Baby Products Review

This is one of the highly requested posts indeed, from mamas across the globe, okay, not to brag, mostly from Asia I mean. I wish I can somewhat compose a comprehensive review for all the baby products I've tried, but downtime is way too precious, I have 5 more errands to check off the list before calling it a day and this post is one of them, so as for today, I'm gonna focus on the baby gear first and do this quick, straightforward & brief~~

12 products, let's get the ball rolling!


#1 Maxi Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat ✭✭✭✩✩
I bought this car seat after reading hundreds of reviews on the internet; there's this parent mentioning her infant nephew (or niece) survived in an car accident because she's sitting in this car seat, from Amazon.com if not mistaken. It is very sturdy I'd say, that's why it's heavier than other infant car seats like Graco & Chicco, and it is compatible with our stroller. However, the car seat is in a pretty upright position, which I think it's not good for newborns. A 2009 study showed that sitting upright in a car seat might compress a newborn's chest and lead to lower levels of oxygen (Mayo Clinic, 2012). That's why we limit Bao Bao time spent in car seat during the first 3 months. Now Chloe has better head control & is able to sit with support, the seat finally works wonderfully, but if i were to choose again, I'll opt for Maxi-Cosi Prezi (new product, launched in summer 2012) instead.


#2 Uppababy Cruz ✭✭✭✭✩
We like it so far. Cruz has a big storage basket, a sleek, compact & lightweight design, very maneuverable, sturdy, and suitable up to 50 lbs. We also bought Bugaboo Chameleon right after Chloe was born but she hated the bassinet & refused to sleep in it; she screamed like we're murdering her while strolling, so we ended up returning it the very next day :'( She seems to enjoy her car seat more, snug & secure. Sigh, lesson learned. Expensive item doesn't also work for babies...


#3 Boba Wrap ✭✭✭✭✩ 
Chean chose this one for me, a more breathable & stretchy wrap compared with Moby Wrap. It works wonders during the first two months when Bao Bao constantly screaming for cuddle; she falls asleep in 10 sec, safe & sound, and the best part is, I've my hands free!!! However, it took me a while to get the hang of it, worth the effort though ^^V (pic taken when BB was 5 weeks old)


#4 Líllébaby Complete Carrier ✭✭✭✭✩
A recent purchase, bought it 2 weeks ago. Boba wrap is ergonomically great with newborn and very young baby when they do not much much head control; however, as Chloe grows, a baby carrier is an easier option when we are out and about. After searching high and low, running in & out of many baby stores, Líllébaby is the best carrier that allows front face in & out positions; most importantly, its ergonomic design shifts baby’s weight to hips instead of back & shoulder. We love it. Now Chean can have a little bonding time with Chloe too while Mama Bev is busy shopping ;)


#5 Fisher-Price Cradle 'N Swing, My Little Snugabunny ✭✭✭✩✩
Frankly speaking, this swing is lovely & cute to look at but not very functional nor practical to me. First, it's huge and it eats up a lot of room. Second, the lowest speed setting is too fast, even she's almost 5 months now, I still have to hand swing it most of the time. Third, Bao Bao rarely sleeps in it, god knows why but my mama instinct says this is not comfy enough to make her drowsy. Despite all the negatives that I'm not satisfied with, she still enjoys her swing everyday (5-10 mins each time), she likes looking & cooing at the birdies, loves the lullaby music and oh, when she was real tiny, the running water sound effect soothes her instantly, perfect white noise! This is a total splurge, it's not a must but I'm glad that I have it at home still.


#6 Fisher-Price Portable Rocker ✭✭✭✭✩
This is by far the most affordable rocker that will grow with the baby, from newborn to toddler. Unlike other typical bouncers, this one prevents baby from sliding out of it. It comes with calming vibrations; although Chloe not into that at all, still appreciate that toughtful function. The only complain I have is the seat itself, it is quite hard, basically it's just a piece of plastic cardboard, and it may result flat head syndrome in newborn. (Btw, I did figure out some ways to prevent flat head syndrome, that'd be a future topic of course.)


