Purple Paw Prints storytelling performance + Giveaway

Remember Purple Paw Prints, the brilliant book by award-winning author Sarah Mounsey that we reviewed here?

Well, it has been brought to life in an interactive story telling performance just for kids aged two to seven. It has been touring preschools in Singapore, and there will be a special show for the public for one day only, on 7 December. Lasting for about 40 minutes, the audience can participate in the show, as the cast ask them for suggestions on what to do to solve the problem of Oscar the dog being purple.

Fans of the book can also look forward to a book signing session by Sarah.

Photo: Closeful of Books

Here are the details of the Purple Paw Prints show.

Date: 7 December, Saturday

Venue: Function Room, Nanyang Girls Boarding School, 21 Linden Road

Time: 3pm

Tickets, priced at $14 per person can be purchased from Closetful of Books.

Besides the show, there will also be a special book display by Closetful of Books.

Giveaway!!!

Win ONE family pack of 4 tickets to the Purple Paw Prints show! Just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below to enter. Good luck!

Terms and conditions:

- Entries that do not fulfill the requirements stated will be disqualified without notice.

- This giveaway is open to Singapore residents only.

- This giveaway starts on 25 November and ends on 1 December (inclusive) at midnight.

- The winner(s) will be chosen from a random draw of entries received in accordance with these Terms and conditions.

- The winner(s) will be announced on this post by 3 December.

- The winner(s) will be notified by email.

- The organisers accept no responsibility for entries that are lost, delayed, incomplete or cannot be delivered or entered for any technical or other reason.

- Entrants into the giveaway shall be deemed to have accepted these Terms and Conditions.

- Terms and conditions are subject to change without notice, at the organisers' sole discretion.

- This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook.

- Participants are providing information to Toddly Mummy and the sponsor(s) of this giveaway and not to Facebook.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Photo: Closetful of Books

Disclaimer: We were provided with one family pack of four tickets to the Purple Paw Prints interactive show for giveaway purposes. No monetary compensation was received. 

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Thank you for reading. If you like this post, please do connect with me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, so I can share our fun adventures, thoughts and exploits with you. 

6 must do activities this holiday season

The holiday season has arrived!! Here are 6 awesome activities to keep the kids occupied.

Disney Winter Wonderland Christmas @ Changi Airport

Photos: Changi Airport

Ok. We expect this to be super popular this holiday, and based on what we've heard, the first weekend of its opening has been crowded. And I mean CROWDED!! Think castle inspired by Disney's Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty (inside an airport!) and a Mickey Mouse Club House Bouncy Playground that looks set to attract all Disney fans young and old. The biggest attraction for kids must be the Playground, which allows them to cruise down a three-metre high slide, bounce off sticky Velcro walls and leap into the ball pit. There are also multi-sensory shows and special performances on certain dates. Because it's expected to be a squeeze, it's better to go on weekdays or weekend mornings. You at be able to get a better shot of the castle too. Otherwise, be prepared to be photo bombed.

Date: now till 5 Jan 2015

Multi-sensory show time on weekdays: 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm and 9pm.
Multi-sensory show time on weekends, Public Holidays and Eve of Public Holidays: 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm and 9pm.
Playground opening hours: Opens daily from 12pm to 10pm. To enter the playground, simply present any same-day receipt with a minimum spend of $30. Every $30 spend allows a single entry.
Mickey and Minnie Mouse meet-and-greet sessions: 19, 20 and 21 December at 1pm, 2.30pm, 4pm, 5.30pm and 7pm at Terminal 3 Departure Hall, beside Check-in Row 11.
Stage performances: Weekends from 6.30pm to 7pm at Terminal 3 Departure Hall, beside Check-in Row 11.

Character shows and meet & greet @ shopping malls

What's Christmas without shopping mall hopping to catch stage performances of favourite characters? Here are two of our favourites.

CBeebies Live! Countdown to Christmas @ Plaza Singapura


Say hello to Teletubbies and Super Numtum, as they sing and dance and keep kids entertained. The singing ZingZillas will be strutting around the mall to meet and greet shoppers. Everyone’s favourite Mister Maker will also be making special appearances via a special TV link.

