A weekend to Malacca

The only reason why we decided to go to Malacca for a weekend trip is to make up for the times that Adam wasn't around on the long weekends a few weeks before because he was away with Isaac to US. This trip also marks Eleanor's first road trip with us and she just turned 4 months as well. We decided to make this a laid-back trip and wanted to depart close to noon, with Malacca only about 2 hours away from where we were. However packing for 2 kids is quite a challenge. I felt like bringing the whole house but the most important things were pampers and milk. Others, we could buy or live without. 

However, when we were on our way, I realised that we have forgotten the baby carrier! I can't imagine carrying Eleanor around without one. Yes, she can be in the stroller but it is also much easier to control Isaac by strapping him into the stroller as well. Out of desperation, I blast out a plea for help in a baby wearing group and to make it short, a sweet momma from Malacca agreed to loan us her carrier without any fee. 

We made our way to our bed and breakfast place after picking up the carrier. We've always picked to stay in Wayfarer whenever we were in Malacca. I adore the location and love the balcony where I could just watch the sunset with the boats going to and fro the river. 

Our room in Wayfarer

My boys at my fav balcony. Love the view

Sleeping soundly in her baby seat

After checking in, we had lunch at Malaccafe. The cakes were to die for as they are from Gula Cakery but the beef lasagne was too oily for my liking. We strolled along the river with Isaac requesting to go on a boat ride every 5 minutes. 

Chocolate Pavlova and Double Chocolate Nutella. Both were so good!

Beef Lasagne

Because the lighting was so ONZ 

I love my two kids 

Cool watermelon. Look how drenched Isaac is

We eventually went on a boat ride and Isaac was grinning ear to ear. We even bought those cliche souvenirs for keeps of our boat ride. We ended the day with dinner at Jonker Walk with Eleanor in her carrier and Isaac in the stroller. Im glad a fellow momma helped me out in times of desperation. I couldn't possibly enjoy Jonker Walk without a baby carrier. Eleanor slept throughout our dinner thanks to the baby carrier.

Happy boy 

Happily sipping my coconut shake 

The next morning we started our day early hunting for breakfast. Yes, another walking session with the kids along Jonker. Came across Kaya-Kaya Cafe. I had the salted egg mushroom with toasted bread with their speciality coffee. It was so yum I decided to bring home some and made pasta to go with it the next day!

The lovely courtyard at Wayfarer

Adam holding a banana 

Very yum. But I'm a sucker for anything that is related to salted egg 

Came across a Chetti Temple which I included in my lecture this semester 

On our way back to Wayfarer we dropped by an antique bazaar and Adam bought a couple of toys for Isaac. We packed our stuffs and head home after 12 pm. The traffic was so good to and from Malacca we reached home in no time. All in all it was a short but fulfilling trip. Eleanor was so well behaved throughout the trip. Our next trip? Cherating here we come! 

Isaac and his first solid food experience

For the past month or so, my mind is just full of what do I cook for Isaac. Every. Single. Day. I officially call it my new motherhood obsession. 

I have been waiting for Isaac's first food experience since forever. Only because I bought the Baeba Babycook months before Isaac hits 6 months and hid it from Adam until he was ready to eat. I got the Classic (cheapest model of course) and is drooling over the Pro version. I love my Babycook, by the way. I have been using it for two months and it is by far the handiest tool that I have ever bought as a mommy.

This is what I have

This is what I WANT

Have I tried purchasing baby food? Yes, I did, but believe me mommy friends, once you make your own puree for your baby, you would agree that home made is best. Not runny, and do not go bad too quick. Having said that, if you really want to order baby food, do order from bebetummy. Isaac loves their Salmon surprise and chicken cheese broccoli. But since I have learned how to make chicken cheese broccoli for Isaac, I only order salmon surprise from time to time. 

Naturally I did some research on what is good to give as baby's first solid ( I like Annabel Carmel). The Babycook that I bought came with a tiny leaflet as a guidance as how much water I should put in for a list of food but that was it. Not in the favour of purchasing a recipe book yet to make puree but I might change my mind later on. So most of the puree I made for Isaac are taken from the internet. 

