Fashionista's Hotel Review: O'Boutique Suites

As mentioned in my previous post, my current commitments has given me the opportunity to travel more to the capital of Malaysia (that's Kuala Lumpur for those who are unfamiliar with Malaysia) and in that regard, I have taken this opportunity to try and review as many boutique hotels as my budget can afford or at least until I find one that suites me the best.

This time I have booked myself at O-Boutique Suites which is located in a building called Casa Utama at Bandar Utama. Other than O-Boutique Suites, Casa Utama also houses 39 townhouses and an organic cafe called Organic Recipe (which is currently undergoing renovation). 

The location of this boutique hotel is rather discrete, as it is not visible from the main road. You have to turn into a small road called Lorong Lebuh Bandar Utama and the hotel is located about less than a minute's drive from the turning. 

The hotel lobby. The hotel itself is located at Level B2 which is one floor below the parking lot.  

There's a few areas for guests to lounge and chit chat. As I've mentioned before, I absolutely adore boutique hotels and this one is no different. I find the atmosphere that welcomed me when I checked in to be very informal, warm and inviting.

Sitting area next to the lobby.

Corridor. 

The hotel in itself is quite a small hotel as it only occupies one floor, the whole of B2. Since my booking was only a couple of days before I checking in to the hotel, I only had the option of a windowless room =(. However, being a frequent traveller, window or no window is no biggie. 

The room. Unlike the hotel lobby and lounge, the design of the room is quite sparse. The room size is quite small but as a solo traveller, it suit my needs nicely: comfortable bed, some space for me to perform my prayers and free wifi.

The room.

The toilet/ shower.

The room came with complimentary breakfast so I headed down to B3 for breakfast. Unfortunately several parts of this level is currently under renovation therefore I didn't take any photos of the corridor leading to the breakfast area. There is a small area fit for maybe around 30 people having breakfast at one time. I liked the fact that the design is an open concept which provided us with a nice view of the surrounding area of the hotel.

The breakfast is quite simple, consisting of a basic fare of fried noodles, butter, jam and toast, steamed pau, coffee, tea and plain water.

After staying there for a night I would have to say that I absolutely love this boutique hotel! Okay, my plus points are:
1) Privacy. Which is an absolute must when you're a frequent traveler. It helps that the hotel is located in a discrete corner within Bandar Utama, therefore this translates to quiet nights and peace of mind. However, I must say that noise in the corridor reverberates into the room, therefore I'd know whenever there's someone out and about in the corridor.
2) Cleanliness and Comfort. I love how comfortable the bed is and the whole room and toilet is definitely presentable when I checked in.
3) Fast and efficient check-in and check-out service. Which is another must for frequent travellers. It does help that this hotel is only able to cater to a small amount of clientele at any single time, so check-in and check-out is definitely a breeze.
4) Safety. The way in which the building is designed certainly ensured that no intruders can easily slip by unnoticed into the building.

Cons:
1) Lack of nearby attractions. One Utama is really close but to get anywhere you must get a cab. So, there's absolutely no walking-distance attractions to speak off.
2) Because of how discrete the location of this hotel is, therefore cafes/ restaurants are not in the immediate vicinity either. There is a restaurant called Organic Recipe located at B3 but it was still undergoing renovation when I was there.

So the question is, would I go back to O-Boutique Suites? Yup! Definitely! I love how small their operations are, to me small operators kinda makes the whole service go to a personal level (which I love). The girl at the counter even helped me to book a cab (thank you!). I do like the fact that the hotel is very private and discrete as this enables me to concentrate and do my work in peace. I also talked to the security guy on my way in, I liked the fact that he takes his job very seriously and the best part is, he's very proud in what he does (in making sure that everything and everyone is safe). The only downside is the lack of nearby (walking-distance) attractions/ cafes.

