Baby Cayla’s Lunar 4th Month Traditional Celebration

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Hola chewy friends! It has been more than a week since we celebrated Mini misschewy’s lunar 4th month! Since it was on a Monday, misterchewy and I took leave just for this. The hubs sent Little misschewy to school in the morning and bought chicken drumstick on his way home. Over the weekend, my mum passed us the Marie biscuits and chives, and also angbao for Cayla! This time, we didn’t trim Cayla’s hair and if you are keen, you can read about Chanelle’s lunar 4th month celebration back in 2014!

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1) Chives (Gu Chye)

Chives play a essential role in baby’s lunar 4th month celebration as older folks believe that rubbing chives along baby’s gums signifies a smooth sailing and painless teething journey. We didn’t boil the chives but simply soak the stalk in water for at least 30 minutes before rinsing it under running water. Not all supermarkets sell chives so do your homework early and buy the chives as near the celebration as possible to ensure its freshness!

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2) Chicken Drumstick

I took a video of the hubs showing Cayla the drumstick and caught her swallowing her saliva as she eyed the piece of meat! Hahaha.

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Oh yeah~ Looks like someone enjoyed licking the drumstick! This signifies that baby will be blessed with an abundance of good food! Two more months to your first taste of solids, Cayla! Hehehe.

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3) String of 12 biscuits

During Chanelle’s time, we used 8 big Marie biscuits and for Cayla, we had 12 small ones. My mum said, “One of each month of the year!” The hubs asked me, “Why Marie biscuits?” Honestly, I don’t know but gave him a lame reply that there are many holes to string the biscuits together lol. Once again, Cayla was caught trying to stuff all the biscuits into her mouth! LOL.

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The hubs touched Cayla’s lips with each biscuit, while reciting “qit ta ta” (wipe dry). This is believed to minimise drooling in babies! Daddies and Mummies, don’t forget to eat all the biscuits to complete this ritual! The hubs and I split the share equally. Haha.

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4) Red Packet (Ang Bao)

Cayla also received angbao from both grandmothers as a blessing! Hope you enjoyed this post! Stay connected with us on Instagram @missuschewy and on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy 🙂

My Breastfeeding Journey

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Little misschewy turns 15 months old today and this marks a significant milestone in my breastfeeding journey. As I begin typing this post, I’m overwhelmed with a multitude of emotions. I have always wanted to blog about the difficulties that I had faced, especially during the initial stages of my breastfeeding journey and how I managed to overcome them but I didn’t know where to begin because there’s just too much that I wish to share. This journey is not a smooth sailing one and is fraught with heartaches but I’m rejoicing the fact that somehow, I have managed to come this far. To begin with, I wasn’t properly educated about breastfeeding as I didn’t come from a pro-breastfeeding family. Even before I gave birth, my mum briefly mentioned on a few occasions that there’s no point in breastfeeding for more than a month and told me to introduce formula milk. I clearly remembered those words, “Breastfeed one month enough already. After that can give formula milk.” When I told my mum about my plans to get a Medela breast pump at the Baby Fair, she replied, “Aiya how you know you will have milk? If no milk then you waste money buying breast pump for what.” With that, I didn’t bother to read up and find out more about breastfeeding. It was a HUGE mistake. A mistake so huge that my breastfeeding journey got off to an extremely rocky start.

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I still remember vividly, on the very same night a few hours after I delivered at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, the nurse handed Little misschewy to me when I was resting in my ward and taught me how to position baby to ensure a proper latch on. It was probably around midnight and the room was dimly lit and quiet. Once Little misschewy started suckling, the nurse left the room and it was just the two of us. That magical moment brought tears to my eyes. The very act of nursing my baby was such an amazing experience and I knew that this would be the start of a strong bond between the two of us. Unfortunately, my milk supply had not kicked in and I was immensely pressurized by my parents and relatives to give formula milk to Little misschewy because she was crying when they visited me in the day. I was very sad and broke down after they left. The hubs consoled me and told me not to give myself too much stress over breastfeeding and to just try my best. He would respect my decision whatever it was. As I wasn’t armed with sufficient knowledge about breastfeeding, I wasn’t aware that I had to keep nursing or keep pumping to stimulate milk supply. In other words, Chanelle was being given only formula milk for the first five days until my milk supply finally came. I will never forget that night when my boobs turned ROCK HARD. I was clenching my teeth in pain while massaging my boobs with a warm towel. I thought I was going to die! Also, I could only resort to pumping using the Medela Mini Electric that misterchewy’s teacher very kindly loaned me as the few nursing sessions in the hospital left me with very sore and chaffed nipples that made it impossible to continue nursing.