#7 Peg Perego Siesta High Chair ✭✭✭✭✭
OMG! This is my fave! It's expensive but totally worth every penny! Very sturdy, sleek design, easily folded for storage. Love its great recline features that even a newborn can sleep in it, and also its 9 height positions that allow me to feed Bao Bao on the floor or next to the dining table or couch when she's on solids (which is next month). The seat fabric is kinda leather-ish & soft, so comfy yet easy to clean. I ordered it in Noce, and that seat color comes in exactly the same shade with Mr. Bronze's leather seat; that's why I called this high chair her mini BMW :p Super happy that Baby Chloe no longer being left alone in her bouncer while we're having dinner, she can stay side-by-side & join our conversations! Its stop-and-go system enables me to move her around the house and have her under supervision 24/7 :D


#8 Motorola MBP36 Baby Monitor ✭✭✭✭✭
Speaking of supervision, I can't imagine how my life would evolve without this, probably using half of my precious relaxing time running up & down the stairs to check on Bao Bao while she's asleep @.@ Thanks for the invention and yes, this is a must! Awesome video & sound quality (I can see her breathing!!!) and super user-friendly! Also, I can press and hold button to talk back through the baby unit, this function will definitely come in handy when the toddlerhood kicks in.


#9 Bumbo Seat & Play Tray ✭✩✩✩✩
I knew that it has been recalled but this is the newest model, with an irremovable restraint belt, great for safety purpose. Unfortunately, Bao Bao struggles to get in the seat. She gave me a puzzled look whenever I try to place her in it. Guess it's the restraint belt that eats up the space; this seat just has to go... Sorry Bumbo. The single star rating goes to its adorable design, that's it.


#10 Fisher Price Pink Sparkles Bathtub ✭✭✭✭✩
Have been using this since day one. Although Bao Bao has outgrown the sling now, it's super handy back then. It gets the job done without wetting the newborn's umbilical cord stump! Peace of mind~~


#11 Sharp KC-860U Plasmacluster Air Purifier and Humidifier ✭✭✭✭✩
The weather is getting chilly here & it's impossible to open windows for fresh air during autumn & winter. So I reached out to Mama May Lyn, an awesome, experienced & knowledgeable full-time mummy in Canada, for air purifier recommendations. She suggested this and I ordered it after researching & comparing it with other air purifiers. Have been using this for about two months now, there are two distinct benefits that I noticed: 1) The odor eliminator works beyond expectation; it effectively eliminates the nasty smell of excessive Chinese cooking, 2) Chloe sneezes less frequent right on the 2nd day (she used to sneeze 5-8 times a day, although her doc said it's normal but I feel bad seeing her sneeze so frequent)! How amazing! And that's the reason why I needed an air purifier at the 1st place. Well, I'm not sure if the whole household is benefit from the ionizer & plasmacluster thingies but one thing for sure, we all are breathing "fresher" air! Thanks May Lyn~~

#12 Leaps & Bounds Interlocking Foam Play Mat ✭✭✭✭✩
I have hardwood floors, so play mat is a must-have in order to provide Bao Bao a safe & soft start. Eyed on the Dwinguler first but they are too expensive. BB is moving home soon; it's really a headache to bring back a 10kg play mat to M'sia but it's also kinda silly to leave a $179 play mat sleeping in the storeroom here @.@ Thanks to May Lyn again for the wonderful recommendation. I purchased the 26 letters, 10 numbers and then ordered 6 packs of edges and one pack of the corner pieces, a total of $80+, a good deal indeed. I can just leave the mat here in the U.S. without being nagged by Chean for overspending. It's durable, thicker than other interlocking mats & safety rated for all ages. Guess what, Bao Bao starts to crawl as soon as I put her on it, so happy! And the texture & color of the mats enhance her sensory development, she loves running her fingers, scratching & making sound on it already!



Hope this review helps you make better buying decisions on baby products as they are really really really expensive, and worst, there's no turning back. You just have to keep spending because there's always something new at different stages of baby growth. If you think Chanel is extravagant, wait until you have a baby.