Those who are interested to know more of the hotel can visit their Facebook page [here] or website [here].


xoxo Mrs Fashionista

Fashionista's Hotel Review: Ibis Styles Kuala Lumpur Fraser Business Park Hotel

Of late I've been traveling and flying to Kuala Lumpur frequently due to certain commitments and I am definitely glad for this opportunity as it enables me to test out and blog the hotels in Kuala Lumpur. And this year being Visit Malaysia Year 2014, I am sure there are plenty of tourists out there who are planning their visits here to Malaysia and good ol' Kuala Lumpur. 

Last week I booked a room at Ibis Styles Kuala Lumpur Fraser Business Park for two reasons, first is because I've stayed at Ibis Styles Yogyakarta before and I absolutely love the hotel (click here for my review of the hotel) so I am definitely sure that the service I'll get at this hotel would be similar to my stay in Yogyakarta and secondly, it's located near Pudu where I assumed that it would be near Pudu Sentral (okay, you might as well know now that this is so not true *sigh*). Anyway, this is my review of the hotel =).

The hotel lobby. I have always adored Ibis Styles decor and interior and this is no different. Although I would have to say that this is it for the hotel lobby, unlike Ibis Styles Yogyakarta which had better decor, an open and bright concept and its cafe on the same floor. For this hotel, the cafe is located on the 4th floor. The lobby is connected to Fraser Business Park (which is the name of the building in which the hotel is located). Despite being located in the same building as a shopping centre (Metro Mall), unfortunately there is not much shopping to be done as the building (Fraser Business Park) appears to be quite empty with minimal shops doing business. It's adjacent to HELP University, but you won't even know that there's a university nearby because the university is at the other end of the building.

My room was located at the 10th floor and this charming 'kek lapis' carpet (labeled by my friend who commented on the bright stripes on the carpet), bamboo art wall deco and sofa greeted me. The view from the hotel is definitely nice =).

My room. I had booked for a queen bed but unfortunately the rooms are full and they gave me a twin-bed bedroom. Love the batik inspired wall-deco. 

As you can see, the room is definitely small (I had to make do with the small space in front of the bed for me to lay my prayer mat and pray *sigh*) but I do love the bright colours and cheery atmosphere of the room. Despite the TV right smack opposite of the bed, there's not much channels to enjoy though. There's about less than 20 channels available and only one movie channel from what I've experienced.

The twin-beds.

Bright green shower stall.

Toilet and sink.

I was surprised that they have a charging dock for iPhone (compatible with iPhone 4 and below). I would have loved this but unfortunately my iPhone is not compatible with this dock.

I actually love the breakfast spread. Unfortunately there was a huge crowd at breakfast so I was unable to get a clear shot of what was being served but the breakfast consisted of assorted cereal, assorted bread, several choices of juice, hot tea and coffee, regular malay breakfast fan fare (i.e. nasi lemak with condiments and porridge also with condiments), fresh fruits and quite a good selection for its western breakfast. Yum!

Unfortunately, the coffee was horrible so I am definitely not recommending the coffee provided at this hotel.

Ibis Styles is part of Accor Hotels, they also have various hotels under their brand Novotel, Mercure, Pullman, Ibis, Ibis Budget etc. Looking at the various hotel brands managed by Accor Hotels, I'm sure that I can look forward to a high standard of service by Ibis Styles. Unfortunately, if given the choice, I would not stay in this hotel again in the future simply because of its location (no it's not located in Pudu despite it's address) and also because of the lack of shops at Fraser Business Park. I guess if Fraser Business Park is a bustling mall, I would be tempted to change my mind on staying at the hotel in the future. But I have absolutely no complaints on Ibis Styles itself. If you don't mind staying a wee bit further that other central locations in KL like Bukit Bintang, KLCC etc, then this hotel is absolutely recommended. In terms of transportation, this hotel is located adjacent to the LRT station Chan Sow Lin which gives you easy access to the city.

Cheers!


xoxo Mrs Fashionista

Fashionista's Review: Birthing Experience at Normah Medical Specialist Centre

I've been wanting to write this post ever since I've gave birth but having very limited time (I guess you might have noticed the lack of updates in my blog *sigh*), I guess now is as good a time as any so let me share with you my review on Normah Medical Specialist Centre (Normah for short), the hospital where I gave birth to Alexa.

