dunk

This week, Joel enjoys stacking rings! He can put the 4 rings into the "cone". But of course i have to pass them to him in the correct order lah.

Somehow, it reminds me of Dunkin' Donuts coming into Shanghai. Haha! Maybe i'm just too hungry all the time coz it's so cold. ;p

P.S. I really like all the shots here! He looks good in grey. Sooo cute! Obsessed mommy! ;p

friends from spore

We were glad to catch up with Joji who was in town. We brought him to Haiku for dinner. Yummy Japanese food! I hope he likes it (as much as i do). Keke... After dinner, Joel & i came home first coz i'm the MOTHER. Elvis went out for drinks with Joji, Norman & NaiYen. Surprisingly, he came home shortly after i typed this! Haha!

Saw from Joji's cellphone his daughter, Riya, is sooo cute! I hope we'll see them again during CNY!

P.S. The temperature dropped again today. Tomorrow should be worse.

i turn 35

Here's pictures of the very posh restaurant Elvis brought me to on my birthday. I was quite shocked - and more so with the prices on the menu! Coz it's too GLAM!...and i'm not the glam kind of person. (See, i'm drinking Coke!) He has been to the Lan Club in Beijing and it's designed by Phillipe Starck. Not sure who designed this one in Shanghai, but Elvis said that the Beijing one has a lot more of the Wow! factor.

This is Lan Club Shanghai. I would recommend it if you want a quiet and romantic dinner...or book their suites for gatherings with bigger group of friends or family. 1st floor is the bar & tapas, 2nd & 3rd floors serve Chinese cuisine and 4th floor is Western/French cuisine. (The entire 3rd floor are "bao fang" /suites)

I liked this hall with the walls of framed butterfly specimens. With every course served, they will describe exactly what are those "small things" at the side. After your meal, they are glad to show you around the place too! (Maybe coz there's really very few customers) Really a very cool place!

Some i-duno-wat prawn appetizers, lobster & beef starters, scallops starters, beef main, fish main, and my favorite chocolate cake (with a few mm of those "biscuits" at the bottom! I like, i like!)...
Typo error on the cake. Supposed to be 'Happy Birthday To Dar'.



Here is a picture of their bar on Level 1 (Click).

welcome

It was my birthday yesterday and Elvis brought flowers home - fit for a Spore Minister! Looks so...ehh...Welcoming!

He said that they only have roses and tulips left...and he dont dare to buy those (coz i hate those). I had another picture in a pout & sulk and he asked me to "Look happier lah!" Yes, i'm the ungrateful brat! I just had to take a picture of the side view too! Stand Up For Singapore... HAHA! ;p

I put them away in 3 separate vases so it looks much better! The tiny ones, the orchids, and the bird-of-paradise with the pink tall ones. I think the "birds" look very scary too! Keke...

* Will post pictures of our lovely dinner later... That was perfect! ;)

a few days ago

Earlier this week, we had dinner at the newly-renovated Grandma's Kitchen at HuaiHai Road. Needed to drink some tonic soup to beat the cold.

Elvis used to be "VIP" here coz the staff recognize him and so we dont need to get a number and wait in line. Now, all the staff are new...and so no choice...we had to sit around and wait too. Keke... Also note Elvis' swollen (right) eye. Infection. So he has to wear specs for a while...

When we got home, i realized that 1 of Joel's shoes was missing. Dropped when i got on the cab. :(


And this is Joel in the cute PiyoPiyo top which feels super comfortable. Most of the babies here are dressed in this kind of cute cartoon clothes. Joel was crying a few minutes before i took this...maybe he doesnt like this kind of fashion. Bad taste! Haha! ;p

His cheeks are also a little peeling and a little rough despite the cream i've been applying for him. Becoz he likes to rub his face against the sheets when he's sleeping. The 2 mosquitoe bite marks/scars on his cheeks are still visible... :_(

joel's sister

This is Megan - daughter of my sister's friend, Jac. Elvis & i both think that Megan looks very much like Joel! She is 2 weeks older than Joel. See...


I've got Megan's mommy's permission to post her pix here. She has more on her blog - and so many shots looks like Joel too! It's her 3rd Glamour Shots! Professional model! ;)

When Joel sees her pictures, he gets very excited too! Screams, kick legs, smile, scream, scream, scream... Haha!