P/s: Please bear with my spelling & grammar errors, not time for revision! Bao Bao is calling for milk milk already! C.I.A.O~~



Good luck everyone,
Mama Bev

Brunching

With the arrival of Bao Bao (BB), dining out has become a physically & mentally challenging endeavor. We don't really get to dine out at all for the first three months, I mean, I don't even want to try to do that. It drives me nut just by imagining the frustration of having a crying baby on laps while gulping down a cup of coffee or swallowing a mouthful of food. I'm a "slow eater," so if I can't afford the luxury of time to enjoy my food, I rather not eat at all.

Therefore, our first like real dining out experience (after I gave birth) happened when BB officially turned 100 days old. It was not extremely pleasant cause she still needs to be fed every 2-3 hours and needs her catnap very often, but it's tolerably comfortable. At least I can chew & taste the food, already super thankful for that, hallelujah~~ For that reason, Chean & I are having brunching marathon every weekend since then, lol...


#1 The only time I get to capture a self photo is in the car! Pathetic :(


#2 Faux leather skirt is so F.A.L.L~~


#3 Hungry Luma!!! (I supposed you're familiar with Mario Galaxy, no?)


#4 Bao Bao was cooing & playing by herself. Thank you for your cooperation baby.


#5 Another weekend. Enthralled by her fave music DVD with Daddy Chean while Mama Bev was busy dressing up.


#6 Dolled up. Casual is the key, especially when you have a baby :)


#7 Adore my new lenses, so natural & alluring. Will share with y'all soon!


#8 Sleepy head.


#9 I honestly don't like giving her pacifier, but there's no better option that this cry stopper, aiks (T^T)


#10 A random pic. Was picking up a baby carrier at a baby store :p


#11 At a Japanese restaurant in Denver, Sushi Sasa (I'm sure you've heard of it if you're following BS all the time).


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#15 Daddy Chean got busy soothing Chloe! Mama gonna make her milk milk~~


#16 Love this pic a lot ❤❤


#17 "Mama, quick! I'm famished,"


#18 Nom Nom Nom...


#19 Burping...


#20 Hooray! Everyone has fueled up. Time to go home!

Do expect to read more about our brunching marathon. Wishing you a great weekend ahead!!!



Best,
Bev

Oh My Baby Bump

Remember the maternity photoshoot I did couple months ago which Chean prohibits from publishing on BS? I just asked him again for the 873867437843 times if I can blog about it, and he said N.O.P.E as usual! A firm reply; he doesn't want anybody to see my belly. Those were pregnancy shots my lord but he just doesn't seem to understand that. Then I spent 20 mins explaining the importance of this post and how it will save hundreds mums-to-be & mums who're suffering from stretch marks, of course he didn't buy the idea and eventually, I manja-ed and he finally gave in & said: "ok la, go blog la,"

See, I fight for you all. LOL... No la, I really want these photos to be part of BS, they're simply too precious to be excluded from my online diary ;)


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These pics (zero touch up, only color adjustment, you can see the veins & pores) were taken all by myself (yay, tripod is my best friend) when I was 33-34 weeks preggie and aww... Bao Bao was in me that time! Miss those special moments together. The socks that were once too big for her can no longer fit her growing feet. Ahhh... I need to end this post asap & rush to cuddle her in my arms.

Okok, now that you've seen my baby bump & I'd say I did have healthy & supple skin even though it got pulled every week by Bao Bao's rapid growth, proud & loud.

And here's the ultimate secret of my stretch mark-free pregnancy (^__^)V

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#10 It's the result of hard work. I apply the lotion, the oil all over my body, twice a day, from chest to toes to eradicate every single chance of stretch marks appearance. Prevention is better than cure, always.

Hope this post will help every mums-to-be to escape the blight of stretch marks throughout the already stressful pregnancy, but if you already have stretch marks, don't be upset, that's what makes you a real woman. Try Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil, I'm still using it everyday for toning & shaping purposes & it improves my postpartum skin texture wonderfully.

