she blamed it on Wang Wei coz she said he went to cut his hair at Prangin Mall. (Anyway, I believed her. I just couldn't help mentioning that she was late..:P)

Both of them ate the famous Fried Porridge. I refused to order that as I dislike porridge, so I just ordered plain rice to accompany the 3 other dishes that we ordered. Yunnan Taufu, Fried Curry Wild Boar & Malaysia Special.

Actually I took pics of our food but I accidentally deleted them before uploading them into the comp. So I'm going to 'steal' pics from the web. (http://www.stevengoh.com/lunch/special-penang-food-fried-porridge-113-cafe-fettes-park/)


Restaurant 113 @ Fettes Park

To our disappointment, the Malaysia Special (no pic) turned out to be Kangking fried with Sambal & Belacan and the Fried Curry Wild Boar tasted just like normal pork in curry powder sauce. Tee hee.
Anyway, these 2 dishes are still edible.


Fried Curry Wild Boar & Yunnan Taufu

Yunnan Taufu was good and to my surprise, the Fried Porridge was good. (I tasted Soo Huey's!)


Fried Porridge
(WW & Shuey ordered the personal bowl and not this big sized bowl)


2 bowls of personal Fried Porridge, 1 plain rice, Malaysia Special, Yunnan Taufu, Fried Curry Wild Boar & 3 large glasses of 'leng teh' - RM 38.50. I would say the price is pretty reasonable.

Oh ya...forgotten to take group pic.
Wang Wei looks good. He just came back from KK from the Mount Kinabalu peak...so what else do you expect from him right besides looking super fit?

p/s - I received a big packet of Great Baronia nougat and 2 packets of Arnott's Monte hailed from Australia. Thanks WW! :D

This Is My Life Now

I was reading all the entries I'd posted in this blog and I couldn't help smiling at all the pics I posted on Shern, especially the latest weekly update Yiu-Shern - week 15. He looks so cute and mischievous smiling at me while I stared at the computer screen.

Yes, I know I can't stop blabbing about Shern. I can't help keep on mentioning how cute he is, how adorable he is, yada yada yada... He is after all my baby.

Life has indeed taken a new twist after my baby is born. I go out less nowadays. I see less of my friends (although I try keeping up with them. but somehow I'm usually just not invited).

The thing is of course I am not so free as I used to be. But I can still go out and have fun. I still accept invitations for lunches/dinners/weddings/etc. It's just that I need notice beforehand so that I can arrange for someone to take care of Shern.

Friends who understand will be still call me up and don't mind me babbling away about my son. But I accept that not everyone will feel the same way. I know that some are bored with me for the only topic now is 'Shern this...and...Shern that'.

But I guess I am still glad and happy with my life. I chose to get married with my best friend and soulmate. I chose to have Shern.

In fact, I chose how I want to live my life and THIS IS MY LIFE NOW.

Review: Face Shop Green Tea Blackhead Remover Gommage Pack



Concept
Specially designed line to help control blackheads with unique texture & ultra effective formula

Description
Soft, creamy formula removes pore clogging debris and sebum around the nose without overstressing the skin for the smoothest and cleanest skin.
- Contains green tea, chestnut, licorice

Directions
On clean skin, apply an even layer of gommage to areas with visible pores or blackheads. Leave on for 1 – 2 minutes before exfoliating with light, rubbing movements.


My Review:
I bought this 1-2 years ago I think. Used it several times but I still don't like it. However I still continue to use it because I don't want it to go to waste.

Don't be fooled by the advertisement!
No such thing as 'soft, creamy formula..'. It is rather hard and even difficult to squeeze out from the tube. Therefore, applying it on your face is not easy.

Upon removing it, my skin felt very dry. It gave me an uncomfortable feeling every time I use it.

To top everything, every single one of my blackheads are STILL stuck on my nose and face!

I think at most, it only removed pore-clogging debris and serum.

Rating: 2/10

Friday, September 25, 2009

Marley & Me


***After their wedding, newspaper writers John and Jennifer Grogan move to Florida. In an attempt to stall Jennifer's "biological clock", John gives her a puppy. While the puppy Marley grows into a 100 pound dog, he loses none of his puppy energy or rambunctiousness. Meanwhile, Marley gains no self-discipline. Marley's antics give John rich material for his newspaper column. As the Grogans mature and have children of their own, Marley continues to test everyone's patience by acting like the world's most impulsive dog.*** (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0822832/plotsummary)

My review: Yes I have read the book. And yes, I admit that the book is always better than the movie.
But somehow I still like this movie. It is slow yet not boring. And although this movie chronicles more around the life of John rather than Marley (I guess it is difficult to ask a dog to act!) , I still like the way they narrate the show.
And of course I cried a bucketful of tears! ;)

Rating: 8/10

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Yiu-Shern - week 15


19 Sep 2009

Yiu-Shern's 15 weeks Milestone

Smiles
Shern is always smiling these few days. He will smile widely to anyone who cares to talk to him. He is such a joy to be with.

