Going downtown...

Enzo - "I'm ready! You're the one still holding the camera."

It happened in the space between moments...

Things are happening almost too quickly...
Babies take a little time to form the associations of facial expressions they see around them with the muscles and sensations they feel everyday. I guess I thought that his expressions would come out slowly and gradually... how wrong I was !
Below is the evolution of a smile (almost his first one) - and then the Puerto Rican performer came out the end and he did his best Ricky Martin impression !

Guess who's coming for Christmas...

Sujata - "So, you're the little guy causing all the fuss?"
Enzo - "Look who's calling who 'little' !?!"

Red Heat !

He makes a great Ruskie !

The 36th Chamber...

In the Marwaha Clan, we start martial arts training early...

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

At least, that's what I'm hoping as I've been out of action for a while. The little guy has been keeping us incredibly busy - time was never such a scarce commodity.
I'll get back to writing after Christmas, but in the meantime, I have been threatened with gruesome death if I don't post more photos... so here you go.

The Birth of Fear

In the last twenty fours, Lorenzo has been having some problems. For a guy who has been around for a month and had no issues whatsoever - I figured he was due. He's been having some reflux and has been dreadfully uncomfortable. Things got so bad for him that we took him to the hospital and in the course of all this - something terrible happened. Necessary - but terrible.

Pure Light

As we try to teach Enzo of his world and himself, I am continuously amazed at his ability to teach us. Not just in the way we learn about how our species works and how we grow from birth to adulthood - but also in the stuff he reminds us of, things we have unlearned and forgotten.

What are you looking at ?

Had to be done...

Therapy by water...

So many things amaze me as I watch him grow. But I am most amazed by what we know and feel instinctively from the first day we are born. I grew up with stories of how tiny babies were put in water at a very early age - to force them to swim. This is not an old wives tale - this is done in villages in India and, in fact, was done to my mum. She swims like a fish !

More photos !

 Lorenzo with his Gramps, Julio...

 Enzo asks Abuela Eileen for a car.

Hollywood Tigger !!!

A couple more shots for those of you who check in regularly...

He's kicking my ass !!!

So - apologies for not being more religious about my posts but, as you might imagine, I've had my hands quite full. For all of you who have been wondering how I am handling the sleepless nights - here is a picture my good wife took...

Something Sharklike, this way comes...

I know I am going a little crazy with the rapid postings - but at the moment, there are a lot of first time events that I want the grandmas to know about. The pediatricians advise that you should look to rag bathe your child very seldomly, something like 1-2 times a week...
Yeah, like that's gonna happen !

Home Baby, Home !

As you can imagine, we've had our hands full for the past few days. Time to catch up...

The Redemption of a LiliKiller

Today, one of my oldest friends in the world came by to see Lorenzo.

You'll Never Walk Alone

Spinning through the channels, while Lorenzo sleeps, I decide that I've given him enough time to relax before introducing him to the beautiful game. Clicking to the football channel, we find one of the few Liverpool matches that you can find on basic TV - it turns out there is a God, and he wears a red shirt.

Fists of Fury...

Today, the world's first certified micro terrorist was able to overcome his two captors by the simple use of mumbles, cries, wiggles and squeaks.

An evening with Lorenzo...

Not yet a day old and little Lorenzo plays host to his first group of visitors...

Got Milk?

The night went by so quickly. Eileen fed him a couple of times during the night and managed to get some rest in between. By the time the nurse came in with him this morning, we were waiting on the bed patiently like excited school kids...

VISITING INFORMATION

To everyone in the Boston area, here are some pointers for you in case you are going to visit.

Visiting hours are 1pm until 9pm tomorrow (Saturday), which suits us fine as Eileen is exhausted and we still have some moving around to do...
PLEASE DON'T COME if you have any illness, flu-like symptoms etc. - you know the deal.

We are at Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston.
They have valet parking right at the entrance OR parking garages nearby.
You can mention either Eileen Alvarez Morales OR Sanjay Marwaha at the front desk and they will guide you to the right area - The Mary Horrigan Connors Center for Labor and Birth.

See you tomorrow.

Enter the Dragon...

Lorenzo Vijay Marwaha Alvarez was born on 21st October at 11.00pm.
He weighs 6 lbs 15 and is perfectly healthy.
His mother is fine and he has already availed himself of her lactic stores...

Update...

Still in labor. Still very comfortable. Still hip deep in epidural and Jello

Healthcare in the US...

So, I come to the whole issue of healthcare in the USA from a historical European mindset - so I know I must be biased. Undoubtedly, healthcare here is overpriced, over-litigated, inaccessible, and the list goes on.
But I am learning that what we have here is NOT what we have in Britain...

What the ... ?

"Sanjay."
Sailing on an open sea beneath a turquoise sky, fluffy clouds skitter overhead.
"Sanjay."
The deep blue ocean surges, gathering the ship before it and thrusting it through the low waves.
"SANJAY!"
"Hmm." Sanjay peeped through gummy eyes. "What is it?"
"My water broke?"
"Are you sure?" Sanjay was still clinging to the remnants of the plan.
"Well. The pool of water your floating in might give it away!"
That certainly explains his dream...

Let's get moving...

Just a few minutes after my last blog post, Eileen's doctor called and let us know that one test result had come back borderline and that she wanted to take another look at induction. So we fell to work ensuring our bags were all done, got a good night's sleep and readied ourselves for a trip to the office in the morning...