 

Before you read on, let me first just say that I have NEVER been admitted to a hospital before, I rarely get sick and even if I do, I very seldom visit the doctor because usually I'd get better within a day or two. Mostly my frequent visits to the doctor would usually mean that I've got diarrhea or food poisoning. So this birthing experience would have to be my first admission to a hospital.

 

We selected Normah simply because hubs company covers for birth and after asking around, most of his colleagues recommended the hospital, and they even recommended the gynae which I have been seeing in the duration of my pregnancy, Dr Suria Idris. Unfortunately Dr Suria was away during my labor, I was attended by Dr Azah instead.

 

 

We had booked a twin sharing room, one of the bed is for me and the other is for hubs. For one thing is to ensure privacy, with the amount of people coming and going from my room, I don't think having a roommate is a good idea and for another thing, this keeps hubs close and comfortable as he can sleep in the other bed. In retrospect, I consider this as one of the best decisions that we've ever made. We had to stay at Normah for about 4 days (because I had to recover from my C-section operation so having an extra bed for hubs is definitely handy).

 

 

Normah provided me with a toiletry kit and this includes a travel toothbrush and toothpaste, a small face towel, a plastic cup and a pair of spoon and fork for me to have my food. How very thoughtful =). I particularly like the plastic cup as it enables you to measure how much you drink in ounces and milliliter (and this cup helps especially when you need to drink medicine and stuff that needs measuring).

 

 

They also gave Alexa a free baby bag and some baby stuff. I'd say this would be Alexa's first experience at a marketing campaign for baby products *haha*.

 

 

Here's Alexa, wheeled straight to our room about 15 minutes after I arrived in the room post C-section. She came home with this lovely blanket, also provided by Normah.

 

What you should know about Normah (although as time progress, changes could have been made therefore what you'll experience if you choose to deliver at Normah could be different than what I have experienced):
1. There are two midwives (usually working in shifts) so during my delivery, I was attended by a different midwife during the day and another during the night. Usually a midwife would attend to you until the delivery stage is near, only then your gynae would be called for.
2. The nursing staff would actually come to your room every morning and evening to inform you that the previous shift has ended and also to introduce to you the ones who will be available for the next shift. I actually liked this the most as it enables me to get to know who to call and I think it also helps the nurses to identify with the patients better.
3. The gynae (in this case Dr Azah) came to visit me and update on my condition several times a day, usually in the morning, right after lunch and early evening.
4. The pediatrician (Dr Alex) would visit us early in the morning and update us on Alexa's condition and also updating on any medical procedures that he has to do on Alexa (like administer a vaccine and stuff).

What I liked about giving birth at Normah is that for one, it was an absolutely comfortable experience. I got as much rest as I needed, the nurses were there to help change me (I literally felt like a baby), and they also gave me a body wipe the morning after the operation. I had wobbly feet (due to anesthetics) so I wasn't able to move much the morning after, but later in the afternoon the doctor advised me to walk as much as I can to aid my recovery so I did as much walking exercise as I could in the privacy of the room. I could call on the nurses any time and also requested them to bring Alexa into my room whenever I want. Alexa was put in a nursery then and as much as I've learnt about skin to skin and gentle birthing, I would have to admit that as a first time mom who's undergone her first ever major operation, I don't think having Alexa in the room right after the operation is a good idea. I could barely even move what more to say on caring for a newborn baby. Although I would have to say that knowing what I know now, it would be a good idea if the baby rooms in with you (and they do allow the baby to room in with you) but as someone recovering from surgery, maybe it would also be prudent for you to make sure you're capable of handling the baby (i.e. carrying the baby etc) to make sure that you don't accidentally injure the baby.

What I don't like about giving birth at Normah for one is the lack of privacy. There's only a curtain separating the labor room and the corridor and you could hear every pitter patter of feet, every conversation, everything that's happening in the corridor and that really does not help you to relax and focus on giving birth. Another thing that I didn't like is the labor bed itself and how labor is conducted, it's not very conducive to birthing. As birthing experts have mentioned, giving birth while laying flat on your back is not easy. I tried to lie on my side but that was not easy too as I was dripped on Pitocin (to induce labor) and the fetal doppler got in the way and I couldn't properly lie on my side either. I think the inability to relax could have contributed to the baby's increased stress as it made it's way down the birthing canal.

