I used to love cooking. I was pretty damn good at it too. (If you haven't visited my profile yet, yes it's true that I make the best 갈비찜 — galbijiim, or Korean braised short ribs — in the world and anyone who's tasted it will attest to it. People have even suggested that I open a 갈비찜 restaurant!) Then came my kids. Their first years weren't too bad. Breastmilk/formula. Mushy foods such as 죽 (congee). Finger, bite-sized foods. Their toddler years were different. Toddlers tend to be picky about their food. They will ONLY want to eat one thing one day, and will want nothing to do with it the next. Even the tiniest thing can drive a piece of food into the "inedible" category: the...
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If you're friends with me on Facebook, you may have noticed that I'd had a bit of baby fever lately.Say what?Me? The girl who hates the baby years and never looks back on her children's infancies with nostalgia?What happened?Well, for one, my friends and relatives keep having ridiculously cute babies and I don't mind at all that they clutter my social media feeds with baby pictures and stories.Then there's the fact that my girls, who will be turning 5 and 4 soon, are evolving into pretty awesome individuals who increasingly amaze me with their creativity, wit, and lively personalities. They're getting along better, they make each other and the people around them laugh, they're cooperative, and they're both so smart. I'd helped create...
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Last week, Claire asked me for some plain white paper. "I want to make a drawing for my friend," she told me. I happily obliged, and didn't think much of it until she finished her work of art."Umma, can you help me spell Kyle?"Okaaay. What was going on here? I helped her spell, and watched on as she carefully wrote, "To Kyle. Love, Claire." on her drawing.The next day, she bashfully handed Kyle her drawing at morning dropoff. Her head was down, and she could barely look his way as he accepted the gift. (How stinkin' cute is that???)And the day after that, Kyle reciprocated! He knew of Claire's love for giraffes, and he had helped his parents choose a picture of...
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I know that she's ready, both mentally and physically. She meets all the requirements for potty-training, and more.But at 3 years and 6 months old, my Aerin is still in diapers.It is not for lack of trying. Books and videos. Pretty underwear she chose herself. Setting schedules. Going without diapers or underwear. Going full-on nude. Having her older sister (whom she shadows and copies all the time) demonstrate. Bribing. Begging. If you've seen it or read it online, I guarantee I've given it a go.By this point, I know that it's just a battle of wills. Because on the few occasions I have made her sit on the toilet — for up to FIVE hours — she still refused to go. And as soon as...
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"With great power comes great responsibility...
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