P.S. I got scolded for shooting Joel in the hairclip... It was taken when Daddy was away in Tokyo. Joel doesnt like the hairclip too. Keke... ;p

big head small body

Elvis bought this Head Porter bag for me from Tokyo...and i think it's damn big...and i kept trying it on to convince myself that it's not too HUGE! Although i like big bags, but this seems toooo big...even for Joel's things... Plus, i'm pretty happy with my other Porter diaper bag already.

What do you think?
I asked a friend if she's keen to buy over from us...and she is! Phew... Should sell, right??? It's ¥37,800 (YEN! not RMB)...and a waste if i dont use it. :(

all things nice

Elvis just came back from Tokyo last night. Somehow, i think Joel was waiting for him to come home coz it was past his "new" bedtime.

I can see that Elvis really spent a lot of money although he didnt buy that many things on this short trip. (He said that the 1st day was wasted on a boring day tour. I'm sure he's very disappointed coz he could have shopped! Haha!) Blur King also left the Puma hat which he bought for Baby Joel in the hotel room. Fortunately, Joel also received a BabyGap "Paddington" checks coat (which he can only wear next year). I think he'll look cute in it when he can walk. ;)


His S$1000 Undercover coat and expensive hat,

his fav SHOES!!! Vans & Jack Purcell (Limited, 100th Anniversary Collection),

clothes and stuffs,

retro 2nd-hand sweaters (very cheap),

leather stuffs (the bag & 1 of the wallet is for me),

"Fake Fur Coats" range from Adidas Originals (Limited. Only available in Japan. The top one is for me - Animal Hide. His is the more "furry" one...a bit like my dog's Terry fur - beige, dirty & entangled),

gadgets and stuffs (the dog USB is for me),

and this 18-24mth BabyGap coat for Joel (in the latest fashion - CHECKS!)

He remembered my snacks too...and even bought Royce chocolates (in Milk Chocolate) for me! Keke... ;D

packages for xmas

After my last swap with Lara, i didnt intend to do any more GYS swaps - well, at least not till next year. Surprisingly, Anne from Indonesia asked me to do a swap with her. She's not a fellow GYS swapper, but somehow, she has been reading my blog for a while now...and her son is 3 weeks older than Joel. So we have kinda been exchanging tips through our blogs. ;)

Our swap was supposed to be swaps for our babies (since they're both turning ONE soon)...but i realized that it's almost impossible to find any summer clothes/things. So i can only get generic things for her. (I found these baby tees online, and bought the same ones for Joel too!) Nevertheless, we're going ahead with the swap. I'll send her whatever i've found so far...and she's sending me Indomie instant noodles & keropok! Yummy! ;p

These are what i mailed out today...
For Anne & Baby Bryan - tees, singlet & training pants, socks, Anpanman bib, hand towels, bath glove, bath sponges, pen, paperclips, Hello Kitty hand cream, doll and a "tree" cup lid. (I like the lid a lot)


I also have another package to send to the US for an old friend whom i recently found on Facebook! Haha! (Yes, so amazing!) She saw and likes the hand-warmer that i've got...so i decided to send her a "warm package"! It should be pretty cold over there already (and i should have mailed out earlier). Now, really hope they reach her in time for Xmas...so it'll last a few more months till winter's over. Other than the hand-warmer, i've got her a warmer-cushion, a nice shawl/scarf and a pair of gloves.
Click all pictures to view bigger

shopaholic in tokyo

Elvis will be coming back soon (tonight)! I cant wait to see what he has bought - for himself, me & Joel. Every night when he calls me, i can tell that he really enjoyed his shopping in Tokyo! Haha! Really 100% Shopaholic Daddy lor... ;p

I hope he's got the "heart" to bring me some snacks... (Although i told him that he dont need to buy if he's not getting for his team. Women huh... always "kou shi xin fei")

just dial ikea

During winter, we'll hang the jackets which we wear more often on a clothes rack. It's also to "air" it when we get home. The restaurants here can smell quite bad. Our old rack gave up on us... (Although it managed to 'hang in there' for quite a while with scotch-tape & super-glue, plus using a chair to push it against the wall to prevent it from toppling over)

We went to Ikea a few weeks ago to look for a clothes rack/stand but the STATIV stand we wanted was sold out. Didnt see any others we liked. So, we left without any rack/stand.

