Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

All around the world, many are enjoying a good long weekend because of Good Friday.

‘Good Friday’ to me personally has a deeper meaning than just a public holiday though.

It’s a day where I get to remember how Jesus Christ had purposely come to earth to die, and it’s because of HIS love for us sinners that HE replaced us and received the punishments of sin that we deserve.

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We all went to our church’s Good Friday service and I’d like to share some thoughts with you, thoughts which were inspired by the sermon I heard earlier today.

Here they are.

> Many of us become parents but we may lack the joy of parenting our children. Many are involved in the ministry, but they may serve God and others heavy-heartedly. Many may have jobs today, but they may complain about the work they do everyday.

Jesus Christ on the other hand, came to earth WILLINGLY, and HE joyfully served others. HE fulfilled God’s eternal plan. He loved us although we’re still sinners!

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> Some people choose to complain a lot, and they (knowingly and unknowingly) become a burden towards others.

Some others, however, may face life’s challenges, BUT despite their personal difficulties, they still become blessings to others.

The question is: How have we lived our lives all this while?
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> We will one day stand in front of our Creator and give our accountability. We have been given talents, opportunities and time, but how have we used all this? What have we done in our life?

We may have a lot of money and wealth, but we could bring NONE of that with us when we die.

We have time and health today, but how have we used what we have?

What is it that we hold very dearly in our life?

What is it that’s most important in our life?

May our hearts and lives be submitted under God’s will, and may God give us the wisdom to see life in a more meaningful perspective, so we in turn can live a life that’s worth a living.

Have a blessed Good Friday, everyone!

Just the other day, I asked this question on my Facebook status update :

“How many times does your baby poop everyday?”

I asked because I notice how our littlest one in the family (who is now a happy and giggly 10.5 months old girl) does it nearly after every feeding (solids).

On some days it’s 3x a day. On other days, up to 5x a day!

And it’s been like this since she was born, I think.

Oh btw, just in case you’re wondering, yes she’s still breastfed in between having her solids, and no she’s not having diarrhoea =) She’s been healthy and well since we arrived here in Jakarta some 3 weeks ago. Purely God’s grace, if you ask me.

Anyway.

I can’t quite remember how it was like for the two older ones. As far as I can remember, I think it’s more like, 2-3x a day?

And out of those who shared their baby’s poopy stories, some said their babies poop about 1-2x a day, once every few days (breastfed babies) and some are also like Brie, after every feeding.

How is it for your baby, btw?

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I did some quick research on this topic, and here’s some info to share on this baby poopy business:

> Breastfed newborns:
– Pooping after every feeding is common
– Bowel movement after nearly every feeding during the first few weeks actually is a good sign — it means baby is getting plenty of milk

> Formula-fed babies
– Bowel movements are less frequent, but it’s normal for them to poop after every feeding as well

> Generally, if your baby’s poops are fairly consistent and he’s acting like his usual self, frequent bowel movements aren’t a cause for concern. BUT, if there’s a sudden change in the baby’s pooping pattern and his stool becomes more watery, do check with his doctor. This could be a sign of infection.

> Frequent bowel movements can lead to diaper rash. Coating the bottom with a barrier cream is recommended.

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Here’s sharing with you some links to more readings on ‘Baby Poop’ =)

> Baby Poop : A Visual Guide

> How many times a day does a breastfed baby normally poop

> My 9 month-old son is passing very hard stools, is it something he’s eaten?

> How to treat diarrhoea in infants and children

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Now that Brie’s bowel movement is more predictable, I’m more open to letting her wear cloth diapers at home. Less cost spent on disposable diapers too, I reckon.

And here’s one cloth diaper that I tried on Brie. It’s called Bumboo Cloth Diaper (also called ‘Bumboo Snap‘)

I like how it’s really soft to the touch, relatively tight fitting and can be adjusted as Brie grows up (ie. Just need to adjust how we fold the diaper, to fit smaller/bigger baby bottoms).

You can get these diapers from Little Dreamers (Singapore), and here’s one good news to share too: there are FOUR Bumboo Cloth Diapers, worth S$29 each, to be given away! *YAY*

Great as a gift, or for our own little kiddo!

Here’s what you need to do to enter the giveaway :

1. ‘LIKE’ Our Everyday Things Facebook Page, if you haven’t done so =)

2. ‘LIKE’ Little Dreamer’s Facebook Page

3. Share this giveaway post on Facebook or Twitter

4. Leave a comment here on this post, and share your baby’s poopy story and why you’d like to try out Bumboo cloth diapers on your kid.

