I’m finally comfortable to share the news that I’M PREGNANT- againnnn.. huhu. I’m currently 19 weeks now and about to hit the halfway mark.

I’ve been keeping this news to ourselves for quite some time. Why? Well, to tell you the truth, it came as a surprise and we were not planning for another till Eidrix is at least 3 or 4 years old. The moment I found out, I cried.. not because I was happy, but because I was sad, disappointed, frustrated… I was thinking about what my life would be like with another baby so soon.. the sleepless nights, the hardship of breastfeeding, the lifestyle that I’ll miss out on, the financial aspect.. call me selfish, but that’s exactly what I thought.. and maybe i am selfish. I wasn’t ready.. I felt like I just got some time to breath now that Eidrix is coming to 2 years old.. and now I’m gonna be back into that life… Continue reading

Let’s face it, going on holiday with an almost 2 year old is hard! Besides all the baby stuff that you have to bring on your trip, it’s also the energy, the tantrums and headaches that makes it even harder and at times stressful.

So here’s the thing, my husband and I decided to celebrate our anniversary on an island off the coast of Terengganu- Redang to be exact. It was our second time there because we loved it the first time we were there. And of course, since there’s three of us now, it’s only natural to bring our boy along so we can spend time with him as well.

Island holidays in Malaysia is cheap in my opinion. We paid RM479 per adult for a full-board package for 3 days and 2 nights- which means all meals are included, plus 3 snorkeling trips as well. For kids below 4 years of age- it’s absolutely FREE!  Here’s a breakdown of what’s included and what’s excluded:

Package Inclusive Of :-

• 2 ways ferry transfer (Syahbandar jetty – Island – Syahbandar jetty)
• 2 nights accommodation (with air-cond + hot shower + safety box 2B, 2L, 1D, 1BBQD and 2Tea Breaks
• 2 snorkeling trip +  1 Marine Park (Excluded equipment & life jacket) 
• marine park ticket  (charged in bill)

Package Excluded:

Snorkelling equipment fees: (rent in island, rental for whole trip)

Life Jacket – RM15 per person

Normal Mask & snorkel: RM15 per person

Power Mask & snorkel: RM 25 per person

We stayed at the Redang Beach Resort this time, which was much more comfortable, compared to Redang Bay Resort- the hotel we stayed previously. Redang Beach cost RM60 more than Redang Bay per person, but it’s much much more worth it (especially if you have kids) because:

• Rooms are clean and bright
• Toilet is wayyy better!
• Beds are bigger
• The buffet for each meal was delicious and the “canteen” as I call it is much bigger, cleaner and more organised.
• Their swimming pool is much cleaner
• Staff are friendly

Only downfall I would say is the beachfront. The area right in front of the hotel is quite rocky, which makes it quite hard to enter the sea and can be a little dangerous too. So you’ll have to walk a little further to the left or right of the hotel to a safe swim zone- no big deal, but it would have been great if we didn’t have to walk so far all the time. (far for me is probably not the same for you coz i have a back problem..)

So Why Wasn’t It A Good Idea?

Maybe it was the scheduled timing of meals and snorkeling trips. Nap time was being compromised- there was little nap time due to all the activities- so he probably didn’t have enough rest which made him grumpy.

The other thing was that, my boy didn’t really want to eat anything else besides his biscuits. Not sure why, but he usually doesn’t have any problem eating rice, or noodles. But this time- he refused all of it!

To top it all off, he was also afraid of the waves and the sounds it made. He was okay once we’re in the water.. but as we walk towards the sea.. it’s constant horror screams!!

Lessons Learnt

I guess the first lesson i learnt was NOT to go on a scheduled holiday. I should have just gone for something free and easy to fit my boy’s nap and meal times.

Secondly, i shouldn’t have compared or expected it to be the same as when my husband and i went just the two of us. Sure we wanted to go snorkeling and experience all the fun we had the last time, but it’s different now and we shouldn’t have expected things to much.

Thirdly, is to bring some of your kid’s familar things- his favourite toy, stuffed animal, book, anything at all to make the hotel room a bit more homey and familiar.

If you guys have tips or experiences to share with this new mummy, please do share it with me in the comment section below. I also need some advice for our next holiday, so if you have any, i’d be more than happy!

I have to confess, I’m a sucker for beautiful beaches and an avid island lover. Snorkeling was my number one passion. I would go to each island and compare the beauty of the underwater life in each of the islands.. and here’s the secret guys… compared to Boracay, Phi Phi, Phuket, Lombok and other South East Asian islands I’ve been to.. Malaysia still had the best corals and underwater life where snorkeling is concerned (which island? Well i’ll leave that for another post).

Last year, I decided to take my love for the underwater world a step further.. I was going to take my license to dive so I could really explore the deep waters.. But then, this little bundle of joy happened and everything changed!

It’s been 10 months since I’ve last travelled and I’m starting to get really deprived..  I need a vacay! Pronto! But since i have this little one now.. my hotel searching is not just about cheap rates and a decent room- facilities and service now matters a lot! So researching I went and I’ve decided to put together some island resorts that are child friendly for my own future reference and hopefully it helps other mommies out there looking for the same thing.

