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Fatherkao loves... Food, glorious food! Going Out! Invites & Tryouts Motherkao loves... Reviews The Kao Kids

Stealthy, steady success for a 40th birthday bash – Part 2

August 20, 2014

So the husband turned 40 earlier this August, and was given total VIP treatment by me, the kids and the good people at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport.

And because Changi Airport, particularly Terminal 3, is our family’s favouritest place in this country, it was especially special for us to be celebrating Fatherkao’s birthday there, staycating at one of the ‘World’s Top Ten Airport Hotels’.

From my stealth liaising a month before the birthday surprise to the day we checked out, my family was warmly hosted at Crowne Plaza. The Marketing Manager was fully attentive to the needs of our family of five as she arranged for us to check into the 36-square-metres Deluxe Twin Club Room with an extra rollaway bed so we could all sleep comfortably. And when she learned that the entire staycation would be a surprise birthday celebration for Fatherkao, she gamely offered to place a cake in the room so I didn’t have to run around the airport with kids in tow to hunt for one prior to checking in.

The Crowne Plaza Deluxe Twin Room: two little people are getting comfortable!

Checking out the room, and lazing on the rollaway bed

The glass panelled bathroom! And so we thought we'd be in full view of everyone when we shower, until we found blinds!

The glass panelled bathroom! And so we thought we’d be in full view of everyone when we shower, until we found the blinds!

I did nothing but turn up, check in, blow the balloons and light the candles with the kids to create some party atmosphere for the birthday boy.

This was special delivery, arranged by the Marketing Manager, who thought it’d be nice to have a cake at check in. The Lobby Lounge has one of the best cake selections, in my opinion. Because this cake was absolute heaven.

We were also given exclusive Club Lounge Access, and there, the kids got juice, the adults had coffee, and we all spent a lovely afternoon together after the cake-cutting, watching Fatherkao teach Ben how to play a game a chess.

Ready to lounge!

First, some chess. Then, some juice!

The Club Lounge at Crowne Plaza Hotel Changi Airport was such a respite. At the lounge, we could look out and see the bustling city traffic on one side and a calming rainforest pool view on the other. The best part of it was, we had the place largely to ourselves.

City view from the Club window

Pool view from the Club window

We checked out the pool after we were done with our lounging, and I must say, I haven’t seen so much open space for a while in concrete jungle Singapore.

A pool with a view when you look out and up

I’ve never swam in a pool like this, amidst lush greenery and wooden sun decks. It was like being in an island resort while in a city. I loved the space I could look out to, and the planes I could look up at. The kids enjoyed exploring the pool in their floats, although the water was extremely cold and being in it made our teeth chatter so much we had to head to the bathtub in the room immediately after for a warm soak.

I think the kids had the most fun being in the bathtub in full view of us looking in from the room on our beds. Give these kids warm water any time. They haven’t learned to swim yet so they’d much prefer the safety of the tub.

Before dinner we headed to the Club Lounge again, which was on the same floor as our room and the pool – and oh how so convenient to just pop by whenever we wanted – to enjoy evening cocktails, mocktails and canapés. I loved that at 5.30pm when we were there, there was absolutely no one (the hotel folks say the tourists usually head out to town and weekends are quieter than weekdays). We had the entire lounge to ourselves, and were given such royal treatment, getting served drinks of our choice, snacks and then getting our photos taken.

Oh the spread of canapes! This was like dinner for me!

Oh the spread of canapés! This was like dinner for us already!

We sneaked out while the littlest was napping to have some snacks and drinks

I had a mocktail, he had a Singapore Sling!

Can you tell? The birthday boy was one happy camper, and was savouring every minute of his 40th birthday.

Later in the evening, we were hosted by Azur, the award-winning restaurant at Level 2 in Crowne Plaza for Fatherkao’s birthday dinner, and had some of his closest buds join us for more celebration over food, wine and laughs. At the restaurant, we talked and laughed over a good buffet spread of Eastern and Western cuisines – something which we haven’t done so with our friends for a while.

And what an even more pleasant surprise to find that there was yet another surprise for the birthday boy with yet another birthday song and cake.

Everyone's really making sure the birthday boy realises he is 40!

Everyone’s really making sure somebody realises he is 40!

Fatherkao was more than happy to be eating cake again. Not before he tried to clean off the zero in the ‘40‘ which was piped on his plate.

So he cleaned off the zero, and wished he was 4 instead

Still in denial, this man.

After dinner, the men continued with more wine and talk, while their wives and kids lazed in the cosy hotel room. Nothing would have pleased my husband more than this: to be able to enjoy good wine with his buddies whom he has known for decades and to cheers to more good years ahead.

The best things in life: food, friends and family

Someone once said, “Men are like wine – some turn to vinegar but the best improve with age.” I certainly married someone that’s turning into fine wine at 40.

You’re not old, dear. You’re just mature.

——-

Thank you, everyone that came to make Fatherkao’s day, and Crowne Plaza Hotel Changi Airport, for your hospitality and impeccable service. You’ve made this birthday really special and have set the standard for all the other staycations to come, because Fatherkao says it’s the best one he’s had so far. We’ve done A LOT of staycations since 2004, and if he says so, you’re truly something!

——–

Disclosure: Crowne Plaza Hotel Changi Airport sponsored our 2D1N staycation-and-birthday-celebration for Fatherkao, and hosted us at Azur for dinner. We had exclusive access to the Crowne Plaza Club, and had our breakfast there the next day as well. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and this post was a result of the wonderful experience we’ve had celebrating a milestone and being pampered silly. This may be the most unlikely place to consider having a staycation, but I tell you – the SPACE you get! Being away from the crowd and having such exclusivity is totally worth it, if you’re someone like me who is tired of too many malls, too many people and too much noise.

