Wanderlust in Hong Kong part 1

I can't believe it. It's already December! Which means our family trip to Hong Kong has been 2 weeks ago! Gosh I think it is time for me to exercise some discipline and plant myself in front of the laptop to type out something before I forget. It is, after all  Small K's first time in Hong Kong. Lugging Big K (4yo) and Small K (17mo then), wasn't that bad. So here I am, reminiscing happy times and sharing with you mostly our food finds in part one of our wanderlust in Hong Kong. 

It has been 3 years since I've visited this place. Unbelievable. Back then, Big K was just 5mo. In between, i got busy and then got pregnant hence I haven't been able to visit this food paradise. They say Singapore is a food paradise but I think, Hong Kong has awesome food too! Day one and two saw us scouring the streets for food. Trust me when i say that we did nothing but walking and eating! It was non stop. Primarily because we brought both Big and Small K along hence very little if not no shopping was done. Big K doesn't share the penchant for shopping, unlike her mother, and would whine about going back to the hotel after merely half an hour. 

First stop: Yung Kee Restaurant

Now, I've always wanted to taste Hong Kong's famed roast goose, so I bugged the hubs to go to the nearest famed restaurant. We were residing at the Holiday Inn express at Central, hence Yung Kee was pretty much within walking distance. The food above cost us close to SGD200. Ouch. Honestly, i wouldn't go back for the goose. In fact, apart from the salt and pepper squid, nothing excited me. I'm not of fan of fatty stuff and the goose was all fats and bones. Perhaps it was just me  and the hubs who don't quite appreciate coz the kids seemed to like it.

Address: Hong Kong, 威靈頓街32號

Phone:+852 2522 1624

Tai Cheong Bakery

For those of you who know, going there for their egg rolls and egg tarts is a must! Ok, in all honesty, I know of better egg tarts in Singapore and don't know what's the fuss is all about over their legendary egg tarts, but their egg rolls are yummy!

Address: 35 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central

7.30am – 9pm (Mondays to Saturdays)

8.30am – 9pm (Sundays and Public Holidays) 

Jenny Bakery

I heard of this place a day before I departed for Hong Kong. A friend was raving over it and I decided  to get a tin to try. It was within walking distance from our hotel once again, otherwise we wouldn't have made the effort. I had no idea their butter cookies were so popular till today! I mean, there are even counterfeit versions! so much so, Jenny Bakery has to change their packaging every now and then! There is no official closing time as once their stock for the day gets sold out, they would roll down their shutters. We went at around 2pm and there was still quite a bit of stock. My Verdict: It does really melt in your mouth. Fragrant and not too sweet. However, if the queue was too long, I wouldn't queue coz after a few pieces, I got bored. The hubs even said why can't we simply get those Danish butter cookies from NTUC. hmmm good point. But, if you'd like to try,  you don't have to travel all the way to Hong Kong. They will be opening an outlet here in sunny Singapore. Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, Blk 422. Don't say I didn't tell ya!

Address: 15 Wing Wo St, Hong Kong
Phone:+852 2524 1988

Dim Sum

You are in Hong Kong, so dim sum is a definite must! We popped into some random shop right next to our hotel and started ordered heaps of dim sum. Seriously, it's only 2 adults and 2 kids (who don't exactly eat voraciously), so why do we always order as if we are feeding an army? That said it was all all worthwhile as my kids really enjoyed it. A special mention to their salted egg yolk custard buns (liu sha bao). The yolk was simply oozing out from the bun! Big K ate 2 whole buns whilst Small K had one to himself! I can't recall the name of the little cafe, but it's right next to Holiday Inn Express Soho. 

Address: 83 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan

Having tea @ Tsui Wah 翠華餐廳

This is a MUST GO! I was horridly disappointed when I learnt that the branch at Wellington Street was under renovation till December! Thankfully there's another outlet nearby and woo hoo i got to eat their Condense milk bread! a hit with the kids! They are opened 24hours so you don't have to worry that you'll go hungry in the middle of the night! You could check out their branch information here.

