Cool Mommy Product Reviews

Jordan has always been a late bloomer in video games. When he was 6, we all couldn’t understand why he was not interested in electronic or computer games like all other kids his age. We thank our lucky stars as we did not like them to get “hooked” on the hand held or computer games.

While visiting our neighbor’s at Thanksgiving in Nov 2006, my boys played with the latest in electronic games – Wii. He was raving about it and has been talking about it. Finally we decided to buy it for christmas and they started playing it on Thanksgiving Day as we were going away for christmas and can’t bring it with us.

They can only play it on Friday evenings, Saturday & Sunday. Of course, I have to peel them away from the TV and limit the time they spent on playing. As I mention in my earlier blogs, it became a big problem.

Recently, Jordan started asking for a DS Lite for his birthday (in June) – the popular hand held game device that probably all kids have. My husband and I decided that maybe it is time he gets one unlike 2 years ago when he was totally disinterested in video games and it would be a complete waste of money. Now, my 6 year old son is also keen. Problem is – I don’t want to buy 2 DS Lite. It’s definitely wasteful as I am a firm believer of sharing. However, if one is playing, then the other one just watch ? Can you imagine a 6 year old keep asking, “can I have a turn” ?

Hence, I would like to buy my second son something similar but not DS Lite. Any suggestions ?

Kids

Last Saturday at our regular Ballet session, I shared with the moms our Chinese new Year celebration at my sons’ elementary school. We approached the school district food service to prepare chicken noodles for food tasting and I suggested the easy way to do it. Made chicken broth – from stock cubes & boiled spaghetti noodles. The coordinator agreed and he even made the noodles and broth himself. It was a big hit. Now, I am hoping that the school district will consider introducing it into the lunch menu.

The moms were so surprised that it was so easy to make “instant chicken noodles” soup. In fact, I told them to add leftover Rotisserie chicken and spinach. If you have sesame oil, you can add a drop or 2 to enhance the flavor. Of course, the noodles can be substituted with the different kinds of pasta.

In Singapore – you will see macaroni soup at many food centres and it’s basically chicken broth with macaroni pasta. Many kids love it. I even used the tricolor rotini in the chicken soup.

Try it and let me know if your kids love it.

Kids

I loved babies and was secretly hoping to have more. But, our babies don’t sleep well for at least 18 months so it will be hard for me to function with 3 other ones. Also, my last pregnancy was a risky one – placenta previa – and I was ordered to bed rest for 10 weeks. I think I had enough.

At my daughter’s ballet studio today, we talked about the our pregnancy and childbirth experiences. It brought back many fond memories.

We were living in Tokyo, Japan for 7 years and all my 3 kids were born there. We met a wonderful doctor – Dr Hideki Sakamoto from the Tokyo Medical Clinic and he delivered all my kids. He is very well known in the expat community in Tokyo and fluent in English. He even earned a nickname as the Godfather of foreign babies. However, the hospital that he is affiliated with is 45 minutes from downtown (without traffic) and nobody speaks English except for a Sister. (It is a catholic hospital). Dr Sakamoto offers patients the option of an epidural (an option not available to Japanese women) which he administers and this made him very popular.

In the spring of 1999, when my husband & I first visited the hospital – Seibo Byoin and saw the delivery room, I was so disappointed. It looked old, sparse and basic. The decor was so 60s. Square, green ceramic tiles in the delivery room. There was no bathtub for women in labor to use to elevate contraction pains. I really wanted my husband by side during the delivery so returning to my home country was not an option. I called his aunt expressing my disappointment about the hospital & delivery room. Her reply was :when the time comes, it doesn’t matter as it is just another room where you “do your thing”. Most importantly, she said, the doctor must be good.

As you might have a pre-conceived idea that everything Japanese is state of the art and modern. So did I and I was wrong. Everything in that hospital was so antiquated looking and they don’t even have a NICU. Thankfully, all my births were uneventful. Our friends and I joked that Dr Sakamoto had so many foreigners clients (we pay cash) that the hospital was able to build a new maternity wing. By the time my little girl was born in 2003, I was in a new delivery ward. However, the new private rooms were not ready so I shared the room with 3 other moms which was heaps better than the old private rooms.

