NICE?

Playtime with Papa....

Look ma.. i can fly!

The son doesn't seem to like xbox very much...

Quick update:

Went to the PD for 2nd month check up and 5-in-1 vaccination. All is well, he is 63cm and 5.9kg. He earned praises from the PD for lifting his head quite high when put on his tummy, he also "sat" for quite long when being pulled into the seating position.

The vaccination didn't go too well though. The first jab was followed by a high pitched shriek and his face turned purple! Mommy who was holding down his legs couldn't help but cry with him (so embarrassing!!!). I had to ask mountain man to take over for the 2nd jab while i hid in the corner to wipe away my tears. Poor T exhibited bi-polar behaviour the whole of yesterday, his smiles were followed by sudden sobs as the memories of his painful experience haunted him . hik hik...

Crazy about carriers

A good carrier is quite essential in my opinion. It's handsfree so u can drink coffee on one hand and carry your shopping bag in the other. It eliminates the reliance on strollers which are bulky and inconvenient if you don't have ur own car. And it's great for parent-child bonding. In China, there's an additional benefit of keeping warm during harsh winters!



Hotsling

Pros:

1. More portable as compared to other carriers: Light, foldable, easy to stuff into diaperbag.
2. Many cloth patterns to choose from.
3. Can hip-carry, cradle, semi-cradle (with baby sitting up), back carry.
4. Can breastfeed- though i don't know how.
5. Mother looks chic.

Cons:

1. Very hard to put the baby in. The first few (hundred) tries were a struggle.
2. I am not sure how comfortable it is. T was very squashed when i first put him in at around 5 weeks. But as the bb gets bigger, less of him goes into the sling and it'll get better.
3. Need to get the right size. If it's not the correct size it will look quite clumsy and won't be comfortable for the mother. It's non-adjustable nature also means that u cannot share the sling with ur husband. (not that mountain man wants to carry a floral yellow sling).

To buy or not to buy...

Despite the many cons i've stated, the chic-ness makes it very tempting for mothers. I must admit that even though i've struggled with it, i look forward to the day when T gets bigger so i can hip carry him.

Baby Bjorn

Pros:

1. Comfortable for both baby and mother. T loves it very much.
2. Easy to put on.
3. Front carry, baby can either face in or face out.
4. Relatively portable: it's still OK to stuff into diaper bag.
5. Looks pretty good.

Cons:

1. No hip carry and back carry.
2. Actually hard to find fault with the bjorn from a usage perspective. But there are alot of negative press about suspending the baby at the crotch and the outward facing position. it's supposed to be bad for posture and spinal development.

To buy or not to buy...

I think the rule of moderation applies. Baby walkers also has bad press, but we all grew up using it and i think we're fine. I guess just don't use the bjorn for long hours and it'll be fine.

Ergo Carrier

Pros

1. Easy to put on.
2. Provides good overall support to baby and mother. Weight is focused more on the hips rather than the back and shoulders so u won't feel so "achy".
3. 3 main positions: front carry (includes cradle carry for infants), hip carry and back carry.
4. Can use for babies up to 3 yrs (longest usability amongst all carriers).
5. Infant insert allows good posture for infants.
6. Attached sleeping hood great to block out stimulation and the cold.
7. Most comfortable for babies amongst the 3 carriers.
8. Has a front pocket.
9. Has safety features that ensures that the carrier don't fall apart should the buckles come off.

Cons

1. Cannot face outward, but it's because the makers claim that outward facing posture is bad for babies.
2. Looks a bit too sporty for me.
3. Quite bulky. Cannot stuff into diaper bag.
   

To buy or not to buy...

If u only have money to buy one carrier, invest in this one. That's cos I rate comfort quite high when you have to carry ur baby or toddler for long hours. Also, it's got the longest usability so u get a better value for ur money!

PS: This is one of the dresses from H&M. hehe.

Snow or no snow part 2

I headed to Qianmen, an outdoor shopping street so i could get the full snow treatment. The cab driver suggested n alternative route to avoid the jam, but i'd have to drop at the south gate. I was like whtever just get me there and do it fast.

I was sooooo pleased when i saw the golden arch at the south gate, I had a craving for cheeseburger all morning.

Fun fact: did u know all mcd outlets toilets in it? That meant i got to empty my bladder before the shopping rampage! Things were going well, i knew today would be a great day.

True enough, i got 2.5 hrs of uninterrupted no-crowd-weekday-snowed-out shopping. The harvest was plentiful, I bought 18 items in total- something for T, mountain man, and mama.

Snow or no snow

Ok it's official, i am the harbinger of snow. Beijing experiences the heaviest snowstorm in years. 2 yrs ago in Shanghai, heaviest snowstorm in 10yrs (and no snow after i left the following yr), 6 yrs ago, snowstorm in Banff in May! I wont be surprised if singapore starts snowing when i get back.

But snow or no snow, i am gg out! I need clothes badly. Being in between sizes is painful in winter. I look like Katie Holmes without a stylist, basically putting on whtever fits. Hopefully my trip to hnm will be fruitful.

Send instant messages to your online friends http://asia.messenger.yahoo.com

The snow continues

Its important that T aclimatizes to the cold, beijing can get really harsh winters with temperature dipping below minus 10.

This morning the sun hung proudly in the sky (a rare sight of late). So I wasnt gonna let T stay indoors, i anticipated this day by preparing appropriate clothing for him to step out comfortably. He was bundled up in my carrier and we wore matching furry boots.

Thank god he didn't cry from our little excursion, in fact he slept like a baby!

Tamagotchi and Friends

T had a conference with his favourite friends- Mr Giraffe and Mr Tigger.