What I should have done; on one part I did know that Dr Suria wasn't able to attend to me and another doctor would be attending to my delivery, I should have actually enquired to meet the doctor and at least build rapport with her so that I'd be more comfortable during labor. Failing to build a relationship with the doctor actually added to my apprehension and nervousness. I do think that should I have met the doctor before and discussed with her what my concerns are, some of those fears would have been alleviated. So, I'm taking note on this one and will certainly take precautions to get to know who I'm going into labor with.

So the question is, would I give birth a second time at Normah? Definitely I would. I love the relationship that I have with my gynae, Dr Suria. She's an amazing doctor with an absolutely relaxed attitude to birthing (which helped calmed down my jitters). I also love their service and the attentiveness of the nurses and doctors when I was there. A few days after birth hubs mentioned that I looked absolutely fresh and rested despite just having given birth via C-section.

However I must admit that if there's another hospital offering better birthing possibilities (i.e. birthing in a tub or side lying at least) in Kuching, I would be tempted to try those. After all, it's our body that's experiencing the labor pain and knowing that I have to live the rest of my life with a C-section scar (hopefully this will be the one and only C-section scar for me), I'd better look for the best birthing possible for my next delivery.

Hope my review helps other expecting mommies out there.


xoxo Mrs Fashionista

Do note that as a private hospital, nothing is free at Normah. They will charge for everything that they give to you including each and every needle used, every cotton ball, medicine/ drug administered, the maternity pads, even the blanket and toiletry set.

Fashionista Mommy Adventures: Hypnobirthing Class

Motherhood has indeed opened my eyes to a whole new world and as a newbie, I am definitely excited to learn new things. Having planned for a vaginal birth and ended up with a caesarian (you can read all about my giving birth story here), I am definitely apprehensive for my second one (no, I am not pregnant yet but it's never too early to start preparations for birth, especially when I am planning for a VBAC).

So imagine how excited I am when I learnt of a hypnobirthing course that was to be conducted in Kuching and despite me having given birth just seven months ago and am advised by the doctor to plan for another one at least a year and a half after the previous birth, I decided to enrol for the course. I believe as part of my effort in ensuring the success of a VBAC, I need to take a proactive role in getting to learn what are the risks involved, toning and exercising my body so that it is strong and able to perform a VBAC, taking care of the food that I eat (I am well known for my happy food choices instead of healthy food *blush*) and of course at the end of the day it all depends on what God has in plan for us, I do believe my first caesarian is the best birthing experience for me and Alexa (I had prayed for the best birth for both of us) and if I've tried my all and still have to do a caesarian, maybe God has planned it that way. But, that (fate) does not stop me from trying.

I learnt about the course from a support group that I joined in Facebook (you can look up the group here), made my payment and waited for the day to come. It's a two-day intensive course with loads of open discussions, video presentations and hands-on breathing exercises. The program starts at 9.30 in the morning and ends at 5 pm. In between we have a lunch break from 12.30 pm until 2.15 pm.

Handouts

The hypnobirthing book.

Upon registration, I was given a file filled with handouts, hypnobirthing book (attached with its own CD) and another relaxation CD, plopped myself on a very comfortable sofa and waited for the session to start. There were only five other people in the room, Mellona (who's about 34 weeks pregnant) and her husband (it's supposed to be a couples course but hubs couldn't make it as he wasn't able to leave work), Latifah (not pregnant), Lilian (currently expecting her third child), yours truly (not pregnant) and Nadine (our speaker/ facilitator, and I actually did manage to ask her whether she's expecting *hehe*). You might notice that it's such a small number of participants for an intensive course, but the good thing is, we get to share our stories and experiences with each other and the course felt as if it's very personalised and the best part is, Nadine get to teach and also let us practice each breathing techniques and exercises individually, and with each other.