Good luck mums!!!



p/s: I tried Clarins Stretch Mark Control too but I'm not sold; the cream shed into balls if you apply multiple layers on your skin.



Warmest regards,
Mama Bev

True Classic

Wait. Just before you scroll down for pictures, do spend some time linger on the words as I have a short story to tell... Although it's not a meaningful one and there truly isn't any substantial moral value behind it, it gives you an idea of who I really am apart from the preconceived notion--materialistic, conceit, vanity, self-importance, or whatever synonyms that you'd add to the list.

And the story goes like this...

Approximately 2.5 years ago, when Chean was shooting for a Nike commercial in L.A. for about a week, he called and asked if I want anything for souvenir. I jokingly told him a Chanel Classic Flap Bag (it has been sitting on my wishing list for years) is everything I wanted. I was completely joking because I really x100 wanted to buy that myself, with my own saving instead of having him to get me another bag. I want it to be special, to be "MY BAG".

"Bao Bei, I found you a pink one, medium size. They said it's limited edition,"

"W.H.A.T!? No way. Where are you?"

"Beverly Hills. You want it?"

"Nah. I just bought the LV Neverfull, guess I'm done for this year."

"You sure? I can get that for you, it's limited edition, once you've missed it, you miss it forever."

"Hmm... Ermm... Never mind. I don't need another bag. Just get me something cute & cheap."

"Ok then. I got to rush for production. Let me know, it's ok if you change your mind. Love you."

So Chean ended up getting me a cupcake design letter set at $7.99. I love it, I used to write very often to my family & friends; that seems like a sweet little thoughtful souvenir. But to be completely honest, I do hope that he will somehow get the bag to surprise me although the angel on my right shoulder strongly opposed that idea. In fact, he should. You know why? Because in the same year, 3 months after Chean got back from L.A. to be exact, Chanel decided to jump on the price hike bandwagon and the price of Chanel classic bags have skyrocketed since then. Boo Hoo (T^T)

Never mind. Keep saving, Bev, keep saving. Be positive, never lose faith, your dream will come true one day. You'll be working after you graduate and you sure can afford that bag yourself. R.I.G.H.T?

Noop. I was wrong. And this year, yup, 2012, I finally woke up from the delusional situation that I set myself up. Despite Chanel's shocking annual price increase in the past few years, the price went up again this January. Guess what, now the price of the medium classic flap bag has doubled compared with 2.5 years ago. D.O.U.B.L.E!!! You hear me!!! Not ringgit, but USD. Here's the reality check, I can never afford it, never even if I keep saving at a consistent rate, I simply can't keep up with the 30% price increase two times in a year. Thus I proposed the crazy idea to Chean again as my birthday present, intentionally this time, he rolled his eyes and then said, "Jeez, you should have bought it last time! You better make sure you get it this time,"

I will and I must, by hope or by crook!

Hence, I begin the intensive search by making multiple calls and conversations with several sale persons at the high-end department stores as well as Chanel boutiques across the States. No trace of the classic bag that I wanted, and as unrealistic as it sounds, No.23 is the quickest I could get on a waiting list. That equals to a 3-months wait, at least. Apparently there are many more insane shoppers like me out there, phew, glad that I am not alone and no doubt that this bag is in great demand.

3 days, 10 calls, and the deal is sealed. Pre-ordered the bag on January (right after the price increase, sigh) and got it by end of March.


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Truly adore its elegance, the sense of heritage and timelessness; it's the O.N.E true classic bag that I know I'll have it forever, or I can even give it to Bao Bao when she grows up.

So now maybe I have some of you pondering: It's just a bag, why must it be Chanel? And why so many materialistic girls are willing to pay high price for this simple bag? Well, first of all, it's not just another bag. You really have to feel it in person, you'll be able to tell the difference, quality wise. Second of all, I'm not materialistic, I'm more like a value-driven person; it just happened that the stuff that I really into are always the expensive one. It's kinda sad actually, but it's true. Go ask Chean.

