Merry christmas 2013 and Happy New Year 2014

KidzActs #2 : National Anthem part Two.

Since the kids has newly learned the national anthem, it was sung very often, but wrong wordings.

I said: Number One, let's try to sing it correctly yeah? Who knows you could become a Minister of Republic of Indonesia. Don't you ever sing it wrongly, ok..
(Referring to an incident where a minister of Indonesia forgot the hymn)

Number Two : I want to be a minister too.

Mom : ... silent...

Dad : what minister do you want to be?

Number Two : Minister ha ha ha...

Make and ootd

O hello

Here is make of the day. 

Red lips are the best. 

Even bare natural (read : oily) skin is forgiveable.

My outfit to see the dentist. 

Top : zara

Pants: uniqlo

Bag : Chanel

Sorry, I didnt manage to get a proper shoot of the bag. Next time.

   

DAMN jammed today.

Took me 2 hours to get to the dentist. 

Even manage to do eye make up while driving.

Yeah. I was pouting a lot today.

Love, Liz

Sewing fun

I never tought I would ever sew. Never really gave it a tought because i was too busy leading a corporate life. 

It all started when I delivered Number Three. I was in my mom's house as the due date was near the Eid holiday. That means no helper, and with two small kids, the safest is to be near her. Thanks Mom !

So it was a confinement period. And I couldn't leave the house. And I needed pillow cases for the baby very badly.  so I decided to DIY. 

I asked my driver to teach me how to use the machine. (Yes, I do have a chauffeur. Like most jakartans do)

Using a cute pajama I have owned the last 10 years. ha. That was even before I was married. Voila, they become the pillow case.

Wow, it is saving a lot of money. Using a sewing machine that travels between two homes (read: borrowed) I sew a few fun stuff. The internet is a powerful tool.  I learned how-to's from some awesome bloggers.

Here is a project I have done recently. 

This shirt is 6 Years old. And has accompanied me through 3 pregnancies.

Cut It in half. And sew an elastic in the waist.

It becomes a skirt and a cape for the girl.

She was so happy wearing them.  

How easy it is to please her. Haha.

Share with me your project if you have done similar thing.

Love, Liz

How to host a virtual garage sale.

It is that time of year again. When you need to shop. Also a good time to organize the home for company. Or the wardrobe. Or whatever. ..

Some stuff come in, some stuff must go. Otherwise,  may need to buy another house to store stuff. Not too cheap a solution.
Garage sell may be the answer.

Garage sale is not too common in Indonesia. And in Jakarta, it was damn jammed, who would want to drive and see your garage sale. If held in neighborhood,  your neighbors guarantee will not buy. I think lots of jakartans are like that. They dont want to be perceived as cheap. Even tough they really are.

So lots of people bring their stuff across the town to sell. How inconvenient.

Now, with technology, we can do a garage sale, literally,  not having to get out of our bed. How?

First you must have BBM (blackberry messenger). Fiuh.. haha. I have just rekindled my relationship with Bbm. Since they launch the bbm for android.
My bb handset was having so much trouble that I just forego it. And switched to whatsapp for half a year. Now everybody knows I am on wa, what the point of bbm? So I use bbm exclusively for garage sale.

Then you make a bb group in it.
Then you photograph and upload all the stuff you want to sell there. Including price.

Then you go to forums. Like mama forum. Or mailing lists. Announce your garage sale.
Whoever interested can invite you.

Then you put them in your group. There they can browse your stuff to their heart content.
You can upload pic of whatever you sell, and remove the picture once it is sold.

Then you wait for your money and deliver your stuff via post.

Isn't it a breeze?
And it works..
Give it a try.

Love, Liz

Summer 2013

Just 6 months ago. You guys significantly grow.

Testing blogger mobile app

Hi I am testing blogger's mobile app. Let's see how it goes, yeah?

Update : the app looks ok.

Here is some picture.

Eye palette : make up forever winter 2013.

Lipstick : LT pro in nude.

Base : bb cream.

Powder : tony moly. 