This is kinda how the course was conducted. And if you're wondering about those mats, yes we did get a chance to roll on them *haha*.

There's Mellona, her husband and Latifah, rapt attention focused on Nadine.

During one of the hands-on activity session, Nadine and Latifah.

Chris presenting a cake to Nadine by the end of the course. Yummylicious! Thank you Chris for the cake!

I'm not going to share much about the course here as I do believe that the best way for you to gain information on hypnobirthing is by attending the course. However, I've come to the conclusion that:

1.  Should I have attended this course before the birth of Alexa, I could have prevented an induction, ethanol and epidural pain relief, even possibly experience a vaginal birth simply by practicing the exercise and breathing techniques that was taught during the course. Note to self: am getting the birth ball soon.

2. I would have known more on deliveries, especially those related to the natural birthing process and water birth (we were shown plenty of videos on those and surprisingly I wasn't squeamish by all of it).

3. I would most probably have felt calmer during my giving birth experience (truth be told, one of the things that terrified me was the possibility of getting an episiotomy).

The course taught me that it is possible to experience and embrace a natural birth and I would have to say among all the things I have done relating to pregnancy and giving birth, this course would have to be the best investment in ensuring the possibility of a gentle birth a reality (I'll definitely share on my second birth experience when I get my second one in the future). I really recommend this course for first-time mothers (or even second, third, fourth time mothers), medical practitioners (so that they know gentle birth does not necessary mean home birth) and also to fathers as well (as they would be the ones in the labor room supporting their wife through the birthing experience).

Interested to know more? You can look up Nadine's website on gentle birth [here]. Seriously, the best investment you could ever make is an investment in yourself and this is one investment you should not miss. If you're wondering about the cost, we paid for about RM800 for the two day course and early birds get to pay only RM780.

Looking forward to a better birthing experience, not only to me but to all mothers out there.


xoxo Mrs Fashionista

Fashionista Mommy Adventures: Six Months Later

Or should I say almost seven months later...

This is definitely one of my favorite shots, a photo of me, hubs and Alexa at Normah Medical Specialist taken by Farhah. Thank you for sharing the photo with us. Alexa's about three days old then. 

This is what I've learnt so far as a mommy:

1. To be patient

Alexa getting her head shaved when she was about three and a half months old. She does have her tantrums once in a while and usually I'd tell her, "Yes, Alexa, I know that it's very, very tough being a little person and unable to convey a message on what's wrong but if it makes you feel better, then cry you must. Let mummy give you a hug to make you feel better."

This is a MUST! Being a mommy is definitely a challenge, as one of my old schoolmates, Alex mentioned during our mini reunion dinner (only five turned up for this mini reunion), raising a child is challenging but it'll get better sooner or later. I've learnt that it takes awhile to get used to the oh so many things in mommyhood i.e. the fussing, crying (though normally I do find that Alexa is one of the most unfussy baby ever!), whimpering (usually when she's sleepy) and especially when you're in a hurry and there's like a million things to settle. So I've learnt to take a deep breath, smile and laugh and take it as one of the experiences that I'm sure I'm going to miss when she's older.

2. To be alert

One of the things that I didn't know before motherhood is that there's plenty of cues that a baby can send out to alert mommies of the many things that they need/ want and if you're alert of those signals, it really makes it easier for you meet the needs and wants of the baby before they need to cry/ wail to get your attention.

Alexa at about five days old. During the early days I couldn't sleep well for fear that I wouldn't hear her crying (when she needed to feed etc). She used to wake up every one and a half or two hours for a feed then. Those days are long past now and I am extremely confident in my ability to wake up at her slightest whimper (although I have caught myself waking up to Alexa lying on me due to me falling asleep soon as she's latched on to feed). 

In Alexa's case, usually she'd stare at my boobies (she is breastfed after all) to hint that she'd like to breastfeed (because if she's full she would be preoccupied with playing and exploring her surroundings). If staring doesn't alert me, then she'd let out a whimper (and if she's in my arms, usually she'd bang her head at my boobies). Usually by that time I'd be ready to feed her so she does not have to resort to crying/ wailing to get me to feed her. 