Fu Sing Seafood Restaurant

It was our last night at Central and we were quite lost as to what to eat. We were too tired to be googling for the best haunts and frankly, I'm not in the mood for queues. So we told ourselves that we'll just settle for something which appeals to our eye. Something nearby. We walked, and we walked. Not that nothing came up, but too many little cafes. That spelt child unfriendly. Call us spoilt, but we would rather have the two kids on high chairs and eat in peace rather than to have them on our laps. We did that for the large part of the trip as it is. Eventually, we chanced upon Fu Sing Restaurant which apparently scored Michelin standard and was on the Michelin guide to good food. And, my verdict: AWESOME! The hubs and I felt that this must have been the best meal for this trip! A simple dish like vermicelli + egg + bean sprout won us over. Amazing. I need to try to replicate this when I get back my kitchen! Did you also know that Fu Sing is said to be one of the "rich men's canteen", so don' be surprise if you spot celebrities sitting near you! By the way, if you are there, remember to try their BBQ pork. I heard it's one of the best in town! I only heard of it after i dined there! 

Address: Hong Kong, 銅鑼灣怡和街68號1樓
Phone:+852 2504 4228



生記粥品專家



Before we checked out, I wanted some porridge to warm the tummy. I wanted to try Law Fu Kee but it was quite a walking distance away. With Big K being all clingy and wanting to be carried, we decided to try out Sang Kee congee which was just round the corner. This small shop has been around for more than 4 decades. We went before lunch hour and was able to get a table immediately. The moment we left, the crowd came and the queue was pretty amazing. I tried their mixed ball congee and hmm, i'm not sure about you but I thought Cantonese congee are supposed to be thick and starchy? This wasn't. It was silky and more watery than I had expected. Maybe it is my misconception. I also wanted some wings hence I ordered their deep fried chicken wings. A tad disappointed as i didn't feel it was well marinated. 


Address: G/F, 7-9 Burd Street, Sheung Wan 


上環畢街7-9號地下

Some scenes from our hotel. The hubs booked us at Holiday Inn Express Hong Kong Soho with his points. We only had to top up a little. It is at such instances where I appreciate all his travelling stints.  When we hopped onto the cab, the driver wasn't quite sure where it was. He didn't even understand the street we were communicating to him. Hubs had to whip up his GPS to show. It actually has a very good location with all the nice food nearby. Thanks to the staff, we got a pretty great view of the city from the 31st storey. We requested for a cot but there wasn't any. Instead, they gave us a room with a sofa bed. The hubs wanted to sleep on it but having two very young toddlers on a king sized bed with me wasn't too great an idea considering that the younger one is quite a roller. So, we laid the foam from the sofa on the floor and covered it with the bed sheet and that was his bed for the night. The hub however was a little pitiful. He had to sleep on the quilt which was laid on the floor next to Small K. Hotels in Hong Kong are typically small. Unless you are willing to fork out money for the bigger brands, otherwise, live with it. It is a fuss free hotel with a lovely ledge where the kids loved to play. They were able to self entertain every morning and night on that ledge. I don't know what's the appeal but I am thankful for it. Just seeing them play (and not bug me) is bliss. It was Big K's birthday too and we received a complimentary cake from Singapore Airlines. 

I am very thankful for this trip. This year seems amazingly tiring. With the hubs travelling quite a bit and us having to shift house thrice within approximately 6 months. We are now done with only 2 moves. To staying the the in laws (think: privacy invaded). I've been getting mood swings and found myself constantly irritated by small things done by the kids. The pent up anger is doing me no good on the health front as well. Really hope that everything will settle real soon and I get my momentum back. I'm now suffering from post holiday blues as I type! Need another trip soon! 

10 tips on flying with young children

Birthday marathon part 3. 