This was our breakfast at the Club Lounge – we had the place all to ourselves on a beautiful Sunday morning

The entrance to Crowne Plaza

More details:

Crowne Plaza is connected to Changi Airport’s Terminal 3 via a seamless, air-conditioned link bridge that gives you easy access to the shops and F&B outlets that operate round-the-clock.

A 2D1N stay in a deluxe room on a weekend starts from SGD263 and includes breakfast. The deluxe rooms feature an ergonomic workspace, comfortable beds, ensuite bathroom with separate rainshower and bathtub, and free WiFi connection.

Overnight parking is available at the airport for SGD20.

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Fatherkao loves... Going Out! Happy days Invites & Tryouts Motherkao loves... Reviews The Kao Kids

Stealthy, steady success for a 40th birthday bash – Part 1

August 19, 2014

I’ve known this man for 14 years, and ever since he became my husband 10 years ago, I have never kept a secret from him.

Not until I had to plan a birthday surprise for him this year.

Fatherkao was getting all pensive and in a totally reflective state about turning 40 (and the worst hit came when he received the letter for Eldershield, hurhurhur), and I’d thought that a birthday party was in order to turn turning 40 into an occasion to celebrate.

I started a secret whatsapp chat with all his buddies (who incidentally have also turned 40 a few years ago) and amidst jokes that they would all be getting him Salonpas Pain Relief Patches for his birthday present, they all agreed to come and spend the day with him because there was nothing he would appreciate more than good company and wine. I changed the passcode to my phone and operated completely by stealth to liaise with the wonderful folks at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport who were so extremely kind and generous to host us for a staycation and dinner. I packed everything for the stay, including his, only on that morning of the staycation day itself (while Fatherkao was out) and told him that I’ll be whisking him away for a holiday – and so he had to meet me and the kids at the airport.

Our plan that day was to check into the hotel room before meeting him, prep the room with balloons, and take him there to surprise him with cake.

I knew he knew the impossibility of me taking him away for a holiday by plane even though his birthday fell on a Saturday, and I was sure he even suspected that we were heading for a staycation, but I was glad he played along any way when I asked him to meet me at T3. He loves the airport, and since Terminal 3 has always been our favourite place to hang out as a family he had nary a grumble when I told him we’ve missed the plane and lunch at Pasta Mania would be his birthday treat instead.

And then when lunch was over, I told him we would be heading to the hotel lounge at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport for desserts (the first time I lied so blatantly in front of the kids who have already checked in with me way before lunch, blew up balloons and prepped the place). The kids and I were doing our best to keep the secret of a staycation in, although the excitement was already building up to such a level we could hardly contain it! Fatherkao kept asking the kids what was going to happen, and they were so game to play along by telling him it’s all a secret.

Until I gave the secret away. Unknowingly.

We walked past Bata at B2 on our way to Crowne Plaza and Becks asked when I was getting her the pair of princess shoes she’s been wanting to buy, and I said, “Tomorrow, k? Let’s buy it tomorrow.”

Fatherkao turned to me, and asked with a grin, “So… staycation, right? Cos’ tomorrow we’re coming back here to buy shoes.”

BUSTED.

Still, with the secret out, we managed to give him a really pleasant surprise by bringing him to the hotel room, getting him to walk in with his eyes closed, and having the loveliest raspberry and chocolate mousse cake ever together – oh, the decadence!

Despite my slip, it was still a big surprise for the big boy who blew out four big candles on his big four-o.

The secret’s out, you’re 40, happy birthday, my love!

———

More about our awesome birthday celebration and staycation at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport in Part 2 here, and why this staycation has set the standard for all the others to come.

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(Self) Examination Invites & Tryouts The real supermom

Onwards to staying fit and fab, and running to live great

August 17, 2014

How much running took place yesterday? A lot to me – since my JC days!

Ever since I joined the Great Eastern Women’s Run ‘Run To Live Great’ Programme as their influencer, I’ve been trying to convince myself that running can be fun, and most importantly, that I can run.

Anyone who knows me knows I never run and how much I dislike it. When I was 16, I walked the entire Cross Country route of my school’s annual Cross Country event at MacRitchie Reservoir as a sign of protest of how much I hated to be made to run every single year. I’m not going to the army, I’m not going to pursue anything athletic, why, oh why do you torture me like this, was what I always asked my PE teacher.

Now at 33, I suffer from constant fatigue and high cholesterol. If only I had made the decision to exercise regularly at an earlier age. Why, oh why, did I not have that maturity to understand that whatever I sow, I also reap.

Someone once told me, “If you want energy, sow it.”

Yesterday, I took time out to sow MORE energy into my life. I’ve already started to take small steps by jogging at least once a week for 15 to 20 minutes to get my heart rate up in preparation for the 5km I have to run in November, but yesterday was a major leap forward for the training.

At the Training Run organised by the GEWR’s ‘Run To Live Great’ Programme yesterday morning, I went through a session of understanding the different heart rate zones and experiencing what the various intensity levels of exercise feel like.

So I learned that exercise can be divided into three intensity zones: light, moderate and hard. Each of these intensity levels corresponds to various fitness improving mechanisms in our body.

When we alternate between intensity zones, we improve our fitness in the long run.

Greek to you? Actually, me too. But because I was put through the practical, I understood what all these zoning zones mean exactly.

