More on Sax...

Can you recognise that green 'bib'? Make a guess... what is it?? Ok, ok.. the title gave the hint, didn't it? Well, it was one of those days when I forgot the bib... Useful, isn't it?

Now, you know that Envirosax can be more than just a reusable shopping bag :)

My Sax Experience...

Ok ok... let's not get overexcited again. The spelling is correct. I did not misspell the above.

In my effort to promote environmental friendliness and going green, Peekaroobaby has been carrying Envirosax for some time now... a trendy way and convenient way to bringing out those reusable bags...

With so much news on the importance to go green and the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), I am rather sad that some of my attempts to decline plastic bags while grocery shopping failed... simply because the cashier is afraid the security officers will come after them???

For this particular reason, I'd prefer to go shopping at the foreigners-owned super/hypermarkets as they are rather glad I brought my own bag and there's simply no contest on why I should be using their bags instead.

Farewell to my Granny

Just a week back at home base trying to catch up with my work since our return from our family trip abroad, I received a call from Alice, my sister, that my late granny has been hospitalised. Three days later, on Saturday, just after our Penang Babywearing gathering, Alan, my elder brother, called for us to return home ASAP.

My late paternal granny (3Ma 3Ma), left us on Monday, the 21st April 2008. Arthur, Bernard (my younger brother who is living with us) and I arrived home (KL) on Sunday to see our 3Ma 3Ma for the last time. Arthur managed to make her smile and laugh at his broken songs of Old MacDonald and some others that she used to teach me sing... 3Ma 3Ma was going to turn 84 this year.

Looking back, I grew up with 3Ma 3Ma, most of the time, only the two of us home as my parents were working late. She was my main caregiver. We even co-sleep...

It is from 3Ma 3Ma that I picked up the habits to a frugal living. I later realised that though the terms are different, what is frugal iving to her means going green to many... Some of the things I learnt from 3Ma 3Ma that I am still practising to date:

• waste no energy... only light up where you are in the house... I still remember how my friends used to comment there's nobody at home when they arrived at the front gate... if we were in the kitchen, that will where the lights will be lighted.. nowhere else... the kitchen happen to be at the back of the house.
• waste no energy... don't let the TV run when you are not watching it... don't just switch on the radio for fun...
• waste no water.... turn off the tap while you are brushing your teeth... turn off the tap when you are cleaning the dishes (not rinsing)... the water from washing the vegetables can be used to rinse dirty dishes or even water the plants...
• cook what you need and don't waste food... yes, I prefer to cook just enough than having extra to keep.

In addition, 3Ma 3Ma grows her own vege... talk about self sustainability... and even certain herbal remedies like the Aloe Vera... I still remember how she used it for minor cuts and also as an ointment for bites and stings...

There are many more and these are lessons that I will never forget.

Potty training adventure

As Arthur is soon approaching two, I have decided to give potty training a go.

According to a childhood friend of mine who has 2 kids; 3 years old and 2 years old, the easiest way to go around potty training is to totally not go out of the house for a week... when your toddler is left bottomless so that they can feel the motions.

The trick is not to stress over it but to explain gently to your little one where the pee or poo shall go. If your little one made a mess, just clean it up and explain, again, gently to them where the mess should go... do not scold or blame them.. the more relaxed, the better. If they feel the stress, they might just hold on to their movements and not go.

Anwyay , the more I think of it, the more I feel stressed out about not being stressful, though.

The adventure shall begin next Monday for a week ;) Come back for the results then ;)

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

If you can reduce, you need not reuse... if you can reuse... you need not recycle... if you can recylcle, you need to throw away your money!

Yes... As my MIL once told me... it is not necessary to get expensive disposable sanitary pads... they are bought to be thrown away. It is like throwing away money. How true. Then again, she is also the one who shared her 'analysis' of using tissues with me... that it is cheaper to just wipe the dining table clean with tissues than to wipe it clean with cloth as you need to wash the cloth afterwards ??? Yes, you guessed it right. She is just one who is careful with money. Not so much a environmentalist.

Whatever it is, the point is, with disposables 'everything' from sanitary pads to cloth diapers to fork and spoons and even disposable panties... convenience certainly is taking its toll on the environment.

Thankfully, I've discovered Breastfeeding, Cloth Diapers, Cloth Pads... now, I am even considering using wipes myself and reducing the use of toilet tissues...

What has breastfeeding got to do with the 3Rs? How about reducing the use of plastic, milk tins etc. etc. etc.? You get it ;)

Ready, Set, Go!

Ok... Now that I am done building up a stash for Arthur, it's about time I try cloth for myself. I have indeed tried it before but for only a day or two towards the end of the cycle or before the cycle starts... as a precaution. That was with the pad I'd sewn...

These are made from 100% cotton flannel fabric and I'd sewn some for a friend of mine to test them out before my menses resumed (delayed due to breastfeeding).

I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable they felt compared to disposables. No scratch... no odour... no pulling out the hair *ouch**.. yes, you know what I mean... sorry, guys, this is not for you (but you can read up for your other half ;). My hubby would ;))

The pads I'd sewn myself are stuffable and their absorbency are adjustable. I thought that would be THE system for me until my friend informed me that some would prefer AIO... This friend of mine also introduced me to another system.. the Sckoon system...

Just like my DS's CDs, I'd decided to try them out...

With a few purchases here and there, I now have the following to try out during my next menses. Will update you with a review once I have actually used them and am satisfied (or not... though I'm sure anything would be better than disposables) with them.

Sckoon GIZA pads.. interesting system where you can actually just change the liners, provided that the covers are not soiled. The organic Egyptian cotton is just soooo soft you'd want to hold it next to your face! Got this from ebay.com though I later found out from Sharine's blog that you can actually get them in Malaysia from FemChoices. Upon checking, I'd found that FemChoices actually sells cloth pads at a competitive price, too. Thanks, Sharine, for putting up the link.

Homemade Mama pads... AIO... from http://www.miabambina.com/. Believe it or not, I have been eyeing these pads for quite some time before I know that Miabambina is offering them. Stumbled upon them while doing my research on cloth pads. The materials are so soft. I was a bit reluctant to try out AIOs as I was afraid they will take ages to dry... well, will let you know about that...

Ok. This Moon Sister pad is from Justlife organic shop. I have seen them on sale more than a year ago but just didn't give it much thought then. Then, Arthur was not on CDs. Then, I had the same idea as most that the idea seems gross... Now, all's in my mind is what could be worst than a landfill of disposables?? So, the last time I returned to KL, I headed to a Justlife shop and got one... was wanting to get more than one as it was only RM22 each for a double inner pad but thought I'd just buy one and open it to check it out first... unlike my other purchases, I was disappointed as the inner pads simply turned out to be...

... a double layer of hanky? Yes, those hankies that sells for less than RM1. Not even sure if they are 100% cotton, too. The snaps are just simply metal snaps that's usually require hand sewing (I know I missed a photo! I'll make it up in my review). The cover seems a bit coarse to my liking.
Then again, who knows... it might work well.

Something interesting that I'd found from the packaging from the Moon Sister pad, though is that the water used to soak the pads are good for your plants. Sounds logical, doesn't it? Not many have highlighted that, though.

So, yes, I am all set and ready to go full on cloth for my next menses.