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Six Months

My little girl turns six months old today! On one hand, I can't believe that it's already been half a year since she entered our lives. On the other, I can't wait for what's to come. I'm eagerly awaiting her first steps and first word. I'm even looking forward to the teenage years, if you can believe it. (Toy courtesy of the super-thoughtful package Other Pieces of Me sent us soon after Claire was born) I thought that Claire was still behind on most of her developmental milestones, but upon more careful examination of the chart, it seems that while she is behind on some (eg, she has not rolled since the day she rolled twice, and she has yet to roll front-to-back), she is...

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Preserving Naps and Bedtime

I wish my daughter was one of those babies that can sleep anywhere. I wish she were a naturally good sleeper. But she is neither of those things, as she is a highly sensitive child who is always so transfixed by the world around her that she needs to be in a dark, quiet room free from stimuli (and in her own, comfy crib) in order to fall asleep and sleep well. And I am pretty certain that this isn't something that you can "train" a baby to do. I am a firm believer that every baby — every person — is different, and as a result, some are naturally more sensitive sleepers than others. Take my sister and I, for instance. When...

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The Evolution of Disney Princesses

I have a friend who swears that if she has a daughter, she will limit the girl's exposure to fairy tales starring princesses and damsels in distress. She firmly believes that stories such as Snow White and Sleeping Beauty teach little girls to be submissive and weak, not be self-reliant and always be in wait for a prince charming. I couldn't help but be reminded of this friend when I saw this chart showing the evolution of Disney princesses over the years: (via Miss Cellania) There's no question that Disney's heroines have changed with the times. And while I believe classics such as Snow White will always remain classics, I can't help but wonder how a story like that would be received if...

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Raising a Baby in a Multilingual Family

Last year when I was still pregnant with Claire I wrote a post about how J and I are aiming to teach our kids all the languages we collectively know: Cantonese Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and English. Well our goal has not swayed. And I like to think that we're well on our way. How so, you ask? Right before I gave birth to Claire we met a little girl who — being one month shy of turning two years old — knew three languages. We asked her parents how they managed to teach her three languages simultaneously, and they told us exactly how...

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Uncanny Timing (Or, She Rolled!)

Did my daughter know that I had posted an unflattering picture of her last night? Perhaps she sensed my worry at having voiced my concern online? BECAUSE GIRLFRIEND FINALLY ROLLED TODAY! And not just once but twice. During different tummy times. So I know it wasn't just a fluke. She still doesn't like it. Both times, she started crying immediately afterwards, as if confused and startled at how the heck the world could (literally) turn upside down in the blink of an eye. And both times, I immediately embraced her and praised her like she had just discovered the cure for cancer. (I actually do the same with Comang whenever he does something good, like learn a new trick. Is it bad that I treat my...

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