Character shows
Date: now till 7 Dec 2014
Venue: Main Atrium Level 1
Time: Mon to Fri (no show on Tue) 1pm & 7pm; Sat & Sun 1pm, 4pm & 7pm
Spend min. $30 to redeem a photo pass with your favourite Teletubbies or Super Numtum after the show!
Meet & Greet Zing Zillas on 27 to 30 Nov and 6 & 7 Dec

Art & craft workshops
Date: 10 Dec to 21 Dec 2014
Venue: Main Atrium, Level 1
Time: 12pm, 2pm, 4pm & 6pm (daily) (Additional workshop on Sat & Sun @ 8pm)
Spend min. $60 in a single receipt to redeem a pass to the workshop!

Mr Men and Little Miss @ OneKM

New mall OneKM near Paya Lebar brings in Mr Men and Little Miss characters Mr. Strong, Little Miss Sunshine, Mr. Bump, Little Miss Hug and Little Miss Princess for the holiday season. The mall’s atrium will also be decorated as Dillydale Town, where kids can engage in activities such as sand art, wire craft, shrink art key chains and princess dress up. It's the latest mall in town, so all the more to visit!

Mr Men Little Miss Meet and Greet
Date: 11 Dec - 21 Dec 2014
Time: Weekdays 2pm, 7pm; Weekends 1pm, 3pm and 7pm
(No Meet & Greet on Wednesday)

Mr. Men and Little Miss Dillydale Town
Date: 11 Dec - 25 Dec 2014
Time: Weekdays 12pm to 8pm, Weekends 11am to 8pm
(No activities between 4pm – 5pm)
To qualify, simply spend a minimum of $80 to redeem a Game Pass.

Christmas Wonderland @ Gardens by the Bay

Yuletide in the Flower Dome

Photo: Gardens by the Bay

Christmas in a greenhouse? Oh yes! Walking through the scenic Flower Dome, taking in the sights of the beautiful flora, can be quite a therapeutic experience. This season, it becomes a winter experience too, as the Flower Dome transforms into a red and white floral winter village wonderland. Bring along warm clothes, because the temperature will be cool as well to match the sights. Fans of Miffy can also catch her in action over three weekends. Kids can also create Christmas cards for loved ones, inspired by the Italian Luminarie light sculptures, and by the unique, intricate patterns of snowflakes.

Date: now till 6 Jan 2015
Time: 9am to 9pm
Price: S$12 (Adult), S$8 (Child), S$8 (Senior) (One conservatory)

Miffy Meet-and-Greet
Date: 22-23 Nov (12pm, 1:35pm, 2:40pm, 3:45pm, 5pm), 29-30 Nov & 13-14 Dec (10:30am, 12pm, 2pm, 3:30pm, 5pm)
Venue: Flower Dome

Christmas Paper Craft: Stencils of Luminaries
Date: 20 - 21 Dec 2014
Time: 2pm - 4pm

Photo: Gardens by the Bay

Italian Luminarie

Over 30 intricate light sculptures will make their debut showcase to create a breathtaking evening garden scene. Handmade by skilled Italian craftsmen, the magnificent luminaries are made of white wood frames from the south of Italy and illuminated with lights of a myriad of colours. The Italian Luminarie also includes the Casa Armonica and Spalliera. The Casa Armonica is a beautifully lit mini capola measuring 7.5m wide and is 9m high. The gazebo will host performances such as Verses by the Garden Lights by Act 3 Drama Academy. The Spalliera is the largest masterpiece, at 31 m wide and 17m high – that’s approximately 5 storeys! It will also host Blizzard Time three times a day, weather permitting.

Date: 29 Nov - 1 Jan 2015

Time: 7pm - 12:00am
Venue: Supertree Grove
For more information, visit the Gardens by the Bay website.

Merry Fishmas @ S.E.A Aquarium

Photos: S.E.A Aquarium

Santa can swim? Only at S.E.A Aquarium! You have to see it to believe it. Santa appears up to three times daily to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and is sure to make any kid grin with glee, on top of seeing all the merry marine life there. There are also fun-filled Christmas themed activities, such as an adventure trail for children. While being part of the magical marine kingdom, do be considerate and take care of the marine life, such as switching off your flashlight when taking photos of those that are sensitive to light.

