Updates on my daughter:
This past week saw many new developments.
1. Just as she is sad and would call out loudly when I leave the house, she is also extremely happy when I come back home from work - She laughs and screams, and wants to leap into my arms. I need to wash my hands before holding her, and she screams (in happiness) the whole time. This weekend, she would voice her objection even when I'm just out of her sight (with her father holding her), even for a second.
2. She has started to crawl forward a little bit. In fact, she often moves forward a little bit with one hand, and then move back two steps :) She sometimes also leaps forward a little bit, both knees jumping forward.
3. I put up some new child-proof cushion as she became more mobile. She immediately discovered the difference in texture between the rubber cusshion and the wood furniture.
4. The other day she saw her pictures on the camera screen and video clips of her on the camcorder. She was very happy and excited. (We have never let her see TV and very rarely exposed her to computer screens or screens of any electronics - to protect her eye sight, for the most part.)
5. She has invented many new ways to play with her toys. And like all babies, I guess, she has also invented ways to play with non-toys - a lot of times things she is not supposed to touch. She would drop a toy on a hard surface repeatedly just to hear the sound; bangs two toys; plays with her father's belt (bend it first and then release it).
My thoughts:
To see someone so happy at the sight of you is very touching.
New partents often express that they are surprised by their love for their child. I was not. I'm the mother, so I'm supposed to love my child more than I love myself, and to be willing to die for her - that's what mothers are supposed to feel, isn't it? So I'm not surprised by what I feel for her at all. For my whole life I had only worried that I might not love my child enough, that my love does not meet the high bar of "the love of a mother for her child". I was just relieved when I became a mother. Now I do believe that I love my daughter no less than any mother loves her children.
What does surprise me is how my daughter loves me. Maybe it is just that she depends on me. It doesn't matter how to label it. Another human being is so genuinely happy to see you. You mean the world to her, literally.
Nowadays I started to worry whether I would be able to carry out the responsibilities of a mother. I think I have provided for her basic needs. But I can certainly do better. A better house, more toys, etc. Of course, sensible people would say those material things are much less important than your love. True. But my daughter will certainly be happier if she has more play space at home. And she loves to explore new toys!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
昨天带宝宝去朋友家。朋友有个比宝宝小一个月的男孩。宝宝现在有点认生，虽然见到阿姨和阿姨怀里的小宝宝始终没有哭，但见到叔叔，看着看着就＂哇＂的一声大哭起来。不过我哄一哄她立刻就好了。上次去另一个朋友家也是如此。我初步总结她比较害怕 men，不管是年轻一些的叔叔还是年纪大些的爷爷。宝宝哭起来爆发力极强，没什么预兆，突然就特别大声地哭起来。朋友说她的声音很特别。
后来熟悉一点了，宝宝就有些活泛了，发出oh oh ya ya的声音，后来发展到用手去摸小baby。回来后她爸爸说她就是好奇，想摸一下这个小宝宝。（宝宝这是第一次近距离接触和自己差不多的baby。上次宝宝见到的是两三岁的孩子。）
今天早晨我离家的时候，宝宝不但跟我挥手再见，而且看到我关门离开大叫起来，象是要哭。我立刻折返回来，又亲亲她，然后保姆就把她抱走了，我出门后没有听见她再哭。
后来熟悉一点了，宝宝就有些活泛了，发出oh oh ya ya的声音，后来发展到用手去摸小baby。回来后她爸爸说她就是好奇，想摸一下这个小宝宝。（宝宝这是第一次近距离接触和自己差不多的baby。上次宝宝见到的是两三岁的孩子。）
今天早晨我离家的时候，宝宝不但跟我挥手再见，而且看到我关门离开大叫起来，象是要哭。我立刻折返回来，又亲亲她，然后保姆就把她抱走了，我出门后没有听见她再哭。
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Turning 8 months
My daughter turned eight months 2 days ago. This morning when I left for work, her nanny said, "Wave goodbye to Mommy!" And she did it on her own, for the first time! Our nanny has been pretty good at training her - everyday she has been saying these same words while holding my daughter's hand to teach her to wave. So now my baby can understand the words and wave!
