Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Getting fit

This is a sponsored post

The slimming industry is definitely a booming industry. The advertisement promises great looks and a slim body without strenuous exercise or a strict diet. I particularly dislike these advertisements especially those targeted at new mothers.

Being a new mother myself, there is nothing embarrassing about having a few extra pounds after delivering a baby. That’s what Mother Nature intended us to have. The few extra pounds are needed to make sure that our body is able to provide the necessary nutritional requirements to our baby, during and after pregnancy (when breastfeeding).

That being said, having a fit physique is definitely a great confidence boost. In fact we should not work just towards a fit but a healthy physique. You can’t achieve that merely by going to a slimming centre.

What we need is a good regime which includes a good cardiovascular exercise, weight training and a healthy diet. And the result of this regime is a fitter you with a healthy glow, minus the hole in your bank account.

Sounds complicated and time-consuming. Not really. Actually, all we need is minimum 15-minutes exercise – 3 times a week. 15 minutes! That’s probably less than the time you spent in the shower daily.

OK, I am not asking you to replace your shower time with a fitness regime. I am merely saying that it is not as time consuming as you think. And you can make it work. If I can do it. You too!

Pillow to replace mummy?

Someone forwarded me an email about a pillow in the shape of a hand. The pillow can be placed over a sleeping baby to comfort and provide security to the baby. It supposedly helps to help the baby feel that his/ her mother is holding him.

The person who forwarded it to me says it's cute, and should get one for our new baby. Personally, I don't find it cute at all. In fact, I find it appalling.

How can a pillow replace a mother? Even if it is in the shape of a hand. Babies are meant to be held and comforted. The skin-to-skin contact is needed to help them grow and feel secure in the new environment. And babies are smart! They can definitely tell between a pillow and their mother.

Anyway, when I was a new mother, all I want to do all day is to hold my baby in my arms. That is the most beautiful feeling in the world. So I wouldn't want a pillow to take over my job, even if it can really do it.

Monday, December 25, 2006

Great hotel rates

This is a sponsored post



Hubby and I are planning for a trip to Phuket next month. As soon as we have our flight tickets confirmed, we started hunting for good hotel rates.

Like most travellers, I started with the websites offering discounts on rates, and I found this really great site for Hotel Reservation. At first, I thought that it is limited to hotels at United States but I was wrong. I found many great offers for hotels in Phuket. Actually, not just in Phuket, but in all cities all over the world.

The search function is really easy to use - Just key in your preferred travel destinations and dates and voila....the best rates available are now available! In fact, Hotel Reservation guarantee that the rates they offer are the lowest you can find. If there is a lower rate available, they promise to match the rate for the same dates and the same hotel. T&C applies of course.

What's great about this site is that it is truly caters for all your travel needs. Not just hotels but also flights, cars, vacation rentals and vacation packages.

And the news is about to get better. If you book now, you are entitled for up to US$100 rebate! How's that for a great deal?

I know that I have definitely found the site for my travel needs.

This post is brought to you by Hotel Reservations

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

I bought my own site

Finally, after months of deliberation, i bought my own site at http://justmytots.com/ .

There are still a lot to do at my new home, but I can't wait any longer to share this. Please update your links and see you at my new home.

Monday, December 18, 2006

Why so quiet?

I have bought my own domain! And right now, in the midst of setting the page up. That's why i have been so quiet on this blog. Any time i have for blogging (however little of it) is now spent on trying to figure out how to set up the new website.

Luckily i have a lot of help from my webhost.

Hopefully i will be able to introduce my new blog in a few days more. See ya.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Sunday Swim Session

This is a backdated post.

Went to Adventist with my friend to pick up our health screening report. Her husband, mine and Bryan came along as we do not expect our doctor's appointment to take long and we plan to have breakfast together later.

After our doctor's appointment, we went to Chung Hwa @ Midlands for dim sum breakfast, and proceeded to shopping at Gurney Plaza. (since Queensbay just opened, we figured that Gurney will be quite empty, and it is *he*he*)

Bryan was so excited with the Xmas deco there…the colorful baubles, balloons and stuff that it was so difficult to get him to nap. And he missed his morning nap, so he’ll get really cranky if he doesn’t sleep. Luckily in the end he did nap, for about 1 hour, while we had a late & light lunch at Dome.

Bought a new pair of floats at Parkson and we got home about 430pm. Breastfed him and tried to get him to nap. He wasn’t interested. So what shall we do?

Let’s go swimming again…with the new floats.

Results….