Because this was what I did:

* Light intensity zone = slow run for 300 metres, then warm up with some stretches. Continue to jog at a comfortable pace for 1km

* Moderate intensity zone = Jumping Jacks, High Knee, Run-Like-Mad-On-the-Spot + run a little faster than the light intensity jog for 1.5km

* Hard intensity zone = 2 x 500m walk lunges, 1 x 500m walk-and-twist lunge, 3 x 500m shuttle run + 400m sprint + 2.5km jog

The kind of lunges we had to do, as demonstrated by our trainer, Adrian

The kind of lunges we had to do for 500 metres, 3 times, as demonstrated by our trainer, Adrian

* And then warm down with stretches using a weight from something we can easily find, like a 2-litre water bottle

Stretching and taking a selfie

Yep, these were all I did to understand exercise zones. Yes, the walk-to-protest-at-Cross-Country-unfit-me.

Which all equals to nothing but a super ZONED-OUT me.

Training in zones = zoned out

It’s now officially agonising to walk and climb the stairs and carry my littlest because every single muscle on my calves and thighs and butt and feet are aching like crazy, that plus every other muscle I never knew existed.

But it has been fun training with a bunch of enthusiastic and lively women I ran and perspired buckets with yesterday morning, and I am beginning to think that running can be fun, if and only when it’s done with a group of people who has such a zest for life, like the ladies I met yesterday.

GEWR 2014 Polar Loop Training Run
Photo Credit: GEWR 2014

I have been inspired much yesterday. Inspired to live great, not because I am forced to, but because I get to. What a privilege!

—-

If you’re unfit like me but want to start a quest towards getting your fitness level up, you could try doing the workouts that I shared at the light intensity zone and the moderate intensity zone. You can also follow some of the moms here on the Fit and Fab Blog Train to get some exercise tips, motivation and advice.

—-

Next on the Blog Train is Jenn, who was an athlete in her schooling days. Ever since her only son was born, she could hardly find time to exercise. Her energy level declined and her health condition deteriorated fast, especially in these last two years. She decided that she should work on her health, so when Alicia from beanienus.blogspot.sg invited mom bloggers to join the Fit and Fab Blog Train, she was more than happy to participate and share with her readers her struggles.

Follow her blog to find out the steps she has taken to regain her fitness once again.

—-

Read also: how my quest to getting fit began here.

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Enrichment Learning fun! The Kao Kids

Rise & Expo: Giveaways, a discount code and more

August 13, 2014

The Rise & Shine Expo is back this year, and it’s promising to be bigger and even better, with double the size of 6,800 square metres as compared to last year’s and plenty of shopping fun, enrichment trials and entertainment.

Rise & Shine 2014 is happening next weekend from 22 August to 24 August 2014 at Suntec Convention Hall 401 – 404, and just like last year, this is one event that can proudly claim to be the only parenting event in Singapore dedicated to nurturing our children holistically. We still have fond memories of drawing and colouring fish in “Colour My Feeling” last year, the first record-breaking colouring contest in Singapore, and spending a couple of hours visiting booths and meeting mascots.

Ben and Becks a year ago, at the Rise & Shine ‘Colour My Feeling’ Colouring Contest

Where I also got to judge entries from a different age category

Where I also got to judge and pick the winning entries from a different age category

Once again this year, we can all expect a fun funfair and lots of booths offering exclusive discounts on enrichment classes, preschool programmes, toys, books, children apparel, organic food products, as well as an enriching event packed with parenting workshops and trial classes for craft and cooking, sports, the performing arts, as well as literacy and academics offered throughout the weekend. There are also stage programmes and fun activities lined up for the kids too throughout the fair, so it looks set to be a weekend that’ll be meaningfully fun!

As Rise & Shine’s partner blogger, I’ve been given the privilege to:

Host 2 trial passes for 2 classes of my choice

— I chose sports trials at Ready Steady Go Kids, a multi-sport and exercise programme (with 3 trial time slots to choose from) and Krav Maga Self Defense System, a practical self-defence system developed in Israel (with 6 trial classes to choose from)

Offer a 70% discount to the same 2 classes if you sign up for them – Ready Steady Go Kids and Krav Maga

— Usual price for a trial class: SGD10 + $50 worth of goodie bag

Offer a 70% discount to the Creative Thinkers of the 21st Century – How You Can Help Your Child Be One Workshop (23 August, 10am – 12pm) conducted by Lorna Whiston Academy

— Usual price SGD15 for single, SGD 20 for couple

So…

If you wish to utilise the discount, enter MOTHERKAO in the Promotional Code when you register for the 2 programmes I’ve chosen. The same promo code applies to the parenting workshop.

Or…

Participate in the giveaways here on this blog using the Rafflecopter App! (Ends 18 August, 12am)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It’s going to be an exciting weekend for the young and old, so see you at the Rise & Shine Expo this year!

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Ben Kao Fatherkao loves... Invites & Tryouts Learning fun! Milestones and growing up Product Reviews

Imagining a LEGOverse

August 13, 2014

I have a LEGO-obsessed firstborn.

My five-year-old loves LEGO. He’s loved it since the days of playing with the Quadro and Duplo. He loves the smaller bricks even more now with the endless possibilities of building and rebuilding, creating and recreating.

Every morning when he wakes, he heads to his LEGO tub, pulls some bricks out along with a troop of minifigures and enters a realm of imagination that is nothing but fascinating. He makes up stories, invents characters and builds systems and machines. I have to say we’ve indeed indulged him with a little too much of a good thing by buying him close to a hundred minifig blind packs, which also means we get frequent entertainment featuring hilarious characters and story lines.