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Note:

– Open only to those with Singapore local address
– Giveaway closes on Tuesday, 10 April 2012, 11.59pm (SG time)
– Winners will be randomly selected and announced next week. Please check your spam folders too, just in case my email goes in there =)

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Have a great long weekend, everyone!

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[Added: 16 April 2012]

Thank you everyone who participated!

The sponsor has picked 4 winners *yay* and here they are:

– Sharon

– Debbie G

– VivC

– Yenny

CONGRATS to all four of you!! =)

Please email me (leonny at oureverydaythings dot com) and let me know of your mailing address, so the sponsor can mail the prize out to you yeah!

Way before we left Singapore, my hubby and I thought about traveling together as a family.

You know, just to take a good break from all the exhaustion and mad busyness of moving and relocating.

We wanted to take a few days away from ‘city life’ and take the kids to a place where we get to see, breathe and enjoy more of ‘nature’.

And so we decided that we should perhaps check out Lombok!

We’ve always heard about it, but somehow we’ve never got around to visiting it.

[Note: People tend to go to Bali, instead of Lombok, because in a way, Bali is more ‘tourist ready’. But really, if you ask me, Lombok is the one that’s still less ‘commercialised’. Yes, heaps of things can still be made better there, and I really hope one day Lombok gets the attention, visitorship and care it deserves]

[Beautiful view of Bali’s ‘Gunung Agung’ from afar]

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Anyway.

Since I took heaps of photos during our trip, I thought of doing a series of pictorial blog posts on Lombok! =)

Here goes.

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We decided to visit Lombok for 4 days and 3 nights.

Day 1: Arrived and stayed at a hotel in Senggigi
Day 2: Headed over to Gili Trawangan by boat, and stayed at a Beach House
Day 3: Back to Senggigi and stayed overnight
Day 4: Returned to Jakarta

Knowing that we’re not familiar with the roads and how to get to places in Lombok, we rented a car and had a local to drive us around.

He picked us up from the International Airport and we went towards Senggigi. Took us about 50 mins to get to our hotel.

[Love the fresh air and beautiful view]

[Waiting for our grilled corns-on-the-cob]

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One of the places we went to was a Fisherman’s Village, and on our way there, we made 2 stops (and bought some grilled corn cobs from the roadside!) to take photos of the beautiful views!

It was a very simple fisherman village. We walked past homes, goats, chickens, cows and an ‘in-house guide’ showed us the way towards the beach.

If you’re looking for something fancy and clean to see, I’d say this is not the place to go.

BUT, personally I thought it was good that we stopped by this place, because the two older kids got to see a different kind of living there.

They saw a super simple village where fancy gadgets were no where to be seen.

They saw some shirtless boys around their age running around, small girls sitting and shyly looking at us, and some were happily chasing the chickens and goats too.

And, soon enough they both decided to give their half-eaten corn cobs to the chickens =)

Nothing beats real interactions with real animals, I reckon.

We then walked towards the beach and we saw rows of old fisherman boats parked along the beach.

The kids played with dark-coloured sands (note: ‘black sand’ is commonly found on beaches near a volcano), while the adults captured the sea views and the surrounding.

[All along, Brie was carried in my sling]

Glad that we made this stop.

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Quick Tips:

–  Donation to the village (given to the ‘tour guide’ in front of the villagers) is highly recommended

– If kids want to randomly feed the animals, do bring along some foods (eg. corns, carrots, etc)

– While making your stops along the way to take photos of the views, there’ll be people trying to sell you stuff (eg. Shirts, jewellery). When we politely turned down the offer, smiled and walked away, we found that they didn’t ‘insist’ / ‘followed’ us everywhere. I thought this was nice (because in Bali, the sellers are generally much more persistent)

– Personally, I think staying overnight at Gili Trawangan was a nice idea. It allowed us to just enjoy the island and the activities (eg. We went snorkelling!) without needing to rush (read: Compared to going there in the morning and returning back to Senggigi in the late afternoon)

– We also thought that a 4day-3nights trip to Lombok was just nice. We definitely want to visit the island again in the future!

[Brie was sick and needed to be nebulised the other week. I’m pretty sure she caught the bugs from her sister and brother who were a little unwell too earlier]

One of the many things I learn after having kids of my own is that these little ones LOVE to touch everything around them, which automatically means germs will be all over their hands and are then most likely transferred from one kid to another when they play, hug, cuddle, etc.

(Not to forget, they LOVE putting their hands into their mouths too!)

I know, I know I can never get rid of germs completely. Actually, I don’t want my kids to be 100% germ-free all the time too (ie. Being super clean and sterile, I believe, does not allow my kids’ bodies to fight the bugs on their own).