宝宝对声音很敏感，也很明白人声和纯音乐的区别。每次我给她放音乐，音响一开她就会把头转向音箱的方向。但很快她就继续玩。但如果我放的是歌，有人声，她就会一直盯着声音的方向，一脸迷惑。有次我抱着她走到音箱那里，她就使劲往前探，又用手去抓，想看那后面是什么，好象想看看是不是有人。对她来说从一开始音乐就是从音响发出来的，所以她不奇怪， 但大概从听我唱歌知道歌声是人发出来的，所以听到歌声但不见人就特迷惑。
宝宝现在还是只会倒着爬。她在字母拼的垫子上爬的时候，每次爬到边上，虽说眼睛看不见，但她能感觉到脚已伸出垫子，接触到地板，于是自动转９０度接着朝小屁股的方向爬！
宝宝总是把我们做的新动作当成是逗她玩。前几天有个晚上偏热，她又总是不停地翻身又爬来爬去，我就拿本小书给她扇风，结果她咯咯咯地笑起来。和她玩藏猫猫，把她脸蒙起来然后再移开，她也笑得不行。
宝宝对声音很敏感，也很明白人声和纯音乐的区别。每次我给她放音乐，音响一开她就会把头转向音箱的方向。但很快她就继续玩。但如果我放的是歌，有人声，她就会一直盯着声音的方向，一脸迷惑。有次我抱着她走到音箱那里，她就使劲往前探，又用手去抓，想看那后面是什么，好象想看看是不是有人。对她来说从一开始音乐就是从音响发出来的，所以她不奇怪， 但大概从听我唱歌知道歌声是人发出来的，所以听到歌声但不见人就特迷惑。
宝宝现在还是只会倒着爬。她在字母拼的垫子上爬的时候，每次爬到边上，虽说眼睛看不见，但她能感觉到脚已伸出垫子，接触到地板，于是自动转９０度接着朝小屁股的方向爬！
宝宝总是把我们做的新动作当成是逗她玩。前几天有个晚上偏热，她又总是不停地翻身又爬来爬去，我就拿本小书给她扇风，结果她咯咯咯地笑起来。和她玩藏猫猫，把她脸蒙起来然后再移开，她也笑得不行。
Monday, April 20, 2009
Some thought: Not-so-optimal results of Optimization
Optimization sometimes leads to not-so-optimal results, ironically.
Example 1: A politician is playing the political game optimally. But, if the public also believes that he is merely maximizing his political benefits, they won’t vote for him.
Example 2: A person playing the dating game to maximize his/her utility probably won’t get the best results, if the person he/she is dating realizes he/she is playing games.
So I guess the trick is how to optimize without letting people know you are optimizing. Suppose people are smart and they know it when you are playing games. Does it mean you should forget about optimization and simply be yourself all the time? Will this lead a better outcome? Which strategy is riskier? I would say, being oneself is a high-risk, high-return strategy, while playing games (making calculated decisions based on the reactions of others) is safer but probably won’t yield the best outcome.
Example 1: A politician is playing the political game optimally. But, if the public also believes that he is merely maximizing his political benefits, they won’t vote for him.
Example 2: A person playing the dating game to maximize his/her utility probably won’t get the best results, if the person he/she is dating realizes he/she is playing games.
So I guess the trick is how to optimize without letting people know you are optimizing. Suppose people are smart and they know it when you are playing games. Does it mean you should forget about optimization and simply be yourself all the time? Will this lead a better outcome? Which strategy is riskier? I would say, being oneself is a high-risk, high-return strategy, while playing games (making calculated decisions based on the reactions of others) is safer but probably won’t yield the best outcome.
Friday, April 17, 2009
She can stand now!
My daughter has gone to sleep and I am writing my second post of the day!
Today is the warmest day so far this year, so I decided to bike to work. I even got a nice surprise on my way to work: someone was giving out free water! And I took advantage of it!
At work, my husband called me, telling me about new layoffs at his company (not him, luckily). For those unlucky people, today probably seems more like winter than spring.
I left work early to make sure I can take my daughter out to enjoy this beautiful weather. On my bikeride home, I passed by the BU beach. Even the South Beach couldn't beat it today. (Everyone knows what BU is famous for, right?) But a treat to the eye was not the only nice thing happened to me; I had a discovery too! (Good things always come in pairs!) I had long been wondering: why people have to wear bikinis when it is barely 70 degrees? On a day like this, I had an epiphany: if this weather occurs in June, nobody would dress like this; but it is April now, it is not about being practical, it is about making a statement! It's warm now; let's get out and party!