Date: now till 4 Jan 2015
Time:10am – 7pm
Price: S$38 (Adult), S$28 (Child), S$28 (Senior)
For more information, visit the S.E.A Aquarium website.

Holiday art classes @ Heart Studio

There are many holiday classes to choose from. In my opinion, the ones at Heart Studio is one of the better ones that I've sent EV on. This holiday, their signature holiday programme is back again, for kids aged 3 to 4, 5 to 6 and 7 onwards. Each programme is specially catered for each age group, and is designed to develop specific skills. For example, the programme for kids 3 to 4 focuses on drawing subjects such as bunnies, caterpillars, spaceships and Olaf using basic shapes. The programme for kids 5 to 6 focuses on colour blending and using different mediums, while that for kids 7 onwards focuses on different painting techniques such as dabbing and creating 3D effects. Besides these well thought out classes, what's more important is the teachers, they really do teach art with a heart, and are able to connect with the kids really well. Read our past reviews here.

Date: 8 Dec till 19 Dec 2014
Price: S$75 per class
For more information, visit the Heart Studio website or call (65) 6554 7563.

Taiko drum classes @ Hibikiya

Photo: Hibikiya

Now this is something different that the whole family can do together for great bonding! Learn to play the Taiko drums, which are Japanese percussion instruments commonly played at Japanese festivals and celebrations. As Taiko is best performed in a group, families can participate in a three-hour course to learn to play the drums together in unison. Combining vigorous movements with loud choruses of enthusiasm, Taiko drum-beating is not only great for bonding, but also a great workout. If the Taiko drum bug bites, then the family can even take weekly lessons with founder and instructor Namiko Sakai at Hibikiya, which is Singapore's only Japanese music studio.

Date: Arranged upon enquiry
Time: 3-hours for a family bonding course
Venue: 63 Jalan Pemimpin, #01-02 Pemimpin Industrial Building
Price: Available upon enquiry
For more information, visit the Hibikiya website or email enquiry@hibikiya.com.sg.

Happy holidays!!!

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Thank you for reading. If you like this post, please do connect with me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, so I can share our fun adventures, thoughts and exploits with you. 

5 ways to parent from the bed

If you are down and out, or like me, rather immobile and stuck on the bed most of the time, with no ability to sit on the floor, or move it move it with the kids, what can you do to recuperate while still spending time with the kids?

Read, read and read even more

Yes, lots. Sometimes even the same books over and over again.

Play games

Play board games, educational games, finger games, word games, whatever. The bed becomes the impromptu play pen. And it can get quite squeezy (and messy) with kids wanting to play different games at the same time.

Sing songs

Sing their favourite songs, change lyrics, make up silly songs, introduce them your favourite songs. Having the actual song play in the background can add to the mood.

Sit back, snuggle and watch TV

Sit side by side with your arms around the kids and become TV addicts. This could be the closest you can get to the kids while your body recuperates.

Hold hands while doing the above activities

It's a physical way of showing them your love, that though you are down and out, your love for them is unconditional.

Believe me, I'd rather dance around the living room or go on outdoor adventures with EV and AA. But until I can do so, these five ways will have to do.

I hope that this will give you some ideas whenever you are down and out. If you have other ideas, please do share.

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Thank you for reading. If you like this post, please do connect with me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, so I can share our fun adventures, thoughts and exploits with you. 

Feeling helpless when parenting

Have you ever felt helpless when parenting?

I have. Just last night. And the night before.

It's AA. No, it's not a relapse, thank God.

He's having the feared fever and cough with lots of phlegm. Last two nights, while sleeping, he coughed so hard he puked. Phlegm, milk and all. He cried, obviously, and was probably frightened by the experience for a while. DaddySay and the helper helped him clean up and DaddySay comforted him. And he went back to sleep after an hour or so.

So why helpless? Usually, when he falls sick, I'm his main caretaker at night. I would hold him, comfort him and make sure he gets his medication on time.

Last two nights when he puked, I could only watch helplessly from my bed because of my injured leg. I couldn't rush down to his bed to hug him, or hold him and tell him that everything's alright. Mummy is here. The most I could do is hold his hand as he called for me.

Yes, I hate the fact that my injury has prevented me from snuggling with my darling boy like before. Or holding him tight to reassure him when he's frightened or sick. It has prevented me from doing a lot of things.