I want my kids to still be able to explore and discover their world, even if it means they need to get their hands and feet dirty from touching the soil, sand, plants, etc.

BUT, of course this does NOT mean I encourage the kids to not wash their hands, or put their fingers into their mouth etc after such play and discovery =)

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Anyway, there are still a few things that we moms can do to prevent the spread of germs (without being overly paranoid or going overboard =)

Things like:

1. Avoid sharing meals / water bottles / cutlery / bath towels with someone who’s unwell

2. Cover our cough (and wash your hands afterwards, whenever possible)

And most important of all:

3. ALWAYS WASH OUR HANDS!

Ie. When our hands are dirty, before preparing, eating or touching food, after using the bathroom, after playing outside, etc.

And, it’s best if the kids are taught to also wash in between their fingers and around the nails (as this is where germs LOVE to hide)

(Do leave your own practical tips too yeah on how else moms can prevent the spread of germs)

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Anyway, I don’t know about you but it’s only very recently that I actually paid attention to Dettol No-Touch Hand Wash System.

I mean, I’ve seen these before on supermarket shelves, and when I saw them for the first time I remember thinking, “Woooo, … AUTOMATIC dispenser! Cool!!’ but I never quite thought of getting them for our own home.

Until, they introduced these really cute special edition ones!!

Hoofy the Zebra and Flippy the Penguin!

Basically, it’s the same Dettol No-Touch Hand Wash System, BUT it now comes with special edition decorative stickers! (which btw is only available for a limited period of time! Do grab them while they’re still around!)

THIS definitely will make hand washing so much more fun for my kids, I thought!

Instead of reminding them again and again to wash their hands, I think I’d probably need to remind them to not wash their hands again and again, hehe.

(One is definitely going to be in our bathroom, and the other one, in the kitchen! The automatic dispenser will sure be helpful when I’m about to wash my dirty/oily hands after cooking / food preparation! =)

Okay, here’s a little bit more info  :

1. The special edition Dettol No-Touch Hand Wash System is available at major supermarkets and places like Watsons and Guardians

2. For S$9.90, you’ll get the dispenser, the refill, the batteries (yep, batteries are included!=) and the stickers!

[The round ‘eject button’ to remove the refill bottle, and the ‘On/off’ switch. Btw, make sure it’s switched off if you’re going to lift the dispenser / hold the dispenser near the sensor at the front]

3. I like how it dispenses just the right amount of hand soap for us.

I especially appreciate this feature because our 5.5yo Vai often pumps and pumps,and he ends up with having too much (and sometimes too little!) hand soap in his hands.

4. And of course, it kills 99.9% of germs! Yay!

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And here’s one last thing I’d like to share with you : You can try to win for yourself an Ipad 2 when you play their Flippy & Hoofy’s Clean Quest game on Facebook! =)

Basically what you’d need to do is:

1.  “Like” the Dettol Singapore Page on Facebook (Click HERE to go to their FB Page!)

2. Go through the step-by-step instructions and questions

3. Start playing the game.

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> The Contest will run for 6 weeks, from 1 March 2012 to 12 April 2012.

> Each week, the Participant who scores the highest points of the week will be the Weekly Winner. The Participant who scores the highest points throughout the Contest Period will be the Grand Prize Winner.

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Anya checked out the games too, and I could see that she’s finding it simple enough to be played but

not that easy to ‘conquer’ and gain big points! Hehe.

She played with her friend the other day, and she was like, “Arrgh, JUMP! Oh look, the germs are getting closer, JUMP!’

(Vai was playing with his toy cars when I took the photos above =)

Anyway, do check out the Clean Quest game yeah, and hope you’d win prizes!

And oh, do share with me your practical tips too please on how you usually prevent the spread of germs!

Have a good, clean and healthy week ahead, everyone! =)

Senggigi Beach, Lombok.

One late afternoon.

Kids running, giggling and laughing.

Love this shot of Vai as he ran towards me, being ‘chased’ by the waves =)

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Daddy and his three kids.

Standing still, in awe of the beautiful sky and ocean.

An amazing sight of God’s wonderful creation.

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Photo was taken with my Canon Powershot S90.

I have a little confession to make.

And it’s about my hair.

You see, I realise that my hair is increasingly thinning by the year.

I mean, I definitely had MORE hair say, a decade ago. Especially around the top/crown area.

But, three kids later, I KNOW that my hair is now LESS than before.

My hair may look like it has ‘volume’, but really, it’s because I always go with the layered cut, I keep it short and my hair type is not the ‘flat type’. In terms of ‘hair quantity’ though, I really don’t have that much.

