Fire trucks, helmet, hoses & more...

i think luke was 1+ when he started playing with fire trucks.
i reckon boys, at some point in their childhood, harbors the dream of being a fire fighter.
maybe it's the heroic element ie saving lives... makes them feel very much like their fav cartoon superheros?? 

not many of us would have the chance to see a firefighter in action.
luke's kindie once organized a fire station visit  & i was hoping he would have the chance to go.
 as things would have it, i stumbled upon ibu's forum one day & saw that they were organizing a firestation visit!
i couldn't have been more EXCITED!

saturday morning came and we were greeted by blue skies & cool breeze at the Hartamas Fire Station.
however the little mr was super shy. and when we coaxed him further to participate, he sat there like a grumpy old man & i thought, darn! wasted experience!
the little missy, on the other hand was her cheerful self & she seemed gamed on what was ahead.. with her legs kicking back & forth & all ;)

the session started with the fireman asking the kids, "what do you do if your back caught fire & there was no one else to help you?"
hmm... i didn't know the answer :p
they did a demo (cover your face with your hands, get down, kneel on the floor & roll on your back), volunteers were asked to come out & pretty soon the kids warmed up.

firefighters taking turns coming down the pole when emergency calls

 

we got to try out the uniforms

kiddos & their parents got to ride on a real fire truck! 

(by now, the little mr has warmed up & ready to take on the action)

the HIGHLIGHT of the day? the most awaited moment? The HOSE!
which is also the part you get to go all out & get SOAKED to the bone!
this is by far luke's favorite & i mean F.A.V.O.R.I.T.E!
we never actually allowed luke to play in the rain before so this was like THE TICKET of a lifetime!!
i'll leave the pictures to tell the rest of the story.

the little missy didn't miss out on the FUN!

thank you iBu for organizing this!

IBU is a non-profit organization in KL servicing the needs of young families with children 0-6yrs old. Membership includes lots of fabulous aspects... Equipment rental, chair and table for party hire, free library, free support groups, lots of playgroups, free well-baby clinic... Join IBU today and find an incredible support network.

When life gives you lemons, make LEMONADE

been on a crazy ride since the year started & it has escalated within the last 2 months.
having to tend to sick kids one after another, work & family issues, coping with the little missy still waking up every 2 hours a night, and a whole list of other challenges.
i'm being stretched beyond my comfort zone.

someone once said, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
times like these, i just long for some sense of normalcy in my day.

15 minutes of "me time" ie slump in my couch, sipping my hot mug of green tea, looking out to the vast sky from the window of my work room normally gives me a few moments of tranquility.


on several occasions, i find myself taking out my sketchbooks & thinking of things that inspire me.
i start writing & doodling sweet things on paper,  & then make a quick breakfast of sunny-side up & a cool glass of iced honey lemon, before i jumped back into the fray.
my form of instant perk-me-up to stave off a really horrible, terrible, no good day.
i relish this moments, even if it's only for mere few minutes.

last wednesday was a public holiday & all i wanted to do was to go out with the family, a lazy day out just for some cheap + good desserts.

i've been longing to go to ben's @ publika.
haven't had this luxury for some time now so just wanted to take a break, take in the sights & sounds.

totally lurve the white washed furniture, windows & yellow cheery walls (my next big project - get my work room painted in yellow)!

 family + good company (thanks for spending the afternoon with us, mich) + yummy desserts

i'm recharged & all ready for another week ahead.

 this little nugget never fails to make us smile

 .. no matter how hard the day had been

do you have a time out for yourself when things get crazy? what's your form of perk me up?
would love to hear your comments :)

love + sunshine + sunnyside-up

A Dose of Marmalade

one of my favorite pastimes was and still is - cafe scouting.

my sis & i love hunting for good cafes around town & when we stumble upon one, we are delighted!
we've even dreamed once of renting a bungalow in ss2 and setting up our very own breakfast bar cum cafe coupled with cozy ambience, good simple food & beverages.

now that we're mommies, one other criteria we look for in a cafe is if it's child friendly so we can hang out along with the kids in tow.
i haven't found one which fits my bill so when we decided to head to publika to pay the new shopping mall a visit, i was beyond excited when i stumbled upon marmalade!

i've been to both their other outlets. it's known for their decadent cakes & being child friendly but i am totally EXCITED about this one.