I decided to try pear for Isaac's first food. It was difficult at first as he was so used to the bottle that he struggled to swallow what I gave him. Technically only 40 % goes into his mouth. The rest? To his CHIN. I did read that it is normal for a baby to not know how to eat at first and we have to be more patient when feeding. After a few days, i was relieved to see that he has started to adapt to eating and thank god ENJOYS eating. Im a happy mommy! I did stick to the rule of introducing one type of food for 4 days and only move on after that period of time. 

Always eager for meal times

To date, I've made apple, banana, sweet potatoes, pumpkin (i LOVE this!), peas (he hates this so I had to mask the taste with sweet potatoes/pumpkin). I started giving him chicken when he turned 7 months a couple of weeks back. So far, he has not rejected any food except for peas, that is ( and there is this one time i made chicken, apple and carrot. Adam said it tasted horrible. SORRY!). I freeze all the puree I made and store them in a zip lock bag. Don't forget the to label them as they might look almost the same when they are frozen. There was this one time I asked Adam to defrost some pumpkin and spinach, and he defrosted the peas instead. 

I use OXO tot. I'm too stingy to buy a Baeba storage

Zip lock bags and labels are from Daiso. Storage is a breeze with these zip lock bags

I also have to pack food for Isaac's daily nursery meal times. Found these container in a baby store near to my house and I love the fact that I can stack them. Yes, also label them for the caretakers to know which is for breakfast and which is for lunch. 

Up to this very day, I find joy in providing home cooked food for Isaac.I did not manage to provide enough breast milk when he was an infant, but I sure don't mind cooking all the good food for you. 

I can't wait for him to be able to enjoy baby pasta. Yum. 

Baby Wearing : Lillebaby Complete Airflow

Boy, you wont believe the amount of time I've put on researching for the best SSC for Isaac. At first I was so into Ergobaby 360, searching high and low for a preloved, and finally got one for a decent price. However, on the same day of finally finalising to purchase the item, Bebetotz uploaded a carrier called the Lillebaby Complete Airflow on their Instagram account. 

I was immediately attracted to it because there are many reviews on Ergobaby being too hot   (you can opt for Ergobaby Cool Air to overcome this but it is pretty expensive here) and hello, I live in a tropical climate where HOT is 80% of the weather here in a year. I prefer the look of Ergobaby but I decided that I don't want Isaac to be cooked in his carrier. I did opted for the Active Baby K'tan for this reason as well, so the SSC chosen should also lean towards fulfilling this purpose too. 

True to its name, there are numerous good review on Lillebaby Complete Airflow. One, it is cooler when compared to Ergobaby, two, you don't need an infant insert (I am planning to keep this until our second baby comes. God knows when) and three, you can wear it in 6 different positions in which I would probably wear 3 out of the 6 positions. 

Here's my view after a few weeks of wearing the Lillebaby Complete Airflow. 

Would I ditch my Baby K'tan? NO! I think wraps are amazing for newborns. At least until they are 3 months plus. I would keep my Baby K'tan when I am too lazy to set the SSC up. Wraps are generally softer and easier to store while SSC takes more space and I am still figuring out how to store it nicely. It is also advisable to start using SSC only when your baby is 4 months and above. However, the Lillebaby Complete did claim that it can accommodate newborns as well. Since I do not have a newborn to try the Lillebaby with, I have no idea whether newborns would be comfortable being in one. 

It is also better to rent or try carriers before purchasing them because what works for others might not work for you and vice versa. There's a few places where you can actually rent carriers to try out. We took a risk in buying without trying but it turned out well for us. Thank god, if it didn't work, Isaac owes us money. 

To date, I've been using the Lillebaby for my walks and recently for my exercise routines while Adam uses it for our outings. Isaac didn't sweat much in the carrier. Almost dry, really. He sleeps in the carrier each time we go for our morning walks. 

Best thing about carriers is that you can easily kiss your baby

A little pocket where you can place your phone and wallet

The head support is amazing when Isaac sleeps. I would use it when I see him getting sleepy and he'll sleep in no time. AMAZING!