So here it goes.. 5 child friendly island resorts in Malaysia for you to consider:

1.BERJAYA TIOMAN RESORT, PULAU TIOMAN

Besides the comfortable rooms, great facilities and stunning beach, I found out from the  reviews of Berjaya Tioman Resort that they also provide baby sitting services!! Like seriously! This is heaven for parents okay (it can’t be just me right? :P)! I thought that my snorkeling days have to be on halt for a few years, but THIS… this gives me the opportunity to snorkel with hubs for a few hours without having to worry to much! I also love that they have a full-board package, so I don’t have to think so much about extra cost and spending.

2.MERITUS PELANGI BEACH RESORT & SPA, LANGKAWI

Look at how cute this little water park is! It definitely looks like a lot of fun! The Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa is a little bit on the high-end, but it has it’s own beach, it’s set around a man-made lake and have lagoon-style swimming pools. They also have a Children’s Club that offers entertainment and activities for the kids. So while the kids are at the club.. the adults can take a break at the spa or just chill at the swim-up island bar.

3.SEA GYPSY VILLAGE RESORT & DIVE BASE, PULAU SIBU, JOHOR

A hidden gem of the coast of Johor is this beautiful island called Pulau Sibu. Sea Gypsy Village Resort & Dive Base is a great place for kids and parents who love diving! The amount of kids facilities and activities offered by the resort is jaw dropping! They have a kids lounge.. a kids bar.. some ‘nasty activities’ such as kite making, painting, pirate fun, sandcastle competitions, treasure hunts and outdoor activities like ‘poison ball’, crab hunting, swing ball etc etc.. They even have baby and toddler menus for parents to choose from! This place is super kid friendly.. and the island is freaking beautiful!

4. THE GOLDEN SANDS RESORT, PULAU PINANG

Golden Sands Resort, Penang  has won several family-oriented awards. They have the Cool Zone Kids Club, lunch and dinner are provided, even mobile phones are available on loan for parents who wish to be in contact with their children at all times. And mummies.. don’t worry cause they have bottle sterilisation service, baby sitting service, you can rent a stroller too and for breast-feeding mummies like me.. they have Mother’s milk storage service at the Front Office!! Wow! I’m suprising myself with all this discoveries!!

5. HARD ROCK HOTEL, PULAU PINANG

Besides their  large free-form pool that hosts a water playground, water guns and slides, Hard Rock Hotel Penang also has a Lil’ Rock Kids Club that comes with a separate children room with their own TV, Play Station 3, music videos, special in-room dining menu, a mini bar stocked with snacks, toys, books and kids bathrobes. The Tabu Teens Club  on the other hand will take care of the 13 to 18-year-olds with a collection of pool tables, electronic games, foosball and lots more

6. AMVERTON COVE GOLF & ISLAND RESORT, PULAU CAREY, SELANGOR

A place that is close to home (for me), The Amverton Cove Golf & Island Resort also has kid friendly amenities such as the Kids’ Fun Zone and the Kids’ Game room. The entire family can also relax at The Hummingbird Entertainment Lounge which is well equipped with pool, snooker and foosball tables. Great for a staycation in my opinion! hehe!

I seriously am surprised with the amazing facilities and services of all of these hotels and more.. I wouldn’t have known of all this amazing mummy friendly services that were available to us! These are just a number of the child friendly hotels.. You can check out more hotels and even book a flight at the same time here. Can’t wait for my next holiday! It’s going to happen in July.. so wait So excited!

Have you experienced any other kid friendly hotels in Malaysia? Do share them with me in the comment section below.. Would love to check them out!

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Few days ago, i posted a historical moment on my Instagram. For the first time in my life, i actually wore YELLOW! And it wasn’t just a top that you could pair with some denim jeans.. nope.. i went all out with a bright yellow dress! Why is it such a big deal? Well, it’s kind of a step forward for me because i hardly wear bright colours at all due to some of the reasons that i’m about to list down. I’m usually a confident person with my personal style and choices, but this time was different.. i was actually nervous stepping out of the house… i kept asking my husband if the colour is alright… while walking towards my car i felt like everyone was starring at all my fats and rolls with disgust… which was weird because i’ve never felt so insecure…

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For the first time in my life i'm wearing all yellow! I won't lie, i was very self conscious today and i felt like everyone was staring.. but i like the style of the dress too much and it's suitable for tonights dinner.. so.. here i am.. trying to be all confident…

A post shared by Lily Shah | The Buxom Babe (@lilyeshah) on Jun 14, 2017 at 4:08am PDT

As i drove my car to work, it was already too late to change.. So instead, i decided to change my attitude and just fake my confidence for the day. At work, comments came pouring in.. “wow! So bright!”, “Oh my goodness so bright! Chinese say you can scare the ghost away with that!” ERRKKK! Well that didn’t boost my confidence at all! HAHA! But a friend of mine ensured that it was”OK LAH!” Wasn’t as bad as i made it seem, she said. Well anyway, that particular day inspired me to write this post. These are the reasons that i realised along the way on why most of us (plus size) women (or maybe just me) dislike wearing bright colours. Continue reading