Today, i decided that we REALLY need a rack...and with Elvis away in Tokyo, i didnt want to go lug it home alone (with Joel), so i searched for the namecard of that guy who delivered and installed our Ikea wardrobe previously. The "illegal" one.

I checked online...the RIGGA clothes rack is in stock and costs ¥119...so i asked him to help me buy and send it over. And the total amount is agreed at ¥150! The ¥30 extra is actually less than my cab fare both ways! Best part is, i dont need to carry it home! Haha!

I just SMS him the model name, price, my address...and it was considered DONE! Now, i need to clear some space (again) in our living room.

Dont you just love being in China - sometimes??? ;)

P.S. The guy called before he delivered it to UP the amount to ¥50. (Actually ¥60 is a flat rate for those bulky/heavy items eg. the wardrobes & bookshelf he sent the other time.) I felt a bit "cheated" coz it's a really small box...and i'll have to assemble it myself. O well...

sale in rebates

Yday i wrote about the tempting SALE "system" here in Shanghai. They also have another system where the discount is in the form of rebates. Eg. Buy ¥300 Get ¥100 in rebate. This kind of Sale will make you keep buying and buying... It's never-ending!

I remember when i was here for holiday in 2005, my sis & i went to some departmental stores and everytime we paid for something, we received vouchers...and we had to go look for something else to buy with it... It was sooo tiring!

There's also lots of "touters" who will keep asking you if you wanna sell your "rebate" to them. Eg. for a ¥60 voucher, they might take in for ¥20, and sell for ¥30. Smart huh! Buy & Sell! Yday when i was leaving, a lady also asked me if i have any receipts (i think she wanna claim the free gifts to sell), so i told her i've used it already. These people huh... Cannot believe!!!

Chinese are so intelligent! They find opportunities in every kind of "business". Haha!

P.S. I also wrote before about the touters waiting inside IKEA! That is amazing to me too!

cannot resist a sale

I somewhat couldnt resist the temptation of going to the sale again today...so i finally REALLY got changed and went - despite all the "bad feelings" i had. Keke... Before Joel, preparing to go out was easy ABCs. I could get dressed and do my makeup all in 10mins. After Joel, it takes A LOT of motivation and twice the effort & strength. (Since Joel exceeded 6kg, it's been quite a "drag" to go out alone coz it's really troublesome. Just ask any mom!)

The SALES in Shanghai are somewhat different from Spore's. It kinda feels more attractive. Here, they dont normally do a certain % off...usually, it's a 'Get ¥xx off With Every ¥xxx Purchase'. Also, when it's further further further discount periods, discounts can be as much as 70% off (or even 90%). For this particular sale at Pacific, most things are either:
- Discount of ¥150 with every ¥300,
- Discount of ¥120 with every ¥300,
- Discount of ¥100 with every ¥300,
- Discount of ¥60 with every ¥300...
* New Collections & Electricals are less attractive (subject to brand)
* Cosmetics/Skincare no direct discount but u can get ¥20 in Voucher for every ¥200 spent.
Sounds good???
** Sometimes, u can even see a 30/40/50% off, then followed by ¥150 off every ¥300! Those are the most SUPERB kind of Sale. Haha!
HINT: It's actually a good time to buy items that are usually more expensive like coats & heels/boots. ;)

I went there with nothing in mind...and since i've scoured through the ladies section yday, i headed straight to the kids department on L8 to look at the toys and clothes. Not much sale for the toys...and i think Joel doesnt need any more jackets although some very cheap lah. (I saw some quite nice winter jackets for about ¥150-200+) When i was about to go home, i had only bought 2 "home clothes" for Joel in that Piyo duck print. Not his usual "cool style"...but cheap and super soft cotton is good ¥58 for any 2 pcs (worth ¥150). Piyo Piyo is quite "big" here actually with a really wide range of baby products from clothes to nursing/feeding...and even bath items etc.

