Nice Matin & Central Park

It's been cold and rainy in the past two days, after wonderful weather Spring brought us last Saturday and Sunday. Fortunately, Mom and Dad and I have taken full advantage of the weekend and have had great time.

We spent Saturday apartment hunting in NJ. It was nice to see so many different places and meet so many people. I really like the place Mom and Dad have selected. It has a big beautiful swimming pool and Mom has already been very excited about playing with me in the pool.

The best part was Sunday though. We went out for brunch at Nice Matin, a French restaurant in our neighborhood. It has great food, very friendly (and good looking) staff, charming decoration; thus is always crowded in the weekends. We were lucky to have a table after only 10 minutes wait. It was great sitting by the window enjoying sunshine and watching people basking in the excitement of the newly arrived Spring season. Mom had a crab meat salad and a glass of freshly made lemonade with a hint of mint. Dad ordered steak and beer - his favorites for brunch time. We all knew that we would be moving out of this lovely city soon so were all enjoying every moment in this last several weeks as residents here.

After brunch, we headed to Central Park. Daddy put me on his laps and we sat by the lake watching people boating, horse riding, bicycling, jogging, etc. Michelle, my cousin in Indonesia, is very fond of taking a horse ride in Central Park. Uncle Peter, though lamenting about the $40 or so it costs for each ride, has always been very happy to treat her to some whenever they visit New York.

While Dad and I were enjoying our guys' time together, Mommy was busy talking on the phone with aunty Thang, who was calling from Vietnam asking her about things to prepare for her trip here in July. She will start her 2-year MBA at Carlson School in August. I can't wait to meet her. The other aunty I have in Vietnam, aunty Thu, will probably be very 'jealous' not being able to see me that soon. Mom loves them dearly and so do I. I'm looking forwards to the day when I can go to Vietnam and see Mom's family there. Mom and Dad are aiming for this coming Christmas-New Year season to bring me there. I can't wait...

The first time I've played with a toy

Mom was in for a nice surprise today when I played with a toy, actively and fully engaged, for the first time.

It was past noon and I had just had my 'lunch'. I was lying on the Maclaren rocker, happily enjoying the vibration that was gently rocking and massaging my body. The rocker's toy bar has 3 stuff animals: from right to left - an elephant with purple ears and tail, a puppy with blue ears and tail, and a rabbit with pink ears and tail. Each would make rattling sounds when it is touched. Often Mom would just swing them one after another while lulling me to sleep, and I would just passively look at them or even ignore them altogether.

However, today, for the first time, I reached out with my right arm and used my own hand to swing the elephant, imitating what Mom was doing. To Mom's delight, I did that repeatedly, clearly enjoying the rattling sounds I was creating with every swing. Dad also noticed that and he was equally surprised and happy. He asked Mom to try the rabbit on the far left and see if I would use my left hand as well. The rabbit for some reason (manufacturing defect?) doesn't make the rattling sound so that did not catch my attention.

Later in the afternoon I also used my hands to grab Daddy's T-shirt's V-neck, pulling it repeatedly to get his attention. He was busy talking with Mommy at the time and didn't notice that I was making a lot of lovely cooing sounds to him. Boy, it's tough to try to turn his attention away from the beautiful women he seems to be always busy talking to. However, at least I got to practice using my hands in different ways...

Dr. Farris Fahmy

Last Saturday Mom and Dad brought me to see Dr. Fahmy in his office at 161 Ft. Washington Ave., New York, NY 10032. He is Mom's Ob-Gyn doctor and was the one who helped deliver me.

It was interesting being in the room where Mom has been to so many time over the past year for prenatal check up. Dad pointed to the stethoscope and told me about the exciting moment back in July last year when they first heard my heart beats in this room, soon after they came back from a vacation in Dominican Republic. Dad said that Mom had a good laugh when she first heard my heart beats as they were very fast and she found it amusing. She only knew by then that fetal heart beats are much faster than those in an adult. 10 times faster, I think...

