Happy Halloween!

Since I moved here several years ago i have not joined in any halloween activities happening around and so when Lyra of Hello Saigon emailed me to ask if i want to be included in the activity, I happily obliged. We both live in the same apartment complex in Phu My Hung and I know it would be a great time having kids dressed up to come and do trick or treat! Many Filipinos families live here in Sky Garden complex and so all of the kids who visited are Pinoys :)

I particularly adored these 2 kids! The little boy in pumpkin costume is Sam, Lyra's son and the other ballerina is Sophie (not quite sure with her name though). When they arrived in my apartment, the first thing they both notice was not the sweets meant for the trick or treat but the christmas tree by the door. Both were like "christmas tree!" as they touched and played with the stuff hanging.

It was indeed a fun trick or treat not only for the kids but for me as well. I was invited to come along for the little get-together to a nearby yoghurt shop but unfortunately, was not able to join as i have some relatives over.

I hope all of you have had a nice halloween as much as I did!

30 minutes or FREE

I found ordering-in very convenient if there are random situations and you don't have time to whip up something to serve for yourself or for friends visiting. And since relocating to Vietnam, food delivery has been a part of our routine at home. And so, when some friends visited, I have decided to call and order pizza for us. We have been loyal patrons to Domino's Pizza since it opened its first branch here in HCMC. I think we still have one branch back home and I grew up enjoying their food. Domino's Pizza is love for us especially on Tuesdays when they do have a promotion of Buy 1 Take 1 pizza. Anyway, I love how they are able to serve their customers with great pizzas and be able to deliver in no time! However, today was different, it took them more than 30 minutes to deliver my orders :( I was wondering why at the beginning, because like I said, I am a loyal customer and i applaud their delivery system (no hassle of repeating or spelling your name or address) because they already do have their customers' information saved so when you call, your details will be shown straight away.

30 Minutes or Free - this is what you will see on their packaging, store, website etc. And so, when my order came in late, I asked the lady about this. She seemed clueless about what they have been telling people. My orders were received at 5.07pm and she came in almost 45 minutes late - and as a paying customer who believes on what is due for me - I asked her politely as she gave me a startled look. She just told me how sorry she was that it took her a long time looking for my place and she was just new to her job. I told her i will just call their hotline to ask about it and if she could wait until I speak to someone who can give clarification on this "30 minutes or Free" tagline. Those 4 word phrase was somewhat straightforward to me - "my pizza came in late, so was it free then?"

Unfortunately, this was not the case. I was made to believe that if orders came in beyond 30 minutes - you need not pay. I intended to pay them as I am concerned that the cost of my order will be on the staff and i don't want that to happen. I called the hotline, just to let them know that this situation arose and I would like to know how they would respond to it. I must say that they have a very clever marketing strategy - it is indeed 30 minutes or FREE but ....

Instead, it's 30 minutes or FREE - Medium Pizza voucher on your next purchase. Their tagline which you can easily see on every packaging is misleading in my opinion. But who am I to say? Had I not called them to clarify, would i know that my orders aren't free - NOT! The manager told me that i need to pay (which I did) and they will only give me a FREE voucher instead.

This post is not meant to tarnish their brand because i will still be ordering from them. I actually applaud their response to the situation and to my call. It was very quick! it did not take 30 minutes or so for them to come back to my place and hand me the Free medium pizza voucher. I don't know anything about advertising or marketing - I am just a paying customer who believes on every thing I read from brands, products that I use. For me To See is To Believe but after this incident, I learnt a lesson - Not all things I see or read is real - there is an underlying truth behind it - and I just needed to ask.

Goodbye Ms Grace - Hello Mummy Grace

I bid my last day at school on Friday and it was very heartwarming! I can't believe that I am starting my maternity leave now and will be away from school for quite some time. I have been prepping my children about me missing in action for quite a while and why Ms Grace has to stop working and last week's farewell went really great.

All of them were aware that I am having a baby since they always see me and my tummy getting bigger everyday. They have been so sweet asking me every single day about how i feel or how the baby feels. They would always me ask if the baby is happy of if she is dancing!:)

As the day went on last Friday, i had no idea, my 2 teaching assistants were planning something. I did not realise it because I was busy seeing parents, saying thank you's and all that. To my surprise, the children came back from the soft playroom with a cake and poster board with their drawings of me and my little one!

I was really happy and I told them my baby is dancing with joy upon seeing the cake and their artwork!They all laughed! I was clueless the whole time and I was not expecting my teaching assistants to do something like that and even prompt the kids to help out :)

(This particular one is hilarious - i have been noticing this little girl for the past few days seating beside me and touching my "starting to swell" feet - did not realise that the sight of my feet will "haunt" her )

(Children are very perceptive, most of the drawing they did were either a picture of me with a bulging belly or a protruding belly button.)

(This cracked me up when i first saw it!)