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I reckon the mini electric pump isn’t good enough for some serious hardcore milk-expressing. It didn’t do a good job at emptying my boobs completely, and coupled with the fact that I was pumping only every 4 hours instead of 2 or 3, I suffered from my very first case of Mastitis during my confinement. It was in the wee hours of the night when I developed a fever that made me feel weak all over and I was shivering like crazy. My fever broke by the time I woke up the next morning but I wasn’t so fortunate the next few times I had Mastitis. A total of 4 times in less than 2 months in fact! The symptoms of Mastitis are unmistakable – immense pain in the breast (always the right side for me), accompanied by swelling, warmth and redness. You might also have fever and chills. Little misschewy was unable to clear the blocked ducts in my right breast and I had to rely on antibiotics administered by my family GP. Each time, I suffered from Mastitis, my milk supply suffered miserably as well. My mum and mil advised me to stop breastfeeding because they didn’t want to see me in so much pain. I was very tempted to give up too but the hubs encouraged me to persevere. At that point, I was really angry at him because I felt that all the pain that I went through meant nothing to him but at the same time, a part of me wanted to give myself another chance at breastfeeding. As I look back today, I’m really glad that I didn’t give up.

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I learned that establishing milk supply is all about “demand and supply”. However, my supply was pretty pathetic after all the mastitis cases and I was very demoralized. After my confinement nanny left, I decided to give nursing another go and I’m really blessed with a baby who can still remember how to latch on after a whole month of being bottle fed! I have read about nipple confusion which typically occurs when young babies are being given the bottle. I tried to nurse her whenever I can, while supplementing with formula milk as my mil would always suggest that Chanelle was probably still hungry whenever she started crying. I also got very irritated with my mum when she kept asking me to feed Little misschewy with formula milk instead of nursing her. It was an emotional roller coaster ride for me for the first two to three months. I broke down many times whenever Little misschewy wailed at the top of her lungs and I blamed myself for my low supply. I tried all sorts of milk boosters in the form of supplements like Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle, and also ate salmon sashimi and drank hot milo. There was an increase in my pump output but it wasn’t significant enough for me to stop supplementing Chanelle’s diet with formula milk. I went back to work after taking 12 weeks of maternity leave as promised to my boss even though my milk supply wasn’t established. It was indeed very tough for me because I had to juggle my work while making sure I had time to pump. I would also plan my pump schedule around my meetings. Or was it the other way round? Haha. I was so obsessed with my pumping routine that 2 o’clock sharp meant 2 o’clock sharp. There was no stopping me even if it meant having to go for earlier lunch without my colleagues. It was all about discipline and my baby will always be my first priority.

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I really want to thank a mummy acquaintance who added me to a breastfeeding support group on Facebook. I’m guessing that she is probably another strong advocate of breastfeeding and I’m grateful to her because I have learned so much from the group. Whenever I had any doubts or questions, fellow mummies were ever ready to dish out advice and relate their personal experiences. If it wasn’t for this group, I don’t think I would be sane enough to keep setting myself new breastfeeding targets, from one month to 6 months, to 12 months and now I’m still breastfeeding at 15 months and counting! The mummies literally cry over spilled milk together and pat one another on the back when we break a new record in our pump output. When I became more experienced, I started to share my success stories when I managed to transport frozen breast milk back from our Taiwan trip, when I finally found the courage to nurse in public when Little misschewy was 9 months old, and when my hard work and sheer determination paid off which allowed me to go on the total breastfeeding route (meaning I didn’t have to supplement formula milk), albeit only for a few months. My mantra is “Got milk better than no milk“. Right now I’m paying it forward by adding my pregnant friends to this group because I want them to be well-prepared for successful breastfeeding.