This little girl is one lucky babe! Since her birth, it seemed to be a ritual that we travel on her birthday. Firstly because it's off peak at work and secondly, well, it's her birthday! This year seems particularly draining for me and it just doesn't seem like we've been spending enough quality family time. There's so much on the plate and the hubs has been travelling quite a bit. This has turned me into an extremely disgruntled woman what with the many changes and shifts we've been having. The introduction of Small K is a joy but regretfully, I don't seem to be enjoying him more than I should. Not spending enough time with him explains why his favourite person in the world isn't his Mother! This little boy is such an ingrate. No, seriously, I was a bit of an emotional wreck when he chooses his grandmother over me every single time! He cries when he falls and I'll pick him up. Still, he would cry. But the moment his grandma (da mil) carries him, he stops! Geez. Thanks a lot son! Doesn't help that the MIL is constantly with him whilst I work. A blessing to have her help but honestly, I yearn to stay home more often! And it certainly doesn't help too, that da MIL tells everyone how her grandson sticks to her like glue! To cover up my emotional insecurities is such a challenge. 

So this trip to Hong Kong is really quite a long awaited and much needed one. It's our second trip as a family of 4. Ya, Small K is already 18months old and we have only done 2 trips?! Anyhoots, below are some tips when it comes to flying with your little ones:

photo credit: www.usborne.com

Tip number 1: Book at a time when they will nap. We had booked the 1:40pm flight and was pretty confident that they will snooze their way on board. Excite them with every detail of the journey. 

Tip number 2: Arrive early to let the kids run around. We arrived at the airport 2 hours earlier to check in and to tire them out. We wanted them to run around and expanse their energy so they could sleep on board the plane. 

They were very happy running around. At 1220pm, Big K decided that she needed to poop. 

Tip number 3: Remember to get the kids to poop and pee before flight

Unfortunately, I wasn't wearing my watch and keeping time. Big K took longer than expected. Following that, Small K decided to poop too and Daddy had to change him. Still, I wasn't checking on the time. Suddenly, the hubs dashed out of the toilet saying he received a call saying the gate was about to close and we were the last passengers to board!!! Imagine the panic! We grabbed the two kids and our handcarry and made a mad dash to the gate! Along the way, one of the ground staff "welcomed" us and took our boarding passes to check and informed her colleagues we were on the way! Yes, we were THAT late! Gosh the whole run made me realised how unfit i am. I was panting terribly and Small K thought we were engaged in some kind of game. Needless to say, the moment the plane taxi-ed, he ko-ed! Woohoo!

Oh, so Tip number 4: Wear a watch!

Tip number 5: Prepare either their milk (if you aren't breastfeeding) / water/ snacks/ if need be, pacifier during take off. It will help to ease the pressure. 

Tip number 6: Bring extra diapers and clothes. You never know what will happen!

Tip number 7: If you are someone who is adverse to gadgets like me, bring age appropriate toys. Puzzles are good for older kids and playdoh is a must for younger ones!

Tip number 8: Have the kids sit along the same row. Monkey see monkey do. If you manage to tame one, the other will be easier. We didn't manage to get seats along the same row and on our return flight, I was seated with both kids! Gosh, so this was how flying solo with kids felt like! I highly suspect that the hubs had it all planned! But, thankfully, I managed well. In fact, I was mighty proud of myself that on our return flight, whilst both kids slept, I ate my meal in peace, watched a movie, had a baileys on the rock and even a Hagen Daz ice-cream! ahhhhh Bliss. 

Tip number 9: If you child is old enough to enjoy the in-flight entertainment, prepare a kid-sized headphone as those provided by airline might not fit plus they may not have enough to go around. Ensure you have an adaptor too. For the record, Big K only watched half of "Cat in the Hat" before turning to me for more entertainment.

Tip number 10: If you flight is a short one, you may want to consider carrying the little one instead of putting him in the bassinet so as to prevent a meltdown. This is because the moment a turbulence happens, he has to be carried out. This is extremely disturbing to both adults and child alike. 

So, there you have it, my 10 tips for flying with young children! Have a safe flight! Bon Voyage!

Big K turns 4 (Part 1 & 2)

So. Not too long ago, I was pregnant. Not too long ago, a little girl, affectionately known as Big K was born. And, not too long ago, she turned four! yup, just like that!

