If you visit my blogs enough, you probably know I like quirky and artsy stuff.  So when I saw this website featuring unique, stylish collections like retro looking crib bedding sets for baby’s room, I was happy to generate some buzz for it.

The website goes by name of Hazel & Melvin’s Room and is rather cute looking.  Besides the crib beddings, you can also find pretty quilts, nursing pillows, hip handmade diaper bags and even these cute conjoined sock monkeys which are often mistakenly referred to as “Siamese” even though these monkeys have never ever been to Siam (or even heard of it!)

The brain behind Hazel and Melvin’s Room is Rebecca Yaker, an experienced fashion designer with a quirky sense of color and style as well as a love for wit and whimsy.  Inspired by the colors and patterns of the 1950’s, her unique, stylish collection focuses on retro looks for baby’s room and are designed and handmade in her Minneapolis design studio where she finds the best quality fabrics with the right balance of fun, bold colors and patterns that appeal to both the baby and the parent.

Rebecca ships her products internationally and will even create one-of-a-kind custom pieces if you ask.

Realistically, how do I juggle time at home between blogging and spending time with my four-year-old? 

This is how.  

He hijacks my PC to play his games, surf the web or checks out pictures on Flickr.   I log in my wordpress blogs and bang away on the keyboard of my notebook.  Side-by-side. 

We interact by chatting and laughing together.  Sometimes he tells me something new he has discovered.  Sometimes I teach him to spell a word or two.  He’s happy as long as we’re side-by-side. 

Quality time.  Blogging and parenting.  Heh.  Save the whining.

Come end of this year, my domestic helper will be returning home after a 4-year stint with us.  I don’t say much about her here but she’s actually an invaluable help to me. 

For S$550 a month, she has made life a lot easier for me these few years.  In fact, there are only two problems I have with her. 

One, is the fear that Gavin is too attached to her sometimes.  I reckon it’s jealousy and insecurity on my part but it’s inevitable, and fortunately it’s not something I have to struggle with very much at all.

The other problem is the lack of privacy sometimes.  Before her, I used a part-time maid service and we were very happy with that arrangement because several household chores got done and yet our space wasn’t intruded on a daily basis.  However with a child and the fact that I’m also working, employing one in-house became a necessity.

Although there is still another half a year before she leaves, but I do need to think of other alternatives rather quickly.  It is unlikely she’ll extend her work permit and frankly, we’re not exactly keen on the idea of a new maid and possibly a new set of problems.  I’ve employed several maids when I was staying with my mum to know the headaches as well as heartaches.   With my current, I’ve been rather lucky but I’m not sure if my luck will continue.

But having said that, I acknowledge that it’s still an option we need to keep open though.  It doesn’t quite make sense to send the boy to a childcare while I work and then come back and have to do the housework and stuff.  Reverting to part-time help also doesn’t make much economic sense when compared to how much value a full-time helper can bring.  And as for my in-laws, well that’s another story that I won’t discuss for now.

Maid or no maid.  It’s funny how most of us can become so dependent on domestic help these days.  And how much they can impact our lifestyles both ways.

I can’t remember when it started but it must have been at least more than a year since the man has been exercising regularly.  It started because of a health reason but it soon escalated into an obsession where he’ll feel extremely uncomfortable without running or swimming for a few days.  By my standard, I certainly think he’s aggressive.

The exercising also means quite a bit of time spent away from us, but I didn’t really mind so much since he was keeping himself healthy.  And he has also cut his time in playing golf, which by comparison, means even more time away.  So I took it all in good faith until he started saying he wants to participate in some triathlons later in the year.  While I didn’t want to sound too opposing, I was really not very keen on the idea at all.  We haven’t really discussed the topic at length, but I was secretly hoping he wasn’t serious, or even if he was, that he would drop the idea quickly. 

I mean exercising to keep fit is all good.  But is there a need to go competitive? 

Then this morning, he gasped in shock when he read the news about the teen triathlete who collapsed and died after completing a race yesterday.  He doesn’t know the boy personally but have heard about him from his circle of contacts.  Then I heard him say something to the effect that triathlons cannot be taken lightly.  I don’t know what he really meant but I’m hoping that he has dropped the idea completely now.

Man, you’re not young anymore.  Do consider carefully your age, your state of health and the fact that you’ve got a wife and a son at home.  Drop the idea.  Pleaassee. 

It’s been awhile since we set foot in Seletar area again.  The man, inspired by my post, decided that we should go and check out the nature at Seletar.  And it was also timely because we managed to catch our last breakfast at Seletar Base Golf Course as the place was due to close down tomorrow. 

Changes are slowly taking shape over at the area.   Let’s hope the rustic charm will still remain intact for a longer while before the spoils of capitalism take over completely.