Me nursing Alexa at Dubai Restaurant in Itaewon, Seoul. A nursing cover/ poncho is definitely a must-bring item for us. It's not only useful for times like these, it also doubles as a blanket for Alexa or a shoulder wrap for me when it's cold. 

3. I can't DO everything

Although I do breastfeed Alexa, she has stopped exclusive breastfeeding since she's about five months old. And since then she has to be supplemented with formula (during the day) although she's breastfed whenever she's with me (i.e. during the night or weekends and public holidays when I'm with her). I find it to be rather challenging to find a suitable time to pump (I am in the teaching line therefore it is definitely not possible for me to pump when teaching in class) and sometimes due to work demands and lack of time at most I can pump a maximum of three times a day and minimum of once a day (and on some days when it's really hectic, I can't even find the time to pump at all). Initially I was really, really stressed out by the fact that my supply has dropped (due to stress, failing to pump on schedule and dehydration) and I can't supply enough to Alexa but now I've rather accepted the fact that sometimes I can't pump and sometimes I can. I reckon it's better to enjoy the moment as it is and breastfeed as long as possible.

4. Make the most out of what I have

There's too many things to do in life and sometimes we do feel as if we're in a rush (this semester is one of the most stressful semester I've ever experienced due to a heavy teaching load i.e. 20 hours of teaching and updates in the syllabus due to changes in the current financial environment in Malaysia) so on busier days I actually spend only ONE HOUR with Alexa (excluding her sleeping hours) and this makes me really disappointed but then again, I try to make the most of the time that I have with her and ensure that she gets my full attention within the time that we're able to spend together.

In case you're wondering, that ONE HOUR period consists of 30 MINUTES in the morning where I'd wake her up to give her a bath (this is usually where I'd sing or talk to her) followed by grooming where I'd give her a little massage while putting some baby oil (on her head/ hair), baby lotion (all over her body), baby balm (on her bum) and aromatic oil (minyak telon/ minyak yuyi or minyak kayu putih) for her tummy and back. The other 30 MINUTES usually happens when I come back late from work (she's already bathed by the maid then) and we spend time playing together (usually she'd be on her tummy and I'd either be on my tummy too or sometimes she'd be sitting in my lap and I'd be reading a book to her).

Another one of my favorite moments is when Alexa got to accompany us for Eid-ul Adh prayers. She's about five months old then. Am trying to slot in more times for me to recite the Quran with her on my lap, Inshaa Allah.

5. Be thankful

This is us with Alexa on the ERL back from Kuala Lumpur when she was 4 months old. 

This is among the things that I constantly remind myself about. I am definitely thankful for what Allah has given to me, Alexa is an absolutely wonderful gift (despite the hectic schedule, lack of sleep, waking up several times in the middle of night for feeding during her first month or so, lack of rest etc.) I definitely cherish this moment and if possible would like to treasure for as long as I can.

6. Having a good support system is important

Hubs and Alexa during breakfast at Hilton Hotel, Kuching. We decided to check in to the hotel to join in the fun during Regatta (an annual boat race event in Kuching). Alexa is about 3 months and a week old then. 

Having people to help out is really, really important as it can get taxing (especially if you're a first time mom or maybe more so when you have more children later on) so having people around you to help out is definitely useful. We do have a maid at home that helps out with the cooking and cleaning and my grandma, my mom and in laws (sometimes) do help out in looking after Alexa during the day (and the night when we need to attend dinner functions or simply go out for a date night). This enables us to take time off from the baby and focus on what is most important in the family, us. I do believe that in order for a family to be strong the parents (or parent if you're a single mother or father) must be able to show love, patience, strength and stability to the child.

If you need support in bringing up your child or maybe there's a question that's on your mind, you can join this amazing mummy support group that I joined on Facebook, click [here]. There's plenty of questions, discussions even sales and purchase made in the group and the best part is, they're all trying their best to cope with motherhood too.