This year is a little tricky coz I don't have my own nest to throw a party even if I want to. Staying with the in-laws is also a tricky affair when it comes to decorating the place to make the little one feel special (actually it's to satisfy my crazy yearn to craft). It's even trickier when the whole place is cluttered with boxes. I decided. It's depressing enough to be in such a situation! Hence, I took a wall an planned to do a small deco. I am very particular when it comes to aesthetics and even though it was an extremely small space which I'm doing up, I make sure I plan. I bought the materials in advance and reused my letterings. Got in some felt snowflakes as well to add in to the mood. And Tadah! A Photo Booth! These days whenever I ask the kids for a photo, they'll automatically stand against the wall. 

I didn't have to ask what Big K wanted as a theme for her birthday. I knew. Every year, the theme is dictated by yours truly. Tiger Mom eh? With all the hype over Elsa, it was clear she wanted a Frozen- themed party. She loves Elsa but thankfully not to the extent of wanting every single thing around her to be Elsa. Phew. I ordered her cakes pretty late this time but was very glad to have found two bakers who did a good job with the cakes. 

I bought her this dress a month before and had to hide it from her. She adores it so much, she insist on wearing it almost every time we go out!

Part One of our birthday marathon. The first cake we had for celebration with the family was an ombre cake from The Cake Shop. Now, I did say that the cake was good, no doubts about it. They had real strawberries in it and the old folks commented that it wasn't too sweet. Yay! I scored. But what made me extremely upset was that I had to go all the way to Admiralty to collect on the morning of the celebration! (PS: I live in the East just so you know) You see, after confirming the order, I was not asked what time I would like to collect. Ok, my fault too for not informing. I am usually quite on top of such things but lately, too much is happening. That said, shouldn't the onus be not the seller rather the buyer? I mean, it's service right to at least inform the collection hours no? I happily assumed that I could collect it from the Funan branch during opening hours. They open their doors at 10am and I thought, Perfect. Coz celebrations was at 11am. The day before, I dropped them an email to confirm my collection and informed them that I'll be collecting at 10am. Alas, at 4pm that day, an email stating that the earliest I could collect from Funan was 11am came in. You could imagine my horror! Plus, I only managed to read that mail at about 6pm. After which I immediately called them up for help. They had my number, so why didn't they call me direct? I told them my function would be starting at 11am and hence I will collect at 10am. Which part of my email did they not comprehend? The event was the next day so things were kind of urgent isn't it? So, long story short, nothing could be done. I had to go down to their production house  at Admiralty, which opens at 830am, to collect. I was late for the function as a result as after collecting the cake, I had to run other errands as well. 

Our party packs. I'm quite anal when it comes to how things look and what went in. I really do not like junk and tacky packaging. I started strategising a month before and slowly got on to making the bags. I got the characters printed and cut. The paper bags were bought from Daiso. The names were also painstakingly cut out from self adhesive felt gotten from Daiso. I enlisted Big K's help on pasting the the pictures and the foam snow flakes as well as the names of her classmates. Through this activity, Big K was able to learn the spelling of her friend's name. Killing two birds with one stone! 

This snowflake cookie was one of the items in our party pack which was in line with the theme. Others include an art and craft set to make a Xmas Tree ornament ball, a sewing kit with characters like reindeer and snowman as well as a kit which "grows" snow. Pardon the screenshot. Am too lazy to do something about it!

Part 2 of the celebrations was in school. Yup, I had to order ANOTHER cake. This time, I got it from Megan's Cuppies. This, is worth a mention. It was a pullout number cake! Something I've always wanted! In case you don't know, to do a number cake, most bakeries would need a substantial weightage. With the number of little guests we have, I often have a problem. So I was delighted when Eliz from Megan's Cuppies said she could do one with 18 cupcakes! Woohoo!! The snowflake cookies and the cupcakes were both from this talented baker. You can "like" her on Facebook here.