Like robots in Viking garb on surfboards and strange men in helmets wearing animal costumes. And rock stars on ice skates wearing wigs, riding dragons and flying planes.

Too funny for words, it often is.

Recently, Ben got to take home this from LEGO, which got him really excited. He’s not yet near ‘8-14’, as was the suggested age range, and figured he might need lots of help to make sense of the instructions and piecing the parts together, so he got his father (who loves LEGO too and was the one who started the Kao kids on it) to promise to be his help and guide during construction.

And to walk out of the office holding this – was awesome cool for the big LEGO fan!

Despite being really thrilled, the boy waited very patiently for weeks for his busy father to carve time out to build the given set with him. Fatherkao promised to build the Eris Fire Eagle Flyer with him as part of their ‘Special Time’ together, and because he promised, Ben patiently waited.

So what did he do while waiting? He admired the box daily (which he proudly displayed on his desk and declared ‘Hands Off, It’s Mine’ to his siblings) and went on to create supporting storylines as part of his daily LEGO routine based on that one image he has from the box through imaginative play with his loose set of bricks and lots of role-playing with his siblings.

This boy actually knew nothing about The Legends of Chima, and the various warring animal tribes. He saw a wolf, a bear and an eagle from the picture on the box and went on make up stories of conflict and peace featuring the eternal, universal theme of good versus evil. It was quite entertaining to hear him weave stories around animals, with Wolf being the baddie on some days but the good guy on one or two occasions, and Eagle as the hero that would save others from their distress.

Last night, he finally pieced the Eris Fire Eagle Flyer with his father, following the instructions page by page, interlocking and stacking brick by brick.

Here’s looking at the construction from start to finish, from Ben’s eyes:

Yay, ‘Special Time’ at last!

Box’s opened, and packs are taken out and sorted first

Look at the instruction booklet and start with the building - part by part

Dada says look at the instruction booklet and let’s start building – part by part

Ready? Sort…Make space…And go!

I’m a Master Builder, everything’s awesome!

Click, click, click!

Little hands need bigger hands for precision and sliding parts in...

I need bigger hands for precision and sliding parts in

Dada, I'll try to make as many parts on my own, says Ben

But I’ll try to make and fix as many smaller parts as I can

Is it night already: the boys needed better lighting for the finishing touches, so construction was shifted to the living room. Initially they were in the bedroom so the littlest hands could be kept away, and father and son could get time alone together

It’s night already? Better lighting is needed for the finishing touches, so we need to construct in the living room. (They were in the bedroom before this so the littlest hands could be kept away, and father and son could get time alone together.)

And let's hear it for the big boys with a collective WOW now

We’ve finished!

Built by big and little hands, my dad and I!

Post-construction, I was so glad my son didn’t declare he needed the parts glued together or displayed as a trophy. He was protective of it, yes he was, but that was because he was preparing to spend a whole lot of time “imagining everything” in Chima all by himself.

And so it began: the grunting, talking and ‘boy noises’ with that Eagle Flyer. He even roped his little brother in for the action.

Can you hear them? It’s Beeesh… Chebaaaabooom… Weeeee…. Oooooohhh…. Baaaaahh… in case you can’t figure it out.

Absorbed in LEGOverse

I’m pretty sure I am not the only mom whose children have created an entire universe of LEGO play, making up stories, creating characters and building machines along the way. A lot of imagining goes into inventing that LEGOverse where nothing is stagnant, and even more dexterity and hand-eye coordination goes into bringing everything in that universe to life.

What I always knew was that a box of LEGO bricks would take my children into the realm of informal learning through play, and by that I’ve always only thought it to be developing their creativity and fine motor skills. What I didn’t realise (but eventually did after watching father and son build something together) was that beyond informal learning through play, a set of LEGO bricks could also promote role modelling and bonding, instill patience and encourage focus. It also taught my son to visualise and gave him a huge sense of achievement to be making something so massive from nothing.

And then invite him to play and imagine some more.

***

This post originally appeared here on https://sg.news.yahoo.com/imagining-a-legoverse-055034243.html.

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Food, glorious food! Motherkao loves... Nat Kao

For the love of Korean food (II): jjajangmyeon

August 2, 2014

The other day I had to make jjajangmyeon.

Because?

Because this:

Gah, why so cool, Woo Bin-sshi. You had me at jjajangmyeon

I referred to the recipe from Maangchi and adapted it to suit the tastebuds of the kids. I bought the blackbean paste from the Cold Storage at Compass Point and a pack of buckwheat noodles conveniently placed next to the blackbean paste on the shelves.

Instead of pork belly, I used 假腰肉 (literally translated: fake waist meat), a part of the pig which the kids like to eat, and which is also cheaper than the loin fillet. Or sometimes just strips of shabu shabu pork. And instead of the zucchini, daikon and potatoes, I used carrots and some bunashimeji mushrooms, and of course lots of onions.

When they are all diced, here goes:

1. Stir fry pork with vegetable oil (I use Knife’s Shallot Oil) until golden brown, remove pork from pan and pour away excess oil

2. Stir fry vegetables beginning with hardest to the softest: so carrots, onions, mushrooms

3. Clear a space in the centre of the wok by pushing ingredients to the edges

4. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in the centre of the wok and then the blackbean paste (I added whole pack the first time, and 3/4 the second when I made jjajangbap). Stir with wooden spoon for 1 minute. Mix everything in the wok and keep stirring.