Well, I guess it’s in the genes (ie. My Dad’s family tends to have thinner hair at the top and it gets thinner with age). Plus, I notice my hair got thinner after each childbirth (ie. As we all know, it’s common for moms to lose some hair a few months after delivery. But whether more hair grows back, that’s another issue)

Now you see, I go for hair spas / treatments like, once every TWO years (I know, NOT enough care for my hair!). I wash my hair everyday (otherwise I feel it’s oily and yucky). I did try using hair tonic (bought at supermarkets). I’ve never permed my hair. And, I hardly ever use chemicals / hair colours.

STILL, my hair is thinning.

[Apparently, recent stats show that up to 40% of women in Singapore suffer from thinning hair! *gasp*]

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The thought of going for treatments before it worsens (and to check my hair / scalp condition) did cross my mind. I don’t expect my hair to become thick and beautiful, but I do wish for ‘more and healthier hair’ =)

All these years I never got around to actually doing it though.

UNTIL RECENTLY. Just before I left Singapore!

My hubby babysat all three kids while I went to TrichoKare! The one at Wheelock Place!

*Three cheers to supportive husbands!=)*

SO HAPPY that I got to relax! Haha.

Especially after feeling so physically drained everyday, caring for all three kids while packing and getting ready for our family’s relocation to Jakarta!

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Anyway, I thought of sharing with you how my visit to TrichoKare was like, and what I personally learned about hair (I learned SO many things that I never knew before during my visit!)

[The form I needed to fill soon after I arrived. I had to answer questions on my family history, eating habits, etc so that the consultant had a better idea of my lifestyle, which affects the state of my hair and scalp accordingly]

Now.

First thing first. Just in case you’re not too familiar with who TrichoKare is, here’s a short intro:

TrichoKare literally stands for ‘care for your hair’, and it is Singapore’s first ISO 9002 certified trichological centre! It provides European Herbal Remedies (consisting of all natural European botanicals like Jojoba, Rosemary, etc) and it caters to all hair conditions.

Oh also, TrichoKare’s trichologist is a member of the International Association of Trichologists!

And yes, Diana Ser uses and endorses TrichoKare =)

(If you’re in Singapore, you most likely have seen her on TrichoKare’s TV ads and print ads)

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Soon after I was done with the forms, a consultant came to see me and study the answers I wrote on the forms. She asked a series of questions too to understand my concerns and my ‘hair’ situation better (because our hair condition/growth is affected by our genes, hormones and environment).

Afterwards, she used an equipment to check on my scalp and how my ‘hair follicles’ are like (ie. These are the skin organs that produce our hair).

The machine basically allows us to see the super-zoomed version of our scalp!

(I’ve seen similar images on TV or print ads, but to see my own on the computer screen, it was a completely different feeling altogether!)

I was like, ‘Aiyoh! Why does the surface look like that? What’s causing it? How can I tell if my hair follicles are healthy or not healthy?’ etc.

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Here are some quick facts that I somehow didn’t think about before:

> Just like the skin on our face, our scalp can also be clogged if it’s not properly cared for. Clogging of hair follicles affects the growth of the hair, ie. It gets thinner and breaks more easily.

[I sure am guilty of this. Sigh. And in terms of hair growth, I do think mine is already heading towards the ‘Middle Stage’ now! Better start paying more care and attention to my hair before it’s too late!]

> Proper hair treatments help to clear such clogging and allow our hair follicles to grow more healthily. It addresses potential hair / scalp problems early, and it means better chance of ‘full recovery’ too.

> Generally 2 – 3 hair strands grow out of each hair follicle. For my case, I saw hair follicles where out of the two strands, one was alright but the other strand was very fine. Now THIS was the reason why I can see less hair at the top area =(

> The hair at the back of our head usually is the ‘healthiest’. And healthy hair follicles are those where you can see the roots clearly.

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Okay, below is NOT a picture of my scalp, hehe. Just thought I should share with you how a cleaner and healthier scalp and hair follicles look like. Proper hair treatments definitely help in achieving such healthier scalp condition.

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After the consultant explained my hair/scalp condition, I went to have my hair treatment: Serum treatment, wash and massages (Ah yes, massages please =)

Note: At TrichoKare, they use only natural European herbs, and don’t prescribe any pills / medicines (which I personally prefer too)

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Here are more photos to share, taken during the treatment:

Oh btw, I must mention this : I enjoyed the hair wash session, hehe. The scalp was gently massaged and it was relaxing for me (note: You can always tell the lady if you wish for the massage to be stronger or milder).