It's really a party to remember albeit a small one. Kids these days are so lucky! All I got when I was young was a pandan cake from Bengawan Solo!

Review: Playbear steamer

I've been feeling extremely lazy of late. My sink has been swamped with dirty dishes and more often than not, most of those dishes aren't used by me or the hubs. You see, we are now temporarily staying with the in laws (7 people in a small place amongst boxes) and each time, I'm the last to sleep hence, the onus is on me. I mean, seriously, how to turn a blind eye when all the leftovers are on the dining table where I'll do my work every night? Plus, I need to get best (only) daughter-in-law award right? And the mountain of clothes waiting to be folded is becoming Mt Everest. I'm oblivious to this all. Indifferent. Not sure what's happening because it isn't my peak season. Too overwhelmed perhaps by the fact that the kids has been falling ill. To the extent of Big K being admitted into hospital. That was followed by Small K who had bronchitis. Seriously knackered and don't know how i pull through each day. On the kitchen front, things have also been pretty laid back too. The dishes whipped up aren't exciting, but they are still nutritious and edible. I'm unable to visit the wet market or stock up stuff I'd like to cook hence, dishes have been pretty mundane. Since I'm so unmotivated to wash tons of pots, I decided to invest in a new toy. The following were what I've been cooking for lunch:

Soya sauce chicken stewed for approximately an hour; mixed brown rice steamed for 30mins of which during the last 15mins i paused to add in a tier of cod fish. In between, i was busy doing other chores and entertaining the kids.

#throwback in the old place. Everything except the soup was prepared using the steamer. Soup was easily cooked using a slow pot.  Egg was a tad pockmarked as I had forgotten to put a cover to it.

Tadah! This is the machine which I'm raving about! There are presets for stuff like cooking rice. You can also set your own timing. What you need to note is to ensure there's sufficient water. The technology works the same way as a milk warmer. It is really compact and for once the hubs was supportive of my purchase! Often he'll roll his eyes as kitchen stuff are usually pretty bulky. Not this! N it seems to be very popular amongst OLs as well.Not surprising as it's really healthier to cook your own lunch rather than to dine out. N by having this little gadget, the risk of burning down the office is low. And at home, it's a great help as i wouldn't need to check on the fire and can set it to cook as i bring the kids down for some playground fun. This baby is definitely here to stay!

*No monetary compensation has been received. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and written according to my experience in using the product.

My first high jewellery invite by Chanel

14th october. A date to remember. The day i married my love of 18yrs. Unfortunately, this year he wasn't in town..surprise surprise. The man has been away for so long even his son is showing signs that this man is a stranger. Being wife to a frequent flyer is no easy task. Many view me as some supermum but honestly, i would rather take off my cape and be a human once in a while. Being the woman behind such a man takes a lot of emotional strength and one way to ensure you don't get all emo over the fact that he is unromantic and may not even remember this day; or the fact that you won't be receiving any handmade presents/ flowers/ jewellery or for that matter, anything at all, is to pack your day with activities! Be surrounded with love and friends. Don't be on your own am let the mind go wild.

So the Chanel invite couldn't come at a more timely occasion. I've never been to a fine jewellery exhibition hence didn't know what to expect. I was told to just chill, pamper myself with canapes and champagne. So that's what I did! It was held at the heritage-packed Fulleton Hotel. Great pairing. Fine jewellery with fine hotel.

The Lion of Saint Mark’s

Photo © Chanel Joaillerie

The purpose of this show was mainly to introduce the Sous Le Signe Du Lion Collection. A lot of Chanel's past was shared with us. Chanel’s admiration for the lion originates from her birth under the star sign of Leo, but her true adoration of the majestic feline transpired at an incredibly difficult time for the talented designer.  She fled from Paris to Venice after the tragic death of Arthur "Boy" Capel, the love of her life. Arriving by train in August 1920, Venice and its winged lions, which can be seen throughout the city, reinvigorated her sullen spirit with endless sources of inspiration.

