Blog
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15 weeks: The Art of Doing Our Best
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6 min read
It seems I’m a Sunday-evening-to-Monday poster now, and that’s okay. The important part is just to keep writing. I’ve felt less inspired lately — not because of you, Clara (you’re endlessly inspiring) — but because, ironically, I have too many thoughts floating around my head. Some of it is new, but a lot I’ve already…
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Month 3 With Clara: Seasons of Change
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7 min read
Shifts in Season, Shifts in Us The seasons are changing, my dear. We had our first rain in a while, and the light in your nursery now fades quicker during your last nap of the day. Summer has gone. Lately, you’ve been falling asleep around 6–7 p.m.—right when your dad gets home—so you don’t see…
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13 Weeks & 34 Years
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5 min read
Today is my 34th birthday, Clara! Someday you’ll think, “Wow, that’s so old,” and compare it to your friends’ parents’ ages. Someone will always win with the youngest parents. You’ll probably land somewhere in the middle—and I hope you feel comfortable with that. Building the Life That Brought You Here One day you’ll ask why…
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Week 12: Fresh Air, Gentle Lessons
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4 min read
Seeing the World Together This week we saw more of the world, my dear. We got out of our cavernous two-story condo and into the world within a five-minute driving radius (since that’s about your car seat limit before crying). These are the moments I’ll remember with you: wandering parks, running to the grocery store…
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Week 11: Long Days, Lasting Imprints
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4 min read
A Sleep Snapshot You smack your lips in dismay at hearing “You Are My Sunshine” for the 1000th time, ready to drift off. I’m there with you, bouncing mindlessly on the yoga ball, your body perched on my arm like a parrot. Your chest drapes across my shoulder. Your legs dangle from my swing of…
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Week 10: Struggles, Snuggles, and Small Joys
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5 min read
A Rocky Start This week was a doozy, my dear! After the soy slip-up, you had blood in your stool on Monday which warranted a pediatrician visit. She told us it was probably from the soy and not to worry if it continued to get better. Thankfully, it did. The next day we were back…
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Week 9: Two Months In, the World Sharpens onto Focus
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5 min read
Whoops! Looks like the scheduled post didn’t publish. Anticipate two posts today! You’re two months old, Clara! Incredible. I may shed a few tears over how fast time is going, even though the days themselves feel long. (“The days are long, the years are short”—there’s truth to that expression.) Wake Windows and Sleep Experiments We…
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Hi, Clara. This week marks the end of my state-provided disability leave under California’s standard timeline. Only seven states offer separate disability-related leave for childbirth by law—something I’m passionate about, and writing more about in a separate post. But it’s hitting me harder now that I’m a new mom navigating all of this in real-time,…
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Week 5 (Combined)
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4 min read
We made it to 5 weeks! We took photos to mark your first month, but the most memorable part of this week was (hopefully) resolving your colic. You’ve spent the last couple of weeks really upset. My body is sore from all the bouncing and walking to soothe you—I’ve been logging over 6,000 steps a…
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#14: Why We Don’t Swaddle You
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3 min read
Clara, Your Papá and I are trying some things that are unconventional. On the one hand, there’s the cross-cultural household you’re being raised in. There are the more natural, organic, unstructured ways of Europe and the stricter conventional ways of the United States. Then there’s also your Californian mom who’s a researcher and a bit…