it's not located exactly in the mall... you sort of have to walk out through the lawn & as we made our way towards it, my heart skipped a beat.. oohh.. i just knew this would be special.

 marmalade's shop front

 this is not a great picture but u get a glimpse of this corner

i couldn't wait to feast my eyes on the place... the first instance i stepped into the cafe, seems like the sky opens and a choir of angels begins to sing (ok i'm being a little overly dramatic here) but you know what i mean, it's not every day you find a gem like this...
a place which is visually fascinating and overall uplifting.

i've resorted to extracting two photos to use here via milkadeal.com 

as my shots weren't up to par & it wouldn't do justice in showcasing marmalade in all its "glory"

 photo via milkadeal.com

 photo via milkadeal.com

the play of contrasting pallette of robin blue & mustard yellow

my mind is now overloaded with party ideas in this theme color!

wholesome food eg gourmet sandwiches, salads & nibbles

 a menu dedicated to the kiddies

little nook/play area (indoors) for the little ones

a play area (outdoors) for toddlers

oh! short commercial break: 

if you're ever in the lookout for a babysitter for your date nights,

michelle is THE person to look for! reliable & great with kids =)

{highly recommended}

dining al fresco is a great option on a cool day, plus 

you'll be able to watch the kids roam about while you linger for chit chat.

 the lawn

after lunch, we checked out the other shops.
as publika is still fairly new, a lot of units are still unoccupied but a few great stores which i'm bookmarking at my next visit (that & all on my next post).
Ben's General Food Store
Little Green Planet

i certainly had fun & my creative juices were all bubbling inside.

if you've stumbled upon other delightful kid friendly cafes in town, do share!
i'd LOVE to hear from you!

When i Grow Up...

What will i be?

Drummer with a rock band?

A master chef?

lately, we've been seeing him entering the world of make believe.. becoming whomever he chooses.....

it's really fascinating watching kids play...
one moment, he's a heroic fire fighter..
the next minute, he dons a cloak/rag/fabric and swishes around as a superhero saving humans in distress.

when the little guy is bored playing multiple characters by himself, he convinces the mommy to take on the sword, holding fort and with that... it MUST be WITH some level of escalating drama. otherwise, it won't count.
(note: at 3 decades old, i'm rolling over sofas & hiding under tables... it's amazing how kids totally rearranges one's life!) 

on saner & most days.. he opens up restaurant and plays chef (this innate passion could have stemmed from mommy's "under-developed skill" in that particular dept). 
i like this better as i only need to sit back & assume the role of a hungry diner ;p

we don't have our own garden with a huge tree like what me & my siblings grew up with at our parents' home backyard... otherwise, i wouldn't have mind climbing trees with the boy. 
some of my fondest childhood memory was climbing up our mango tree pretending we had a treehouse hideaway up there.
and after that, it was over & down to our little fish pond where we would climb behind the rocks & pretend that there were hidden treasures in there.

there are certainly times i wished we owned a home with a big garden where our kids can freely roam about & take on their own adventure.

until then, fort and tanks, and bullets & bruises await me.

Little L's Milestone Chart

our little baby girl is growing up right before our eyes! and that, in speedy gonzales speed!
every single day we wake up to discover new things about our bubbly cherub...

the way she turns her body at a slight angle to push herself up to sit on her own...
that certain sound she makes aloud from her cot telling kor kor she's bored & wants his attention now...
aaahh... little things that simply amuses us.

it dawned on me one day i really didn't want to forget these little BUT important milestones, i remember coming across this idea via pinterest some time ago and i thought it would be the perfect way to chart & remember her stages of development.

all u need:
a photo of that particular age/month
compile a list of her "loves" or milestone for that particular duration (i use illustrator software)

print & display it in one of those inexpensive ikea frames or if you are intending to do it regularly, then a scrapbook would be a better bet :)

Mamentoe: Memory Keepsake Box

here's a little baby project i put together for BabyTalk's January 2012 issue.

here are the supplies you'll need for this easy pidzy project.

