Foreign girlfriends and babies

While out for a drink recently in the UK with several couples that I hadn't seen for a while, I was struck by the remarkable similarity in the behavior of two of my recently married male friends. Not all that odd, you might think, except that in one instance the guy was interacting with his 10-month-old baby, and in the other with his new Japanese girlfriend.

The problem being, of course, that said Japanese girlfriend couldn't speak English (although apparently she was fluent in Korean, which is less than helpful in a North London pub) and is also small and cute. There seemed to be an equal amount of petting and babytalk going on in both cases, as well as the quite excruciatingly embarrassing ‘ Talking for her’ habit. Please envision:

(Girl points, turns to Daddy/Husband with a happy and slightly expectant look on her face)
HIM: She likes your shoes, that’s what that means. (smiling sickeningly into her face) You like shoes don’t you? (To me again, rather unnecessarily). She likes shoes. Especially brightly colored ones. (Back to her, incomprehensible babble and kissing)
ME: Right. Excuse while I get slammingly drunk.
(A short while later)
HIM: … so she’s doing really well. Aren’t you? See, she understands a lot more than you realize. Don’t you, sweetheart?

I think the main thing that bothers me is how much both of these guys seem to like the role of adored protector, and having someone to fuss over, teach and, well, dominate. I’m not sure if it is more disturbing in the case of the child or the girlfriend, but I must say it does always seem to be men with insecurity issues who go for the foreign girls. Or maybe they just don’t seem as boring in a different language…