As i went from L8 to L3...i saw the jacket which Elvis pointed out to me yday from Basic House. (It's a Korean label which i've seen before in many dept stores but never bothered to look at their clothes). The cutting and style is not exactly what i'm looking for, but i decided to try it anyway. I also tried a Nine West dark blue leather jacket but it looks "old-fashioned" on me and it doesnt fit me well. (Actually I have been looking for the longest time for another leather jacket that fits me well. I also figured that probably the cutting i liked might not suit me coz it kinda "wraps" the tummy where i have lots of FATS! With that realization, i also kinda gave up hope on getting any at all!!!)

The sales staff everywhere were so nice to help me carry Joel while i tried on the clothes. Surprisingly, the Korean brand jacket cutting is not "smart", but it fits me quite well...so I decided to get it! The discount was very good too - ¥150 with every ¥300. (And i didnt need to buy another "smaller item" to max out my discount too! This is a very tricky part about these kind of '¥xx off ¥xxx Discount'. Sometimes, u just need to buy something cheaper to round it up to the next ¥300...so u might kinda get the "extra item" for FREE! Need to do a bit of Maths. Keke!)
My jacket: U.P. ¥3380 = Discount of ¥1650 (11 x ¥150) = Payment ¥1730
That's almost 50% off! Hahaha... Yippie! Finally!
And i got home within 4 hours - in time for Joel's next feed! ;)

* FREE Gifts: Another Thermos mug and a Lock-&-Lock "pour out" pasta/flour container.
(Even their giveaways have a different "system" as Spore's. Here, can choose from 2 gifts from each 600/900/1200/2000/3000... 'Purchase Price Range', PLUS daily lucky draw! Also seems more attractive somehow!)

hurry...

Yday quite shiok coz we went out to shop, then met Daddy for lunch at Afternoon Tea...then we shopped for a while before going home. Actually, we only shopped for about an hour or so...but Daddy managed to buy shoes (again) within 15 mins! 2 new arrivals from Asics Onitsuka Tiger. I also managed to buy a coat and an expensive scarf (which i normally wouldnt have bought). I plan to go back and shop again if i have the energy tomorrow...coz i wanna look at some baby stuff! We were too busy shopping for ourselves we forgot all about Joel. Haha! ;)

I had to lug all these home...plus Joel, plus diaper haversack. Stress!
(Pacific Department Store is having their 15th Anniversary Sale. We got a pillow & a Thermos mug as free gifts too!)

And yes, i'm wearing the H&M CDG collection polka dots cardigan here. Keke... ;p

Daddy will be leaving for Tokyo tomorrow for his company trip. Hopefully he can get to see the CDG collection (coz he likes a shirt & jacket lah). H&M opened its doors in Japan on the day of the CDG launch! Saw on the TV-Mobile that the Japanese also queued for a long time just to get in (and even overnight too)! I guess not just Chinese are kiasu huh?! ;p


Here's Joel's naughty face when we went out for steamboat dinner with Nuch who's here in Shanghai. He's playing with his tongue/mouth again! There were lots of people - from Shanghai, Taiwan, Malaysia, Spore, UK, Thailand - and yes, Joel charmed everyone with his sweet smile! ;)

11 months

Baby Joel is now 11 months - just 1 more month away from his FIRST BIRTHDAY!

He's now 9.6kg and we both think he's getting cuter! He has been 10kg for a few months (no increase)...and has dropped 400 grams now. But i guess it's ok. I think he has been working those (fat) thigh muscles. People still always say that he looks good. ;)

le pasta

Just got to know last Friday that my sister's boyfriend's brother has opened a pasta stall at Bukit Timah Food Centre. I've always heard from them that he's a really good cook (graduated from Shatec with many years of experience at restaurants) who whips up really yummy dishes and pastries too!

I downloaded these pictures from Tricia's Mommy's blog who went there to check it out already! (She has more photos of pasta on her blog) I think this Mushroom Soup looks really good...and even comes with croutons!!!

Do head there and try out the pasta if you're in the area - or even if you're not. Prices are really cheap too! Thanks!