Adam loves it when we use it for our weekend outings. Front facing Isaac from time to time especially when we dine really makes him happy. 

My cool boys

So generally we are happy with the Lillebaby although I wished it was softer. I do hope it will soften with time. Im looking forward to use our Lillebaby when we go on our next trip. 

My next SSC target is a Jumpsac which is made locally. I want a pink one please! 

Edited: I ALSO WANT A KINDERPACK! 

Edited (2018): i own one Kinderpack and Isaac grew out of it. I will write a review on Kinderpack once my second child fits into it 

Baby Wearing : Baby K'tan

I only started wearing my Baby K'tan in my recent Phuket trip although I bought it before Isaac was born. I delayed my baby wearing because Isaac was a very small baby at the beginning, and we got a light stroller which is the Babyzen Yoyo (Great stroller, by the way). 

It was a bit awkward trying on the Baby K'tan but I got the hang of it after a couple of times wearing it. One big advantage is that I don't need to wrap it as it is more like an instant baby wrap and you can toss it in the washing machine when you want to clean it. I also got the Baby K'tan Active to suit our oh so hot weather which was a good choice because Isaac didn't sweat at all despite the scorching weather in Phuket. 

There's multiple way of using the wrap but I've only tried one position. Isaac sleeps soundly it in and it takes him 5 minutes for him to doze off in it. I even got my foot massage with him strapped in the Baby K'tan. 

Look at how comfy he is 

We even went to the gym to fool around while Isaac sleeps

Still need to position him better, but he seems okay

I'm looking forward to try place him in the front facing position. I need to wait until he is strong enough to sit. However, one unfortunate feature of Baby K'tan is that Adam can't share the wrap with me as it comes in sizes and it is measured against the wearer rather than the weight of the baby. So with this, we are planning to buy another carrier. We're eyeing on the Ergobaby 360. Seems like an amazing carrier to share between us. 

Ain't it pretty?

Phuket : Isaac's First Flight Out

The moment that we have been waiting for was finally happening. Isaac's first flight out. We were nervous on what to pack on my carry on luggage ( I used a Hobobe from Ju-Ju-Be - a seperate post for what I packed coming up next!) , how to calm him during take off and landing but I did a lot of research beforehand and basically it turned out pretty well. The only chaotic moment was when he pooped before flight. That was an understatement. He made an explosion in his diaper that went right up his clothes. Couldn't find any baby changing room near to our departure gate so we opted for the disabled toilet which was uncomfortable for Isaac. He cried a little bit at the end but was back to his happy mode not long after.

Wearing overalls from Grand Aunt Carol

I like touching my son's nose.. 

Isaac was actually looking at the curtains separating us from Business Class

Happy baby on board

Despite the delay last night, Isaac slept all the way through the flight home. He was crying  at the airport because he was getting tired and he wants to sleep (why do babies cry when they want to sleep, huh?). I do know how you feel, Isaac. But a delay is better than boarding a faulty air craft. 

Oh no, Isaac. Why did you poop right before take off?

Note: Isaac had diarrhea and developed a nasty case of diaper rash in Phuket. One thing you need to take note is NEVER wash your kid's bum with wet wipes as it stings them. Use moist cotton balls instead and ensure that the area is always dry. He is now getting better.  Less poop and the red rash is not as bad as a few nights ago. Thank God!

Current Motherhood Obsession: Diaper Bags

I love bags and that is not something everyone would be surprised to know. I just didn't know I would have an obsession over diaper bags. My MIL bought a diaper bag for us (my MIL is probably the most thoughtful MIL, really) when I first got pregnant in 2012, which ended with a miscarriage. So when other mothers enquired on which bag am I using and would I buy another bag, I casually said I have one, and one was enough. Boy, was I wrong!

I came across the Ju-Ju-Be bag after following a number of baby stores on Instagram. Googled it and I find myself glued on my laptop watching how mothers pack their diaper bags. I eventually succumbed to buying a BFF Ju-Ju-Be and chose the Perky-Toki print as my first Ju-Ju-Be. I admit it is a bit too girlish for Adam to carry around so I made sure I bought a couple of stroller clips to hang it on the stroller instead.