Filter : beauty shot In samsung galaxy s33

KidzActs #1 : National Anthem part One

One day, 

Number One (age 4.25) sang the National Anthem to lullaby his baby brother : 

Indonesia Tanah Airku..

Number Three (age 3 months) dozed off. 

Number Two (age 2.25) came : Boo!

The baby brother shocked and woke up. Not a pleasant experience for him, of course.

Number One shooed away Number Two, and started singing again the National Anthem.  The baby dozed off again. 

Number Two sneaked in again : Boo! 

Baby shocked again.

Number One got mad and start screaming and chasing Number Two out of the room. The Tom and Jerry race.

Number Three left  alone in the room with confused expression. 

 

 Number One, 4.5 years old.

 Number Two, 2.5 years old. 

Number Three,  3 months old.

 

 

 

Love, Liz

A big day today...

Today baby Number Three is baptized,

 on the Feast of Christ The King.

Followed by dinner with the whole extended family. 

Happy!

Love, Liz

TO CHANGE OR NOT TO CHANGE, THAT IS THE QUESTION.

One fine day, I tried to put baby Number Three, age three months, to sleep. 

Two hours has passed and he wouldn't sleep yet. Tired after hours singing to him, turning, caressing, rocking, pretending to sleep, I was out of idea. 

Suddenly I heard the sound "praeet, proot, praeet, pret, pret," from his bum.

Number Three let out a sigh, and immediately fell asleep. Within 2 seconds.

Dear Reader, if you were I..

You were tired and relieved that he finally fell asleep.

You knew that your baby is sleeping in a small pool of his own poop.

You knew if you change him, he would wake up and maybe difficult to sleep again. 

Tell me what you would do.

To change or not to change?

Love, Liz

Review of Ameda Lactaline Personal Breastpump.

Ameda brand Breastpumps are quite new in Indonesia. I have never heard of it until I was looking for a breastpump, after delivering Baby #3. The old breastpumps I have given to friends and relatives.  Well, you see, this Baby #3 is a jackpot to us. LOL
 

Not wanting to waste money with an inefficient product, I rented it before purchasing. The ever so helpful ms Evelyn come and deliver it herself. And explaining the details.  So, customer service...check,  excellent.

Meet the Ameda Lactaline Personal...Tada...

*sorry for lack of photo quality. It was already midnight and I didnt want to wake up the kids with the lights.*

** I pumped away, it was quiet, rythmic soft buzzing sound, and did not wake anybody up. Noise.. check, and passed.**

The features.

** I highlighted the wordings from the manufacturer’s website that appeals to me**

CustomControl™
Dual suction and speed adjustability allows mums to choose from a total of 32 combinations, for the best comfort and milk flow every time

Proven Airlock Protection™
Our diaphragm barrier keeps the air from your pump from coming in contact with your milk. You don’t have to clean the narrow tubing, and your milk stays.

** don’t we just hate cleaning tubings? It could never be pristine clean I think**

It also means that it prevents cross contaminations and self contaminations. It is the most important, isn’t it? We do not want bacteria, virus, or even mildew to contaminate the precious breastmilk. And trust me, I have seen mildew in a breastpump (from another brand). Yuck!

And it means also I can safely lend it out to my friends and relatives without worrying about bacteria, virus and mildew.

CustomFit Flange System™
The Lactaline includes the most commonly needed flange (funnel) for a good fit at your very first pumping. Six other flange sizes are available separately for later as your body changes

Other features are:

• Choice of double and single pumping

**just close one of the tubing hole if you wish to single pump only**

• Same hospital-proven pumping technology as the Ameda Elite Hospital Breastpump, used in over 50% of all UK maternity units
• All parts in contact with breastmilk are BPA and DEHP free
• 3 possible power sources - AC adaptor (included), 6 x AA batteries or car adaptor (not included)   ** wow, I imagine pumping while driving Jakarta – Bandung LOL**
• Lightweight and portable – pumping unit weighs just 500 grams
• Additional or replacement HygieniKit^TM (complete double milk collection system) for Lactaline available from selected retailers

**If I may add, another plus is that it has one less part to clean and sterilize, to compare with pumps from another leading brand. Only small difference, but still it feels nicer.**

** only these needs to be sterilized **

How to assembly Ameda Lactaline Personal.