Although we heard horror stories of how Dr Sakamoto didn’t make it to deliver their babies – usually because he was out of town, we were lucky that he was there with me from the minute I had contractions till I delivered.

With the first pregnancy, I was having pains & was in great discomfort towards the end of the term. Hence, on my check up at 40 weeks, he met us at the hospital and we decided to induce the birth. It was a Friday night & the whole thing started at 8pm & Jordan was born (assisted by the vacuum) the next morning at 7am. He stayed at the hospital all night checking on me every few hours and administered my epidural when I was 8cm dilated as I “caved in” to the pains .

Marshall – was 3 weeks early. I woke up one Sunday morning (May 6, 2001) and found myself leaking – right after I went to the bathroom. Thank goodness, my husband had just returned from a business trip the night before. Called the doctor and he told me to meet him at the hospital by 9am. Took our toddler to my best friend, bought some sandwiches and off we go. Dr Sakamoto came in at 10am. As I still had no contractions, this could be a long wait and suggested that I induce the birth. Contractions started almost immediately after pitocin and Marshall was born at 2pm. It was fast and furious.

Schuyler was a miracle baby. I had a miscarriage after Marshall. So when I discovered that I was staining at 18 weeks, I thought I was losing my baby again. It was placenta previa and I was ordered to bed rest and it went on for 10 weeks. God answered our prayers almost instantly. Our part-time help was able to switched to work full time and she lived in with us from Monday to Saturday morning. She was a fantastic housekeeper, child minder & a great cook. 2 other moms from Jordan’s preschool also helped me with transporting him to & from preschool.

I had to see Dr Sakamoto every 2 weeks and it was such a great relief to carry Schuyler to full term. With increased risk, I decided she would be induced. We chose Sunday – June 22, 2003, went to the hospital to meet Dr Sakamoto at 10am and Schuyler was born at 7pm. He also collected her cord blood – a service he started to provide. There was however a little scare. During my recovery, I haemorraged a little & the nurse called him. I was given a pill to take & the haemorraging stopped.

I told everyone that if the births are on weekends, chances are good that Dr Sakamoto will be there for you the entire time. In the day, he has teaching commitments at the Nihon university & he is also an oncologist. We were so lucky to have his undivided attention for all the 3 births.

I found out Dr Sakamoto now has a website. http://www.sakamoto-obgyn.medem.com/

Kids

Our family loves dogs. Last year, during the month leading up to my oldest son – Jordan’s birthday (he was turning 8), he was asking for a puppy. (Sounds familiar ?) Then, my daughter joined in & is constantly asking for one. I told my husband that when she turns 4 (don’t know why I chose this age), I will be ready to get a dog. Naturally, last year was a crucial year and my husband & I discussed about it many times privately.

It’s such a big responsibility & there is never the best time. In the fall when school starts – all hells break loose with open house, class parties, soccer practices etc etc. Then in the winter – we take 2 weeks vacation at Christmas & New Year. Then comes Spring, and a possible short vacation. How about Summer ? That’s worse – we return to my mom’s (in a faraway country) for 3 months.

In the last few months, I seriously considered the option as we got a babysitter who is working full time in the dog grooming salon. (I thought maybe she can also moonlight & groomed my dog for a smaller fee on weekends). Also, she will be able to help me teach the kids to handle the dog. We started researching on the internet and shortlisting names.

Then one day – I took my little girl to visit our babysitter at the dog grooming salon and she was of course excited. However, when we walked in – there was a strong odor – you know the kind of smell when you are bathing the dog. Anyway, in a confined environment, it is quite nauseating. My little girl immediately pinched her nose & said : “I don’t like the smell. I want to go now.” So, I promptly seized the opportunity & said : “if you want dog, our house might smell like that”. (Of course I am exaggerating). She replied : “I don’t want a dog now. Can we go now please?

Mission accomplished. She stopped bugging me for a dog. Strangely, I am the one who still wants a dog. Maybe it’s not the timing. It’s just that I haven’t found the right dog yet.

Kids