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I’ve been a fan of Comic Con for a while, so much so that the husband and I have talked about flying to New York to attend Comic Con at least once so that our inner geeks can geek out together with the rest of the geeks (ok, and some cool people) in what’s known as the ultimate celebration of geekness.

If you love movies and superheroes and comic book characters, Comic Con is where you’ll see all of them come to life in the coolest costumes imaginable.

With that in mind, we were really excited to hear that Comic Con is coming to us right here in Singapore. In collaboration with ReedPOP – the makers of the New York Comic Con (NYCC), Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2), Star Wars Celebration and the New York Anime Festival, The Singapore Toy, Game & Comic Convention (STGCC) basically created our own version of Comic Con. SGTCC combines the best of pop culture from East and West, uniting the worlds of comics, anime, manga, toys, collectibles, games and movies in one awesome event.

Happening in less than 2 week’s time (on 31 August and 1 September) at Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, this year’s event looks to be better than ever. Possibly because of this.

Alright folks, that right there is the Hall of Armor from Tony Stark’s Malibu mansion – the Mark I through the Mark VII, with the Mark XLII as the centerpiece. No, seriously, all I need is Robert Downey Junior doing his hand suit-up move and my life will be complete. Depending on how heavily guarded it is, I might attempt to try it on at the risk of getting hauled off by security.

I know for a fact that Truett will join me in this mission because this is what he’s been doing at home lately.

It will be a really fun time for families and kids so remember to bring your kids along, especially on Sunday, 1 September, where kids aged 12 and below will get to have free admission to the event. In addition to this, there will also be tons of super cute exclusives available for sale at this event. Like this build-your-own minion.

And this Despicable Me 2 Minions Monopoly, in which Gru is back with another evil plan and it’s up to you to collect Banana Bucks and own all of your favorite properties before he succeeds.

And this limited edition Tokidoki Comic Corno Unicorn.

And exclusive Nanoblocks.

And some Rilakkuma and Sanrio Kuji, whom I believe are distant relatives of Kirsten’s favorite Hello Kitty.

And speaking of Hello Kitties, limited edition Hello Kitty dressed as Ugly Dolls (the characters, not random ugly dolls in general). Because ugly is the new pretty.

And more actual Ugly Dolls, which are strangely, kind of cute.

It’s going to be a blast, so mark your calendars and head down for some family geekout fun.

Also, more to come on a special Disney Marvel showcase, stay tuned.

*1-day tickets are retailing at $19 and the 2-day tickets are retailing at $25. There will be free admission for children under five on 31 August 2013, plus free admission for children 12 years old and below on 1 September 2013. 

I just spent a week getting acquainted with the Volkswagen Sharan and I think I’m having a massive car crush right about now. Let me preface this by saying that I’ve always been pretty fond of my little Honda Jazz but it’s like someone who’s been eating oatmeal every morning and is relatively happy with oatmeal but one day  tries some ridiculously tasty fried chicken and then OMG FRIED CHICKEN! There’s just no turning back from that.

This is what comes of writing at 2am after a dose of Breaking Bad. I need me some Los Pollos Hermanos.

Delicious fried chicken aside, I’ve had the most wonderful week with the VW Sharan because this 7-seater MPV is one sweet, sweet ride. As far as looks go, it’s not particularly flashy or flamboyant – certainly not a show stealer like a smoking hot Kate Beckinsale in skintight leather. It’s more of a warm and homely Kate Hudson in comfy yoga pants. Unassuming, but once you really get to know her (the car, I mean) and spend some quality time together, that’s when your heart gets well and truly stolen.

First of all, the keyless entry & ignition. Pretty standard stuff, but instead of having to press a button on the door handle, all I need to do is gently touch the inner curve of the door handle like I’m about to open the door and it unlocks with a soft click. Smooth and easy.

Once I’m in the car, the first thing I notice is how bright and spacious everything is. The large windows and the sunroof lets in plenty of light so it feels happy and airy. And the space they manage to fit into the car is pretty impressive. As in it definitely feels more spacious than it looks and it already looks pretty darn spacious. The middle row sits 3 adults comfortably and the last row fits 2 bulky car seats with room to spare. With all 7 seats upright, the boot space isn’t huge but it still comfortably fits a Peg Perego stroller and several bags.

It also comes with the usual bells and whistles of most respectable cars these days – built in GPS, cruise control, auto park, the whole works. I really like how intuitive everything feels, like the car understands me and knows my every need. Seriously, it’s a real dream to drive and this is coming from someone who spends a lot of time ferrying the kids up and down, running errands and dashing around for meetings in between.

The kids obviously loved the car. They’re at an age where they can give me very candid comments about stuff and the first thing they said when they got into the car was “WAHHHH, your new car is so awesome.” But what’s more telling is the number of times they fell asleep in the car (even on short rides). They hardly ever fall asleep in the Jazz but in the last week alone, they’ve fallen asleep like 4 times in the car because according to Kirsten, “it’s too comfortable”. True story

I think Truett’s favorite part of the car was the little ledge on the back seat where he gets to arrange his toy cars all in a row. He’ll make vrooom sounds and move his cars along the ledge while I drive, which is such a big boy thing to do, right?