Bryan was not afraid of the water at all. The moment I let go of him, he kicked and waved his hands gleefully. This time, he even knew how to hold up his chin and to keep his mouth closed, as he bobbed up and down in water. But of course, he still did get a few mouthfuls of water in his mouth…I don’t want to think what’s in the pool water. I just hoped that the chorine will kill whatever bacteria in there.Hubby used the wrong setting on this photo, and it turned out blue...

After a few rounds of kicking around, when I tried to hold him close, he even push me away. He allowed me to gently support him and guide him as he floats but he refuse to let me hold him close.

The water, again was cold. In fact, I was feeling cold, but this boy did not seem to feel it.

As usual, when take him out from the pool, he wailed loudly and caught everyone’s attention at the pool.

Monday, December 04, 2006

Bryan’s trick to get out of car seat

How ah? Ask for nen-nen lo.

He discovered this trick last weekend.

Bryan: (smile sweetly) Nen-nen?
Shooi: Wait ah, wait till we get home ok?
Bryan: Ahhh…..(cry) nen nen nen nen nen nen
(cry some more & show tortured face)

With face like that, how to reject, so I took him out to BF him. He will smile

Bryan: nen-nen nen-nen (smile somemore)

After BF for like 2 mins, he will stop and want to explore the car. I will try to put him back to the car seat and there he goes wailing again.

This morning, he woke up at 6am. I carpooled with hubby today. So on the way to mum’s house at 730am, he repeated his trick.

Bryan: (smile sweetly) Nen-nen?
Shooi: This morning already give you liao mah. Ask poh-poh to give you when reach poh-poh's house. Car is moving.
Bryan: Ahhh…..(cry) nen nen nen nen nen nen (and point to my chest some more)

Aiyo…how did he learn this one!

Saturday Swim Session

The direction of the sun has changed and I found that the pool is shaded at 4pm onwards. (I think it’s earlier, but I haven’t the time to confirm). So decided to take Bryan swimming on Saturday, after a long stop.

My sis bought a pair of upper arm floats for Bryan a few month ago. They were really cute with Twetty Bird, Slyvester the Cat & Bugs Bunny design. I have not let Bryan use it before as they were quite big for his arms.

But now, I think they are the right size, and they are.

We went at about 430pm, and the water was quite cold, plus there is cool wind blowing. But surprisingly Bryan was not scared at all. In fact, the moment his feet touched the water, he wants to go in immediately.

But unfortunately, the “air stopper” pops up when we are in the water, so I dared not let go of him even when we are in the water.

And this naughty boy wanted to taste the swimming pool water, and kept opening his mouth. When I said “No”, he giggled cheekily.

Went round the pool a few times, but since the water is cold, we did not want to stay long. But the moment we pulled Bryan up, he wailed and struggled to get free. He was so funny that the security guard laughed at him, “Dia nak mandi lagi la…kakakakak”

Swim photos? Watch out for my next swim post!

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Yeah…I have Penang FON now

Finally after months of unsatisfied service with Streamyx, we have Penang FON at our house. Why are we switching to Penang FON?

1. Streamyx keep dropping off, especially on weekends, starting from Friday night. Lately, it is getting worse that sometimes it will drop off in the middle of the work day (on the rare occasions when I work from home) or during my night conferences on weeknights. This is a big problem for me as I regularly have teleconferences at night, and is an even bigger problem especially when I am the host for the meeting, and need to share presentations.
2. My Streamyx connection is only 512kbs at RM66 per month
3. Penang FON is up to 2GB/s at RM60 per month
4. Most of the people I know who is on Penang FON are satisfied with the service
5. Only setback of Penang FON is I have to incur another round of startup fee, which totaled RM300 (inclusive of 3 mths refundable deposit).

So now, I have to go and cancel my Streamyx account. Let’s hope it’s an easy process.

Bryan's angpow saved the day

I was out for my regular car service appointment when the Penang FON staff came for the installation.

We asked the Penang FON admin to install on Saturday morning, but they never confirmed our appointment. So we did not expect them to come and thus did not prepare the RM300 for the start up fees & deposit.

Hubby had only RM100 cash with him, and was caught by surprise when the Penang FON staff came. He actually told them to wait while he confirm that he has enough cash to pay them.

We had Bryan's party just a few weeks ago, and all his birthday angpows are still at the top drawer in his bedroom. We haven't had time to even take it out from the packets and bank it into his account yet. So obviously that was the first place hubby went to hunt for $$.

Oh-oh...sorry dear, mummy & daddy will replace that for u ok.