I know that I will be able to in a few months' time. I must. I will.

Darling, give me a few months. I just hope he still remembers after these precious lost months.

In the meantime, I must find the strength to get well and walk again and do activities like before.. I must keep the faith. Don't give in.

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Thank you for reading. If you like this post, please do connect with me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, so I can share our fun adventures, thoughts and exploits with you. 

What your kid's toothbrush is telling you + Electric toothbrushes are only for adults… NOT!!

{Oral-B Feature}

Brushing teeth is an important part of life, even when one is one or ninety nine. The habit of teeth brushing has to start young, but it's not just about the act of it. The toothbrush is extremely important too.

So you've bought the latest toothbrush for your kid, based on his or her favourite character. Is it the right one? What exactly is your kids' toothbrush telling you? What should you be looking out for?

If your kid's toothbrush has an age appropriate brush head

Make sure that the toothbrush is age appropriate for your kids, with a small brush head. This will help get to the hard-to-reach places of their small mouths.

If your kid's toothbrush has soft bristles

Bristles need to be soft to be gentle on tiny teeth and gums.

If your kid's toothbrush has a comfortable and easy-to-hold handle

Make sure that the toothbrush features a non-slip grip which makes it easier for tiny hands to use even when the toothbrush is wet.

If your kid's toothbrush looks worn out after only a few uses

Check your kid's brushing skills. He or she may be brushing too hard, hurting the tender teeth and gum

If your kid's toothbrush has worn out bristles

It's time to replace it. Otherwise, every three months is the recommended period. To help you remember, write the date of first use on the brush.

These tips have guided me in choosing a suitable toothbrush for EV and AA and I hope it helps you too. Since they both turned two, I have selected the same toothbrush brand for the both of them - Oral-B Stages. Perhaps it's because I myself use Oral-B, perhaps I was attracted by the cute Pooh characters on the handles. Whatever it was, Oral-B Stages has served both my kids really well, and is one of the reasons why they look forward to brushing each day.

They both started out with the Oral-B Stages 2 toothbrush for kids aged 2-4 years old. The brush head is not only small, but narrow and cushioned as well, suitable for small mouths with baby teeth that are still growing, protecting their teeth and gums. I like that the bristles are longer at the tip, so cleaning back teeth is easier. Oral-B calls this the Power Tip™ bristles. I also like the gripped handle, which is a rubberized grip with honey pots and bees engraved on it. The front of the handle feature different Disney characters, such as Pooh and Tigger. Yes, I always got these as, well, they are my favourite characters too.

Electric toothbrushes are only for adults?

Not any more! Now kids aged five and above can enjoy it too. Like an adult's electric toothbrush, the Oral-B Stages Power Toothbrush brings battery power to the habit of tooth brushing. It has a Rotating Powerhead™ that surrounds and cleans each tooth individually as one moves the toothbrush around the mouth. The raised centre bristles are positioned to clean teeth surfaces, while the tips are longer in order to get in between teeth. Bristles are soft too, so while this electric toothbrush is powerful on cleaning, it is gentle on teeth.

Like the normal toothbrushes, the Oral-B Stages Power Toothbrush features Disney characters as well. As you can see, the one we got is Disney Princess. Just right because EV is currently now in a 'princess' stage, in addition to cars and trains and bats and spiders and turtles.

With just a few months to go before she reaches five, she isn't too far from having fun brushing with Oral-B's new electric toothbrush for kids.

Disclaimer:  We were provided with Oral-B products and shopping vouchers for the purpose of this feature. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions and images are my own.

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Thank you for reading. If you like this post, please do connect with me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, so I can share our fun adventures, thoughts and exploits with you. 

Oral-B's fun app to make kids brush longer

{Oral-B Feature}

One of the daily routines DaddySay and I insist as parents is for our kids to brush their teeth. Twice a day, at the minimum.

It is not as easy task. Young as they are, my kids don't see it important. To them, playing and TV and everything else is more important than brushing. I keep telling EV and AA: it's important to brush their teeth, because it helps to get rid of residue and particles from the food they eat all day. If they don't, all these particles will accumulate and germs will grow and build 'homes' in their teeth, which leads to bad breath and even toothaches. I believe that it's crucial to tell them the right facts from a young age.