( and this one is just too sweet not to post :)

I will miss this group of children definitely! and before they left they asked me if i would bring my baby to school so they could play with her. Bless them!

Crib Bumpers not Allowed

When i found out i was pregnant, one of the first things i did was to subscribe to numerous parenting/baby websites. And one those is Baby Center , this website was literally a huge HELP for all pregnant women and expecting couples (yes, even dads too!)

I start my morning reading newsletters from different websites that I am subscribed to and I don't miss any from Baby Center as I know how helpful each article they send me. Since I am now on my 34th week, I have started sorting my baby's stuff at home and one of those things was making sure that she has her bed completed with all the beddings. I've already purchased all that is why it came a surprise to me that crib bumpers actually pose a risk for babies according to the website.

Baby Center agrees that

"The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated its policy statement on SIDS. It recommends that crib bumpers should never be used in cribs. Crib bumpers do not prevent injuries and can cause suffocation, entanglement and death.

Per the AAP: SIDS is “the sudden death of an infant under 1 year of age, which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history.”

SIDS is rare in the first month of life. It peaks between 2 and 4 months of age. More than 2000 babies die each year from SIDS in the United States. The incidence of SIDS has decreased since the introduction of the Back to Sleep program. Other risk factors for SIDS include secondhand smoke exposure, co-sleeping, soft bedding, and prematurity.

Crib bumpers have been noted to be a risk factor for SIDS for sometime. I noted the danger that crib bumpers presented when I was reviewing Mariah Carey’s new baby nursery. The dangerous plush bumpers tied with ribbons were featured as they coordinated well with the fabrics in the room. Even thin bumpers pose a risk. Mariah Carey, like many new mothers, was likely not aware of the risk associated with crib bumpers.

The new policy on SIDS also includes the following recommendations:

1. Breastfeeding decreases the risk of SIDS and is strongly recommended.
2. Infants should be immunized. The AAP reports that immunization may reduce the risk of SIDS by 50%
3. Place your baby on his back for sleep every time. Car seats and other baby seats should not be used for sleep.
4. Babies should sleep in the same room as parents, but not in the same bed.
5. Do not use crib wedges or positioners.
6. Supervised tummy time is recommended daily to help with development and to avoid flat head syndrome

For a complete list of recommendations, go to healthychildren.org.
Sources:AAP, Healthychildren.org "

(image from Baby Center)

I reckon that the use of crib bumpers and other gears for the baby is in the parents' discretion. The safety of your child is always the top priority and reading/following revised policies like this is a reminder that anything could happen should adults turn blind eye to the situation.

After school Club - Baking/Cooking

Today marked my last day in my after school club. In the past 3 years, i have been sharing an hour per week with primary children at school doing various activities. I have tried all sorts of things just to give time for these children to enjoy school apart from the normal routine they do during the day. I have tried facilitating playdough club, arts and crafts, aerobics but the one activity i have really enjoyed doing is baking/cooking club. I have been doing this for about 4 terms now and so far i can say that this particular club is something very close to my heart.

The group of children i have in this club are from years 1-3. I facilitate this club together with Ms Crislet (my friend, Tet). And this afternoon, i told them this will be my last day doing the club with them as I need to have a rest in time for the baby's birth and so we are going to have a "sandwich party" (not really!). It was just that, Tet and I planned to teach them how to make egg and tuna sandwiches! :)

(that's me (with a bulging belly) talking to them about what needs to be done - see how attentive they were?)

(they were quite amazed at how easily they can peel off the shells off a boiled egg)

It was a simple, no-fuss sandwich but i reckon they loved what they have made because they made several batches!

33 weeks and 4 days pregnant today

And I am feeling it! I feel really heavy, my back and legs are killing me not to mention the hideous sight of my swollen feet! But i'm not complaining, i know i am very lucky with this pregnancy and i am almost in my full term that i only feel all the symptoms kicking in.

I'm due to start my maternity leave on Friday (yay!). Our initial plan was for me to give birth back home but things have changed so i will be staying here until the little girl arrives. I have been busy both at work and home finishing paper works and tasks to be handed over to the cover teacher as I juggle doing a few more shopping sprees for the baby and myself!:) The baby essentials are almost complete and I have already packed my hospital bag just in case. The last time i went to see my OB, she told me that I could give birth anytime between 37-41 weeks (2nd week of November til the 1st week of December). I am hoping to deliver the baby early on (2nd-3rd week) so I could spend more time with her and maximise my maternity leave.

My nanny has started washing some of the baby's clothes and are now ready to be packed for her own hospital bag. Both Paolo and I can't wait and we're really getting giddy everyday thinking that by the end of the year, we will be 3 as a family!!

Here's the 4D image of our baby taken about a couple of months ago.

For now, i will just enjoy the free time i have in my hand because i know in a few weeks time i will start a new journey with a baby in tow. :)

Happy Sunday everyone!