Sunday, November 18, 2012

Great Day/Experience at HappyWillow, Fusionpolis

Today's parents not only are busy with our children's daily activities, most of us are very often busy attending birthday parties of our children's friends or our friends' children.

Whenever I attended such parties, I would look into how well the event is organized, the cleanliness of the venue and the attentiveness of the staffs - hmm, what a typical mother. Well, I supposed all these matters especially if I am considering to bring my kids back there for a Fun-day or perhaps (who knows) it might be the next birthday venue for my girls.

So far, I have attended parties at Go-Go-Bambini, The Gym @Tanglin Mall and @Rochester Mall, and also (today) @HappyWillow.

I must say that all 4 have their own good way in planning for the birthday event; keeping in mind on safety, as well as program planned such that even the youngest child will get to enjoy the FUN.

Having attended today's party at HappyWillow, I MUST and have to compliment on the attentiveness and helpfulness of the staffs. Why? All because both my girls decided to 'test their patience' ;).

1st incident: my younger girl spilled over a cup full of orange juice. Less than 2 seconds, one of the staff came over to my rescue. I apologized for the mess, got my little one (1yo) to apologize; she did with her 'ori' :). The staff smiled and replied 'No worries at all'. :)

2nd incident (just 10min after the first): this time the test was put up by my elder girl (3yo)...hmm, I should not have embarrased her by saying this publicly but (ok let's just read and forget about this tomorrow ok? ;)). She couldn't hold on much longer and gave the party floor a 'quick-wash'; okok, she pee :(...Luckily the party room was left with me, my girl and a few standing adults (it was near to ending time). The adults went 'oooooohhhh' and I could sense my girl's embarrassment and quickly said (to the adults) "ooh, it was mommy's fault". Again, within the next second, the lady-staff came over with a mop and said to us (smiling), "it's ok, mommy can you bring her one side while I clean up the area"...This time, I apologized repeatedly for the 2 'accidents', my girl apologized too and she told me 'don't worry about it at all, she is still young'... :):):)

Well done HappyWillow and Congratulations Jason ~ for having a Great Team working with you!

Will I be a return-customer? A DEFINITE - 'YES' :), not just because of what the staffs have done for me today.

HappyWillow is a play-gym that caters not only to the kids but Jason has the parents in mind too, for creating a very cozy Willow Lounge area where we can sit, relax and have a cuppa, while our kids roam the 'Play Garden'.  There are also pretend-play child-size furnitures and tools, cars etc.. Not forgetting, there is a Book Burrow with a wide array of children's books for the little 'bookworms'!

Now - would you not want to visit Happy Willow???

Well, I have already made an appointment to be there this coming Fri (23 Nov) for their First-Ever 'Willow Festive Fair'. See you, Jason and Team!

Wait, wait, Thanks Donna for having us and giving me an eye-opening at HappyWillow ~ A Great Party with Great Event Organizers @a Great Venue! :)


From left: Leia (bday girl), Donna, Alexia, ME

Sliding-FUN: (my 2 Angels) Alexia and Alexis

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

What is that rash on my Baby's Face???

I guess this is one of the 'top' worry faced by many parents (especially Mommies) when they notice a sudden outbreak of rash on their baby's face or any part of the body.

I also experienced the same worry during Alexis and Alexia's time. And the funny thing is they both developed face rash just 1 week prior to their baby shower! What a time for the rash to come. Just when we are happily, looking forward to, and getting real excited to the day we celebrate their one-month old party, little one suddenly decides to look 'better with natural blusher'???

I know it is not just them because I very often see or hear friends telling me their little one developed face rash just few days before the BIG Party!

Hmm...Is it due to hormone change? Just what could it be??

This topic is extremely important for me because my younger one, Alexia, has eczema and it became worst when she was near to 5months old. Till today, we are still combating with her eczema. We have brought her to many doctors, not to mention Specialists, Professors. Done allergy-tests but results showed that she does not have ANY food allergy, tried several applied-on creams and lotions, mild shower baths etc..sad and angry to say with not much of improvements.

As we do not want to poison her skin further with steroid creams, we did our reseach online and have tried applying aloe vera, pure shea butter, mangosteen on the affected areas. We have also started to give her a daily (1-oz) dosage of health supplements (made of mangosteen) and have seen slight GOOD improvements (crossing our fingers tightly).

I heard that many children outgrow eczema by age 2 while others by adulthood. And I pray hard that that day will come for Alexia too. It just pain me to see her skin flare and especially when she starts scratching.

What could it be? What could be the cause? How long will it last? How to cure it?
Acne can be present at birth, but more often it shows up after a couple of weeks. This rash presents as red or white bumps on the baby's forehead, temples or cheeks and even the back. The area can can become more pronounced if baby is hot or fussy, or if his skin is irritated by saliva, spit-up milk, or fabric that's a little rough or has been washed in strong detergent.

Newborn acne happens because in the final stages of pregnancy, the mother's hormones cross the placenta into the baby, stimulating oil glands. If you take certain medications while nursing, or if your baby takes certain medications, they might trigger baby acne. However, blemishes on your new baby's face aren't necessarily acne. It could be reaction caused by a skincare product, particularly an oily one that can block pores.

Baby acne usually clears up within a few weeks, but it can linger for months. If it doesn't clear up within three months, or you're concerned about it, talk with your baby's doctor. The doctor may prescribe a mild topical medication if the acne is long lasting or severe.
Persistent baby acne may be a clue that your child will deal with acne when he's a teenager, too.

