Vera's 4th birthday at Abrakadoodle

Vera recently turned 4 year old. This year, we decided to do something special by holding her theme party at her favourite art school, Abrakadoodle.

Vera has been attending Abrakadoodle's art program for the past half year. There are currently 2 branches operating in Singapore - one at Cluny Court @ Bukit Timah and the other at the Playground@Bigsplash (aka former East Coast Big Splash). The school offers an art education program that is regarded to be one of the most popular creativity programs in the world. Its education curriculum was developed by artists and educators that exceeds US National Standards for Visual Arts Education.
Each offers at Abrakadoodle offers a unique experience that often begins with an introduction to a new artist and his technique. The class itself usually takes an hour with the last 15 mins allocated to "Gallery Time" when the kids will have a chance to explain to the class and parents what he/she has done. Having a relatively shy child (especially in front of strangers), I found this to be extremely beneficial in building up Vera's confidence as she learns to speak up in a classroom environment that includes adults. What I also love is the fact that the art work completed in each class is taken home in a frame which allows you to immediately display on your wall as a wonderful showcase of your child's art in different styles.
For Vera's party this year, we invited 15 of her friends to celebrate. It was a drop-off party which meant no adults allowed (good for poor parents needing a break). The kids were treated to two hours worth of fun and games which I cannot describe here because 1. What they were allowed to do in the name of creativity is beyond words and usually not allowed under normal circumstances. 2. Proprietary reasons.
What I am allowed to show you is the end product. Believe it or not, this wall of art was created by kids as young as 2yrs (Nadya's art above) through a series of art techniques employed by artists past and present.
As a party favour, each child brought home their own unique piece of art work which can be hung up at home immediately for all to admire.
For parents wanting to let your child have a taste of this wonderfully creative experience, you will be happy to know that Abrakadoodle is currently running a special promotion. Parents who "like" their page on Facebook will get to enjoy a 25% off trial class fee (usual price: $40). They are also waiving the $50 registration fee and giving a 5% off for camp fees for their Facebook fans.

Have fun and get colourfully creative!

ST NICHOLAS GIRLS FUNDRAISER

At long last, after months of hard work, we have finally managed to work with the St Nicholas Alumnae Association to put together a new fundraising project for the school rebuilding efforts! Thank you all who have been patiently waiting!

To keep everyone to date as to how this all came about, this project started a year ago with this post. With the interest this aroused among many old school girls, this project evolved over the course of a year into a fundraising project to help raise funds for the St Nicholas Girls' School's re-building project.

Whether or not you attended pre-primary at St Nicholas, these adorable vintage uniforms will make a wonderful memorabilia for any old school girl since it represents a unique and significant part of the school's history. A lot of time and effort was spent tracking down the correct fabrics to recreate the uniforms. It is available in one size only and will fit most children age 1 to 3.

A very limited quantity has been made for this fundraising effort so please place your order directly from our website HERE.

ALL net proceeds from the sale will go to the St Nicholas Girls’ School PRIME fund. A list of contributors and the donation amount will be submitted to the Alumnae Association at the close of this fundraiser for the purpose of transparency. If you wish to remain anonymous, please indicate your preference at the comment section at checkout. Thank you all for supporting this effort.

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New Year Message

Hello Everyone and Happy New Year!

I just wanted to start the year with a big thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you who have helped Pupsik Studio grow over the past year. I never would have imagined that our little studio which began as nothing more than a personal dream would have grown to a full-fledged business in the course of a year.

As I crawl out of a very, very busy year as a mom and founder of Pupsik Studio, I have taken a pause to look back at our many adventures and lessons we have learnt in 2009. We do not take anything for granted and are grateful for everything big and small... Above all, we are thankful to customers like you who trust us and have chosen us, among so many online stores in Singapore, to shop for your precious little tots.

God willing, we will continue to improve and make the shopping experience at Pupsik Studio more exciting, fulfilling and fun for you. Rest assured, we are commited to making sure that you can look forward to more useful products and services that will make your journey as a parent easier and more beautiful every step of the way.

For all of your support and friendship in 2009, we can never say ‘Thank You’ enough. We hope and pray that 2010 will be a happy and fulfilling year for us all!

xoxo

Su Ling

www.pupsikstudio.com

Vera at play

Oh no, I think Vera has some of my perfectionistic and impatient streak in her.

Nadya's First Step

In celebration of nadya's first step on earth, we present this video (above) to dear family and friends! Needless to say, this important milestone was recorded in our "Little Milestones" Kit.

