Kindergarden…. for Doggies

When I knew about dog kindergardens in Japan, at first I thought it’s silly but then I realized it does make sense.  Nowadays people around the world love having companion animals and treat them like real family.  Just like leaving your loving baby in kindergarden, you leave your loving pets in this school in the morning and pick them up after work.

The kindergarden is from the morning, starting with brushing and weighing the doggies.  There are play time, learning time, and nap time through a day, and they go home after the relaxing time with aroma therapy. The schedule varies depending on the kindergarden, but usually the facility is very good and there are plenty of rooms for dogs to run around.  Some places teach owners how to train their dogs too

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Baby Shower

D’s closest sister is having her first baby very soon, and we are invited to her baby shower. Normally baby shower is a girls-only gathering, but she doesn’t care having partners and children at the party. She invited her parents as well, and Hiro is coming with us too.

When I was pregnant with Hiro, I didn’t do “baby shower” party. I did BBQ with friends at home and friends brought some presents for me, but it wasn’t something that can be called a party. Since sister has been organizing this baby shower she went to few different baby shower shops to get party supplies. I knew there’re few baby shower shops in Perth (and online) but I didn’t think these shops were that busy and have so many kinds of goods to offer.

Few years ago I attended her hen’s night party, and I remember being overwhelmed by the theme and a male stripper… We don’t have “baby shower” or “hen’s night” in Japan. No prom at the school either. It’s so different. Here, and in other many countries (including Indonesia, obviously) follow American culture. When I knew about the exsistance of hen’s night and bachelor party, I was 21 years old and a student studying English here. :p

Attending this type of parties has been a good experience for me though. Haha. But I didn’t do hen’s night before my wedding. (neither D did, for some reason). It’s just that I wasn’t so familiar with that kind of stuff, and I didn’t know what the party should be like.
I can’t wait to see what the baby shower is like at sister’s. I’m making bagel sandwiches for the party (like few years ago for another sister’s baby’s birthday party), and her mum is cooking few dishes as well. Hmmm some Indonesian food at the baby shower.

Although I’ve never had these kinds of parties for myself, I am planning to have a special birthday party for Hiro when he turns 1. I’m not quite sure what I will do, but i’ve been collecting few ideas for the party from internet. People say that first birthday party is not for the baby as s/he is too young to remember and enjoy it, so the party is more likely for adults. But I’m inviting other babies and kids to the party and I want them to be the focus of the gathering. (of course Hiro is the main!).

What people do for their baby’s birthday? Some people take a photo with a clock (or something) on birthday every year to enjoy the growth of their babies. Some get babies’ hands and feet inked and keep them as record of their growth. But most people seem to have simple gatherings with only families and have dinner together. I think that’s the best.
I want to take lots of photos and get his hands and feet inked. I’ve already bought a clothes for him to wear on the party, and I think the theme of the party will be somewhat Japanese… It won’t be a super big party and will be just 2~3 hours with fiends and families, so I think I try to prepare the food as well.  I’m still planning, and it will be one of the things I’m doing in Japan – planning the party. I can get party supplies over there as the theme will be Japanese

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Review of Chicco Cortina Travel System

I’m using Chicco Cortina travel system stroller, and I want to write about how I like and don’t like this product.

First of all, there are few types of baby strollers available in the market. They include “umbrella strollers”, “jogging strollers”, “pram/carriage strollers”, “stroller travel system” ect. The reason I chose travel system is because my friend was using it and looked so handy and practical.

The biggest difference between travel system strollers and other strollers is that you can take off the capsule from the stroller and use it as a car seat by attaching to the base (dock). This way, you don’t disturb sleeping baby when taking him/her out from the car. That’s the top reason why I bought it.

There are few travel system strollers available, but I chose Chicco brand because ToysRus was doing a sale when I was looking for a stroller. I liked the features and the looking. Chicco has two travel system strollers (in WA): Cortina and Trevi. I didn’t like the handles and the position of luggege net on Trevi. I liked the drink/food holders for baby and mum on Cortina, so I chose this.

I actually didn’t search about other strollers before buying Chicco, but I’m pretty happy with it. Here are my review (Pros/Cons) of Chicco Cortina.

Pros:

- The stroller stands up by itself when folded.

- It has a drink holder and small storage compartment near the handle, so I can put my phone, car key, a bottle of drink, etc there and it’s useful.

- When the capsule is attached, you can cover the capsule entirely by closing the canopy. So, it shuts out the noise and light from baby inside the capsule.

- The capsule is very easy to install. Easy to attach and detach between the stroller and the base (dock).

- The stroller is easy to collapse (3 steps), and easy to open (1 step).