Pictures of her apartment was shared with us and the look and feel of the place was completely different from what I had imagine. there were lots of power and strength in her interior decoration at her rue Cambon apartment in Paris. Lots of wood and little statues which included a fengshui toad/ frog!

Reflecting her fondness for Venice, the new collection re-imagines its roaring mascot and Byzantine mosaics in dazzling diamonds and precious gemstones in splendid detail.  

The collection captures this king of cats in spectacular jewels. It is Chanel’s favorite feline and a testament to Chanel’s prowess in high jewellery design.

The jewelled lion of craftsmanship! Now, would anyone be keen on getting me a $240k birthday present? :P I look good with it right?

Painting in progress. This lady has never had any training in painting but she paints like a pro!

That's me on the bike, riding along Venice. The details of my top were drawn in as well! Meticulous! Hopefully, one day I'll be able to visit the place and have coffee by the river. Such tranquility which I can only dream of right now.

So the entire afternoon was pleasantly whiled away. Made some new friends, had champagne and finely prepared canapés. That's not a bad way to spend my wedding anniversary. Now, it would be perfect if the hubs ends it off with a present from Chanel. Haha...

PS: the hub DID remember to text me a Happy anniversary at the stroke of midnight! I was pleasantly surprised and in fact, truth be told, I forgot it was already 14th October! haha. AND, to add to his credits, he DID buy me a present and in his words, it was the most expensive tee shirt he has ever bought me! Well, Lucky me!

How to survive a hospital stay with a toddler

The last two months has been crazy. And that's really an understatement. What with the first big shift and Small K not adjusting well in his new environment. He has been screaming bloody murder for a month at night. We've tried to pinpoint the cause but to no avail. He isn't overstimulated, he isn't warm. Granted we are all now living in clutter due to the boxes pending the next move, everything is kept in clean condition and neatly arranged (well at least I try to). It probably was about his wonder week but week turned into weeks which got me wondering. It was really baffling. It was like he was afraid to sleep. Scared to be placed down on his bed. Then someone reminded me about fengshui and I realised that his bed position is in the "coffin position" i.e.. his feet is pointing directly to the door! GASP! Why didn't I think of Fengshui?! So i shifted the bed the very next day, but for the next two nights, things didn't improve. He was still screaming bloody murder every 15 to 30minutes. Then I figured, perhaps it is because the hubs isn't in town hence the little one misses him. So I brought him into my room and co-slept with both Big and Small K. Seriously not the most ideal plan but I can't be in two rooms all at once. However, that didn't alleviate the matter either. He would whine and I'd jump right up to calm him down to the best I could otherwise, the uproar would cause Big K to wake up and then I would have to mambo jumbo with the both. Thankfully, Big K was really corporative and understanding. She tried her best to get back to sleep on her own. At times she would get really irritated but a bottle of milk and she'll be a happy trooper once again. In our old place, she didn't have to wake up for a dream feed, but these days, i guess with so much happening, she is back to it again. I didn't even want to negotiate with her as I'm simply too exhausted for it. That said, it's not always so smooth sailing. A lot of cajoling and screaming (on my end) involved. At its peak, I wasn't sleeping for 2 whole days! That's 48hours! Geez!! that probably happened only when I had tons of presentations to handle during my university days! Then, I decided that it was time for some divine intervention and voila, he is sleeping a little better now. Still whining a little in his sleep but much much better.