But thankfully, so far so good. Both kids have been brushing their teeth diligently (amidst lots of delay and whining). And of course, modeling by adults play a huge part too. I love to see DaddySay bring EV to brush her teeth in the mornings, and whenever she says 'Daddy, I'm done!' within a few seconds of getting her brush in her mouth, DaddySay will say 'brush longer!', and EV will grudgingly do so. So it seems,, brushing teeth just isn't a fun thing to do.

So I discovered the Disney Magic Timer™ app by Oral-B. It's designed to encourage kids to brush longer, have more fun while doing it, and gain rewards every time they brush.

Ok, I admit, I generally don't encourage my kids to have any screen time. Compared to DaddySay, I am more strict. EV and AA can have screen time, within very limited restrictions. So generally, I don't have many apps for kids.

Having downloaded the Disney Magic Timer™ app and tried it myself first, I do think it's quite a well-designed app which fulfills its purpose.

Different profiles can be set for different users, using different Disney or Marvel characters. Once that's done, one can snap a photo of a Oral-B toothbrush to signal to the app that one is standing by to brush the teeth. Then the fun begins.

The whole screen will be filled with white foam, with a brush and timer set to two minutes.

As the timer counts down, the brush will 'brush' the foam off the screen to reveal a picture. The idea is that the kid will continue brushing for two minutes as he or she watches the picture being revealed, while being serenaded by music and the ticking of the timer. It's a different picture each time.

When two minutes is up, the timer rings, and a sticker reward is given.

A star achievement is also added to a brushing calendar, which can be accessed at any time to see the daily progress. Brushing is tracked twice daily, so if one has just brushed not long ago, the app actually does not allow you to brush again until at night. Intuitive isn't it?

So this ingenious app really makes brushing more fun for kids. But what I think is most significant is the rewards that it gives for each brushing and the ability to track brushing progress. This way, kids feel happy to get the stickers, albeit electronic ones, but parents can also sit kids down to talk about daily brushing, if at any time, kids throws tantrums and refuses to brush their teeth. Showing the brushing calendar gives more inspiration and motivation to keep brushing twice daily, eventually building a healthy habit. What's more, to make it more realistic, real stickers can be given and stick on a real calendar, to make it even more inspiring for kids to brush everyday.

For us, what we do is put the app playing behind EV and AA while they brush, so they can hear the music and timer, yet not see the screen. Being the screen controller that I am, I don't want them to cultivate the habit of looking at a screen while brushing. But this is just me. What give discovered is that the Disney Magic Timer™ app is just as effective. The music keeps EV and AA brushing longer till the timer rings, without DaddySay or I telling them so. When they get the reward, they super excited and elated. It makes them look forward to the next brushing, and the next, and the next.

So like I said in the beginning. The Disney Magic Timer™ app by Oral-B is indeed a well-designed app that fulfills its goal of making kids brush longer, in a fun and rewarding way. So download it for free, and get the kids to enjoy brushing.

Credits: Jake: ©Disney, Minnie/Mickey Mouse: ©Disney, Winnie the Pooh: ©Disney. Based on the "Winnie the Pooh" works by A.A. Milne and E.H. Shephard, Avengers: ©MARVEL.

Disclaimer:  We were provided with Oral-B products and shopping vouchers for the purpose of this feature. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions and images are my own.

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Thank you for reading. If you like this post, please do connect with me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, so I can share our fun adventures, thoughts and exploits with you. 

Egg Dumplings

Dumplings are one of our favourite foods at home. From Shanghai Wontons to ‘shui gao’ (Cantonese for dumplings), we devour them all. Another of our family favourites is Egg Dumplings, a versatile food passed down from my grandmother, that can be used in soups and stews. It’s simple to make too, with only two basic ingredients. Although the cooking process may take a little longer, as each dumpling has to be made individually, the end product is really yummy, and in my opinion, worth the effort.