When i was pregnant, i decided that i would want to breastfeed my child till the age of two. I prepped myself with all the equipments needed, ate a lot of healthy milk-boosting foods and was ready for that day to come. There were a number of reasons why i wanted to breastfeed and continue breastfeeding till the age of two such as:

1. I heard that breastfeeding will help you get back to your original weight and maybe even lose that weight-fast cause breastfeeding burns extra calories!
2. Breastmilk has natural antibodies that keep your baby healthy
3. It lowers the risk of diabetes and obesity for your baby
4. Great for babies brain and development
5. Reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)
6. Delayed menstruation- which means you don’t have to deal with your period too soon!(plus it’s a natural birth control too!)
7. Save lots of money!- formula milk are so expensive these days. And what if your baby can’t take dairy? Goat’s milk is even more expensive!
8. Breastfed babies are known to be less picky eaters too!

Who wouldn’t want all these breastfeeding benefits for you and your baby right?

But let me tell you, exclusively breastfeeding is not an easy task, especially when you’re a working mum. It is a commitment to yourself and to your baby.

The first few days in the hospital, breastfeeding didn’t seem to be a problem. Nurses were there to teach me to breastfeed the right way and provide me with all the advice i needed to persevere.

After 4 days in the hospital i finally got back home, and it felt good to be home. But that first night home turned out to be nightmare. Baby was constantly waking up crying and nothing seemed to calm him down. He developed a high temperatue and we had to go back to the hospital for a check. Turned out that baby was dehydrated and was not receiving enough milk. He had to be admitted into NICU and stay there for a few days for observation. Worst part was that i wasn’t able to stay with him at night, which led the nurse to ask me if it’s alright if they “top up” his feeding with formula. My heart dropped. i felt horrible that my body was not producing enough milk for him, i felt like a failure, but agreed that the nurses fed him formula on top of my expressed milk which i provided whenever i could.

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In this day and age where Instagram plays a big role in our life, and likes and followers are all what people care about, it’s hard not to compare ourselves with others. But despite all the insecurities that it can provoke, social media has also given us a platform for self love and positive vibes, without taking into account the the size or shape of our bodies.

The body-positive movement is not about encouraging an unhealthy lifestyle of thin-shaming. It’s all about encouraging people to be more kind and forgiving towards their body with the goal of improving overall well-being and health be it physically or mentally. The main focus is about building self-esteem through improving one’s self image, be it by nurturing and maintaining one’s weight, working -out or changing a lifestyle for a better outlook in life while building more confidence in yourself. It’s all about supporting each other to better self-esteem and these body-positive advocates do just that.

Check out these fire-ry and fierce body-positive advocates and let them inspire you be it through fashion, quotes and overall self confidence.

1. Tess Holliday

@tessholliday

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As you all know, yesterday was tough. I appreciate all your love & support. So, today we’re celebrating girl power with an amazing giveaway! My girl @studiomucci and I are giving you two chances to win a ton of cute stuff! Including makeup 💄 from @benefitcosmetic , apparel 👚and accessories from @daisynatives and tassel garlands 🌈 from @studiomucci Here’s how to enter! 💖 1. Follow all 4 accounts: @Tessholliday, @studiomucci @benefitcosmetics and @daisynatives 2.like this post 3.Spread the positive vibes by tagging a friend and saying something supportive! 👭 Two lucky winners will each receive all of the items listed. The giveaway ends Friday. The winners will be notified! Good luck! 🍀#effyourbeautystandards #girlssupportgirls

A post shared by T E S S H🍒L L I D A Y (@tessholliday) on Feb 27, 2017 at 1:23pm PST

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Hey guys, just want to point out how funny the universe works sometime.

Last week, one of my dearest and closest cousin, Danial got married to the love of his life. It’s so nice to see him finally so happy and of course changed for the better. The funny part is that his wife, was my ex-colleague while i was working in Bella on ntv7. So i knew her (Sofea) wayyyyyyy before he even laid eyes on her!

This was Sofea and i in 2014

Who knew that these two people that i know from 2 different worlds would collide and are now officially married! So weird yet it’s so nice that these 2 have found each other.

14 April 2017, they’re officially married!

Wishing you love birds an everlasting love for one another with lotsa babies on the way too! God bless always!

Back when i was in school, i hated wearing watches. I always thought that watches showed and defined how big and fat my wrists were (or still are). I’ve had a number of watches as gift throughout my life, but i always hated them because it reminded me of how fat i was.

I only started wearing watches when i was working as a producer in Media Prima. I had gone for a training that talks about how the way you dress can communicate the type of person you are; and one of the points that took me to heart was about wearing a watch. The trainer mentioned that by wearing a watch, people will take you more seriously. It shows that you respect time and communicates a more confident and authoritative personality. As one of the youngest producer at the time, i needed people to take me seriously and not just as an amature, so from then on i started wearing a watch!

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