It is interesting how different Nadya's first step was in comparison to Vera(video below taken 2 years ago). Nadya seemed so ready for this moment, even though it was her first. Maybe it is because we never hurried her, unlike Vera, when we literally forced her to take her first step one day after her first birthday when we decided "it was time". I guess we were really anxious back then. This time with Nadya, you can say we are the super chilled parents who simply waited till she was ready on her own. No pressure. Ahh...the benefits of being the second born.

Vera's first step at 12 months -Nov 2007

Juggling Work and Kids

I came across this article by Gaby Hinsliff, who recently resigned from a high flying job as a political editor of the Observer Magazine to spend more time with her two year old son.

I think Gaby Hinsliff's article contains a lot of interesting observations and honest confessions from moms who try and juggle work and family. She writes that "survey after survey suggests a deep-seated, buried misery over the eternal battle between the two. Half of working mothers with children under 15 would stay at home full-time in an ideal world, according to a 2001 survey for the then Department for Education. Eight years on, this month's She magazine reports nearly three-quarters of its readers want to cut their hours. The journalist Cristina Odone's recent think-tank pamphlet, What Women Want, claimed if money were no object only 12% of mothers would work full-time. "

These survey results raise the question: if work truly makes mothers unhappy, what makes some of us do it?

And if the unhappiness of working mothers is well documented, Gaby confesses there is guilt, too, in giving up. She herself wonders if she has squandered the chances she has been given in trading her job title as "Political Editor" for the less glamourous title of "Homemaker". She asks herself, "Is this really what I was raised, educated and trained for?"

I have personally chosen the self-employed option so that I can continue working with more flexible hours after the babies came into my life. Since making this switch, I struggle from time to time when well-meaning relatives and friends ask questions and make passing remarks that go something like:

"Don't you think it is a waste? I mean, you graduated with a Masters degree and scholarship from XYZ University and you are throwing that all away to stay home and take care of the kids? Isn't it a waste?!?"

"I never expected you to do this (quit your job). I mean, you were always so driven!"

I usually am quite shocked by comments like this. I mean, it is not like I am staying home all day watching paint dry. While it is probably not intentional, such comments discredit the important work that moms do at home and reflect on how much value people place on outward success and achievement, particularly in the corporate world today.

Someone also commented to me recently that she felt that in comparison to work, "taking care of children does not bring immediate rewards". While I can see where she is coming from, I do feel that the daily rewards from staying home with your kids come in the form that you do not expect. The joy of hearing their laughter and sharing in their wonder and curiousity for the world around, for instance, is the best reward any mom can ask for.

It has been a year since I quit my full time job and the truth is, I have never been happier, more fulfilled and challenged doing what I am doing now. I feel blessed to have the opportunity of taking care of my kids while pursuing what I absolutely love doing with Pupsik Studio and Laissezfaire. While it has not been a bed of roses and I still struggle on a daily basis with time and juggling both responsibilities from home, at least I have much more flexibility doing what I love and do not have to negotiate with employers for part-time terms and benefits that I think I deserve.

I am not sure if I have found the right mix to balancing children and work and would love to hear how other moms are coping. Has anyone found or is working towards an “ideal” solution to this?

Happy Birthday Vera and Nadya!

We celebrated Vera's 3rd birthday and Nadya's 1st Birthday at Go Go Bambini's over the weekend. We are grateful to Go Go Bambini for handling all the party details so that we could concentrate on having fun. The girls enjoyed themselves so much at the party house we were worried they would suffer from nightmares during the night with all the running and excitment they had. Thankfully not!

(above) Vera: umm......I could have Fairy bread all day...

Happy Birthday Vera and Nadya!

May you both grow up loving each other and the little blessings each day brings.

xoxo

Mommy and Daddy

Nadya, Me and our Nursing Pillow

Here is a recent pic of Nadya and I taken on our own range of nursing pillows which we have discontinued production.

We have had lots of enquiries on why we are no longer carrying this product on Pupsik Studio. As much as we would love to, we are unable to do so at this point in time due to the bulkiness of storing and shipping this product by post. We are currently looking at the potential of supplying these much coverted pillows to brick and motor stores if there is sufficient interest for us to push this item back into production again.

Will keep everyone updated! x

Before I was a Mom

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind
and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body..
I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond
between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love,
the heartache, the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom .

Author unknown
----

To Vera and Nadya and all the moms out there who feel the way I do about the above. xoxo

Follow me on Twitter!