5. Add 2 cups of water and 2 tablespoon of brown sugar (I found the paste really salty!) and simmer for 10 min

6. Open the lid, stir for a well mixed thick consistency and add a little sesame oil (I totally skipped the starch)

7. Serve with noodles or rice

My kids don’t like cucumbers, so I topped my dish with sesame seeds instead.

Gah, why so cute Nat Kao-sshi, you make me want to cook this everyday just to admire the moustache.

Read also For the Love of Korean Food (I): Simple Homecooked here

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Invites & Tryouts Milestones and growing up Nat Kao The Kao Kids

We all breathe easy now, all thanks to Drypers Drypantz – phew!

July 30, 2014

Most parents use pants diapers when their child is ready for toilet training. Afterall, this wonderful invention disguising diapers as cool-looking, puffy-soft undies (or training pants, as many call it) can help so much in preventing accidents and unnecessary stress for both parent and child. We tell our little one, Look at you. You’re older now. You’ve been promoted. To this thing called pants diapers. And when you think you want to do a wee, just pull this down, ok?

When I had my first kid, yea, this was exactly what I did. It was the rite of passage for every child. It was the rite of passage for every mom. I bought Ben a trainer urinal and used pants diapers when he was 18 months to tell him that it can be pulled down so he could pee directly at the urinal whenever the urge came. But if he couldn’t go fast enough, he didn’t need to worry at all about anything.

We succeeded with toilet training in no time.

When I had Becks, it got smoother. Regardless of whether she was wearing diapers or pants diapers, that little girl disliked them and preferred to wear Hello Kitty underwear. Those pink things were her incentives and motivation to get potty training right and settled. These days the pants diapers serve a different function with her at 4 years old. You see, she’s a clean freak like me. So when she steps into public toilets that are dirty, she’d immediately request to put her pants diapers on.

Thank God for XXL.

For the first two kids: Wearing pants diapers the moment they were active and toilet training when they were ready

With Nat, we have a completely different story. The moment he started flipping away from me and crawling off like Speedy Gonzales while he was being diapered as a baby, I switched him to Drypers Drypantz. In fact, the M size Drypers Drypantz (for toddlers weighing 7kg to 12kg) was like a godsend then for a tired mother (that’s me) who had to constantly deal with an active child (that’s Nat) who incidentally also loved exploring the pee that came out from his private part (true story).

If you have met my third child, you would have seen for yourself how frisky he is, how agile he can be and how much energy he has. If you’re also as unfit as I am, you’d probably lose to this little human in a game of tag. So his Drypantz being a pants diaper can be put on in a matter of seconds. With Drypers Drypantz, anyone can get him diapered immediately, hassle-free.

Oh, how much convenience and comfort this invention has benefitted both of us! God bless the person who thought of the idea of pulling a diaper up and tearing it at the sides when we’re done. With someone as active as Nat, I need him in his Drypers Drypantz every day for an ease of mind.

The new improved Drypers Drypantz is giving me even more relief and a larger, (much larger) piece of mind. This is because I am now assured that even if he has to run around in his Drypers Drypantz every waking minute (he uses Drypers Wee Wee Dry when he sleeps, which is the brand I totally swear by to keep the kids’ pee in through the night, but I digress), the little boy gets ultimate comfort wearing those pants diapers.

I also especially love how Drypers Drypantz has this Comfort Fit™ waistband that gives my boy maximum softness and comfort and leaves him with absolutely ZERO pressure marks and redness.

And as for my little boy, he especially loves how he can put on his Drypers Drypantz on his own, just by looking at the little cute bird which would tell him which side’s front and which was back when he was wearing the XL. And now the busy bees tell him the same for the XXL. So clever, Drypers.

Yes, at two years of age he now puts on his pants diapers himself. Now, for a step-by-step visual tutorial by Nat Kao. Check out how he so easily extends the Comfort Fit™ waistband with his hands, slides his legs in, tugs it up and how his Drypantz fits snugly on him.

Slide legs in and start pulling Drypantz up

Pull, pull, pull!

The wonders of the Comfort Fit™ Waistband: No matter how he tugs and pulls, it’s stays intact without tearing and remains soft to the touch

Wa la! How easy is that! Now the back view – snug and fitting

And the front view, all nicely pulled up

Strike a model pose!

Just when you think things cannot get any cuter, Drypers now has two adorable mascots to help show us what exactly Comfort Fit™ is. Meet Airy, the colourful little pinwheel that embodies breathability and better air circulation, and Softie, the fluffy little blue cloud that embodies softness and comfort.

Meet Airy…

… and Softie

Drypers_DPZ_Breathe-Easy_Media-Images_Campaign-Mnemonic

…Who is here to help our little ones breathe easy!

Drypers surely innovate on the visuals too. How cute can these diapers and diaper mascots get?

Drypers has come a long way since the days of their noisy scotch-tape-like fastening for its Wee Wee Dry range and its synthetically textured Drypantz that felt like plastic to the touch. Over the years, I’ve seen Drypers innovate and improve from packaging to product quality, and that to me is testament of how a trusted brand pays attention to the needs of both parent and child. Drypers Drypantz is my preferred pants diaper choice because of its soft and breathable waistband that ensures greater softness and air circulation for my littlest one who needs such comfort to be bouncing up and down.

***

This post is brought to you by Drypers. We’re regular users of Drypers Drypantz and Wee Wee Dry and we’re recommending this because we really like what we’re using and have not been disappointed once by the premium quality we’ve experienced. I like that I’m getting quality which is affordable and have been diapering the kids with this trusted brand since 2012. Nat gets no pressure marks and redness at all, but individuals would certainly differ.

