Linna at dance class.

Here's a couple videos from our 3-year-old's first day back at dance in Minnesota...

Baby saigh #2 pregnancy: Weeks 18 & 19

Baby Saigh #2 at 19 weeks and 5 days (profile).

I'm going to be completely honest. These past two weeks have completely blended together. Between a 20-hour flight from Singapore to Minnesota, trying to get TV segments put together, see family and friends, cabin and Mankato visits, Linna's activities, etc., I barely know what day it is. Sometimes, I completely forget that I'm even pregnant! Other than some acid reflux, tiredness, and being a bit uncomfortable when trying to fall asleep, I'm am feeling really good. My boobs are gigantic though, and the bump just keeps growing (along with my appetite).

I went in for my 20-week ultrasound and doctor appointment this past Tuesday (19 weeks and 5 days pregnant), and Baby Saigh #2 is measuring right on track. I'm actually 20 weeks today, so half way there! We did a really thorough ultrasound, where the technician checked for the appropriate number of heart chambers, brain development, weight, etc. I was very clear with every nurse, doctor, and technician that I talked to, about NOT wanting to find out this baby's gender. I actually think I would have been really upset if someone would have slipped up and told me. But everyone did a really great job, especially the technician, as she told me to look away every time she scanned over the baby's nether-regions. I emailed the ultrasound photos to Papa Saigh after the appointment since he's still in Singapore working, and he says the baby is, "totally a boy". I feel like I saw some baby balls at a couple points during the ultrasound, so I'm still convinced that I'm having a boy. I asked the ultrasound technician about a million times if she knew what the baby's gender was (but not to tell me the gender), and at the end she said she was about 99% sure she knew what it was. I hated that she knew and I didn't... haha! But I seriously have no desire to find out this baby's gender. When the technician tried to get a profile shot of the baby, Baby Saigh #2 was actually standing up. We both laughed about it, and I asked if I could get video, but this OBGYN doesn't let me record video or take photos during the visit. The baby was moving around a LOT too during the visit, and he or she is SO cute!

My new favorite maternity pants/leggings from Stitch Fix. They're Rune
Navy Maternity Leggings. I need them in other colors!

I received my first maternity package in the mail from Stitch Fix, and I am in love with their new maternity clothes. I'm pregnant at a tricky time because I'll be REALLY big in both summer and fall, so buying clothes had been a process. Stitch Fix is really helping with that though, as they send a lot of options for both hot and cooler months. Linna has been great throughout this pregnancy too, and she's always hugging my belly and telling people that she's going to be a big sister. It's tough being away from Papa Saigh as my belly continues to grow, but he'll be in Minnesota before we know it!

Baby Saigh #2 with his/her mouth open. Looks like an ape!

Baby's hand up near his/her head. So cute!

Linna, "the bump", and I are really enjoying our time in Minnesota. The weather couldn't be more beautiful, and I love seeing Linna with her cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. It's going to be REALLY hard to go back to Singapore after this trip.

Visit to the play and learn cafe in minnetonka.

Play-area for toddlers and "bigger" kids.

Since it was rainy all morning, today was a perfect morning for our first visit to the Play and Learn Café in Minnetonka. It's a supervised play-area and foodie café for parents with kids age 6 and under, that also offers enrichment classes, children's events and activities, and birthday parties. We have heard so much about this place since they opened earlier this year, and have been so excited to get back to Minnesota for our first visit. I was honestly so impressed with everything from the food and play areas, to the children's activities and cleanliness of the bathrooms.

A look at the front of the Play and Learn Café. This is where you walk in, order food,
and can sit and enjoy a cup of coffee, snack or meal from the Café.

Linna playing with a doll house in the play-area.

Busy kiddos in the play-area. Love the smaller and shorter slides for the little kids,
but they have a bigger, tunnel slide for the "older" kids.

Our 3-year-old busy tending to the cash register at the grocery stand.

The Play and Learn Café was pretty busy when we arrived this morning around 10:45 a.m., but it wasn't crazy or chaotic. We were greeted by the owner, Sara, and another staff member, Mary, and they told us how the process worked (even though it was clearly displayed on the wall when we walked in. It's $5/child to play, but our 3-year-old played for free since we ordered $20 worth of food/drinks during our visit.

A view of the infant play-area gated off from the bigger kids' play-area.

Linna playing with the pulley system on the playground.