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Be firm if you really want to breastfeed for as long as possible. There will surely be obstacles in the initial stage but once you overcome them, things will become easier. My mum also stopped trying to dissuade me from breastfeeding. I guess she got tired asking me the same old question, “When are you going to stop breastfeeding?” every weekend when she sees me. LOL. The hubs is still as supportive as ever. When Little misschewy cries at night, he’s also the first to hand her to me, “Quick! Quick! She wants to latch!” before rolling over and snoring away. Currently, I pump once a day on average and continue latching Little misschewy to sleep. When friends and colleagues learn that I’m still breastfeeding, they often give me this look of disbelief, “Wah! Until now still got milk meh?” The answer is YES if you keep pumping or latching. Some people suggest that Little misschewy be given formula milk as her last feed before she turns in so that she can sleep through the night. I know it sounds crazy but I’m more than happy when she wakes up crying in the middle of the night, shouting “NEN NEN!” wanting to latch because she’s hungry or because she had a bad dream. I love hugging her close to me and tucking her fine hair behind her left ear. I love it when she giggles uncontrollably when I stroke her cheeks as I nurse her. I’m very amused when she cries as though it’s the end of the world after I declare, “Nen nen no more!” while keeping a straight face. My current goal is to breastfeed Little misschewy until she self-weans. A year ago, I collected some of my milk in a breastmilk storage bag and sent it to a breast milk keepsake creator in the United Kingdom. I decided on a pair of hand prints made using my milk for a charm bead inscribed with Little misschewy’s name, which is Pandora compatible and a pendant with a pair of foot prints as a gift for Little misschewy in future when she is old enough to understand and appreciate what I have done for her.

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Happy 15 months, Chanelle. You taught me that a mother’s love knows no bounds.

The Chewys’ Family Trip to Hong Kong Day Three

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As opposed to Australian Dairy Company which had been featured in my previous post, I was quite keen to try Capital Cafe at Wan Chai! This place also seems very popular and has garnered more positive reviews online.

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We arrived pretty early and got a table almost immediately.

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Scrambled eggs with black truffle! It was a pretty generous amount of black truffle shavings and the scrambled eggs were very creamy! It’s seriously damn good la.

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We also ordered the Condensed Milk Bun which was very sweet but we like!

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Next up we went for dim sum at two Michelin star Sun Tung Lok at Miramar Shopping Centre. We were not that hungry so we only ordered a few dishes to share.

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Spent some time shopping at Harbour City! Seriously all the super atas brands are there!

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At Toys R Us!

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Afternoon tea at Intercontinental Hong Kong! They don’t accept reservations but we managed to get a table. Be there extra early if you want a table that gives you unobstructed view of the harbour! It’s really lovely! This is the Afternoon Tea Set for Two that we had. About SGD$130 to $140. We don’t usually spend money like this back in Singapore but since we are travelling, must enjoy right!

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We saved a couple of scones for Little misschewy because she loves them.

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We wanted to try Star Cafe and thanks to the help we found online, all we had to do was to look out for this neon signboard that says Dadol Hotel.

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Walk straight ahead and take the stairs down.

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I tried the Tomato noodles with pork chop. The tomato gravy was a bit watered down but the taste was still quite robust. This proved to be quite a comforting bowl nevertheless! Highly recommended!

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That’s all for Day 3! Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

The Chewys’ Family Trip to Hong Kong Day Two

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Little misschewy’s birthday coincided with the second day of our Hong Kong trip and we had planned an entire day of non-stop eating! Headed to Jordon first thing in the morning!

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I wasn’t too keen on breakfast at Australian Dairy Company because I read reviews that this place is quite overrated but the hubs mentioned it’s on his must-try list. Ok la must give and take in a relationship 😛

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We stared at the menu for a few minutes without knowing what to order. LOL. In the end we looked around and ordered whatever others were having.

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Macaroni with ham was mediocre.

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We also ordered the Steamed Egg Pudding and Steamed Milk Pudding which Chanelle loved.

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As we were going to have dim sum in less than a couple of hour’s time, we decided to walk to International Commerce Centre. It was a damn long walk and I think we took at least 20 to 30 minutes to get there. Really no joke because I was babywearing Chanelle and felt like my lower back was gonna break. Haha.

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Chanelle needs her breakfast too so off to the nursing room we went!

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We were so impressed by the nursing rooms in Hong Kong. They have almost everything in there! Weighing scale, high chair, wet wipes, bottle warmer etc.

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Clean and comfortable nursing room.