This luxury piece truly has a magic spell, that's why so many girls are dying to own one. Yet, its unique charm is still a subjective one. If you do not see the value in it, you will never learn to appreciate it no matter who tells you what; but if this post is talking to you, I'm sure you understand the rationale and the underlying reasons of my extravagant purchase ;)




#6 Here. The F21 bag that I used as a Chanel Classic Flap substitute before, not too bad huh? *grin*



Ending this while filing for bankruptcy,
Bev

A New Chapter

Helloooooooooo? Is anybody here?

Oh my. It has been 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... Almost 5 months since I published the seemingly last post on BS. Oh my. You have no idea how much changes life could make in just few months. I myself could never ever imagine the changes can be this dramatic; my life literally took a 360 degrees turn (all for the better) from the very first second my baby was born. I can neither imagine motherhood can be this tough; it hit me hard. Sleep deprivation, exhaustion, languidness are just the three of a thousand reasons that turn me into a walking zombie. Only a mother would know, there's nothing quite like it honestly.

Being an alert & functional walking zombie 24/7 has opened up a whole new chapter in my life. Totally. But it's also something that I really enjoy doing and truly take pride in. I love to be able to attend to Bao Bao's needs all the time, to cradle her closely whenever she feels insecure, and to look after her from the moment she opens her eyes until I sing her lullaby. All these, love & joy, there are nothing that come close to these, too.


#1 Bao Bao (BB) & I having a little playtime in bed before heading out for our typical weekend outing.

Wait, I just noticed BB's dress shares the same pattern with my bedsheets, argh, no wonder, they're both from Ralph Lauren. LOL...


#2 Shhhhh, that's our personal driver for life, kekeke ;)


#3 You can't change a vain soul, can you? :p


#4 Makan first, k...


#5 Toying with my new camera, super in love with it!


#6 Oh my, cheesy goodness! Please don't remind me about the calories!


#7 Aww...

#8 BB was sick 2 weeks ago, Mama Bev & Daddy Chean promise to get her a plush toy when she gets better.


#9 "Do you like the bunny? What do you think?"


#10 Obviously, all she could think of is her fingers!!!

#11 "What about this?"


#12 She likes story books better :D


#13 Mama Bev & Bao Bao


#14 "Why is this fellow look so much like me?"


#15 She just can't keep her eyes out off the hamster toy.


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#17 "Bao Bei, let's get her one of these Uglydolls!" Chean literally wants to buy everything that his baby touches @.@


#18 Oh god, not the crocodile Chean! I'm extremely afraid of reptiles!!!


#19 Love you both...


#20 BB was cooing & babbling~~ So cute (^__^)


#21 Securely fasten. We're ready for the next stop~~


#22 Taking a break. Diaper change, checked. Feeding, checked.


#23 On the way to Boulder Public Library.


#24 Let's pick something interesting to read!


#25 She's really into story books...


#26 Enjoying her favorite story time...


#27 Voluntarily helping Mama Bev turn a page :D


#28 Love seeing her exciting expression~~


#29 "Next page, mama, next page!"


#30 Done. It's kinda fun, although it was just a 10 mins reading session. BB, we'll come back sometime ;)


#31 Sleepy Bao Bao and her first autumn.


#32 Caught some ZZZzzz while on our way home. Muakssss~~

See, that's my new life now, it's all about baby, baby and baby, hehe, it's kinda humdrum because I pretty much repeat the same routine everyday as babies thrive for consistency; however, I bet you feel the greatest happiness in me as well.


Stay tuned for more awesomeness!!!


Wait. Stay tuned?!

How I wish I could say that, but no, please do not anticipate frequent updates :p Having so many unforeseen errands & unfinished chores on my plate now has made blogging an ultra super duper extra challenging task, I'll try my best but I really have no idea when will I have time to splurge on BS again (T____T)

Until then BS-ers! It's time for me to catch some ZZZzzz now, see ya!



Miss you all dearly,
Bev