I finally got round to signing up on Twitter and oh it is soo much fun! Almost additive. If you would like to follow this Tweeter newbie, click here! I will mostly be using this to post the latest on my baby online store and update more frequently on day-to-day (and sometimes banal) events that keep me busy and inspired.

Remembering and Giving Thanks this Easter

Latest Pics for Family and Friends

Dear Family and Friends,

I am growing up well and have hit the birth weight of a 1 year old although I am only 4+ months.

My che che loves to show her love for me when the camera is rolling. However, she does hit and bite me occassionally when no one is looking. Anyway, I believe she loves me deep down inside.

More pics of us can be found here and here.

xoxo nadya

Happy Thanksgiving!

It has been a crazy week and I have to admit that I almost felt like I was going nuts with both babies screaming, crying and seeking "urgent attention" at the same time. I suspect there is almost a conspiracy going on between them both. Plus there are tons of other small nitty gritties that cropped up over the week that had to be tended to. And for some strange reason, I have been feeling a compelling need to clear out my old stuff, particularly the wardrobe which is crazy cos that is the last thing I should be doing at a time like this. There were times when I feel like dropping everything and retreat to some mountain just to take a breath of fresh air and recharge. I need sleep...undisturbed sleep.

Despite everything over the past week, I am grateful to have a pocket of time this morning just to sit down for my quiet time and give thanks to God for all He has given me. At times like this, it is just so easy to be distracted and suck oneself into self-pity and self-absorption in our own little world and forget about all that He has so freely given us; Food, a home, a healthy body, loved ones...things we often take for granted.

While browsing through some of my favourite Christian blogs and website this morning, I am reminded of the verse in I Thessalonians 5:18 which says,

"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

I know that there are many mommies out there going through the same lack of sleep and adjustments as myself and I just want to say "Hang on"! Here is a little something I have been listening to this morning that I would like to share with you and hope you will be able to seek comfort in.

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

xxoxo Su Ling

(click on "Pop-Out Player" to listen)

Contrasting schedules

With the blink of an eye and Nadya will soon be 1 month old. It has been quite a crazy month and each day just whizzes pass faster than the speed of light.

There is very little distinction between night and day for me. I am nursing Nadya every three hours, with each session lasting 40 mins to 1 hour. Which means that if I am lucky, I get 2 hours off each time to tend to Vera, answer emails, fulfil orders, blog, take a nap, eat, visit the loo etc...

We have not introduced expressed breast milk in the bottle with Nadya yet as I want to feed her direct for as long as I can. You can call me a "purist" in that sense but I believe the skin-to-skin contact and 1-to-1 time I have while nursing Nadya is very important. This is "our time" when I can enjoy bonding and getting to know her.

I was clearing out my old diaries just the other day and came across Vera's feeding "log book" which I recorded 2 years ago. I remember how stressed out I was then, trying to establish a schedule in the beginning, 20 mins each side, 40 minutes each time, every 3 hours. It was really hard, especially for a 1st time mom who gets grouchy when she doesn't get enough sleep (see below).

(above): Typical feeding schedule - click image to enlarge. It is pretty much the same schedule I am keeping with Nadya now although I am not writing it down. I recorded everything down back then as it was hard at times trying to remember how long I had fed and which side I last fed on. I actually also invented a code to record the time of feed, which breast I last fed on etc and was very close to inventing a stop watch just for recording the nursing time. I settled for a $2 kitchen timer in the end. As you can see, it is a 24/7 job.

Contrast the schedule above to the working schedule I had just before giving birth (see below). This is proof that being a full-time mom is really more taxing than a full-time job!! Say goodbye to leave, holidays etc!!

(above) Typical work schedule at the office before having kids - click image to enlarge. Ok, my time is up! I believe I am being called for another feed...

Pregnancy Pictures

We were really blessed to have our photographer friend, Ron Lee of Eyedeas Photography, join us for lunch last weekend and capture some of my pregnancy pictures for us. As you can see, my belly is now, for lack of a better word to describe, the size of a watermelon.

We had an enjoyable time taking the pictures in the comforts of our own home and the wonderful company of Ron who kept us relaxed throughout the entire photo session. Here are some pics to share on Pupsik...

(below) Some pics of Vera frolicking in her own balcony pool after she woke up from her afternoon nap. To see more shots that Ron took for us, click here.

Ron, thanks for sharing this special time of our lives with us and helping us capture such beautiful memories that we will surely look back fondly upon in the days to come. x