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Tin Lung Heen is a two Michelin-star restaurant located on the 102nd level of The Ritz Carlton.

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The view. Too bad it was rather hazy that day!

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Roasted Crispy Suckling Pig (HK$308)

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Deep-fried turnip cake with X.O. chilli sauce (HK$88)

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Steamed golden shrimp dumpling with bamboo shoot and asparagus (HK$88)

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Steamed barbecued Iberian pork buns (HK$88)

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Soup dumpling with fish maw in superior stock (HK$112)

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Petit fours were served and I really liked the osmanthus jelly!

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It was a really wonderful dining experience at Tin Lung Heen and everyone should try the dim sum there when they visit Hong Kong!

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After lunch, we went to a few shopping malls.

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Took a break by having desserts at the popular Hui Lau Shan but it was so so.

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I posted a photo on my FB page and a reader commented, “I just returned from HKG too. You gotta try the Kai Kee (at Tsim Sha Tsui) deep fried head of fish balls and deep fried cuttlefish balls. SUPER GOOD.” And so, we did just that. Problem was, we found TWO Kai Kee restaurants and none of them sold deep fried balls! It was kinda awkward and we randomly settled for toasted bun with condensed milk and iced milk tea.

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Shortly after that, we passed by Wah Kee Snacks just 200m down and I thought maybe this is the one! The reader probably got the name wrong and it should be Wah Kee instead of Kai Kee. Plus Wah Kee Snacks specialize in a wide assortment of deep fried balls!

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We tried the squid balls and prawn balls which were coated with some delicious spicy sauce which is their secret recipe. SO DAMN GOOD! We even went back after dinner to buy some back for supper! Hahaha.

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But guess what? The reader said it’s not this. LOLOL. But nvm, we discovered a gem!

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Another Instagram follower suggested that we try the peking duck at Spring Deer Restaurant, also at Tsim Sha Tsui. The restaurant had a pretty old school feel. As we were still feeling quite full, we only ordered Peking Duck (HK$300) to share.

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The hubs looked around us and declared we should have a bottle of Tsingtao beer to go with our duck meat! >_< DSCF6486

Super shiok!

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We bought a small sweet potato cake for Chanelle from the bakery below our hotel and we sang a birthday song for her. Hope she had an enjoyable time!
Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

The Chewys’ Family Trip to Hong Kong Day One

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PHEW! I managed to get everything else out of the way so that I can focus on blogging about our second trip of 2015! Back in mid March, The Chewys flew to Hong Kong for a 5D4N stay which was planned as Chanelle’s first birthday trip! Come to think of it, it was also a way to reward misterchewy and I for surviving our first year of parenthood. LOL. Of course, parenthood is not without its ups and downs, and we couldn’t have done it without the help of our family members, who have been very helpful and forthcoming. We truly appreciate it! Ok back to the story. I have been toying with the idea of a birthday trip for the little one for quite some time but was put off by the exorbitant prices probably because her birthday falls in the same week as the March school holidays. Yeah but in the end, we went ahead with the plan because we wanted some time to ourselves!

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We flew with Singapore Airlines and the airfare alone cost us about $1.2K. We did feel the pinch of course, with our home renovation underway and all. But it’s ok. Let’s enjoy first! Hahaha. Catching our flight early in the morning!

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Happy Chewys on the plane! Can you spot Little misschewy’s first tooth sprouting at the bottom? XD

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I think we booked our tickets in January, right after returning from our trip to Phuket, and hence we managed to secure the bassinet seats. The bassinet failed to serve us well because Chanelle only slept like 5 minutes in it and she was wide awake throughout the flight. The husband and I didn’t get to watch Penguins of Madagascar. Boohoo.

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It was an energy zapping 4-hour journey for us! Hahaha.

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After touching down at Hong Kong International Airport and collecting our luggages, we couldn’t be more relieved to meet our driver who was patiently waiting for us, holding up a placard with my name on it. He promptly took over our luggages and led us to our vehicle.

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Really lucky and grateful to have Blacklane sponsoring our airport transfer both ways! Blacklane provides professional ground transportation at the lowest rates in over 180 cities all over the world. The steps to booking your ride is extremely simple. Via Blacklane’s website or app, enter the following details: Pickup and Dropoff locations OR the number of hours you wish to book the a car and driver for and your desired pick up time. After which, you get to select the car class which best suits your needs and budget! We selected the Business Class vehicle which allows a maximum capacity of 3 passengers and 2 luggages.

