El Shaddai is a work of art

Not a great game, mind you, but a work of art

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Wait, I'm being harsh on it - this might end up being a great game, but the two and a half stages I've been through so far feel...well, Japanese in all the wrong ways. It's packed with abrupt and awkward cinemas telling an equally awkward story, the camera is locked and slightly crap, and the gameplay has been insanely standard hack-and-slash.

All of that said, hot damn it's pretty. Like, really, really pretty. I'm absolutely loving the art direction and how it alters between stages, and it has one of my favorite intro credit sequences I've experienced in a long while. Well, other than the fucking incomprehensible storytelling it contains.

Neon Fireworks - it's like Tron meets Miyazaki

Playable Painting - platforming watercolor

Then again, when a game looks this good (and hot damn it looks better in motion - like digital neon watercolor, just nuts), I'll cut it some slack on the storytelling department.

For a few more levels, at least.

I wasn't home to help put the kid to bed

Which was the first time in months

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That said, I was able to say goodnight, and watch my kid react to my voice and smiles.

We're living in the future, I tell you.

"It Gets Better"

Every seasoned parent said it, but up until now it was nearly impossible to believe

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Seriously, though, when you're so stressed out that - despite the fact your child is sleeping in a different room - you sit huddled in the dark, talking in hushed voices, terrified that every sound outside will wake her? Yeah, during those moments that line of encouragement is stupid.

But, it does. It gets better.

Almost like clockwork, when River hit four months something changed. She stopped crying as much, and allowed us to hold her more. She became more interested in things rather than just annoyed, and seemed delighted to see and interact with us. Also, baths became fun.

The biggest thing that helped was hiring some part-time assistance for a couple of weeks, a fantastic baby nurse that convinced us sleep training wouldn't be a bad idea to do now (we were planning on waiting for a couple more months, at least), and had us talk to our doctor about solids.

Now, a just a short time later, we have a daughter who wolfs down rice cereal, actually naps in her crib and allows her parents to enjoy less stressful evenings. She still cries when it's time to go to bed (or, when it comes to naps, before and afterwards), sure. But she also self-sooths and goes to sleep on her own. No more arm-numbing, 20 minute holding / bouncing sessions. No more praying she won't wake up when we put her down half-asleep. No more walking on eggshells in the other room. No more feelings of dread every time she moves.

It's fucking liberating, let me tell you.

Sure, she still gets annoyed from time to time when we're playing (normally when she's getting tired), but also has way more happy / interested / delightful moments. This progress has been amazing, but we know she (and we) still have a long way to go, and it's something we're taking constant baby steps towards.

You know, for a baby.

The child finally learned to roll over on her own

While I was at work, which sucks

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But mom sent videos through her phone.

Hot damn I love technology.

Just realized

We gently lull our children to sleep singing about babies hurtling down from treetops

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Wow, Rock-a-bye Baby is a pretty fucked up nursery rhyme.