After a while, Dr. Fahmy walked into the room and he was so happy to see me. Finally, here is the little one who gave him a headbutt from inside the uterus when he was checking Mom's labor progress. Dr. Fahmy then joked and said I was like Zidane :-) He told Mom and Dad he was not surprised at all that I've become such a big boy (I'm currently at 90th percentile of babies my age in both weight and height, as measured in my 2-month well baby visit recently) since I was very strong and healthy the whole time I was inside Mom's tummy.

I felt so good when he held me against his chest. Isn't it cool being held by the very person who delivered you to the world?

My first Easter

The past two days were so exciting and memorable for me...

It started on Good Friday when Mommy brought me upstairs to Beth's apartment, upon the enthusiastic request of all the ladies there. There must have been 12 of them or so, all very pretty and sweet. Beth Kelley is one of the sponsors for Mom and Brooke Davey as they embark on the RCIA journey, and yesterday she was having these ladies in her Rosary group over for praying. It was the first time I had ever been surrounded by so many people, especially so many ladies. One of them was having a crush on me (and I have to say I like her too). She was holding me and rocking me slightly from side to side, and I really enjoyed resting my head on her shoulder. Before we left, Beth gave me a very cute body suit with an embroidered image of the Noah's Ark. Mom said she would dress me in this lovely outfit the next day to attend the Paschal Vigil at 8pm, when she would receive Baptism, Confirmation, and the First Communion.

Then came the important event - the Paschal Vigil. The church (Holy Trinity Church of Manhattan, at 213 W 82nd St., New York, NY 10024) was very dark when we arrived and everyone was very quiet. I also tried not make any noise. Mom was busy rehearsing with Gary Gushing (the 'teacher' in the RCIA process) and Brooke and Liz at the altar. She seemed a bit nervous but was beaming with excitement. After a while, the whole church was lit up by numerous candles, which were lit up from the light of the Paschal Candle. It was such a beautiful scene!

I was quietly soaking in all the details of the event, till the choir started singing. I've been to church several times so I'm used to the choir singing. However, this time there were drums and trumpets and harps and so many other instruments playing and the music, though joyful, was too loud for my tiny ear drums at times. Poor Daddy, having to bring me outside whenever I cried too loud... Druanna, another sponsor, wanted to make sure Mom didn't get too anxious so she kept telling Mom that I was very cute even when I cried. (By the way, this is the link to the portrait of me when I had my first tear drop. You can see how cute I am :-)

After the ceremony, all of us (Gary, all the four sponsors - Beth, Bill, Druanna, John, Brooke, Liz, Mom, our families) attended a celebration prepared to welcome the newly admitted members of the church. I met the lady who fell in love with me at Beth's apartment again. This time I was busy getting to know so many people that I didn't really have time to spend with her. Father Koterski first picked me up and held me close to his chest when I was crying. I was feeling a big overwhelmed at first by the presence of so many people. His deep voice quickly calmed me down. Then Druanna held me in her arms for a while. She was the one who had lovingly knitted me a pair of socks. These were her first baby socks and I feel very grateful for the gift. Then Beth also had some time holding me, before I landed on Monsignor Leonard's arms. He was the one who conducted the whole ceremony and performed all the three Sacraments for Mommy, as well as for Brooke. I felt very honored being held by him. Then I was back into Daddy's arms, busying charming Brooke's Mom - a very elegant lady - with my cooing and smiling. Brooke and Greg, who were to get married in 2 weeks from now, looked absolutely happy and excited. I wondered when it would be my turn to have a bride and to plan for my honeymoon :-)

We didn't get home till around midnight. Mom seemed to be happily 'jealous' that I had 'hijacked' all the attention from her (and from Brooke and Liz for that matter) at the celebration. Daddy kept saying I was such a lucky guy having had such a memorable and meaningful first Easter. That is not to mention that I went to this Holy Trinity Church on the very first Sunday of my life, followed by St. Patrick's on the second Sunday of my life (to attend the Election of all Catechumens in New York). Bill, one of the sponsors, used to joke that my next church visit would be to Rome!