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After booking, I received two emails. The first email was to acknowledge my booking and the second email was sent as soon as a suitable driver had been assigned to handle my ride request. When I switched on my mobile phone at the airport, I received email and SMS updates informing me that our car is on its way, and a second one as soon as our driver has arrived at the pickup location. It was a very pleasant feeling to be reassured a few times, knowing that you have got a reliable driver waiting to pick you up!

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Bottled water to keep us hydrated throughout the 30-minute ride.

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Loving the Mercedes E-Class!

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Gotta thank Hotel Jen Hong Kong for the complimentary two nights and special rates for the remaining two! We really love the convenient location of the hotel. Hong Kong University MTR station is a mere 3-minute walk from the hotel! We stayed at Kowloon the previous few times we visited Hong Kong separately. This was our first time staying at Hong Kong Island but it wasn’t a hassle at all when we wanted to get to Kowloon. Also, Hotel Jen provides complimentary shuttle service to certain areas at various timings throughout the day.

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We were thrilled to check into this lovely Club Harbour View room which offered us a panoramic view of Victoria Harbour. At 24sqm in size, our room was reasonably spacious for the 3 of us.

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Our room came with free WiFi, full sized Executive writing desk, cable television, movie channels, electronic safe, steam iron and ironing board, amongst many other amenities.

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We were impressed by the smart en-suite bathroom with walk-in shower! Also, the toiletries provided by Hotel Jen were adequate.

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As usual, Little misschewy had the honor of testing the comfy bed.

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Cheeky girl grabbed her pants and tried to escape after I changed her diaper. Haha.

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We were famished but it was too early for dinner. Afternoon tea at Mandarin Oriental’s Clipper Lounge it was!

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Not wanting to ruin the dinner plans we had in mind, we ordered the Afternoon Tea for One (HK$278 + 10%) to share.

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Plain and raisin scones!

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Devon clotted cream and rose petal jam. Both were so goooood!

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The afternoon tea items were great but I found the service somewhat aloof. Well, I can still close one eye. Hahaha.

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Actually this trip was mainly an eat and eat and eat trip! I must warn my readers first. LOL. Within the next two hours, we settled our dinner at Tsui Wah Restaurant at Central (Wellington branch). They have quite a few branches all over Hong Kong.

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Iced Milk Tea.

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Hainanese Chicken Rice was surprisingly delicious!

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The best time to eat in a cramped cafe or restaurant is when the baby is asleep.

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Pork cutlet burger which was tender and oily in a good way!

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When communicating with the reservation team via email, I told them we probably wouldn’t need the baby cot as Little misschewy co-sleeps with us. However we changed our mind after checking in. Having a baby cot is the best way to contain her so that she doesn’t fall off the bed if we are not looking. And the baby cot is so cute!

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“Let me out if not this bunny is gonna get hurt real bad!”

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Surprise birthday cake specially arranged by the hotel! Chanelle’s birthday wasn’t until the next day but it was a really nice and sweet gesture!

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We have come to the end of our post on our first day in Hong Kong! Stay tuned for more!
Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

QuickGrab Fragranced Nappy Disposal Bags

Sponsored Review

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I’m sure all mothers can easily name at least one must-have item in their bags when they head outdoors with their little ones. If you ask me, I never leave home without some QuickGrab Fragranced Nappy Disposal Bags. They are the most convenient, hygienic and fuss-free way of disposing soiled diapers, wipes and tissues at home or on-the-go. There were times where we found ourselves in a sticky situation (pardon the pun) when Little misschewy decides to poop in the car! We had to pull over to give her a diaper change there and then as she was whining and squirming in her car seat. Needless to say, on unlucky days when a rubbish bin is nowhere in sight, the rest of the ride becomes an unpleasant one with all windows wind down in a desperate bid to eliminate the overpowering stench.

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We face a different problem at home. As Little misschewy is still not ready to be toilet-trained, we find ourselves going through several diaper changes in a day. Any parent will agree that dirty diapers smell from bad to worse over time and to prevent our sense of smell from becoming impaired, we force ourselves to dump the soiled diapers down the rubbish chute located outside our house, which is pretty much a hassle. Imagine having to walk out 5 to 6 times a day! For these above two situations mentioned, the QuickGrab Fragranced Nappy Disposal Bags are truly a lifesaver as we no longer have to make frequent trips to the rubbish chute outside our home and diaper changes in the car are not as unpleasant anymore.