After we put our socks on, Linna ran into the play-area to explore all the fun toys they have set up. She loved the cash register and grocery store set-up, as well as the sand play-area and playground. She also like watching the babies play in the infant-area from behind the gates (the infant area is now completely separate from the older kids' play-area). After Linna became comfortable playing on her own, I was able to walk over to the Café to order lunch. I liked that I could watch Linna playing, while I ordered our food and drinks. I ordered a vanilla latte (very good), a small beet, goat cheese, and candied-walnut salad (delicious), and a sun butter/jelly sandwich (the Play and Learn Café is peanut-free) with yogurt and sprinkles, and a milk for the 3-year old (she loved her meal). We were given a letter ("N") and asked to find a table, and a staff member brought our food/drinks over to our table. Linna got to write on the chalkboard wall with chalk while we waited for our food. Once our food arrived, Linna would take a bite of her meal, and then run off and play, while I enjoyed my latte and watched her play from behind the Café wall. The play-area staff did a nice job of keeping the toys in their appropriate areas, while playing with the kids. Since we visited on a Monday, Linna got to participate in the weekly Usborne Books Storytime at 11:15 a.m.

Play and Learn Cafe's new menu. Yum!

Our table next to the chalkboard wall.

Usborne Books Storytime... Every Monday at 11:15 a.m.

Linna adding sprinkles to her organic yogurt.

My yummy goat cheese, beet, and candied walnut salad. So good!

I was pleasantly surprised by how clean the staff kept the Play and Learn Café. Even the bathrooms were spotless when the Café was really busy. There was a seat in the family bathroom for kids to sit while their grown-up uses the potty, as well as a changing table for infants. I am so happy that we decided to book Linna's 4th birthday party at the Play and Learn Café next month (she chose the "Art" theme). I think we'll be signing her up for some classes at the Play and Learn Cafe this summer too. We're definitely looking forward to visiting more this summer, especially on hot or rainy days. The Twin Cities was desperate for a place like this, and we're excited to become frequent visitors. We hope to see you there!

Toddler-size potty and an adult-size potty in the family bathroom.

Love that the family restroom makes it easy for growing kids to independently use
the toilets and sinks. Well done, Play and Learn Café!

Linna's first time tubing on the lake.

Our 3-year-old was brave enough to try out our new EZ Ski Trainer on the lake today. She wasn't quite ready to stand up on it yet, but we were so proud that she even tried it. Way to go Linna, and thanks Uncle John and Aunt Jen for taking us out on the boat!

FOX 9: Summer travel with kids.

WATCH THE ENTIRE VIDEO OF THE SEGMENT HERE: http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/story/29460476/7-products-to-keep-the-kids-busy-while-traveling

Quinny Yezz: This is one of my favorite strollers for travel. We've used our Quinny Yezz for over a year in Singapore, as we had to rely on public transportation. It's a well-made, quality, umbrella stroller that will LAST! The stroller collapses and folds up easily with one hand, and folds down into a compact design that you can carry over your shoulder. It comes in a variety of colors, and is meant for children age 6 months to 3.5 years old (15kg/33lbs). The stroller itself weighs just 5kg/11lbs, has a water-repellent fabric, will stand upright on its own, and has a storage pouch on the backside of the seat. The wheels are like the wheels you'd find on Rollerblades, making for a very smooth ride. This is Papa Saigh's (my husband) favorite strollers when he's out and about with our 3.5-year-old. The Quinny Yezz retails for $279.

RideSafer Travel Vest: The RideSafer Travel Vest is a convenient, safe, portable, and legal way to transport your child safely, when a car seat just isn't an option. It's crash-tested and suitable for kids as young as age 3, and at least 30 lbs. I carry our Travel Vest in my bag when we're in Singapore, as we have to rely on taxis for transportation. It's a great option when traveling with children to cities like New York, or places where it's inconvenient to lug around a bulky car seat. The Travel Vest slips on like a jacket, and the seat belt is easily threaded through the shoulder and lap straps. The RideSafer Travel Vest retails between $110 and $149.

Buggy Board: The Lascal Buggy Board attaches to 99% of strollers to create a practical way to transport tired toddlers. Give your little walker the option to run around, or hop on the Buggy Board for a stress-free outing. The Buggy Board also comes in a Mini-Buggy version. We're excited for the release of the new Buggy Board Saddle, which is expected to be released in the fall of 2015! Buggy Boards retail for $89.99.

Tiggly Learning: Tiggly Toys have silicone touch-points, so your tablet reacts to them just like your fingertips. Just tap the shapes, letters, and counting toys on your tablet, and watch your children play and learn. All you need to do is download the free apps, and then your kids can learn and play without using wifi, batteries, or bluetooth (just keep your tablet charged). The Tiggly Shapes system is meant for children age 2-5 years (4 toys and 3 apps included), Tiggly Math is for children age 3-7 years (5 toys and 3 apps included), and the Tiggly Words is for children age 4-7 years (5 toys and 3 apps included). Your kids can use the Tiggly Learning apps without the toys as well. Our 3.5-year-old uses her new Tiggly during our long flights from Singapore to Minneapolis, and back. Tiggly retails for $29.95 and can be found at some Minnesota Apple stores, Kiddywampus, The Minnesota Children's Museum, Pacifier, Walker Arts Center Shop, and the Nicollet Mall Target.