And then of course, the coolest feature of all, the sunroof. I don’t know what it is about kids and sunroof but they seem to think that it’s the best thing since sliced bread. On every single trip, they’ll ask for the sunroof to be opened and occasionally, we’ll indulge them for like 2 minutes until it gets too hot, which inevitably leads to the end of open top driving.

Several times, we let them stand with their heads popped out of the sunroof while the car was stationary and they were so, so thrilled. Kids are so easy to impress. But cute.

On Monday, we took a day off to hang out at Adventure Cove as a family and the Sharan ferried all 7 of us (including my mom and the helper) comfortably with room to spare. Considering that there might possibly be another kid (ahem, not yet but the option is very much on the table) on the horizon, this will be a dream addition to the family.

If I had to rate the experience, it’d be two thumbs up plus a big toe.

*For more details on the Volkswagen Sharan, check out the gallery here. 

One of the things I look forward to most everyday is reading time with the kids because it combines 2 of my favorite things to do in the world – reading and spending time with the kids. I love that they’re captivated by stories and there’s nothing more satisfying than when I stop midway through a book and they’re all like “And then what happens, mom? READ SOME MORE!!!”

It’s even starting to rub off on baby Finn. He’s often sitting down in a pile of books and flipping vigorously instead of playing with his other toys. He doesn’t quite have the ability to sit through a whole book and he likes to snap the book shut while I’m reading and shove a new one in my face but it’s probably an indication of his baby-induced ADD rather than his lack of interest in books. Or so I’d like to think.

I like to imagine hanging out with them at a nice cafe when they’re older, each of us engrossed in our own books. I’ll have my latte while they sip their hot chocs and then we’ll talk about our books like a mini book club. That’ll be really nice.

Now that they’re really into books, we try to cultivate good reading habits like ensuring that there’s proper lighting whenever they read. Especially after we discovered 3M’s Polarizing Light and the importance of glare reduction last year.

3M recently launched the LED 6000 Polarizing light and it’s better than ever. It is equipped with the latest 3M Air Guiding™ Technology to effectively reduce glare and eliminate harmful UV rays. It also uses edge-lit LEDs to remove multi-shadows on the book’s surface and produce a light source that does not flicker. It’s also eco-friendly, produces less heat and energy efficient. Another useful feature is the easy touch sensor that allows you to adjust brightness levels to suit different reading needs. There are no chunky buttons to fiddle with, plus it’s pretty cool – just glide a finger along the panel and watch the brightness level adjust instantly.

And the swivel head that swivels in all directions (left, right, up down)? That’s like my favorite feature. I have a thing for objects that swivel because it’s so um, what’s the word for it…shiok. For one thing, I get to adjust the light just right regardless of the angle of the book, but more importantly, it’s just so gratifying to swivel stuff like a boss.

The kids now know how to remind me about the Polarizing Light and they’ll be like “I think we need the reading light to keep our eyes healthy and strong”, which is basically code for “Yay, I get to go crazy fiddling with the light sensor and the swivel function.”

Whatever works, I guess. At this rate, maybe they’ll even have a chance of not being myopic.

If you’d like to win a 3M LED 6000 Polarizing Light, here’s a chance for you to do so. All you need to do is head on over and “Like” the 3M Polarizing Light Facebook Page. From now till 15 August, one lucky winner will stand to bring home a 3M LED 6000 every week.

*The 3M LED 6000 Polarizing Light retails at $269 and is available in Green, Pink and White.

Before I became a mom, I didn’t care much for wet wipes. It was a functional item and as long as I could use it to wipe stuff with, it was all the same to me.

Then I went and gave birth to babies and everything changed. I found myself becoming a connoisseur. Of moist towelettes. I even stopped calling them wet wipes and started calling them baby wipes because it’s the single most important item that babies need.

They make the poopy? You need baby wipes.

They smear food all over their bodies? Reach for the baby wipes.

They regurgitate? Baby wipes.

They shove their fingers in dirt? That’s right, baby wipes.

5 years and 3 kids later, I think I’ve tried almost every brand of baby wipes available. Some were too dry, some were sort of squishy, some were rough and scratchy, some left a weird residue, some gave the baby a nappy rash, and some just smelled way too funky.

Being a connoisseur and all, here’s what I look for in my baby wipes:

1. Soft. Not just the regular kind of soft but luxuriously soft. It must feel like the gentle caress of a summer breeze on baby Finn’s bottom.

2. Thick and absorbent. I’ve discovered that 1 square of good quality thick wipes is equivalent to 2-3 pieces of inferior ones. So I end up using fewer pieces for each diaper change.

3. Textured. The best baby wipes are those that are textured but still maintaining its softness as the texture helps to pick up particles more effectively.

4. No harmful chemicals or residue. Or anything that irritates a baby’s delicate skin.

On my baby wipes scale, Pigeon has one of the best wipes and their Chamomile & Rosehip range is the one of my favorites. In fact, it’s the one I used the most in all my years of poop cleaning.