The great-grandmother and her great-granddaughter. Alexa is about six months and three weeks old when this photo was taken. Granny (with the help of our maid of course) looks after her during the day when I'm at work. 

As a mom of an almost seven months old baby, this are the things that I have found out:

1. Preparing for a baby is definitely a good thing

Having the nine months to prepare for the baby's arrival and reading books on What to Expect When You're Expecting (this one helped me during my pregnancy), French Children don't Throw Food and Brain Rules for Baby really helped me handle certain things with Alexa.

Among the things that I learnt from the book is on training her to sleep. What we did was to train her brain to recognize day and night (this training started right after we came back from the hospital). When she sleeps during the day I'd make sure that the room is bright and when it's night time we'd switch off the lights at around 8.30 pm and just relied on a night light. Even when she wakes up for her night feeds, the room is still in darkness (except for the night light). So now whenever we want her to sleep, usually between 8.30 pm to 10 pm (sometimes we do get home late and Alexa is a light sleeper so she'd wake up when we carry her to bed) we'd put her under the covers and switch off the lights. The best part is, she'd be out in minutes after switching off the lights! However, I do have to remind myself that consistency is the key to success therefore I must make sure that she's in bed latest by 10 pm and if I want to settle some work/ chores, I have to do them in the dark with the help of the night light or should I need some light I do the work in the living room or dining room instead.

2. Babies are a blank canvas

A baby develops the habits that you impart to them therefore it is good to teach them good habits. Like when teaching Alexa to use the car seat, it took us a good two weeks to get her used to being in a car seat when she's in the car. This training started when she's about two months old (about a month before I had to start work). We'd put her in the car seat and I'd send hubs to work (about 10 - 15 minutes drive away). When she was first in the car seat, she cried her eyes out and wailed so loudly that I had to stop by the side of the road and calm her down before continuing to drive back home. This occurred for several days (her crying and me having to stop by the side of the road). About a week later she did kinda get used to having to sit in the car seat but not for long (usually for about 10 minutes or so before starting to cry). However the crying was not as loud as when we first started training her in the car seat therefore we decided to just drive back home (and at the same time talk to her/ hold her hand etc). We succeeded almost two weeks later and from then on she's in the car seat whenever we're in the car.

Hubs putting Alexa in the car seat. She's almost two months old here. The uneven patch of hair is due to her mom (that's me) shaving her hair unevenly when she was about a month old. 

Here she is peacefully sleeping during one of the car rides. She's about two months and a half here. 

Here's Alexa at six months old all relaxed in the car seat. This was not taken in the car but actually at a restaurant where we decided to bring the car seat out and let her sit in it while we have breakfast. 

3. Baby gadgets/ gears are a good thing

Among the things that I've bought in helping me out are a sterilizer, bottle warmer and now a steamer and blender (all from Philips). I am still using the sterilizer especially for my breast pump and milk storage bottles a few times a week and the bottle warmer is now used for warming her food daily (her food is prepared twice a week and refrigerated). I recently bought the steamer and blender after she turned six months and am using it several times a week to prepare her food (I have to be honest here that it's not me using it but the maid). I've stopped using the manual pump and have since replaced it with an electric double pump which I've been bringing to work daily.

Here's Alexa at six months in a bumbo seat (it was given to her as a present by my cousins during my confinement) complete with a washable plastic bib getting ready for her solids. The bumbo seat has been really great (she hated it first but got used to it later) in helping us during her meal times and we even let her join us in the kitchen (where we plop the bumbo seat on the kitchen table) when I cook and during our mealtimes. 

The stroller, diaper bag and car seat (we have two car seats so we haven't really used the one that we bought but am using another that was given as a gift to us) is permanently left/ installed in the car and we use it whenever we're out. I'll post a review on all those later as my blogging time is rather limited now due to me having to juggle between work and focusing on the baby (and also spending time with hubs). Hubs did mention that he's grateful we did not get an expensive diaper bag (and I agree with what he says) because the diaper bag is among one of the most well used (hint: abused) items in my baby gear.