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I was completely sold upon learning that QuickGrab nappy bags offer long lasting odour protection. Enough research and development had been carried out to ensure that the fragrance embedded into the nappy bags stays and diffuses into its surroundings, leaving a clean and fresh scent. I would say that this is QuickGrab nappy bags’ major selling point as many parents are highly bothered by the smell of soiled diapers.

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As you can see from the photos above, a QuickGrab Grab Pack containing 125 bags is of an optimal size which will not take up much space in your bag. It is very convenient to bring along with you everywhere you go. You can also choose to bring only a handful of bags instead of the entire Grab Pack. The nappy bags are specially packed such that they get dispensed one bag at a time. All you have to do is simply tear along the perforated line and pull out a nappy bag.

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No more having to hunt for used plastic bags that are saved from our grocery trips! I also like that these QuickGrab nappy bags are of the right size and the dark tint subtly disguises the contents within.

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The easy-tie handles of the QuickGrab nappy bags also help to keep germs and bacteria locked in.

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Check out www.quickgrab.com.sg for more information! These QuickGrab nappy bags are currently retailing at Vaby and Kulily at just $4.50 for a pack of 125 bags.

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We will be giving away a complimentary pack of QuickGrab Fragranced Nappy Disposal Bags to three lucky winners! These bags will be delivered right to your doorstep!
Contest ends this Sunday. Good luck! 🙂

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mother’s Day Celebration 2015

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I can’t believe that misterchewy and I were pretty sure all along that we didn’t celebrate Mother’s Day last year. Of course, the best way to confirm is to search through my blog and it turns out that we DID celebrate by sneaking out for a nice dinner at Takumi Toyko. In my blog post, I also mentioned that we will include Little misschewy in our celebration this year but we left her at home with my mil. The hubs told me that he had planned a Mother’s Day itinerary for me and I had to take a day off work on Friday.

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We travelled from the East to Holland Village as misterchewy said he felt like having brunch at D’Good Cafe. However, it started to pour and it was impossible to get there without being drenched, so we settled for Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe. It was during lunch that the hubs revealed that he signed us up for a cooking class at Shermay’s Cooking School just across the street! We have known each other for almost 5 years now and I have never once whipped up anything for him. When we got there, we realized that it was a cooking demonstration, much to our horror. I felt kinda mad because I wasn’t prepared to sit through 3 hours just watching the chef cook up a storm.

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Thank goodness Chef Christopher Tan was very entertaining and we enjoyed the cooking demonstration! The particular class we attended was “A Peranakan in Paris” and these were the four dishes that we had the pleasure of watching him prepare – Couscous Ulam, Chicken Curry in ‘French Loaves’, Potato ‘Lodeh’ Gratin and Sago & Coconut Cremeux with Caramelized Pineapple.

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All the dishes were splendid and mouthwatering! But of course, I confirm cannot replicate as these are way too high level for me. LOL.

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After the class ended, we headed off to our dinner venue, which was also a surprise. Like last year, we had Japanese cuisine again but this time, it was at Aoki Restaurant by the Les Amis group! I had wanted to visit Aoki for the longest time! On the overall, service was alright but food was exemplary. The hubs wanted to try the Bara Chirashi (I think) but it was sold out. Nevermind, we shall swing by for lunch next time!

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My mum bought this yummy yam cake from The Icing Room.

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On Mother’s Day last year, Chanelle was barely two months old and look at her now! A cheeky little one-year-old who never fails to inject so much fun and laughter into our lives! 😀

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Stay connected with us on Facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Toozo Town: Starring Your Child in Songs and Stories!

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Toozo Town

In this day and age, we find it increasingly difficult to function without technology. I will have to admit that I absolutely cannot live without my smartphone. I rely on it so much that when I’m with Chanelle, I find it impossible to put my phone away even for a few minutes. I think it’s because of this, Chanelle finds my phone more attractive than all her other toys and books. Sometimes I play nursery rhymes via YouTube but Chanelle doesn’t sit still for more than 2 minutes, thus leaving me at my wits’ end.