So, ok, I thought things should be a little better now. #Soleparenting ain't that bad right? I can handle a mere sleep issue. The hubs has been away off and on for  a month and I thought I'm doing a great job holding up. But Alas! Just when all was calm, the storm brewed again! Big K was down with fever last Thursday. She came home vomitting and looking awful. However, after a night's rest, she was all good again and because Friday was Children's day, I thought since there wasn't anymore fever, it would be nice to go to school for celebration. That evening when she got home, she was 38.5 degrees celsius! So I oiled her furiously with peppermint oil and thieves and managed to bring her fever down. She was good the whole of Saturday and Sunday morning hence, again, I decided to allow her to go for a friend's birthday party. We went, she enjoyed herself tremendously and she came home at 39 degrees celsius! Ahhhhh...Someone just stab me please!! It's as if i should be getting Bad mother of the year! So the next day we visited the paediatrician who said that her lungs seem clear but has a throat infection. True enough she was coughing a little. We were given a course of medicine which included antibiotics but no improvement. Her fever would subside for a day or two, and it'd be back again. Her cough was worse. She was coughing very badly I felt so pain. Heartbreaking I tell you. So I wanted to go back for a review but our regular paediatrician was on leave. Hence I brought Big K to our family GP and guess what? He heard sounds in her lungs! We were immediately advised to go for an Xray and blood test at the hospital. 

So here we are. At the hospital . Since Friday. Whilst waiting for a room, I had to zoom back home to grab our stuff. I grabbed whatever that came to mind and within 15mins, I was lugging a huge sports duffel bag, a diaper bag and a toddler! The dishevelled me was really hoping that some help could come my way. Help did come. the next day, I requested my sister-in-law to stand in while I go off to work for 3hours. I needed to as much as it made me sound like bad mother. It is super peak at work and I have my responsibilities too. After work, i went back to grab a luggage of stuff again and zoomed back. Oh hang on. So what's wrong with Big K you asked? Pneumonia. Apparently she caught the mycoplasma bacteria and that caused her lungs to be filled with phlegm. Kids this age don't really know who to cough it out hence one thing led to another, she developed an infection of the lungs. 

Waiting to check in into our suite.

She was such a brave little darling! whilst the nurses and I tried acting like clowns to entertain her and divert her attention, she was a calm as a clam!

On the nebulizer. She had to do it 4 hourly which meant disrupted sleep. Hence night one was hellish as she was rudely awoken an shoved with antibiotics, thereafter, given the nebulizer. She struggled the whole time and I had to pin her down. Pained me when that happened.

All comfy on her very expensive bed. It's $560+ per night per room!

They found the mycoplasma bacteria in her lungs, causing the infection. This bacteria is everywhere so we really don't know how she caught it. It could also be due to the very bad haze the last couple of weeks.

It's really not easy to be alone in the hospital with an active toddler. yes, despite being ill, she's as hyper as ever. Every minute I've to think of something for her to do. Here are some stuff I brought along:

Movie date. Her favourite show of the moment which we had to split into two sessions to watch coz it was too tiring for both mommy and baby. We really enjoyed this as we've never caught a movie on the big screen before. 

I'm so glad that this bubba enjoys the puzzle more than the gadgets! I was surprised by the fact that she could do this puzzle. The last puzzle i did with her was a 6pcs! That was a long time ago.

I had to bring along my oily stash to help speed up her recovery

Being confined to a room was not easy and support was important. I was really thankful for a friend who came by to visit and help entertain Big K. She had loads of fun monkeying around.

ooooo...Look at the range which they are using! Crabtree & Evelyn! In my favourite range La Source. Now, all I need is a bathtub and their bath salt and it will be perfect!

The food provided was surprisingly not bad. There was also a Delifrance downstairs hence I didn't starve. 

Am really hoping that the little one will recover soon and we can all go back home. Honestly, this stay is quite a pleasant one coz it beats squeezing with 5 other people in an apartment together with tons of cartons. In addition, there's air condition 24/7 and I don't have to prepare any meals! I also don't have to wash dishes for 7 other people at 11pm! However, work still needs to be done and to find someone to assist with babysitting is a pain. It's peak season at work hence I can't just drop my work. I could but responsibility beckons as well. This made me feel terrible for it made me feel like I'm a terrible mother who only thinks of work. But in my line, no work = no money. Money isn't everything and nothing is more important that my baby's health, however, I will ensure that she's in good hands before I go off to work with a heavy heart. The burden is just so great in Singapore. Latest update: the paediatrician said if the phlegm starts to clear, we could potentially be discharged tomorrow. Yipee!