They’ve introduced a baby wipes new range called Moisturizing Cloths and after using it on baby Finn for a couple of weeks, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve got a new favorite. It’s actually recommended for newborns up to 6 months but since my 9-month-old still has the delicate skin of a newborn, I’m sticking with it.

I didn’t think the wipes could get much softer and thicker than the ones I was already using but wow, yes it can. It’s so thick they’re now calling it a cloth instead of a wipe because it really does feel like fabric. A really soft, moist and really absorbent fabric. That comes with a new lattice-weave texture for more efficient cleaning.

They’ve also added Lanolin protection to the Moisturizing Cloths, which helps to moisturize the skin while creating a protective barrier against diaper rash. And like the rest of their wipes, they’re alcohol-free as well as free from fungus and harmful bacteria that can cause itching, skin irritation and eczema. They’ve also retained the very useful One Hand System, which allows you to peel off the reseal-able flap and pull out the wipes with one hand. Trust me, it’s a lifesaver when you’re dealing with a squirmy baby and a full packet of poop.

While I use it most frequently for diaper changes, it’s also great for using on baby Finn’s hands, face, feet and pretty much everywhere else that needs wiping.

*Pigeon’s Baby Wipes Moisturizing Cloths are available at all leading department stores, supermarkets and baby products shops. They will be retailing at a promo price of $15 for 2 twin packs (instead of $17.80) from 17 June to 31 August. 

I’ve had the most massive backaches for a really long time now. I don’t know if it’s caused by the 9 months of pregnancy (x 3) or the 30 hours of labor or 5 years of carrying the kids but one thing’s for sure – my back these days is like a giant knot made up of a hundred smaller knots. Honestly, neck and shoulder aches have been my constant companion for so long that I can’t remember a time when my back didn’t hurt. Even after I go for the best massages from those deadly Chinese sinsehs, the relief lasts for at most a day before the aches come right back again. Total bummer.

Which is why last week, when the OSIM folks asked me if I wanted to give the new uAngel massage chair a spin, I was really quite enthusiastic about it. In fact, I might have immediately fantasized about vegetating on my shiny new toy and having all the tension slowly massaged out of my knotted muscles multiple times a day. And then some.

On Monday, I got a special delivery and  *squeeeeal* I AM IN LOVE.

Okay, you guys know I hardly ever squeal right? I’m not much of the squealing sort but if there’s anything that deserves some proper squealing, this is it.

Let me get straight to the point – first of all, the massages. When I sat down on the plush leather for my first massage, the English language failed me so I looked at the husband and said “WAH SEH…SHIOKNESS.” Which is perhaps the best way to describe the enjoyment I derive from the intense squeeze and knead massaging. It comes with 5 different modes for me to customize the intensity and massaging motions for my neck, shoulders, back, and legs.

This is now the special boss chair I head to the moment I wake up, before I go to bed, after lunch, in the afternoon…you get the idea.

The other great thing about the uAngel is that while it comes with the features of a full-sized massage chair, it also has the ability to transform into a stylish compact little sofa.

How compact, you ask? To be precise, it measures only 70cm (width) by 86cm (depth) in sofa mode, which makes it an excellent space-saving option for homes that don’t have the luxury of space to fit a ginormous massage chair. When you need a massage, just touch a button and it transforms into a massage recliner. And when you don’t, it transforms right back with another touch of a button.

As an added bonus, the shiny upholstery is easy to clean and even the kids love it because it’s the perfect size for their cosy reading corner.

One more thing, OSIM is one of the sponsors for this year’s Cold Storage Kids Run, which will be held on 19 May. The kids had a great time at last year’s run and they’re really excited to take part in the run this year. Who knows, we might even trade run partners. More on that soon!

*From now to 19 April, OSIM is having a Dress Up as Angel Facebook Photo Contest! To participate, just snap a photo of you as an Angel and submit via the OSIM Singapore Facebook Page.

If there’s one thing I’d like to do more of as a family, it’d be to exercise. Good old heart-pumping, sweat-inducing, endorphin-raising kind of workout.

The husband and I used to be rather sporty back when we were younger and we’ve always wanted to inculcate a love for sports and exercise in the kids. We’d talk about how cool it would be if Truett turned out to be the next Jeremy Lin or if Kirsten became the next Sharapova. Or even if they don’t turn pro, it’d still be pretty cool to just hang out with them over a game of basketball as a family. I just need to have 1 more kid and we can do 3-on-3s.

When they were younger, we used to just bring them to the park to run around and get some fresh air but in the past year or so, we’ve introduced sporty activities like cycling and inline skating.

It’s been a little tough to get in a regular exercise routing ever since Finn was born, so our plan these days is to take whatever little pockets of spare time we have and head on down to the park nearby for a quick skating session.

The kids love it, we get to spend quality time as a family and we stay strong by maintaining an active lifestyle. It’s basically a win-win-win situation.

The older I get, the more I realize the importance of staying strong and cultivating healthy habits. So in addition to the exercise routines, I also supplement with Anlene, which helps by providing the necessary calcium for strong bones. With just 2 packs a day, I don’t have to worry about insufficient calcium or losing bone mass. I think that counts as another win.

This is part 2 of a series of sponsored conversations on behalf of Anlene Singapore. All opinions and text are my own.