***

Breathe Easy with Drypers Drypantz today!

Log on to www.facebook.com.sg/DrypersSingapore to request for FREE samples, or look out for it in-stores! For the month of August, Drypers will be giving away free 4 pcs of Drypers Drypantz with purchase of any pack of Drypers Drypantz (applicable to banded packs only).

Now you can also log on to Facebook and play the Drypers “Breathe Easy Breeze” FB game. Control Airy using your mouse to help Softie turn plain diapers into Drypers Drypantz diapers! Convert 12 diapers to Drypers Drypantz in the fastest amount of time and stand to win attractive prizes including $100 cash vouchers and tickets (worth $88 each) to Lunchbox Theatrical Production’s “Bubble Magic” show in September. Details on Drypers’ FB page here.

Disclosure: This post is part of a series of sponsored conversations on behalf of Drypers Singapore. All opinions here are my own. Any urine or loose stool leakage is purely coincidental.

Read my other Drypers Reviews here and here.

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Becks Kao Getting all sentimental now Milestones and growing up

Four.

July 29, 2014

As a mom of three, there are three days a year I have legit reasons to cry – on my first child’s birthday, on my second child’s birthday, and on my third child’s birthday.

I get extremely sentimental every year when I place one candle more than the number of candles the previous year on a birthday cake for each kid. I get flashbacks of my baby cradled in my arms the first time we met at the delivery suite and all those chubby cheeks and thunder thighs infant days. I remember my little one crawling, then cruising, and then wobbling towards the proud mom that I was in those tiring but fun toddler years. I recall those beautiful memories of raspberry kisses and wild tickling on the bed, and how much laughter we have had, with this child in our lives – my life.

And when it’s time to adjust quickly back to reality and back to lighting the candles for the birthday cake, there standing before me is that baby, all ready to blow them out, all smiles, all grown up.

Which is why I am usually a huge emotional wreck every single birthday.

How did it all happen, from this:

and this,

to this?

My baby girl turns 4 today.

And I’m tearing quite a bit writing this:

Becky, I know you can’t wait to be 16, or 16 hundred years old, like you always say you want to be. FOUR is a number big enough for you – and me – today, so let’s just stay at four for a year more.

Happy birthday, my love.

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Going Out! Invites & Tryouts Motherkao loves... Reviews The Kao Kids

Gutsy enough for the Skyline Luge, and once is never enough!

July 23, 2014

There are a lot of things in Sentosa that we’ve not yet explored and tried. I don’t know why but I have this mental obstruction in my own head about my kids not being old enough, tall enough, brave enough.

Universal Studios? The kids are not going to be tall enough for the rides, old enough to remember the experience and brave enough to go on roller coasters.

Interact with dolphins? No matter how much they tell me they love animals, I bet they would chicken out the moment we’re in the pool.

The Sentosa Luge? Are you kidding? I bet everyone’s gonna start wailing the moment we head upwards on the cable-chair ride and koala hug me when we whizz downhill with the go-cart-like tub.

For that reason which exists in their mother’s head, Sentosa is only known as the ‘pirate-ship place’ (Port of Lost Wonder), the beach, and the ‘nice hotel with sand in pool’ (we did a staycation at Festive and checked out the Hard Rock pool). For that reason also, every time we walk past this, we only go, Waaaa! So scary!

Siloso Beach - Overview of buildings and walkway

Photo credit: Sentosa Skyline Luge

Photo credit: Sentosa Skyline Luge

But this all changed one particular day during the June holidays. I got an invitation from the folks at Sentosa inviting our family to experience the new façade and streamlined facilities over at the Skyline Luge. I was told that they’ve done their most extensive upgrade ever to further enhance the Skyline Luge experience – which comprises a 320-metre chairlift via the Skyride and a 3-wheeled gravity ride via the Luge.

As usual, I automatically went, Nah, my kids are not old enough, tall enough, brave enough.

But I soon realised that they were indeed old enough and tall enough. Children need to be over 85cm tall and accompanied by an adult, otherwise 135 cm tall to ride alone for the Skyride; and riders need to be at least 110cm tall to ride on their own, otherwise they need to ride tandem with an adult. Which means of the three of my mental ‘not…enough’s, only ‘not brave enough’ has yet to be tested.

Well, for the record, that evening, the Kao Kids – all three of them – were brave enough for the Skyride and the Luge! In fact, true to its tagline ‘Once is Never Enough’, they couldn’t stop!

The Skyline Luge is between Imbiah Lookout and Siloso Beach, and has just undergone a façade lift

And so they’re ready to ride! Ben is looking small in an adult’s body – hurhurhur!

My three BRAVE kids!

We went up the chairlift FIVE TIMES, and taking turns to tandem each one of them down the Luge FIVE TIMES. And even after the fifth, they were screaming, “Moar, moar, moar!” No one wailed, no one koala hugged me, no one said “I’m too scared. I’ll pass.”

These pictures will tell the rest of the story:

These were taken on the Skyride

The view from above

Pictures courtesy of Skyline Luge’s camera

As you can see, we’re ready to ride, even if it meant that the helmet was too huge for someone!

We went ‘weee, weee, weee!’ down and it was fun, fun, fun!

Thumbs up: we’re tall enough, old enough, brave enough, and once is NEVER enough!