The Throne Room...

Every little King of Mayhem needs a throne room where the peasants can come and hope for one fleeting glance at their lord and master...

A tiny little mirror...

As you know, we're in the home stretch now. The calendar due date is the 31st (Halloween) but it is starting to look less and less likely that we'll make it that far... Lorenzo is starting to exert his authority !

Stop pestering me !

I realize that my posts have been scarce - I daresay, non-existent... But getting organized has been impossible for the past few weeks. As harmony returns (on the eve of chaos being born) I have so many things to post for all of you.
But many of you have been asking me what you can do or something you can buy for us to celebrate the birth of LVMA. I regret to announce that almost everything we need is in hand (I know that sounds naive) and we seem to be all set. Some of you, however, have not accepted this answer and have threatened to buy us the new Girls Aloud CD or the next volume in the Twilight series... With panic setting in, we have decided to put some of our purchases on a gift registry to tempt you away from screaming, cavorting young girls OR screaming, cavorting young girl vampires...
This is the link -
http://www.babybedding.com/registry/335144SNMR

All that said - i'll get to work with blogging some more on what we've been up to...

Nursery, Phase 1

After the well earned break, it was time to get down to business. Time to start the nursery !
We planned, we designed - where you read 'we', insert 'Eileen'. Finally, it was time to start.

Moon, Baby Moon !!!

So, I had never heard of this. Apparently, the 'Hallmark' culture in the US has spawned something called a Babymoon. A chance for the expecting couple to get some well-deserved time alone before all the madness begins...

Don't give a man a fish, teach him to fish...

Frankly, today was not a good day...
Work, home, family, passions, past-times - with so many interests, it is difficult to always have a good day with all of them - but sometimes the hits come hard and fast - and for the past few weeks, the hits have just kept coming...

The Artist formally known as AP !!!

Finally, mum to be (Eileen) and I sat down to have the big discussion !
The negotiations were long and furious, involving softly muttered annoyances in an English accent and loudly screamed insults in Spanish - I'll let you figure it out...
Anyway, cooler heads prevailed and we have reached an agreement that we are both delighted with... Advanced Prototype can now lay aside his grandiose title for something more becoming - he will forever be known as...

The Return of Ernie Twum...

A few of you will be screaming in laughter at the mention of Ernie Twum. Quite possibly the worst manager I ever had the luck of working for and quite possibly a terrible person as well.

While here in India, I have been introduced to most of the senior management and have been able to build some relationships with some amazing people. People of vision and candor, thought and experience.
However, one in particular, has not been able to impress.

Absence and the heart ...

Since being married, Eileen and I have not been apart much. I can think of only a few occasions and none very long. In fact, the longer separations (nothing longer than two weeks) have been forced upon us by circumstance or emergency. Suffice to say, we never choose to be apart.

Bright lights, big city !

Today was the 4^th of July – Independence Day in the United States and a cause for celebration. Celebration of what, though? While politicians try to outdo eachother in making today a celebration of small government; lower taxes; large families; Paul Rivere’s ride (shout out to Sarah Palin); a hypothetical division of church and state – a few things occurred to me…

The Power of a Name...

So, the other day, I was floating around the mall trying to eat up time while Eileen checked every store in the mall for anything resembling quality pregnancy clothes. On my journey, I discovered something that I hadn't seen for some years and began quite a discussion and led us too far down a long road...

At last, the pictures...

To all who have been waiting for the newest ultrasound shots, apologies for the delay. Things have been quite crazy over here and spare time has been at a premium. Anyway, I have selected two shots from the last Ultrasound session. The rest are either much of the same or incredibly difficult to tell what is in there - the little guy was doing a Merengue !


At this point, Sanchito seems to be running through his martial arts training. Both hands are up and protecting the face. No, Deep, this does not mean that you can enter him for UFC training !



This might have been the only time that the little guy was lying still. I swear I get tired just watching him flipping around - I see lots of sports and stuff to get him tired.



Will follow with more posts.

Ultrasound Joy !

Today brought us Ultrasound joy,
and the process did not annoy.
Went in with some nerves,
came out all averve,
because the tike is a ...

Pregnancy as casino...

One of the many differences between Puerto Rico and the United States is the way in which they handle healthcare and, in particular, pregnancy.

Advanced Prototype - on film...

As you can see, AP, seems relaxed and at peace in this picture.

Don't let this fool you!

As anyone who has tried to awaken a Marwaha knows, this is when we are most dangerous and deprivation of sleep, snooze, nap or shut-eye is a very thin line you are walking...

The Ultrasound technician didn't heed our warnings and prodded and poked at Uchi's abdomen quite sharply to get AP to move for a better shot. But - AP is vengeful. AP then proceeded to roll around and kick ferociously for twenty minutes until the the tech turned a lovely shade of crimson.

The Puerto-Rican part of AP ensured that all kicks, rolls and jumps were in time to a sturdy Salsa rhythm !

Marwaha - Advanced Prototype !

That's right ladies and gentlemen, we are back in business !
Our new advanced prototype is in production and should be ready for unveiling at the end of October. With the prospect of new life coming, the old dark feelings of a year ago are fading and being replaced by something all the more healthy.

Back on the air !!!

It is almost a year since my last post - but it seems that more than a decade of changes has happened since then. First, my apologies for going quiet on you all - I had no idea how many people were reading my little blog and took some time to get back to my keyboard with an open heart and uncluttered mind.