Ingredients (makes 15-18)
6 eggs, beaten and seasoned with light soya sauce

400g minced pork

Garlic, chopped

Red onions, chopped

Light soya sauce, sesame oil, corn flour and pepper to taste

Oil

Method

1. Marinate the minced pork with light soya sauce, sesame oil, corn flour and pepper. Leave for 15 to 30 minutes.

2. Put some oil into a frying pan and fry the garlic and onions until fragrant.

3. Add the minced pork and fry till half cooked. Remove the pork and set aside.

4. Make pork balls about the size of a twenty-cent coin.

5. Add more oil into the frying pan, put about two to three tablespoons of the egg mixture into the centre of the pan.

6. Add a pork ball to the centre of the egg mixture.

7. When the egg mixture is half cooked, fold the egg into half to make a semi-circle, covering the pork ball completely.
8. Fry on both sides until lightly browned.
9. Continue steps 5 to 8 until all the egg mixture and minced pork are used.

Once the dumplings are cooled, they can be used immediately, or kept in the fridge for up to two to three days. Whether it’s soup or stew, these egg dumplings can be quickly added to give the dish an added punch and bite.

The day I made this, which was several months ago, I used it for a Chinese Cabbage Vermicelli soup that was, well, souped up by the kids very quickly. Perhaps it’s also because I had simmered it with pork bones for a long time. I also like to think it’s because they like the egg dumplings too, a legacy that their great-grandmother left behind.

Have you got a favourite food that is part of your family legacy? Do share!

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Thank you for reading. If you like this post, please do connect with me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, so I can share our fun adventures, thoughts and exploits with you. 

Philips Avent: a mum's best friend + Giveaway

{Philips Avent Special Feature}

When Philips Avent approached me to share how their products have been my best friend, I thought: why not? Because Philips Avent has been my best friend since I first became a mummy.

Since EV was born, we have been using Philips Avent. From the milk bottles to the spout cups to the breast pump. Of course, now that AA has been weaned, two years four months since he was born, I'm no longer using the breast pump. The kids however, are still using the trusty bottles till this day.

If you ask me what motherhood products are my best friend, helping me cope through the challenges of motherhood, I definitely must include the Philips Avent electric breast pump. I've done a review of the electric version here, and of the manual version here, but my favourite is still the electric breast pump.

It's been with me through the ups and downs of the breastfeeding journey, through work, through studies. It made breastfeeding outside of the home so much easier, because it made expressing so much easier. Plus, it's quite light too. The Philips Avent breast pump was one of the best investments I made, without any regrets. It was indeed my best friend throughout my breastfeeding journey.

For EV, and then AA, because I had started on the breast pump, it seemed natural to use the milk bottles as well, which we did. EV took to the bottle rather easily, though AA preferred to drink directly from the bottle and not from the teat. When a revamped version of the milk bottles was launched, we found that both kids still preferred the classic version, so we've kept to that to this day. Today, both kids will still drink from the Philips Avent bottles, with a straw.

As both grew older, we as parents also naturally opted for the Philips Avent Spout Cups. This is because the spouts and the handles can fit the normal milk feeding bottles too, perfectly. So we had the flexibility of interchanging them. This was followed by the Straw Cups, which both kids are using till this day. What I like about the Straw Cups is their distinctive colours. We deliberately chose pink and blue, (even though when we bought it, EV was in a 'blue' phase'), so that they can instantly identify their own bottles.

So you see, Philips Avent is not only my best friend, but also my kids' best friend. They can't do without their pink and blue bottles.

This year, Philips Avent celebrates its 30th anniversary. As I read more about it, I was surprised that Philips Avent is first in many areas:

- 1st teat made entirely of odorless and tasteless silicone

- 1st feeding bottle with clinically proven anti-colic properties

- 1st electric steam sterilizer

- 1st single-handed breast pump

- 1st manual breast pump clinically proven to be as effective as electric breast pumps

- 1st non-surgical treatment for inverted nipples

- 1st toddler cup to integrate with an entire feeding system – interchangeability is still an AVENT advantage

- 1st breast pump to imitate babies’ suckling action

- 1st electric breast pump designed to learn a mother’s natural pumping rhythm

- 1st electric breast pump helping mums express comfortably

Philips Avent also won two Queens' awards for innovation.

Giveaway!!!

To celebrate this milestone, ToddlyMummy and Philips Avent is giving away more than SGD500 worth of Philips products to ONE reader.