A world of joyful learning

Recently, I was introduced to Kloneworld, a group of storytellers with a twist. Kloneworld passes on stories that inspired and entertained us when we were kids, onto the next generation by using a mix of technology and creativity. Instead of plain books and videos, Kloneworld puts us inside the movies, animations, comic books and toys we enjoy. When we can actually see ourselves star in our own movies and comics, we enjoy an unmatched personalized storytelling experience like no other! Sounds interesting? You bet! The Chewys had a wonderful time bonding over the unique, fun and educational Kloneworld ToozoTown, a virtual world where kids can see their avatars come to life.

How to take a good photo

To get started, simply download Kloneworld for FREE and sign up for an account. In order to start making your Klones, you need to upload passport type photos for best results. Ideally, there should be even light without shadow on face, face should be looking at camera with mouth closed and forehead visible.

Manage Klones

Tadah! Here are The Chewys’ Klones! It was very tough to take a proper photo of Little misschewy who refused to keep still and look straight at the camera. Thank goodness her avatar turned out to be irresistibly adorable!

Kloneworld Videos

Everyone starts off with 1000 koins upon signing up. Some of the content are free, while others can be redeemed with koins.

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The very first product that we created was the “Welcome to Toozo Town” video. The content took only a couple of minutes to be generated and a notification will be sent to your email account.

We are very impressed by how realistic our avatars are! Kloneworld cleverly makes the Klones perform a wide range of expressions and actions such as blinking, smiling, talking, singing, and dancing, etc.

Chanelle loves the videos that I had created for her! I think it was probably her 5th or 6th time watching the Welcome to Toozo Town video but she was so captivated by her own avatar that she kept her eyes glued to the screen and was seen ‘dancing’ to the music.

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I am especially fond of the videos that put mummy/daddy and child together!

Cuteness overload! Even misterchewy couldn’t resist replaying the video a few times!

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Besides videos, you can also create books.

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Kloneworld Toozo Town is not all about fun and games. There is also an educational aspect that imparts moral values through traditional stores like The Fox & The Crow, and The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

Kloneworld Printed Books

You know what’s really cool? You have the option of purchasing the printed version of the book which you created! At just SGD9.99, you get a paperback A4 sized color printed book with your very own Klone in it!

Have Fun!

After two weeks of playing around with Kloneworld Toozo Town, I am convinced that kids will benefit from this educational app through knowledge and values imparted by the various stories. Kloneworld is a Singaporean company, launching its first product exclusively in Singapore, and then the rest of the world. You may download the FREE app HERE! Some of the paid content can be redeemed with koins, which you can earn by inviting friends to use the app. Have fun!

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Signing off with a photo taken with Gaju the elephant! 😉

Chanelle’s Milestones at 8 Months Old!

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Our little chub chub is 8 months old today! We didn’t realize how much Chanelle has grown until we met misterchewy’s buddy’s 2 month old baby girl a couple of weeks back. When the two babies were placed side by side, Little misschewy didn’t seem so little after all. Suddenly, I felt a lump in my throat and wished that time would slow down. On a more positive note, now that Chanelle is older, she is full of surprises and never fails to make us laugh with all her cute antics! 🙂

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Physical Growth: The last time Chanelle had her length measured was about a month ago when she had her last vaccination for this year. It should be around 70cm now. She weighs slightly over 8kg. Both her length and weight are around 70th percentile. I was concerned that her growth has slowed down a little but the nurses at the polyclinic reassured me that this is very normal. I thought that Chanelle should have cut at least a tooth by now, but no! She’s still bogay! LOL.

Feeding: Chanelle has not shown much interest in food and all attempts to let her self feed were not successful. She tends to hurl her food, so BLW is out for now! I bought a box of Ella’s Kitchen’s cheese and tomato puffits from Meidi-Ya at Liang Court and Chanelle loves it. Recently, we also discovered that she likes Nestle’s Celerac rice with mixed vegetable and rice with chicken. Other than that, Chanelle is still largely on breastmilk.

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Social: This girl is cheekier than ever! She knows how to fake cry (without tears) by squeezing her eyes shut and going “oooooh~ oooooh~”. Super amusing! Just thinking about it makes me wanna laugh. Chanelle has also started to show signs of being able to assess and imitate moods. One good example took place a couple of weeks ago in the nursing room. A baby next door was crying and Chanelle began to cry too. She also displayed stranger anxiety on certain occasions. Currently, Chanelle gets very tickled when we play peek-a-boo with her by covering her with a blanket.