It's located at Bukit Timah Food Centre #02-158.

this week

Yday, we went shopping in the afternoon for some items for my swap packages (to America & Indonesia). Then we went to Ken/Diana's house for BBQ. It rains EVERY TIME we have a BBQ at Ken's...and this is no exception! Haha! It started to rain in the late afternoon...and got heavier by the time we got started. So we had to move the BBQ indoors. This is their cute daughter Kaitlyn who has a room full of toys!

This is my nice nice metallic jacket bought last week. ;)


Today, we went to Crystal Jade for dimsum...then to Gymboree for the trial PLAY class (in the same building). These pictures were taken before the session. (When actual lesson start, cannot take photos) Joel seems to like the session although he cant really catch up (maybe coz it's his 1st time and the other babies were older). We decided to sign up the package for 36 classes first. I feel it's quite expensive but maybe it's good for Joel to interact with the other babies. ;)

After this, we went to stock up on our skincare stuffs coz we can finish a bottle of moisturiser in 1 month in winter. As usual, always get "conned" by the sales to buy more, more, more... Keke... Women! ;p

temptation

New in Shanghai! We saw this on Sunday...


And these from Mochi Sweets (which we bought to Ken's BBQ as dessert).

tricks

Lick, lick...

WAH! Trying to hold bottle with ONE hand! (Joel was actually 98% asleep)

baby toilet

Did you know that yesterday (19 Nov) was WTO? World Toilet Day! I only knew when i saw it on my fav Channel Young program. They showed some of the public toilets around Shanghai...and also some of the more modern toilets...

Finally! There's some toilets equipped with the baby diapering flip-out table (inside the ladies toilet)...and there's a baby "highchair" in the handicap toilet too! The handicap toilet is also very rare here in Shanghai. It's in a new shopping mall called 535. (We dont know the exact location of 535...but it's along Nanjing Xi/Dong Roads. Wanted to check it out last week...so maybe will do so this week if we have the time).

When we first came and i asked the janitors if they have any special room to change the baby's diapers, they will give me "a look"...and point me to the regular toilet which doesnt have anywhere that you can even place a baby! Not to mention the wet and/or dirty sinks...or the tiny cubicles. Haha! That's why...if you're in a nicer mall, you should always use the toilet even if you're not urgent (at that time)...coz you never know what to expect in the next.

So, you cannot imagine how we have been changing Joel's diapers when we're out (!!!). If it's his "big business", even more headache! Arrghh...

spoiling your baby

Should I worry about spoiling my baby?
If I lavish love and attention on my baby, will I spoil him?
No. Young babies are completely spoil-proof. Your baby needs all the care and attention you can give. Ignore the advice of well-meaning relatives who think babies need to learn independence. Instead, listen to your parental instinct — that inner voice that tells you to comfort your baby when he cries.

"Spoiled children" have learned to use negative behavior to get what they want. But your baby is too young to purposefully manipulate or annoy you. He cries to communicate his needs, whether they're for a snack, a dry diaper, or a little cuddling with Mom or Dad. When you respond quickly to your baby, you're building his sense of self-worth. You're also establishing a foundation of trust that can last for years to come.

If you give your baby prompt attention, he'll feel more secure and less anxious, giving him the courage to explore the world on his own. And once he understands that you take his cries seriously, he'll be less likely to cry for no reason. In the long run, responding quickly to your baby's needs will make him less clingy and demanding, not more.

By the time your baby is 6 to 8 months old, he'll be paying close attention to cause and effect — noticing, for instance, that his bowl falls when he drops it from the highchair. He'll also start to see a direct link between his actions and your responses. At this point it's okay to set some limits. If your baby starts crying to get something he doesn't need, hold your ground and give him a hug when he calms down. Similarly, give hugs and praise for good behavior and gently redirect him when he's doing something hazardous.

The right blend of love and guidance will eventually help your child understand his place in the world. But for now, your focus should be on giving him as much attention and comfort as you can. No matter how much you give, it's not more than he needs.
Article taken from BabyCenter

birdy

Joel's warm ¥15/S$3 vest! Reversible fleece & "furry-furry wool". Now, he's dressed like a china baby! ;p

I wanted to get 1 more piece...but there isnt any nicer print! I actually like this birdy print quite a lot...but Elvis thinks it's ugly! Haha! ;p