- Capsule can be used as a rocker as well

Cons:

- The stroller is pretty big and heavy. It just fits in my car’s trunk, so I think it doesn’t fit in some small cars.

- When the capsule is attached, the seat of the stroller has to be flat and there is only very small gap between the seat and the storage net, so I couldn’t use the net at all while using the capsule. I guess I could put my bags etc while the seat is up, but I wouldn’t be able to take anything out from the net while the capsule (and baby) is on.

- Like some of other strollers, there is no “peeking window” on the canopy. It’d be great if it had one.

- After the baby is too big for the capsule, baby sits on the seat. I felt that the seat is too low in position. I couldn’t see even his head from the handle side, so I had to walk to the front and check if he is still there.

- No bag hook on the handle area.

Overall, I am very happy with this stroller. I really loved using a capsule. It was just two motions (detach from the stroller and attach to the base) when putting my baby into a car, and it was great when you have lots of shopping bags or it’s raining. My baby loved the capsule too, and he slept very well in it. If I could I wanted to use the capsule longer, but I had to use another baby car seat when my baby is too big for it. Now I hate the normal car seat because he wakes up and cries every time I take him out from the car. If he was in the capsule, he’d keep sleeping comfortably.

Kaba-Kore

Kaba-kore (cover-colle), a short word for “cover collection”, is an order service from SoftBank in Japan to make customized cases for smart phones.  You can chose the design from three categories: from Oto-san Dog gallery, from design templates, or by uploading the images.

I like the idea of being able to use your own photo or image to create a case. No one else would have the same case!  The image will be printed to the sides of the case, and it looks great.

Oh, I just love the SoftBank’s character,  Oto-san Dog!!  So cute…. (one of my favorite character.  Post is here)  You can create novelty goods using this service as well.  Hmmm maybe I should make one for my iPhone!

There are also many collaboration designs available, including Pokemon, CanCam (a Japanese fashion magazine), and Hawks.  I also loves the Rock design of SoftBank tv CM family.   Oto-san Dog is so cute!

Japanese Automatic Toilet

I wrote about automatic bidet toilet seats earlier, but here again I just want to re-write about it.

Apparently there are several automatic bidet toilet seats available in Australia.  Most of them fit standard-sized Australian toilet and just need to be simply replaced with the existing one.  You will need power point in the toilet to use electronic toilet seat though.

Automatic bidet toilet in the bathroom is a very common thing you can find in Japan.  72% of Japanese households have one of these (REF), and almost all of them are TOTO brand.  TOTO has many advanced features rarely seen outside of Asia, and it designs the world’s most sophisticated bathroom products, elevating the bathroom from the merely functional to a total relaxing experience. I find it little funny that the oldest type of toilet (squat toilet) is still somewhat common in public places and some households in Japan, as well as these advanced electronic toilets.  Some public toilet (female) have three kinds of toilet : squat (hole on the ground), non-bidet, and bidet. It’s just because some elderlies still prefer squat style.  Most of the squat toilets are automatic though.  It flashes automatically when you leave the toilet.

Had been living in such environment, it is natural for Japanese people to long for one of these automatic toilet seat to have in the house outside Japan too. I know several Japanese families in Perth installed TOTO toilet seats in their houses, and they look so great….  I always wished I had one at home too.  TOTO brand is very expensive (I think it’s around few thousands dollars) compared to other brands, but is the best according to all the reviews and product information.  But, not everyone can afford few thousands on a toilet seat.  I think the cheaper ones are ok and still do the job -

With these demands from Japanese custoemers, Zakka Box in Mount Lawley started selling electronic bidet toilet seats at shop.  They are Korean brand, and are much cheaper than TOTO’s.  When I visited the shop, the owner told me that she actually installed TOTO toilet seat few years ago and it’s been amazing all the guests who visited her house. Having an electronic bidet toilet seat is one of Japanese people’s dream who live here (of course other people dream about it too), but TOTO brand is too expensive to buy.  Now she sells these Korean bidet toilet seats, and they have became popular item, she said.

Here are the brief functions of the two bidet seats she sells at shop:

1)

• instantaneous heating for 24 hours
• one pocket two nozzles
• self-cleaning nozzle
• bubble cleaning – air pump motor
• turbo – for reglar motions
• automatic drier (adjustable temperature)
• occupied seat sensor
• warm air drying
• adjustable warmness on seat
• kids lock

2)

all above functions, plus

• stainless nozzle
• deodorisation with aromatic
• ultraviolet sterilising illumination
• etiquette tunes
• luxurious remote control

You know, actually you can look it up on eBay to find it cheaper, to tell the truth.  But, buying from an actual shop and the shop you know may be better  - in case it breaks or got problems, you can always ask for help.

By the way, I found this very funny…

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