Language: Chanelle has started to vocalize a range of sounds, of which the most distinct one is “papa”. She also raises her hand in excitement when we say “gimme five!”

Motor Skills: Chanelle is able to sit upright without toppling over and she crawls towards my iPhone most of the time. Sometimes, she crawls backwards. Haha. She is learning how to pull herself up these few days! I have to admit that it’s energy draining having to take care of Chanelle because she is very active and is constantly reaching out to grab something.

The above photos were taken by photographers from Live Studios at my cousin’s wedding at Four Seasons Hotel early November. Chanelle had a photoshoot last week so stay tuned for the photos! Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Tula Carrier from Baby Carrier Singapore

Sponsored Review

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Babywearing simply means wearing your baby in a sling or carrier. According to Dr. William Sears, a paediatrician, there are plenty of benefits associated with babywearing such as establishing a more intimate bond between mother and child through close physical contact, and enhancing baby’s motor skills by exposing him/her to a variety of sights, sounds and motions just to name a few.

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There are so many types and brands of carriers in the market that shopping for the perfect one becomes a mind boggling affair. Thanks to Baby Carrier Singapore, I was introduced to the colorful world of Tula carriers. The founders of Tula are a husband and wife team with three young children. They experienced how convenient babywearing was and how much it benefits both parent and child that they started to manufacture their own wraps and carriers. To be honest, I initially had some difficulty wearing the Tula carrier the right way as it was my first time babywearing. But Angela, owner of Baby Carrier Singapore is really helpful and always ready to offer me tips and advice over whatsapp such that soon enough, I was able to strap up my Tula on my own with great ease and confidence. In this photo, I’m wearing a black/gold stripe nursing dress from Eve of Eden.

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With the numerous articles circulating around with regards to hip dysplasia, parents and caregivers are encouraged to choose a baby carrier that allows healthy hip positioning, in addition to other safety considerations. Soft-structured carriers like Tula allow babies to sit in the desired “M” position when worn. This position (also known as the “frog position”) means that baby’s knees are higher than his bottom and his legs are spread apart naturally, which is beneficial for hip and spine development.

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In case you are wondering, Tula carriers allow front and back carry. So far I have only tried carrying Chanelle on my front because anxious mummy here cannot let her baby go out of her sight and back-carry is recommended only after six months of age. The maximum weight that Tula standard carriers can support is around 20kg. There’s something very amazing about Tula carriers. Do you know that you can use Tula to carry your newborn and toddler, all the way till your child is about 4 year old? Just by attaching the Tula “Free to Grow” extensions to the panel of the carrier, you can comfortably wear your older children. For parents with toddlers, you can also opt for the toddler version which allows you to wear your child from about 18 months old (and/or about 11kg) till 4-5 years old.

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Tula carriers fit a wide range of babywearing body types simply because Tulas are super adjustable. Just by extending the shoulder straps, anyone can utilize a Tula. Even my dad enjoys babywearing Chanelle!

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It also makes nursing in public easy, even more so when the panels are so huge – 15.5″ tall and 14.5″ wide, providing more coverage and privacy. Just loosen the panel straps in front a little to breastfeed on the go. Really convenient!

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I also love the additional padding in shoulder straps and child’s leg area for extra comfort. My shoulders do not ache even after half a day of babywearing Chanelle, who is around 8kg right now.

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Chanelle enjoys the Tula carrier as much as I do! She’s like my little koala bear, often peeking out of the carrier to observe her surroundings. She also falls asleep in the Tula very easily! Both misterchewy and I are just so amazed.

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Last but not least, I gotta emphasize that Tula carries the widest range of carriers in various prints and designs; you will definitely be spoilt for choice! Here are just a few of the many designs that are available, of which Foxy and Oasis are the latest arrivals. How cute! The quirky Tula carrier designs are a bold fashion statement on its own and brighten up even the dreariest outfits. I was gifted the Retro Bikes Tula carrier which is really cute and perfect for babywearing on a casual weekend when misterchewy and I go around cafe hopping.

Tula carriers retail at $229 onwards which includes free local delivery and can be purchased at www.babycarriersingapore.com.

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