Parents should wash their baby's face with warm water and mild baby soap once or twice a day and then gently pat it dry, but should avoid scrubbing the acne or using creams, oils, or over-the-counter acne medications, because these will only cause the acne to worsen.
Milia is a common baby rash that can be mistaken for baby acne since it also presents on the face. But milia presents as white bumps, not red.

Milia occur when dead skin becomes trapped in small pockets at the surface of the skin or mouth.
Most cases of milia disappear on their own within several weeks. Wash your baby's face with warm water two or three times a day and pat it dry. Don't use lotions, oils or other treatments. Never pinch or scrub milia or baby acne. You may cause more irritation or an infection.

Eczema (more often described as dermatitis) is a skin condition that can affect not only the face but also the whole body! There are different types of eczema, depending on the root causes of the problem but they all have one thing in common: they result in dry, itchy, red and cracked skin, which can become sore and bleeding through scratching.
Eczema typically comes and goes. It isn't contagious, but because it's intensely itchy, it can be very uncomfortable, and scratching can be a problem. If untreated, the rash can be unsightly, so it may present a social challenge for a child, too.

The tendency to have eczema is often inherited. So your child is more likely to have it if you or a close family member has had eczema, asthma or allergies.

Eczema is not an allergic reaction to a substance, but allergens or irritants in the environment (such as pollen or cigarette smoke) can trigger it. Less frequently, it can be triggered by allergens in your child's diet – or in your diet if your child is breastfeeding.

The rash can also be aggravated by heat, irritants that come in contact with the skin (like wool or the chemicals in some soaps, fragrances, lotions, and detergents), changes in temperature, and dry skin. Stress can also trigger a flare-up of eczema.

How to treat eczema?
1. Use an emollient (a medical moisturiser)
These are sold over the counter as creams, lotions, ointments, bath oils and gels that help to reduce water loss from the skin, making it less dry and itchy. It's best to use them after a bath or shower to lock moisture into the skin.

2. Try steroid creams
An appropriate-strength cream prescribed by your GP when the eczema flares up can reduce inflammation and itching.

3. Change diet
Although diet is rarely the only trigger for eczema, according to the National Eczema Society, food is thought to be one of its causes in around 30% of young children (babies and under fives). Foods that cause most reactions in young children are eggs, cow's milk, fish, peanuts, soya and wheat. About two in three children will grow out of eczema by their mid teens, and there is currently no conclusive evidence that dietary changes in older children and adults are helpful.

4. Identify other triggers
Some types of eczema are triggered by allergens such as pollen, house dust mites or animals, or irritants such as certain fabrics, soaps, perfumes, detergents, cigarette smoke or solvents.

5. Tackle stress
Stress, anger or frustration can make symptoms worse. Distraction techniques can also work for children.

As parents, we often pray for all GOOD things for them. And I personally believe 'Natural' cure is the BEST.

Good night!

Tuesday, November 06, 2012

I AM BACK!!!!

Gosh! I have been gone for a GOOD 3 years.
Where have I been? What have I been doing??

Once again - Hello Everyone! Babyummy is BACK, now with a BIGGER heart and a Healthier ME!

Let's do a quick recap of the 3 years:
I have truly dedicated my time to my daughters - YES, you heard me right - I am now a mother of 2 lovely girls. Alexis is 3 and Alexia 1...How time flies ya :)


Alexis is now attending Nursery 1 in Queenstown Good Shepherd Kindergarten and Alexia is still enjoying 'home-leave' :)

After I gave birth to Alexis on 30.10.2009 (yup, that was exactly when I stopped blogging!), I almost sold myself to her. 365days, every hour, minute and second, was FOR HER; don't you think she look great?!!

Then Alexia 'join' us on 12.06.2011; their age gap being 20mths apart and I got even busier, eeh...no helper ok, ALL BY MYSELF, and of course with (limited) help of hubby! :)

The 2 of them are totally different: Alexis is the quiet while Alexia is loud, Alexis is gentle while Alexia is ACTIVE!

Few of my friends commented: "luckily you had Alexis FIRST. If Alexia is the elder one, don't think you would go for a second child". Haha... perhaps. But with my love for children, I think I would still go for a second one even if Alexia is No.1. In fact, after I gave birth to Alexis, though she is a very good girl, easy to handle, I also told my hubby '1 is enough, let's focus and give her the BEST'. But, when Alexis almost turned 1 year old, I suddenly have this weird feeling that somehow, somewhere, she seems to be missing out on 'something', something which other kids have but she doesn't ~ a sibling! I felt that her loneliness and that was when I told my hubby "let's go for a 2nd one", and I am glad we did! Look at Alexia ~ she is so cheerful, she is such a GEM.

In fact, both of them are my PRECIOUS!

Now that they are gradually growing up and my hands aren't as tight. It is time I move my butt. I have sat/sleep for a long 3 years. If I still continue to sit and sleep, I really dunno if no.3 will pop out and perhaps you will hear from me again in another 3 years' time...whahaha...

Witnessing their growth and developments has given me a brand new insight of what Motherhood is. The greatest joy comes when each of them starts to call me 'Mommy' :) and the greatest worry is when they are unwell.

I believe all mommies are the same, WE all want the BEST for our child(ren), we want them to be in the BEST OF HEALTH.

We may get annoyed, be impatient, get angry with them BUT finally, we still love them more than anyone else and we will go ALL OUT; across the mountains, over the oceans, to give them whatever they need.

My grandma used to say 'your mom gave birth to you, you give birth to your children' ~ this cycle will repeat forever unchanged ~ this is so very true.

Ok, it is late now... 2:15am (local time). Goodnight Everyone.

See YOU SOON!!! ;)