 

ikea ribba frame

scrapbook paper for backing + some little trinkets to spice up the box

wooden colored mini alphabet blocks (cotton on kids)

little gifts & keepsakes eg; handmade card, baby's first polka infant pants from ah yee

  

photo + a favorite quote (printed)

arrange all of the above & viola...!

precious memories in a box :)

i SCREAM for ICE CREAM!

our tropical weather is on a bit of a mood swing lately.

one moment it's pouring cats & dogs, and the very next, it's blazing HOT! 

like this very minute, it's a sweltering 33C!

which means... there's no better time for I.C.E C.R.E.A.M.S!! =D

on days when i just wanna take a breather but don't feel like splurging, we'll head out to mcdonald's or ikea for a dose of regular soft served ice cream. 

there's something about this creamy substance that perks you up instantly...

you know, the feeling when it sends your heart a flutter... u hear birds chirping... erm... okay....stop ... it must be the heat doing weird stuff to me...

ok where was i?

oh yes! and since ice creams are generally everyone's best friend, i thought it'll make a sweet gesture to put together an inexpensive, simple ice-cream-kit and present it to a friend.

supplies:

toppings put in clear mini plastic containers

paper + ribbons in matching color

*mini cones i got from king's (available in hypermarkets)

arrange cones & all toppings into individual packs/containers. 

dress it up simply with  a ribbon or scalloped-cut craft paper. 

finish it off with a sweet handwritten message on a doily.

my faithful pastel bucket... always work wonders!

here's to 

sunshine + laughter + choco tops!

tip: by keeping things in a cohesive theme.. eg i picked baby blue, the kit makes for a pretty sight.

all the recipient needs now is a tub of ice cream :)

ps: this craft project was also featured on BabyTalk Holiday Dec issue

Winner Revealed: FancyBugs Giveaway

congrats joey! will be emailing you the cash voucher.
thank you for all you wonderful people who have sent in your entries.
i wished i had something for everyone... but do stay tuned for the next giveaway!
happy weekend!

{TERRIFIC TUESDAY GIVEAWAY}: Wall Stickers by FANCYBUGS

I've been drooling over pretty wall stickers for kids in the internet for some time now.

Efforts on sourcing for similar designs here in Malaysia has been futile up until recently when i bumped into FancyBugs at the Parenthood expo last August!

Imagine my excitement when i ran through their catalog. 
I must have been seen smiling from ear to ear =)

click on image for larger view

Their designs were fabulous & prices reasonable. My only headache was i just couldn't decide which to purchase!


Now, you don't need to have the hassle of getting the room a fresh coat of paint, purchasing expensive wallpaper or buying new furniture to transform your kids' living space.

If you're looking for an inexpensive, fuss free way to transform a space, be it your kids playroom, bedroom or nursery, FancyBugs stickers are the way to go!

Their stickers are Peel-And-Stick, easily removable, repositionable, and even reusable.

You could stick it on any surface, not just the wall ie fridge, baby cot etc.

And... to add to the excitement, their range includes its very own exclusive functional wall stickers (i.e. Growth Chart, Whiteboard, Chalkboard, etc.) and many others.

Needless to say i got myself the professor owl chalkboard, knowing my love affair with chalkboards!
Came with 2 crayola chalks which were perfect as they are toxic-free, absolutely safe for kids.

Ever since Luke started pre-school, he's been enthusiastically scribbling chinese characters on it.

Half the time, i'm trying to figure out which word it is (since i'm banana) but it does give him an avenue to doodle & practice what he's learned at school :)

Good news is if you missed the expo, fret not!

They've just got their website up and going and you can now buy them online!

Here comes the FABULOUS news!  
Boy oh boy, are you in for a TREAT!

You can now enter our Terrific Tuesday Giveaway to stand a chance to win a 
RM50 cash voucher to purchase any of FancyBugs items for your kid(s). 

It's time to go get that space in your nursery/kids' room ready!

TO ENTER,

(1) click "LIKE" on Babylicious facebook page 
(if you haven't done so)
(2) click "LIKE" on FANCYBUGS facebook page'

(3) go to FANCYBUGS website to view their collection
(4) come back and leave a comment here below 

telling us which item you LOVE the most and why! 

It's simple as A-B-C!
Be sure to include your EMAIL address, 

together with your comment so if you are our winner, 

i can email you the cash voucher.

(this giveaway is open to readers worldwide)

Any entries received after 20th November will not be included. 

Winner will be announced on 26th November 2011. All the best!