In deed, I do feel very blessed. Mom started conceiving me in late May last year, soon after she contacted Gary to join the RCIA. And now, as I was approaching my 2-month-old milestone, her RCIA journey reached the pinnacle with the Easter celebration and Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion for her. I'm glad I've been with her throughout the journey!

For more photos from yesterday's celebration, please view my Easter 2007 album.

Daddy's new 'laptop'

Mommy often says that I'm such a Daddy's boy. I love sleeping on his chest for my evening nap, lying on his laps and playing with him in the morning, or just sitting with him by the window watching the hustle bustle outside - all the restaurants that line up our block and their patrons, most of them young families with kids. Daddy thinks I can just sit here and check out the 'chicks' - the little girls passing by in their strollers.

Daddy is very good in taking care of me. He knows exactly what I want most of the time. He can give me a bath all by himself; followed by a full body massage with baby oil. He rocks me to sleep in no time. Mommy, while is very grateful for this, also worries that she may have a hard time entertaining me if he ever goes on an extended business trip. At least for now he works from home so I have a lot of Daddy's time with him.

A rainy day

It's been raining since early in the morning today. That means Mommy and I won't probably go to the park, or she will need to wear me using the Baby Bjorn so she can free up one hand to carry an umbrella for us.

I love being snuggled inside the Baby Bjorn and being so close to Mommy's chest that I can hear her breathing just like what I did when I was inside her tummy. However, Mommy still has a bit of a lower back ache so she can't walk all that long wearing me. Often we would just walk a few blocks down on Broadway if I'm not in a stroller.

Talking about the neighborhood... Mom and Dad already feel sad that we'll have to move to a new place by end of May - a bigger place so I can have my own room, and my grandparents from India can come visit us for a few months. It's often the case that people move out of Manhattan when they have babies, as apartment renting here is quite expensive, and often too small to have space for all the stuff that comes with a baby. You know, infant car seat, stroller, rocker, bassinet, changing table, etc.

The neighborhood is lovely so I'm sure we'll come back to visit it quite often. Mommy already plans to enroll me in a swimming class at the JCC on 76th St. and Amsterdam once I'm 4-month old. That's the minimum age requirement. She loves swimming and I can't wait to try it out as well. We are both Aquarials so perhaps that's why we like swimming...

My first post

Hi,
This is my first post that Mommy has helped me to write. I'm exactly 7 weeks old today (April 3rd, 2007).

Mommy and Daddy are thrilled with things I can already do at this age: walking the whole length of the diaper changing pad (with Daddy's support, of course), turning my head to the direction of sound (especially Mommy's or Daddy's voice), winking at girls :-) (see picture), charming all the ladies I've met in the neighborhood whenever Daddy takes me out for a walk (or maybe they are just charmed by Daddy?!), smiling and cooing especially in the morning, dancing with Daddy to the music in his iPod, etc.

It's already spring time so Mommy often takes me out to Central Park for a walk. Two days ago I even had a 'date' with Kate - Molly's daughter. Molly is one of Mommy's best friends from Harvard and her family now is just a block away from us so it's really convenient to meet up with them. Today, however, since Mommy is busy setting up this blog for me, and I am enjoying having an afternoon nap with Daddy so perhaps we won't go to the park today. Or maybe three of us can go for a short walk in the neighborhood early in the evening...

I'm really excited now that I have this blog. Although I can't write (yet) but Mommy and Daddy will help me post news in my days to this blog. This way my family in India, Vietnam, and Indonesia can log in and share news with me everyday.

A week from now, exactly next Thursday which is a bit more than a week - so that I can get to see my charming French doctor, Dr. Moureaux, I'll have my 2-month well baby visit. Mommy is already a bit nervous for me as I'll get 3 immunization shots on that day. She's really scared of needles so she can't even imagine herself getting 3 shots at a time. I'm a big boy. I'll handle them though I might cry a bit. I'll definitely let you know how it goes when the day comes.