Review & Giveaway: ZooMoo! A preschool channel on StarHub

We received our package from ZooMoo recently and you can tell the kids were delirious! Just looking at those smiles plastered across their faces made my day! Kids are really very easily contented! Every morning, I find it a struggle. I'm like a headless chicken rushing to get their breakfast ready, bathe them, cook their lunch, nap them and get one ready for school. This is on top of cleaning their poo and what not. I used to do a lot of homeschooling. That is until Small K came along. I still try, but try as I might, it does get a little tricky with both hankering for attention. The activities would also have to be different, hence to sync the session is absolutely challenging. Often, when I'm preparing lunch, Small K would also come over and explore his new surroundings. There was this once when he toppled a whole jar of sea salt and I had to sweep it all up! Talk about more work. So there were many occasions when i resort to the television. I used to be very hung up over the fact that children under 3 should not be watching television programmes or exposed to gadgets. For Big K, I managed to advocate it. Her screen time is tremendously limited except over at gramps. Now that we are living with gramps, it's a different story altogether. Small K would clamour the grandfather for his favourite National Geographic. Ok, that at least is more educational than the mother-in-law's favourite 黄金年华. Big K thankfully, due to my rigorous training, hasn't been addicted. In fact, she would watch for a while and tell the adults that that's quite enough. 

However, I do need some help and hence I'm always on the lookout for educational programmes or dvds which can stimulate those little minds. I do admit that there are some programs and apps out there which are pretty good. One such avenue which I recently discovered is the world of ZooMoo. This is aired on StarHub Channel 306. It's the world's first preschool channel that is all about animals. ZooMoo explores the animal world in ways that are entertaining, interactive and enriching, sparking in kids a love for animals. ZooMoo is a collaboration between some of the world's foremost wildlife filmmakers and world renowned early childhood educationalists from the University of Otago, New Zealand's premier university. Sounds very intelligent to me. Together, they have created a powerful package: a catalyst for learning that engages both children and their parents. 

Look at how happy they were!

 wow what big eyes you have!

 These are the premiums and goodies we found in the gift pack!

I love it that my children are so innovative. One parcel kept them busy the whole morning! And I hadn't even switched on the programme for them!

The trailers were stored in a thumb drive which doubles up as a bracelet as discovered by Big K.

Ahhhh..a moment of peace. As they watched, I could peacefully do my stuff or cook their lunch without getting it burnt! The ZooMoo program lineup comprises of short form and long form shows which combine spectacular wildlife footage with a range of puppetry, animations, and narrative techniques to create a unique viewing and learning experience for little viewers. 

Photo credits: http://asia.zoomoo.tv/photos

Which kid wouldn't love funny furry characters? The children were excited when they saw Flash, an intrepid wildlife photographer, who gets lost on every mission in a new series which had premiered on 16 September. Together with a cast of funny furry characters, the children are taken on a journey of discovery about the animal kingdom.

Photo credits: http://asia.zoomoo.tv/photos

And....That's not all! ZooMoo has an app!! You can download it for FREE! The app works as a stand alone experience, where children can feed and look after animals, pose them for photos, watch video clips and learn each animal's name and how common or rare they are. After the initial download, no Internet connection is required! Good right? And and and....there's a "parent's page" where parents can learn more about what animals their children are interacting with most. This would certainly bring about more sincere conversations rather than the "it's so fun right?". Parents can gather more information on each animal and bridge the gap between the child and them.

SO what are you waiting for? Tune in to Starhub Channel 306 or download the app today!

Giveaway Time!!

The kind people at ZooMoo are giving away a gift pack to One lucky winner. Here's how to participate: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions:

This giveaway will end on Friday, 9th October 2015, at 2359h, and is open to Singapore residents only.

The winners will be contacted via the particulars provided when entering this giveaway, and will have 24 hours to respond, failing which a new winner will be selected.

All incomplete entries will be disqualified, and all entries will be verified before the winner is announced.

This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

*Disclaimer: We received the ZooMoo gift pack for the purpose of this review. All opinions, are our own.