We are a FAMILY

 

FINALLY, our FIRST photo as a FAMILY!

this shot tugs at my heart because it was simply JUST US... depicted just as we are.

not because of an elaborate backdrop, glittery clothes, well coiffed hair or a fancy pose.
we were in fact in our well worn comfy t-shirts, scruffy hair etc...

the actual behind-the-scenes was quite hilarious, come to think of it.
moments before the shot was taken, this conversation chaos took place.

Daddy: LUKE! get down & stop climbing up on me!
Luke: But i like! Daddy, let's play HORSE!
Daddy: You're too rough. You're hurting my back & messing up my hair!
Leah: {lets out a soft cry of discomfort from all the noise}
Luke reaches out to Leah while gritting his teeth: mei mei, ur so CUTE! {geram}
Mommy: Luke, can you let us take a nice pic with mei mei first?


Jean then took out her camera & says OH! get luke up there!
Daddy must have went #%@* in his head (haha!) but wonderfully obliged..
Luke decides that instance that he didn't want to be part of the picture so we quickly took on the reverse-pyschology game.

Daddy: Luke, don't climb up on daddy ya... and then POUNCE! the little tiger went up on daddy.
Daddy: Luke, don't kiss mei mei ya... and PECK... the kiss


and SNAP! the SHOT was captured and there you have it!
haha! well, reality hits and in seconds we were back to the chaos!
BOYS... {sweat} ;p

SPECIAL DELIVERY: from HEAVEN

 June 10th, 2011

our baby girl made her GRAND ENTRANCE into the world.

erm... not in the basket & out from daddy's arms tho ;p

where are the days going?

it's only been 4 months since i first laid eyes on this precious bundle of joy... and she had instantly snuggled right into our hearts!

with 2 kids... i can barely remember what life was before i had this precious babes...
when i slept 8 hours straight... went out the door with just my purse & keys... and a home - spick & span.

life was simple...

...as opposed to the present - interrupted shut eye of 6 hours a night (on good days), lugging a basket with a good kilo of clothes, diapers & the likes... and a home... with its roof still in place.

the bittersweet journey of motherhood...

there are moments when i'm frustrated with its challenges yet countless times, blessed with its joy...

BUT... i wouldn't have it any other way :)

LOVE you to BITS, babe!

photos by jean

Animal Themed Party

i couldn't quite figure out who was more EXCITED!
me planning the party details or the birthday girl celebrating her big day!

care to join me on my revelry?

 take a peek... what's brewing inside?

last weekend, covershots' studio was transformed into a mini playground plus kids size tables & chairs.

the party was set on an animal theme with fun poppy colors!
i had so much FUN putting the details together especially the fun-loving animal characters.

drawing an image on a computer was no easy feat but bcos i was desperate to have animal characters (which i've been wanting to replicate) for the party, i gave the pencil tool a try on the illustrator software.
first i drew the overall shape..
then the eyes, trunk, tail... then as confidence grew, the other elements that made the character more playful were added in eg balloons, flowers etc.
and slowly but surely everything began to take shape...
i'm sure there's an easier way around it... but as long as the character emerged i was happy (i'm easy to please) ;p

once the characters formed, the rest of the party printables were created..

 invites

 favor tags

 cupcake toppers

 birthday banner at the background

candy boxes 

 mini trolleys with candies

bottled drinks

a photobooth was set up with each kid getting a picture of themselves. photo were printed on the spot.
each kid got a handmade photo card where they inserted their photo and decorate with foam animal cutouts. a wonderful craft activity to keep little ones entertained & occupied.

yummy homemade catering spread... little ones helping themselves to the food..

helium balloons always lends a festive feel to any celebration.

candy bar - for kids to take home candies, cupcakes, snacks & bottled drinks 

- all packed into a takeaway box with their personalized names on it.

found this gems - animal inflatables... just the perfect gifts for the kids to 

take home as a memento of the party.

remember my post on DIY chalkboard... here i recycled a photo frame... spray the chalkpaint & got myself a handsome chalkboard, perfect for the party!

the lip smacking chocolate cake which i didn't managed to get a bite of ;(

 happy roaring 2nd birthday GABBY! 

hope you had loads of fun!

meanwhile...
while everyone else was busy with their share of fun outside, we caught two babes holding their very own play-date-baby-conversation... ahem..with daddies present as chaperons ;)

photography & venue by covershots
*for more info on baby fullmoon & kids party packages, email info@covershots.com.my