Product Review: 2 Squirting Fishes

Declan's daddy brought home these 2 Squirting Fishes and at first glance, I couldn't understand why anyone would pay SGD$19.90 for them! I mean, $19.90 is a little too much for bath/pool toys that don't really look that cute. Well, Declan's daddy thought it was cute, but I certainly didn't.

After a while, I realised the upside to these fishes! As the material is really maleable, these toys are truly meant for toddlers! These fishes are really easy to squeeze, such that even Declan could squeeze them. In fact, he could already squeeze them at 15 months. A few weeks back, Declan and I had a really fun time in the garden, sans pool. All I had to do was fill the fishes up with water and hand them over to him. He would squeeze the water in my direction, I would scream, and he would gurgle with laughter and delight. Oh, the beautiful sound of a child's laughter...

So I guess, Declan doesn't really care that the fishes aren't exactly that cute, or maybe it's just me. Anyhow, he loves these fishes and I guess that's all that matters.


See, he REALLY can squeeze the water out!


And here, he was trying to squirt water at me :)

Product Review: Mango Snow Ice @ Food Anytime

A few weeks ago, Straits Times covered a popular dessert that's on the rise recently. It's called Snow Ice, and I tried one today.

Type: Mango Snow Ice
Place: Food Anytime @ Hougang Mall

Description: Mango flavoured ice slices, topped with mango puree and mango chunks.

Pros: At $3.80, it's definitely value-for-money, as the portion is big enough to share between 2 people. I practically had the whole dessert to myself as hubby only took a few spoonfuls to try. The shop was also quite generous with the mango chunks.

Cons: The ice tasted quite dry and flaky, as I believe it was probably sliced beforehand. My guess is they just add the mango puree and chunks upon ordering. Thus, the ice wasn't as smooth as I expected. The mango chunks was a tad sour too.

Rating: 3/5 - Alright, but not good enough

Product Review: Sophie the Giraffe

Amidst rave reviews from parents on the internet as well as from Declan's pediatrician, we decided to get a Sophie the Giraffe for the little boy.

First things first, the facts:
1) Phthalates and BPA free
2) Made of 100% natural rubber and food quality paints
3) Completely safe to chew, just like a feeding bottle teat
3) Handmade in the French Alps

*Since I am not the direct user, these are only my observations and opinions.*

When Declan first got his hands on Sophie, I was duly impressed by how easily he could grasp it. We've gone through 2 other teethers and he just wasn't able to hold them as well as this one. Moreover, it seems like Sophie's head and legs are made for different parts of a baby's mouth. The head is for happy front teeth chewing, while the legs are for entire gum chewing or for hard to reach places like the molars.

Sophie the Giraffe also produces a squeak when you squeeze her. I was very amused to see Declan progressing in his ability to make Sophie squeak. Initially, he was just slamming Sophie on the floor/mattress and occasionally when he slammed her hard enough, Sophie would give him that elusive squeak. Then one day, I realised Declan was putting Sophie against his shoulder and using wrist action to bend Sophie to produce her squeaks. It was amazing!

Declan also seems to enjoy the texture of this teether. It's not unusual for him to smother Sophie in saliva and to "talk" when chewing. In fact, he sometimes chews Sophie with utmost concentration and vengeance!

Retailing at about 20USD at Amazon, it is probably the most expensive teether I have ever come across. However, it is so far the best one too. I definitely have no regrets buying Sophie.






Chewing with a vengeance.

Product Review: Scootababy carrier

This is an extremely outdated post as I kept forgetting to take photos of my Scootababy.

Anyway, here are some pics at last with a review. Well, ok, not some pics, just ONE pic.

Features that I particularly like:
1) User friendly - no complicated things to learn
2) Can hold weight up to 37 pounds
3) Buckles are adjustable with 1 hand
4) Did I mention easy & simple to learn & use?

I think this is one of the simplest baby carrier in the market. Just clip on the belt, sling your baby, adjust the 2 buckles (yes, the same buckles that are easily adjustable with just 1 hand) and you're good to go! For someone as lazy as me, simplicity is a very important factor. When I saw the Scootababy, I was instantly intrigued as it didn't look too complicated or had too many straps (think complexity when you have too many straps to handle). At the shop, all I needed was ONE demo, and I caught on immediately.

The second feature I like about the Scootababy is that it spreads weight across the shoulders, waist and hips. I've carried heavy sling bags before and when the weight rests all on one particular shoulder, that shoulder will absolutely kill you at the end of the day. Scootababy's ability to spread the baby's weight across different points helps me carry my baby for a longer period of time.

I believe there are only 2 downsides to the Scootababy. One is the lack of versatility as it is solely a hip carrier. The other downside is that because it is a hip carrier, it takes a little more work getting baby to be seated correctly (Declan tends to end up a little to much to the left or right).

All in all, if you're looking for a simple and comfortable baby carrier, Scootababy should be your choice.

Product Review: Ju-Ju-Be™ Be Prepared Diaper Bag

Got my Ju-Ju-Be™ Be Prepared diaper bag some time back... and I LOVE it to bits!!!!

And here's my first attempt at a product review.

Features that I particularly like:
1) Adjustable long strap includes a shoulder pad with memory foam and a grippy textile underneath
2) 2 exterior insulated bottle pockets

It's ultra comfy carrying this bag, thanks to the well-constructed shoulder pad. Not once has the bag slid off my shoulders, even while maneuvering through huge crowds during the Christmas period. My favourite feature of this bag has to be the insulated bottle pockets. Made from Thinsulate™, the pockets did not impress me at first. I was rather skeptical about its ability to keep things warm/cold as the pockets were covered just by a simple flap. However, at 7pm one evening, I brought out a bottle of refrigerated milk to a restaurant just in case Baby Declan decided to scream for his milk before the 3h period was up (and all mummies know that happens from time to time). The milk wasn't used, and when I took the bottle out to put it back into the fridge upon reaching home at 10pm, it felt like it had just come out of the fridge!

On the other hand, there are a few things I did not like. Firstly, there is no fastening for the easy access pocket. True, it is useful for storing things that you need to often reach for (such as that hankie to clean up our dear baby's drool), but once the mommy pocket is somewhat filled, the mommy pocket's weight will cause the easy access pocket to stay open. Secondly, consumers should definitely note the size of this bag. It is HUGE! I packed enough diapers and clothes for a 2D1N trip and still had space left over. Petite mummies should always bring their stroller so that they can hook this bag onto their strollers.

Despite these 2 small details, this is a great diaper bag... If you need a huge diaper bag or simply have many things to carry, you should definitely think about getting this one.