1st Class Kid: This amazing contraption turns your airplane's economy seat into a first-class seat. The 1st Class Kid inflatable travel-pillow was created by a New Zealand Mom who is now living in Las Vegas. The travel pillow inflates by using your own air (mouth), or the airplane's forced overhead-air after take-off, allowing you and your child to stretch out your legs, relax, and hopefully fall asleep. The 1st Class Kid deflates to a small square that can easily fit in your carry-on luggage (we fit two in our carry-on bag very easily). Parents can fly "stress-free" knowing their children are buckled safely in their seatbelts, while sitting comfortably on the airplane. The 1st Class Kid Travel Pillow retails for $29.95, and you can purchase them online.

Usborne Children's Activity Books: Usborne books quite possibly has the best selection of children's travel books around. Our 3.5-year-old loves all the activity packs and dry-erase activity books, that keep her busy for hours during long flights and/or car rides. If you live in the Twin Cities, check out the really fun Usborne Books Storytime every Monday at 11:15 a.m. at the Play and Learn Café in Minnetonka! For just $5, your child can listen to storytime, make a craft based on the book of the week, and this price includes your play-area admission for the day.

FOX 9: Parent helpers.

On Wednesday, Mama Saigh is on the FOX 9 BUZZ with some helpful products that will make any parent's life a little bit easier. Check them out...



It's so frustrating to be in a hurry, trying to print something off the computer quickly, only to realize that your
printer has run out of ink. Now, by paying a monthly fee, HP will ship you the ink you need right to your home,
BEFORE you realize you've run out of ink! Your printer actually tells HP when you're running out of ink.
HP Instant Ink plans start at $2.99/month.

The new Newton Crib Mattress is a breathable mattress with a core made of 90% air and 10% food-grade polymer,
without any foam, glue, springs, or latex. This means your baby's crib mattress won't give off any toxic chemicals or
allergens. The best part is that the Newton mattress is completely washable... That's right, this mattress loves taking
a bath! A complete Newton Mattress retails for $295, and you can try it for 100 nights for FREE!

Having a tough time getting your toddler to stay in his or her own bed?! Join the club! Aden + Anais recently came out
with a new line of toddler bedding that creates a perfect sleep space for your little one, where the fitted and flat sheet are
sewn together. The 100% cotton muslin will keep their toes toasty warm, ensuring a good night sleep. The bedding comes
in organic cotton as well, and the sets start at $149.95.

The Mimo just may be the world's smartest infant monitor. It's a small, soft, wearable "turtle" piece, that clips onto your infant's onesie, and monitors breathing, sleep patterns, skin temperature, and you can receive real-time insight about your baby on your smartphone. The Mimo is great for working parents, who want to stay connected to their child when they are in the care of another person. The Mimo can be customized for twins, triplets, etc., and a set of onesies and monitor start at $199.99.

My sister recently told me about these amazing brushes, and then I saw them on display at my daughter's swim school (FOSS in Chanhassen). So, I decided to pick one up. Oh my gosh, the Wet Brush is a little miracle-worker! If you have a child like mine, who is always complaining about how much "it hurts" when I brush her hair, trust me when I tell you to
pick up a Wet Brush. I have yet to hear my daughter complain when I brush through her hair with a Wet Brush. They come in baby, shine, and men's brushes as well, and they aren't lying when they say this is "The Best Detangling Brush Ever"! You can buy the Wet Brush for under $15 at Foss Swim Schools, Target, Amazon, Sally's, etc.

Last day of nursery at dulwich in singapore.

We could not have asked for a better year, or better teachers than the ones we found at Dulwich College in Singapore. Linna had her last day of nursery today, before the class spends two months on summer break. Next year (August), the class will be broken up into separate classes for reception (British version of the American Pre-K). We were so sad to say our farewells today, but very excited to jump on a plane tomorrow to fly back to home to Minnesota for the summer!

(Linna says "happy summer break" to her nursery friends at Dulwich.)

(Linna's last walk to the bus stop as a nursery student.)

Linna heading to her last day of nursery at Dulwich. Non-uniform day!

Mr. See (Linna's Mandarin teacher) and Linna. Mr. See says
he will miss Linna asking to  hold her hand when they walk to the library;(

Linna and Miss Wallace - THE best teacher ever!

Linna and Mrs. Najib (assistant teacher). Linna says she will
miss Mrs. Najib's cuddles.