Look at him stealing a smile while being propped up sitting using pillows.

19 Sep 2009

Milk
He seems not that hungry this week. Instead of his regular milk of 4oz every 2-3 hours, he has not been asking for milk. In fact, sometimes he only cries for milk after 4 hours. (Hmm...I'm making a mental note to ask the paed when we see him in 2 weeks' time.

Sucking
He is very into sucking these days. He sucks whatever you put near his mouth...may it be your hand or even your body or just his hanky. He will just open his mouth and suck suck suck. There was an incident where he sucked his own right hand until it looks like 'blue black' - blood clotted I suppose. So now whenever we see him sucking his own hand, we will pull it away from him and that sometimes made him cry out loud.

So therefore he loves his pacifier these few days.

Sleepy Sunday
Shern slept the whole of Sunday. He refused to open his eyes. He even took his milk with closed eyes. And miraculously, that didn't stop him from sleeping on Sunday night (phew!). He slept as usual. Amazing!

Playmat
He still loves looking at the mirror in his playmat. Look at how intently he was staring at himself in the mirror? He really has no idea that the person in the mirror is himself.


15 & 19 Sep 2009

Expressions Captured
Look at his many expressions. Oohh...how I love my baby! ;)


19 Sep 2009


15 & 16 Sep 2009


How Is Mummy Doing?

- Has been expressing 5-6oz EBM quite consistently.
- Went to Batu Feringghi to buy DVDs on Sat while mum took care of Shern. Came back near to midnight! (oops!)

TGIF @ QBM

Met up with Mindy & Mun Yi yesterday at TGIF at QBM. It was my 5th time there I suppose. But yesterday's experience was the worst ever.

We ordered the Promo Entree and Appretizer for RM29.90. We chose the Fried Mac & Cheese, and the Tuscan Chicken Melt. Portion was medium-sized.
We then decided to order a 'meaty' dish so that we can be full, so we ordered a lamb Dish with Garlic Sauce.
And to top it all, we ordered a Chocolate Mud Pie for desert.


Fried Mac & Cheese


Tuscan Chicken Melt

Personally, I find the Fried Mac & Cheese tasted weird. Maybe because I am not used to eating macaroni this way.
However, the Tuscan Chicken Melt tasted alright. Not to say the best, but mainly because I am a sandwich lover. ;)


lamb with Garlic Sauce

Don't let this Lamb dish fool you. The portion is extremely small for TGIF standard. And if I remember correctly, this dish costs RM49.90.
The mashed potato side dish was sour-ish. It did not seemed like it was spoiled but rather it was meant to be a sour-ish mashed potato. I did not like it at all.
The long beans was rather raw and when I bit into it, the rawness of it was rather icky.

Mindy & Mun Yi did not eat the sour-ish mashed potato and the long beans...but I continued to munch on them even though I did not like it. It was because I was still hungry....:)

After waiting for more than half an hour for our desert, the waiters there finally told us that the Chocolate Mud Pie was finished and told us to order another desert.

We got rather pissed so we did not order any desert from there and we adjourned to Secret Recipe. The total bill was RM86++. Pricey!

Maybe it was not my lucky day because my favourite Expresso Cheesecake was finished in Secret Recipe. So i tried the Cappuccino Cheesecake. It was so-so only. Mindy and Mun Yi ordered the Chocolate Cheesecake.


Cappuccino Cheesecake


Chocolate Cheesecake

Here is the group picture we took at TGIF @ QBM

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Shern & Daddy Bonding Time

I am always considered the 'main' person taking care of Shern. Most of the time, I bathe him, pacify him, put him to sleep, taking care of him throughout the night.
I am like his nanny and food. Peter calls me Shern's 'Mummy McDonald'!

Peter meanwhile, is Shern's best friend. He plays with him, watch cartoons with him (bad Daddy), smells him all the time, goo-goo-gaa-gaa with him,

I think Shern loves his daddy a lot!!!