1 x Philips Avent Steam & Blend SCF870, $219

1 x FC7020 SteamPlus 2 in 1 Steam & Sweep Cleaner ,$269

1 x Philips SteamPlus replacement microfiber pads & 1 Active calc filter FC8056, $29

Just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below to enter. Do note that the first two steps are compulsory: submitting Instagram photos and leaving a blog comment. Failing to do so will disqualify your chance to win. You can also do the other optional steps for more chances to win. Good luck!

This giveaway ends 11 November (inclusive) at midnight, and ONE winner will be announced on 12 November. The winner can redeem the products at Philips Avent redemption booth at North Court @ VivoCity Level 1 on Saturday 15 November between 430 to 530pm.

Terms and conditions:
- Entries that do not fulfill the requirements stated will be disqualified without notice.
- This giveaway is open to Singapore residents only.
- This giveaway starts on 5 November and ends on 11 November (inclusive) at midnight.
- The winner will be chosen from a random draw of entries received in accordance with these Terms and conditions.
- The winner will be announced on this post and my Facebook page by 12 November.
- The winner will be notified by email.
- The organisers accept no responsibility for entries that are lost, delayed, incomplete or cannot be delivered or entered for any technical or other reason.
- The winner can redeem the products at Philips Avent redemption booth at North Court @ VivoCity Level 1 on Saturday 15 November between 430 to 530pm.
- Entrants into the giveaway shall be deemed to have accepted these Terms and Conditions.
- Terms and conditions are subject to change without notice, at the organisers' sole discretion.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Philips Avent 30th Anniversary Event @ VivoCity

Head down to soak in the festivities, with activities such as magic shows for kids, balloon sculpting, and music lessons.

When: 12-16 November (Wed-Sun), 10am-10pm

Where: North Court @ VivoCity Level 1

Disclaimer: We were provided with Philips products for the purpose of this special feature and giveaway. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions and images are my own.

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Thank you for reading. If you like this post, please do connect with me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, so I can share our fun adventures, thoughts and exploits with you. 

Why me?

In a few minutes' time, I will be seeing my two kids, the first time in many days. I'm really excited, the past few days have been terrible, being away from them, not being able to tell them the truth why mummy is not at home.

No, I wasn't away for work.

No, I wasn't enjoying myself in some exotic locales.

I was in Singapore... In a hospital.

On that fateful day, after work, I was waiting for a bus to go home, at my usual bus stop. To cut a long story short, I was hit by a flying run away wheel (rim + tire) from a container truck. Yes, a big huge enormous wheel from a big huge enormous container truck. I was knocked over, and suffered a broken right thigh bone. I had to go through an operation to put a metal inside, and I now have to go through months of painful physiotherapy to learn how to walk again.

The start of physiotherapy: I can only bend my leg with the help of a machine.

Why didn't we tell the kids? So they don't clamour wanting to visit me in the hospital, because hospitals are no places for young kids, in my opinion. That's why we've kept it from them.

Now they are coming to see me, I'm putting a fortress around my leg, so that we can explain to them what happened to me, show them my leg, and explain why they have to be careful around me. Kids being kids, they may forget, and unwittingly hurt me, and that's something we want to prevent as much as possible.

That aside, I'm upset, really upset, and feel really wronged. I was just going home, why did something like this happen to me? It's utterly unfair. I’m grateful to be alive, but because of this, I can't carry my kids, I can't sit on the floor and play games with them, I can't bring them out during the holidays because I'm home bound. I have to stay in bed more often as I get tired easily, and this means I can only spend limited time playing, painting, crafting, reading with them. This single incident has taken away my precious time with my kids, precious moments I was looking forward to during the holidays. All my plans are ruined, through no fault of my own. Why?

I can't swim with them, or run or skip or dance with them. I can't do all these until at least six months later, says the doctor, and who knows what further repercussions this might bring? Through no fault of my own, I'm rendered immobile. Why?

I'm crying, yes, every time I think about this. I can't help it, tears fall uncontrollably. Mum says I'm strong, but I'm not, I'm really not. Tears are falling as I type this. Why did this happen to me? Why?

And I'm afraid. Not only afraid of any further repercussions, but of big vehicles and big wheels, and of that fateful bus stop. I don't ever want to ever go there again. Or any other bus stop at this point of time.

Note: this was written on 30 October.

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