Got home; my babysitter was happy to get off work early; tried to feed my baby before going out but she refused; dressed her, put the new sun hat on her - and in no time, we were out in the sunshine! As usual, she seemed to be intensely absorbing whatever she observed, and barely smiled. She smiles and laughs a lot at home; but when she is outside, she frowns, as if trying to figure something out.
At her bedtime, after we bathed her, she was sitting on one of my legs. I found that she could stand for a few seconds! So here is another milestone for her: she can stand before turning 8 months!
Today is the warmest day so far this year, so I decided to bike to work. I even got a nice surprise on my way to work: someone was giving out free water! And I took advantage of it!
At work, my husband called me, telling me about new layoffs at his company (not him, luckily). For those unlucky people, today probably seems more like winter than spring.
I left work early to make sure I can take my daughter out to enjoy this beautiful weather. On my bikeride home, I passed by the BU beach. Even the South Beach couldn't beat it today. (Everyone knows what BU is famous for, right?) But a treat to the eye was not the only nice thing happened to me; I had a discovery too! (Good things always come in pairs!) I had long been wondering: why people have to wear bikinis when it is barely 70 degrees? On a day like this, I had an epiphany: if this weather occurs in June, nobody would dress like this; but it is April now, it is not about being practical, it is about making a statement! It's warm now; let's get out and party!
Got home; my babysitter was happy to get off work early; tried to feed my baby before going out but she refused; dressed her, put the new sun hat on her - and in no time, we were out in the sunshine! As usual, she seemed to be intensely absorbing whatever she observed, and barely smiled. She smiles and laughs a lot at home; but when she is outside, she frowns, as if trying to figure something out.
At her bedtime, after we bathed her, she was sitting on one of my legs. I found that she could stand for a few seconds! So here is another milestone for her: she can stand before turning 8 months!
new development and some random thoughts
It has been more than two weeks since I last wrote something. I have to at least write something this month!
Last night my daughter went to sleep shortly after 9 pm and woke up at 7 am this morning! She usually goes to bed around 8 pm, but yesterday she took a nap 6:30 - 7 pm. No matter how short a nap is, she would stay awake for at least two hours (usually 3 to 4 hours). In her morning nap yesterday, she slept on her belly for the first time. And the whole night last night she slept "butt up". She is incredibly cute in that position!
I love it when my baby laughs. She laughs out loud. You can never know what you do may make her laugh. Make faces. Sing certain songs. Tickle her. Blow air into her neck. Lift her up high. Make funny sounds. Tap on the tray of her high-chair like beat a drum. And you have to try new things; she quickly gets used to old tricks.
Sometimes I browsed the Internet looking at celebrity moms with their children. The other day I saw Jessica Alba's pictures with her daughter, and noticed that her daughter was wearing shoes (sneakers) when she was about the same age as my daughter. It was also reported that Jessica Alba routinely took her daughter to parks on playdates. This made me feel bad. My daughter is not walking yet so I haven't bought her real shoes. But maybe I should? And maybe I should get some playdates for my daughter too. I feel like a terrible mother that I haven't done that at all.
Last night my daughter went to sleep shortly after 9 pm and woke up at 7 am this morning! She usually goes to bed around 8 pm, but yesterday she took a nap 6:30 - 7 pm. No matter how short a nap is, she would stay awake for at least two hours (usually 3 to 4 hours). In her morning nap yesterday, she slept on her belly for the first time. And the whole night last night she slept "butt up". She is incredibly cute in that position!
I love it when my baby laughs. She laughs out loud. You can never know what you do may make her laugh. Make faces. Sing certain songs. Tickle her. Blow air into her neck. Lift her up high. Make funny sounds. Tap on the tray of her high-chair like beat a drum. And you have to try new things; she quickly gets used to old tricks.
Sometimes I browsed the Internet looking at celebrity moms with their children. The other day I saw Jessica Alba's pictures with her daughter, and noticed that her daughter was wearing shoes (sneakers) when she was about the same age as my daughter. It was also reported that Jessica Alba routinely took her daughter to parks on playdates. This made me feel bad. My daughter is not walking yet so I haven't bought her real shoes. But maybe I should? And maybe I should get some playdates for my daughter too. I feel like a terrible mother that I haven't done that at all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)