More details:

With 9.24 million riders and counting, the Skyline Luge has embarked on its most extensive upgrade to further enhance its attraction offerings to both tourists and locals alike. Some of the facilities include an upgraded jungle track, more photo counters, handicap-friendly layout and more ticketing counters.

The Skyline Luge is between Imbiah Lookout and Siloso Beach. The nearest car park is the Beach Carpark.

Opening hours: 10 am to 9.30 pm daily

Ticketing charges are as follows: (tickets are only valid on the date of purchase)

1) Individual deals: 1 Luge & 1 Skyride SGD15/pax, 3 Luge & 3 Skyrides SGD23/pax, 5 Luge & 5 Skyrides SGD33/rax

2) Family deals: 4 rides Family Pass* SGD39, 8 rides SGD 59, 10 rides SGD69. Child-doubling at SGD3 per ride.

*A family pass is for 2 adults and maximum 3 children. The rides can also be shared among the members.

3) Skyride only: 1-way SGD10/pax, 2-way SGD15/pax, Unlimited SGD17/pax

***

Ok, I’ll take your questions now…

Scary or not?

The first time up the chairlift and the first time down the Luge was kind of. Strongly advise those with vertigo or motion sickness to stay clear of it. Otherwise, if it’s just a little fear of heights that’s holding you back, I’ll say, Don’t be afraid! It’s really an exhilarating feeling and a thrilling experience through and through.

Can you control how fast you go on the Luge? Can I go really slow?

The Luge has got a totally idiot-proof brake and steer system and is definitely something you can control. But I don’t think you want to go too slow down slope. *yawn*

How long, distance-wise, is the Luge trail?

You can choose to take the 688-metre Dragon trail or the 628-metre Jungle trail. How long, you ask? Not long enough, in my opinion!

The closing hour is 9.30pm! At night can see? Won’t langgar?

When we were there, we were done close to 8pm. It was dark. BUT the darkness and the flashing lights made for a totally new experience! Won’t langgar for sure – cos the trails are all well-lit! We were so delighted to have been able to witness the sunset while on the Skyride too that evening.

RGB LED Lights: So brightly lit, you won’t langgar, confirmed!

Were your children safely tucked in the chairlift? It feels and looks so bare.

True that. There are no buckles and lots of pockets of spaces for a leg or hand to slip in. Make sure you bring a kid that will listen to instructions and follow them! The folks managing the queues at the Skyride will help you seat the younger ones while you get on (because the Skyride chairlifts actually don’t stop moving) and they will make sure you’re seated before a huge latch securely fastens everyone. Also, it’s a bad idea to wear slippers. My helper did and she was constantly fearing that they may drop. Good thing I made the kids wear shoes!

If you have to be securely fastened on the Skyride and then maneuver the Luge manually, how to take selfies or wefies?

Big phones may drop off if they can’t be tucked tight in pockets, so be warned. Mine almost fell a few times because I tried to be hero – I stretched my hand out to take pictures of the kids but also wanted to hold their hands at the same time. Best thing to do: sling a compact camera. If not, they have cameras installed everywhere with signs telling you to ‘Look Ahead and Smile’. You can always purchase them at the counters after you’re done with your rides.

How long is the Skyride? What if it stalls mid air?

It takes about 10 minutes to reach the top. But it’s also dependent on how crowded and how long you have to queue. If you want priority to skip queues, get their membership packages.

The Skyline Luge has won many awards, including the “Travellers’ Choice Award” by Trip Advisor in 2013. It has had zero accidents thus far and no incidents of stalling. Our chairlift did stop for a few seconds those five times we were up – and I guess that might have been to regulate the flow of chairlifts moving. We just took those few seconds as our opportunity to take in the scenic view!

Any problems with the kids riding tandem with you?

Absolutely none. They loved it. The only problem we had was that nobody wanted to double with the helper. We have 3 kids and they wanted to all go tandem with Mom or Dad instead!

Wow, sounds like fun! Any other tips?

Have a light snack before you go, cos’ if you buy, say 5 rides, it’s gonna take a while including the queuing and all. Evening is the best time to go cos’ it’s cool and you can admire the sunset view on the Skyride. AND… bring your own helmets if you have them! Those provided were soaked with perspiration, not to mention quite smelly! Plus, there was none fitting for a small head like Nat’s. If we had known, we would have brought our bike helmets. If you don’t have one, bring a shower cap so your hair stays dry and smelling nice!

***

And now, for the GIVEAWAY!

The kind folks at Sentosa are giving away 3 x Family Passes (for 4 rides)* to 3 readers of this blog!

*A family pass is for 2 adults and maximum 3 children. The pass up for grabs is for a family to go for four Skyrides and four Luge rides.*

Simply log in with your email or FB using the Rafflecopter app to stand a chance to win in the random draw!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends 29 July 2014 (12 am).

Disclosure: I didn’t get paid to write this post but we had complimentary tickets to experience the Skyline Luge. All opinions are mine and I will not be held responsible for suggestions and tips I’ve given in my Q&A. Suggestions, mine. Guts, yours.

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Food, glorious food! Happy days Invites & Tryouts Motherkao loves... Reviews

So fine, yet so casual [Review of E’spuma Lab]

July 22, 2014

The husband and I are huge fans of Top Chef and Masterchef. We watch the programmes to get inspiration for our cooking, and eating, of course.

Because we catch the various seasons of these programmes quite regularly, food looking like this…

Photo source

And chefs using this odd-looking cannister to pump out foam like this…

Photo source

…are not sights uncommon to us. Just that we’ve never had the opportunity to try food cooked this way, or have them plated like such and put on our tables.