Alexa sleeping in the stroller when she was about three weeks old. One of the features on the stroller that we feel is very important is its ability to fully recline and so far we're really happy with the performance of this Esprit Sun Plus 11 stroller.

4. Be prepared to change/ adapt to circumstances

Alexa at six months and three weeks in the shopping trolley. Oh how time flies when you're having fun!

There are some things that goes on as we planned (like using the car seat and stroller whenever we're out) and some did not happened as planned. Among one of them is the baby cot (we bought Graco Pack n Play as Alexa's baby cot and later play pen) which we did not use as much as we hoped to. Although we initially planned on Alexa sleeping in the playpen, which we did practice in the early days (she slept in the bassinet in the first month or so because she's super tiny and we're afraid that we might accidentally squish her), however we find that we enjoyed co-sleeping with her more than letting her sleep in her own cot. Therefore she's co-sleeping with us (for now) and is only left in the playpen when we're in the shower/ toilet (so she does use the playpen daily, just not for sleep though).

Here's Alexa at six months and a half during one of the rare afternoons when I'm at home. So I let her in the baby cot while I try to complete marking my students' papers. 

She complained (cried) about an hour and a half later so I decided to let her join me and play next to me instead. And no, I did not get much work done that afternoon. But I did enjoy having her as company. 

5. Don't sweat the small stuff

 

You know that a baby's development (weight and size) are plotted on a graph whenever you go the clinic right? Don't worry if your baby is less or more than the national average. Alexa is petite for her age, currently (at seven months) she's only weighing roughly about 7 kilos (she was born weighing 3.05 kilos) and a lot of people have commenting how small she is. As Dr. Jack Newman (and Alexa's pediatrician) mentioned, as long as she's feeding well, pooping and peeing (for breastfeeding mommies who are unsure of how much milk they're producing, wet diapers = plenty of milk) well, despite the lack of weight gain or size, as long as she's well fed, she's alright. However, should you notice frequent than usual poops, increase in temperature (fever), lack of interest in eating, or anything of concern, bring her to the doctor immediately.

 

So motherhood is all about being flexible and being able to do it in your own way and imprinting to your young ones the habits and experiences that they'll bring with them when they're older. Yes I do have people coming up to me and commenting (negatively) on certain things that I do (specifically bringing a three-month old baby to Seoul and also letting a six-month old sit in the trolley). Those comments I do take with a pinch of salt. If needed, I'll amend my actions accordingly (like taking her out of the trolley about a minute later). I do have moments where I need some space, and I do take a breather once in a while (same thing applies to hubs too) but what I find to be most important is to cherish the moments as and when they come (like enjoying having Alexa next to me when I sleep or getting to play with her and get her up in giggles).

Looking forward to her seventh-month birthday tomorrow and many more future birthdays to come.

To love and positivity.

 

 

xoxo Mrs Fashionista

Food in Borneo: Bella Italia

Note: This was supposed to be posted last month, but I totally forgot that to post this entry after writing it.

 

A few days ago a friend of ours, Qana had posted some photos of her dinner at Bella Italia which prompted hubs to ask me on the place since he'd never been here. I've been here a couple of times and I do love their selection of Italian food (it is an Italian restaurant after all) so we decided to stop by for lunch. 

 

The restaurant's interior

 

The restaurant's interior

And here are some of the food that we ordered:

 

 

Appetizer: Bruschetta

 

Main: Fettucine salmon

 

Dessert: Tiramisu

All in all our food costs about RM49. Not bad eh? We absolutely adore the bruschetta and tiramisu. The fettucine salmon was quite okay but the bruschetta and tiramisu was heavenly!

So if you're craving for Italian food, Bella Italia might be the best place to go to satisfy your craving. Although I must admit I've never been to Italy before and have never tasted authentic Italian food, so for those who have done so, your experience dining here might differ from mine. Bella Italian is located among the row of shops opposite of Four Points by Sheraton, Kuching. It's about less than a minute walking distance to the hotel. 

To glorious food. 

xoxo Mrs Fashionista