Matching changing pad. It's padded too!

Here's what I usually pack for weekend outings to the mall. The inner color of all Ju-Ju-Be bags are light colored to aid us mommies to look for things for our little baby. The Perky-Toki features a beautiful light purple inside. 

  

As you can see, I do have a lot more space and I didn't use any of the internal pockets. I don't prefer to pack it to the brim as this could be too heavy for me. The IKEA plastic container holds Isaac's bottle, thermos and formula milk and the other small bag which is also a Ju-Ju-Be bag contains diapers, a change of clothes in case of puke/poop accidents and of course, wet wipes. 

Featuring Queen of the Nile Be Quick.

What I love most about this bag is the mommy's pocket and how I can see the whole content of the bag since the zipper goes around rather than just on top of the bag like most bags. 

Here, true to its name, is my space where I place all my necessary needs for an outing here, including my wallet, house keys/car keys, sunnies, and some hair accessories.

                              

Wished I had a purple color wallet and coin purse to match the inner lining.

This little pocket is also amazing. This is where I place all emergency needs such as tissues for drool/puke, wet wipes and hand sanitizer. Love the fact that it is placed outside the bag so I can quickly reach for it. Honestly when you have a baby, you really have to be super quick and have a LOT of wet wipes.

                                

What is super amazing about all Ju-Ju-Be bags is that you can machine wash it. Haven't tried that yet because I'm really super careful when I bring it out, not because I am afraid it would get dirty, but because I love it so so much!

Ju-Ju-Be has various types of bags and I'm hoping to get one in each type out of curiousity. I'm already sold on the brand, so this won't be the only time I would be blogging on Ju-Ju-Be for sure. New mothers, get a Ju-Ju-Be and you'll be hooked! 

Rocking our Ju-Ju-Be BFF

Oh Boobies

Boobies has been the main topic since I gave birth. I think everyones favourite question would be have you breastfed. Hows the milk. Hows my boobies. SO awkward. I've never remembered doing so when visiting new mothers, really. You guys should stop asking new mothers this. It only brings pressures, not encouragements. 

Breastfeeding was difficult for me. First, the milk won't come. I've read about mothers who go through c-section would only produce milk 4 days after delivery. Due to this, I allowed the hospital to feed Isaac.. with formula of course. 

Second, when the milk came, it was so painful because I was already engorged by that time. Isaac constantly wants milk and my nipples were getting really sore that I was actually afraid of him waking up. I actually have milk ducts in my armpit. Gross, but apparently it happens to some mothers (Ain't I lucky?)

Isaac wakes up- wants milk-sore nipples-mommy cries

Yes, that was the sequence. Truly a vicious cycle for my boobs. This went on for a few days. It was unbearable and I begin not enjoying having Isaac. At that point, everyone said I need to get the milk out. I had a manual pump but I was clearly clueless on how to use it. My massage lady tried to get them out and yes VERY painful. 

I finally broke down a week after delivery and told Adam, that I would want to see a lactation consultant. We went to the nearest to us (http://www.enjoybreastfeed.com/aboutus.php)  and was advised to get an electronic pump. She did relieve me off my engorgement problem by squeezing my boobs, and pumping at the same time. Again, PAINFUL! 

I did try to direct latch a few times after but I knew I am not producing enough for my growing baby. I pumped in between feeding and I only could get about 3oz if I am lucky, 1 oz on a regular basis. Feeling down, I tried to resort to milk boosters but it didn't work for me mainly because the best milk booster is still the baby itself. Due to feeling sore each time after direct latch, I just decided to rely on the pump, which is obviously a lot more work. 

At this point I am not breastfeeding and it is OKAY. Motherhood is truly not about judging how other mothers do it. Most importantly, I am not going to miss seeing my son growing up by fussing and stressing over something I can't do. 

Will I try to breastfeed my next child? YES, with hope that this experience would aid me at that time. 

Isaac turned 3 months this month and has a healthy BMI of 16

My little brave boy