It is really straightforward and easy to assembly.

First, slide the silicone diaphragm into its case..

Then install the valve

Third, Click the pump cap on the top of the diafragm

Lastly, Screw the bottle in.. now it’s done!

How it yield for me..

In the past I have experienced only 3 types of electric breast pumps, which is M*d*l* Minel, M*d*l* PIS*+ and M*d*l* Sw*ng.

 Minel had yielded me around 30ml of milk, for average 30 minutes of pumping. And it hurted like mad...Noisy too!

PIS* had yielded around 40ml of milk for each boob, and it hurted less. But not too efficient, in my opinion, considering its price. Luckily it was a loaner unit, not purchased.

Min*l and PIS* was used when I breastfed Baby #1. I got frustated and finally learned the art of hand expression, which yielded around 90ml per 20 minutes. Not bad, huh.. But the fingers hurt lah.

Sw*ing was better. Around average 60ml for 20 minutes. But it was a single pump. And I would lose LDR momento with the other boob by the time I have finished with one. This I experienced with Baby #2.  I resorted with hand expression too, with baby #2.

All units was no longer available when Baby #3 was born. Coz had sold/given away la..

 I really was considering to buy 2 Sw*ngs, it wasnt available at that time. And it would end up costing around 3.6mio rupiah if I were to buy them.

With this Ameda Lactaline, I was able to yield around 200ml every pump, which is only 10-15 minutes time.  Maybe the pump is more efficient. Maybe the breasts learn how to produce more milk, after 2 babies. Super happy  about it.

The pricing.

Ameda Lactaline Personal was priced at Rp. 2.850.000,- (at the time I am writing this).  I tried to haggle, but really the lady who sold me this would not reduce the price.

Expensive? I think so.. Since it was a double pump, let’s make comparison with double pumps.

It was definitely cheaper than the PIS*.  And lighter too, if I may add.

It was cheaper than 2x Sw*ngs.

It was more expensive than 2x Minels. Maybe around 3x Minels. However I do not want to see Minel anymore.

It was more than double the price of a Korean brand Un*m*m.  I tried to find that brand in the market to no avail. I tried to rent it, but it was hard to find or get a slot. Couldn’t find the company’s Indonesian distributor too. It did have rave review in the internet and mama forums.. But never know, never love, would we?

Conclusion

Would I recommend it? Yes..

Would I buy it? I did.. with my own money.

Go consider and buy it if you are in search of a double breastpump. And make use of it to the max extent. After graduating from the breastmilk then sell it in Kaskus or a mama forum, because we worry not about contaminations.  

Love, Mama Liz

** Disclaimer : This is not an advertorial, nor am I commercially associated with the company that markets this product.  I purchase the unit with my own money at full price.  Breastpumps works differently in efficiency, from one person to another.  What works well for me might not yield the same result to you. Reader’s discernement is needed.**

Who is de mama in mamaland?

This blog is run by moi, you can call me Liz.

Am a daughter, a sister, a friend, a wife, and above all a mama to 3 young kids (4,2 and 0).

A novice mama, a corporate retiree, a stellar success, an epic failure, a teacher by training, but sometimes I feel that I am not worthy as an educator, never been, maybe never will.

Never shy away from splurging, but love, love, love saving. Quite a contrary, isn’t it?

The reason I blog is to hone my writing skill (which is not great to start with), to share with my readers my adventures, recipes, memories, and my life’s little projects.

Everything in this blog will be in English, except the recipes which I will write in Bahasa Indonesia.  Also special subjects by request, maybe I will write them in dual language.

Love, Liz

Into the Mamaland.

Come and follow my adventure in the mamaland. A land of wonder and marvels. Annoying yet fun. Expensive yet affordable. Tiring yet rewarding. Mamaland is beyond words can describe in just a post. It is a long journey..
 

Alice in Mamaland