(The products used were all natural European botanicals, and hey, the aroma was nice! Nothing like the strong smell of hair tonics I had applied on my hair a long time ago)

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Now back to the wash.

The hair wash and all left me feeling rather minty though. It was a nice feel, but I somehow felt cold afterwards.

But this happened next (after I returned to my seat): they placed this warm and slightly heavy green pad on my shoulders, and man, it felt so good! =) I know it was just ‘a warm pad’, but the minty feeling I had earlier and the warm pad placed on my shoulders afterwards somehow made me feel … relaxed.

As part of the treatment, a lady used a hair dryer to ‘tidy up’ my hair, making it all nice and neat =)

And check out the ‘octopus-looking’ warm lights above! (Reminded me of ‘Matrix’ the movie somehow, haha). It was the final stage of the treatment and it’s supposed to help the herbs used on my scalp got better absorbed.

Soon after, I returned back to see my consultant and had another round of scalp analysis to see the impact of the treatment I had earlier.

And yep, I could how my scalp’s condition was better.

The clogging obviously wasn’t completely gone because I only had one session, but it sure made a positive difference to my scalp.

(Note: Generally we’d need more than one session to treat hair/scalp problems depending on the stage we’re in)

So, what’s my verdict after checking out TrichoKare?

It was a nice ‘all natural herbal spa treatment’. And the fact that I’ve been physically (and mentally) exhausted for a good few weeks and months before the session made me enjoy the whole experience even better! =)

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Final tips to share:

> If you’re thinking of getting your scalp / hair checked and analysed at TrichoKare, they have three outlets in Singapore:

– Wheelock Place (#05-09A)
– Velocity@Novena Square (#03-19)
– The Clementi Mall (#05-11)

Just call them to make an appointment before you head down to their outlet:
Phone: 6338 8680 (11am – 8pm)

> Click on this LINK to get enjoy some promotional offers from TrichoKare

[With my consultant, Destiny, at the Wheelock Place outlet]

> If you think you have potential hair/scalp problems, do seek help and advice EARLY. Because really, just like any other health conditions, if it’s detected and treated early, the chance of us getting back to our healthy state is higher and better.

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Have a great weekend, everyone! =)

Hi friends,

Not sure if you managed to see my previous post (or my Facebook posts).

I’ve introduced a Cause recently called “30 Days of Love, In Pictures”

I shared about it sometime ago, but here’s a bit about it again yeah:

Very recently I introduced a social initiative called ’30 Days of Love, in Pictures’, where I encourage as many people to share more love and positivity through the photos we post online.

Now. I have actually been included in the list of ‘Bloggers with a Cause’ and I am apparently in the top two! (The one who’s leading with the no. of support encourages people to sleep in till 10am on Saturday mornings)

Right now, they’re looking at which initiative has the most support!

The deadline is 31 March, 11.59pm SG Time, and I hope to have your support yeah!

This is how you do it:

If you’re on Facebook

1. Click http://apps.facebook.com/its_my_turn/?_=_

2. You need to like the Page first, if you haven’t done so.

3. Click on ‘PARTICIPATE’ on 30 Days of Love, in Pictures’ (bottom left)

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Support via registering your email address:

1. Go to the site http://itsmyturn.sg/participate/details/page/30-days-of-love-in-pictures

2. SIGN UP and enter your email address

3. Go to your email inbox to activate the account (via the email they sent to you)

4. Return to this site http://itsmyturn.sg/participate/details/page/30-days-of-love-in-pictures and click ‘Yes, I will Participate”

That’s it! And your support is counted!

Someone asked if she had to commit and post a photo every single day for 30 days if she wants to support my Cause, and the answer is No =) Basically, you’re always free to post photos online anytime, like you usually do. BUT yes, I do encourage everyone to post photos where we can share our love, appreciation and positivity towards others.

This is my social initiative, my Cause. And I hope you agree and show your support, and make this Cause as the one with the most support!

Thank you, everyone!

WOOHOO!

We finally have internet connection at home!

I can finally ‘connect’ to my online world again! Haha.

Okay, another thing that I still don’t quite have much just yet is … time =)

We’re still tidying up our place, going here and there to arrange for the kids’ schools, etc. I still don’t have a ‘predictable routine’ just yet. So, I can’t quite blog as regularly as usual.

But soon, I will. Very very soon! =)

ANYWAY.

I’m really excited about sharing how Lombok is like.

So, for now, here are some *preview* photos yeah!

I’ll post more and share more about our trip REAL soon! =)

Take care, everyone!

[LOVE the sky and the crystal clear water at Gili Trawangan, Lombok!]