Then our chance came one Saturday ago.

We were invited by E’spuma Lab, a new casual diner that aims to bring innovative culinary techniques like espuma and sous vide out of Michelin-star restaurants and into the casual dining scene in Singapore at wallet-friendly prices. I was informed that all the dishes for the tasting session would be foamed, espuma-style and that every item on the menu would be something that would fill me up and satisfy children and adults alike. I have seen chefs on TV making sauces and desserts using the steel-like cannister (which is called the espuma siphon, I later found out) and was genuinely curious how anything prepared by this technique would taste like.

Most of all, I wanted to see how cooking techniques so atas would finally be revealed and prepared to be tasted by commoners like me and my family.

For the uninitiated, espuma is Spanish for foam or froth, and is a culinary technique in which an espuma siphon is used to infuse air into the food, creating an airily light texture. This technique adds a very interesting dimension to natural ingredients, especially those that have been mashed, pureed or juiced.

Sous vide is a culinary technique in which food is cooked in a vacuum at a constant temperature, using a thermal circulator. This technique ensures perfectly cooked eggs and evenly cooked meat.

So this, ladies and gents, this was the food plated and prepared for us that evening. But atas no more, I tell you, because E’spuma Lab’s sole mission is to make haute cuisine totally accessible and affordable to people like you – and me.

Why I am not a food blogger: The first dish that came was this -Sautéed Mushrooms with Espuma Potato Foam (SGD6.80) – and I started feeding hungry kids.
Photo credit: E’spuma Lab

And this was the 2nd - Curry Chicken with E'spuma Potato Foam (SGD6.80) - and I started feeding myself. Photo credit: E'spuma Lab

And this was the 2nd dish to arrive – Curry Chicken with E’spuma Potato Foam (SGD6.80) – and I started feeding myself.
Photo credit: E’spuma Lab

Then the Sous Vide Eggs with Smoked Salmon and Fried Salmon Skin (SGD3.80) came and the son, who loves eggs, devoured the whole thing.
Photo credit: E’spuma Lab

Spaghetti with Swedish meatballs and E'spuma Caramelised Onion Sauce

Then more mains came, and at this point, I was yelling, ‘Stop! I need photos first!’ Spaghetti with Swedish meatballs and E’spuma Caramelised Onion Sauce (SGD6.80)

Spaghetti with Chicken Cutlet and E’spuma Bacon Sauce (SGD6.80)

Fragrant Rice with Pan Seared Sous Vide Chicken Breast and E’spuma Pesto Sauce

Fragrant Rice with Cajun Chicken Leg and E’spuma Curry Sauce

Oh, happiness!

I hear there’s also espuma-ed mushroom soup, espuma battered fish and chips and new items on the menu every time Chef gets inspiration! Happy times, people, these are happy times.

And believe me, that evening I was really happy. Really, really happy. I loved everything I tasted, and I am not saying this just because I got a free meal. I would gladly pay every cent (and maybe more) for whatever I ate (and they were really priced reasonably – just look at each portion and respective price!) I especially loved, loved, loved the curry chicken dish; it was so light and satisfying. There was absolutely no flavour overdose (also known as jelat, in localspeak) because the curry foam was so airily delightful. Every sauce that came espuma-ed was a hit with the kids, Fatherkao and me.

No cloying texture, no starchy heaviness. Only pure foam heaven.

And just so you know, for our desserts we had durian fritters – which were so not-oily that you could pop a whole bunch in your mouth and have a good loud durian burp at the end of it.

E’spuma Batter D24 Durian Fritters (SGD3.80)

As we did.

You can pop these fritters in and not feel that they are oily or cloyingly sweet at all!

Now I can finally tell myself that I’ve come close to what the judges were tasting in Top Chef and Masterchef. Take that, Padma Lakshmi. By the way, just so you know, Chef Teo Yeow Siang, the brain behind E’spuma’s innovative dishes, has 13 years of experience and has won many international awards; so technically he’s better than any Top Chef alum any time. I’m wishing that E’spuma Lab would expand their operations soon and be found in a mall near me. Good on the working crowd for now, since it’s the only one and only at Pomo Mall (formerly Paradiz Centre at Selegie Road) but if I’m there and need a meal, I wouldn’t even need to think once.

We checked out the humble kitchen with sophisticated equipment (the espuma siphons and sous vide cooker) and were touched that this is a place with heart. No trade secrets, no airs. Just good food at really low prices for all.

More details:

E’spuma Lab is at 1 Selegie Road, Pomo Mall, #01-20/21 Singapore 1883306.

Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 11am to 9pm

Contact number: 8222 1113 (Why need contact number huh, you ask. Because if you are near, you can cater! Durian fritters to go!)

… … … …

And just so you get to try what I did, I’m giving away my $10 voucher (yes, the one which the folks gave me in my press kit) to you so you can go check out E’spuma Lab! (FYI, their set meals cost only $8.80!)

If you want to win it, simply LIKE E’spuma’s Facebook Page and leave a comment on this blog post telling me what you might like to try!

Giveaway ends 30 July 2014. I’ll mail the voucher to the winner after the random draw!

Winner announcement: CONGRATS to Samantha! The list randomiser picked you and you’ll be eating at E’spuma Lab soon!

Disclosure: My family and I were invited by E’spuma Lab for a food tasting session. No monetary compensation was received for this post and all opinions here are my own, with input from the big and little tasters.

UPDATE AS OF 22 OCT 2015: I was told that they’ve since ceased operations at POMO. Which makes me very sad. So very, very sad.

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