Look at below Daddy & Son bonding time:


13 Sep 2009 - Shern being splashed water by Daddy


13 Sep 2009 - Peter kissing Shern goodnight


14 Sep 2009 - Peter playing with Shern at night before sleep


17 Sep 2009 - Shern & Daddy watching Ben10 cartoon together...sigh!!!

Friday, September 18, 2009

Yiu-Shern - week 14

13 Sep 2009

Yiu-Shern's 14 weeks Milestone

Recognition
Shern is still not recognising people yet I assume as he is happy as long as there are people willing to talk and smile to him. He will then smile back widely.
He is also happy as long as there are people willing to carry him and rock him to sleep.

However, I feel that his eyes kinda 'search' for me at times. Sometimes I will see his eyes darting here and there and when he sees me, his whole face lights up and then he would smile his beautiful smile at me!


Bilingual Language
We speak many languages to Shern at home - mainly in English and Cantonese. But we also speak to him in Hokkien.
However, Shern only replies in one language - baby language - goo-goo-gaa-gaa!


Development
Shern's neck is getting much stronger. There is not much need to support it now - though not fully strong yet but you can really feel the difference compared to just last week!

Everything you put near his mouth, he will try to reach it with his mouth so that he can 'suck/eat' it.
His mittens are always drenched wet.....ewwwww.....



12 & 13 Sep 2009


How Is Mummy Doing?

- Last week being full-time mummy at home. Starting work part-time on Shern's week 15.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Lost all Shern's photos

I am so sad today. Mum's place got burgled last night and my laptop is gone.
Which means all of Shern's photos are gone :(

I am so so so so sad.
No words can describe what I am feeling now.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Back to Work

Wondering why I did not update my blog for so many days? Wondering why you did not see me updating my facebook status so frequently now?

It's because I just got back to Work! Yeah...work! Even though for only about 4-5 hours daily.

Every morning, after bathing Shern and preparing myself, I would fetch him to mum's place. Ah Yee & Dad will then look after him while I leave for work at about 10am.
After going to AIG and Public Mutual and running all errands, I will be back at 2pm.


Me in my working outfit - 15 Sep 2009
(Min is the photographer as usual
)

Leaving for work yesterday for the first time after so many months makes me miss Shern a lot. I left work at about 10am and by 11am, I called home to ask about Shern's updates! hehe

I've been rather busy as I there are many things for me to follow-up after my long absence.
Shern's Week 14 update is still in my Draft. :P

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Philips Avent ISIS Manual On the Go Breast Pump (BPA Free) Review

This set includes:

- One Insulated Shoulder Bag (about the size of a lunch box)
- One ISIS Manual Breast Pump
- Two 4-oz BPA-Free Natural Feeding Bottle (with Stage 1 teats) [as opposed to the pic above which has two 6oz bottles)
- Two 4-oz BPA-Free Bottle with Sealing Disc
- One Insulated Micro Fiber Tote
- Two Cool Packs for breast milk storage
- Eight
Ultra Comfort disposable breast/nursing pads
- Spare parts

** BPA-Free bottles, made from Polyether Sulphone (PES) - a BPA Free material with a natural honey color


I got this Philips Avent ISIS Manual On the Go Breast Pump about 2 weeks ago when there was a 20% sale. It was just in the nick of the time to try it out - one day before I left for my KL trip.

This manual pump is invaluable during trips because of the ease of use and the quietness during use. I was expressing away in the car on the highway (with car shades) and in stores' changing rooms, and even in restrooms during the few days I was in KL. Thank goodness the KL's malls' restrooms are way cleaner than Penang's.

With this pump, I was really amazed with the results. It proved to be as effective (or even more so) as the Medela Mini E I was using. I managed to express 4-6oz every 3-4 hourly.

I find the Avent's soft massage cushion 'petals' as effective as advertised as I find that it helps to stimulate a natural let-down reflex.

And I totally was surprised to find that my hands aren't tired at all with all the manual pumping. The handle was easy and light, which required little strength to operate.

I really recommend this pump to anyone who is looking for a manual breast pump.


Review:

Pros
- Soft massage cushion 'petals' helps to stimulate a natural let-down reflex
- Hands are not tired (as opposed to what the public says about manual pumps)
- Easy to Assemble and Use
- Able to control suction (depending on how you squeeze the handle)
- Portable and light
- Very quiet

Cons
- Is manual, thus requires a little more time compared to electric breast pumps
- The ice-packs provided is not enough to keep milk cold. I recommend to add ice-replacement such as (eg: blue ice from Rubbermaid or Brite Ice from Coleman)

Rating: 9/10

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