Asha & I are proud to announce the arrival of Devin Haworth!

It's with great pleasesure that Asha and I get to announce the arrival of the newest member of the Haworth / Mony family. Our son, Devin Jag Haworth (pretty aweosme name!) was born the afternoon of Wednesday, April 14th. Devin came firing into this world like a bat out of hell with a swift 2.5 hours of labour. Asha is doing great and continues to recover at home now having to take care of two kids. ;) And two boys to boot. Yikes! Ash is the strongest woman I know. Love you honey.

Look forward to providing a bit more detail in the next blog... but for now that's it. Wow am I tired. Hope you all like the pic. He is as cute as a button. Look out ladies!

Picking a Name

Hello! I know... its been a while. We've been busy. The nursery is prepped. The house is looking to be in good condition and I think we have all the necessary baby items in order to bring wee-man back home. Now we're onto the toughest part of this venture. A name.

What's in a name? What does a name say about the child you are about to bring into this world. You don't want the name to be too sissy. I LOVE YOU MOM, BUT YOUR PICK COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER. See, in my case, I have the name Robin. I know - you may be shocked. BUT WHY DOES HE GO BY ROB? WHO IS THIS "ROBIN" ROB IS TALKING ABOUT? Robin... A wonderful name by itself.... but a tad bit on the feminine side right? I mean really... do I look like a Robin?

My mother (again I love you Mom), played it safe. As a male - I am Robin. If I were a female - I would also be Robin... But with a "Y". Thus, Robyn.

The two are far too close in proximity to each other to really decipher one from the other. Go ahead, ask Robyn Regehr (defenseman for the Calgary Flames - click here) how happy he is to have a girls name? I'm pretty sure him and I are on the same page. I love you Mom. Dad - where were you when the name was being handed out? And yes - I love you too Dad.

Now on the flip-side, there's going to far with a name. Masculinity. BRICK, AXEL, MAXIMUM, POWER. I AM MAN AND HEAR ME ROAR! That would be compensating just a little too much. Right? We've got to find a common ground. Something in between.

So what are we going to call wee-man? Captain. I still love it, but its just not appropriate. We need something that embraces Ash's wonderful Indian and Hindu background, while simultaneously embracing my (what the hell am I again????) English / Scandinavian / Norwegian / Catholic heritage? Wow - based on that description its amazing I'm not translucent. I really need to talk to my parents about our ancestry.

We have come close to picking one... but kids can be cruel nasty little creatures. Not all kids. But man... put a pack of them together and watch them cripple the greatest of men. The things kids can pick on is crazy. Have different shoes than the rest - BAM - you're a loser. Don't like the same soccer team as them - BAM - you're an outcast. Don't listen to the same music as me - BAM - you're a DJ. Ha! I have to think at some point even Superman must have cried as a kid because he was so different than everyone else. But he also has kick-ass super powers. Ok. I'm now officially crossing my fingers for a healthy child with super powers.

Peer pressure. It's sad it still works even in your 30's. Would have thought I (we) could have gotten past that... but alas... once you give a child a name, she or he is branded for life. You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friend's nose. And you can't pick family. For that matter... you can't pick a name either.

I still love you Mom and Dad.

So this weeks conundrum like many weeks before continues to be - what the hell are we going to name our son?

Seemantham / Valaikappu - Thank you, thank you, thank you

Its been a while and I apologize for that. Ash and I have been crazy-busy getting things together for the wee-man's arival: entertaining, painting, building things, visiting, and well... resting. No excuses. I need to keep this bad boy updated. My bad.

The seemantham & valaikuppa was on the 14th of February. Tremendous thanks to our families for all of their help and assistance. It could not have happened without so many people stepping forward. Mom, dad, mom2 (Lalitha), Ravi, Jeff, Sio, Sandhya, Swara - god, there's so many people to thank... so many. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

It was an absolutely wonderful ceremony and I can't believe the number of family and friends who were able to attend. And the generosity - oh my lord - the generosity. There is nothing this child needs that hasn't already been given. That said - I think its time to start his educational fund. ;)

Thanks to Nisha and Pierre, who took the time to snap a number of pics. If you would like to peruse the pictures, just click here.

For those new to this Hindu ceremony, here's a little background for ya:

Seemantham:
According to ancient scriptures, the soul enters the baby in the womb around the 20th week of pregnancy. Seemantham is a prayer for the arrival of a good soul into the womb of the mother, and for her and the child's health. From the day of formation in the mother's womb, a child grows in different steps, each within a stipulated time frame.

According to the Vedic scripts, the birth and death is a pre-planned one by the almighty and as pre-planned, the child grows in a way that is linked to many factors, which include genetically considered factors such as: features, intelligence, height, weight, etc.

Accordingly, though brain formation occurs much earlier, the memory cells are said to begin its activities after the completion of seven months of pregnancy. Then onwards, a child can record the sounds and vibrations from the surroundings and hears every spell around it. So as to format the brain in a fittest condition, they used to perform Vedic recitals of relics and verses named "Udhagasanthi" or "Uthakashanthi" Japam, a soft but powerful mantra recital for about 1 and half hours.

This specific function of Japam is to give a solid state of mind for the child to be born, a positive vibration from the recited Mantras that give enough strength to the child in the womb, and to create an atmosphere conducive to the earthly possessives on his/her birth. This also increases the mental strength of the would-be mother, encouraging her, through the supportive gathering members blessing the child and mother for a normal delivery.

Valaikappu (bangle ceremony):
It is believed that when the mother is kept happy and healthy, she will produce a happy and healthy child. In the fifth month of pregnancy, there is a social ceremony called Valaikappu (literally it means bangle or protection). The pregnant mother-to-be is be-decked in new clothes, her hands dyed with henna (a cooling agent), her hair strung with sweet smelling flowers (aromatherapy) and her arms are decorated with glass bangles.

Relatives and friends sing for her while the bangles are put on her arms. It is believed that the tinkling of glass bangles on the mothers arms is soothing (sound therapy) to the baby. The sounds of a stringed instrument (especially the veena) are considered very auspicious for the baby. Chants and hymns are very nourishing spiritually for the baby.

Pretty cool eh?

Focus

We are officially painting the nursery this weekend. We picked up two shades of green before the Home Tax Credit opportunity expired Jan. 31. Green Energy and what I believe is a Pastel Sage. That sounds soooo lame. Or as I like to call them, light green and lighter green. "A soothing palette of soft and warm inviting colours for the non-gender specific nursery of everyone's dreams". Truth be told, it seems like everyone is painting their kids room green these days. Is this right? I don't know?!?

What happens if we find out decades from now that green nursery's result in tree-hugging environmental socialists who's primary motivation in life is to eat vegan food, save the environment, and smoke their hemp clothes? Is it so wrong to be gender specific in the 2000's? Pink for the girls and blue for the boys. I know... crazy talk. Now its all about hues of yellow and orange and GREEN.

Let's get back on track here. Focus: According to Dictionary.com.

a. the focal point of a lens.
b. the focal length of a lens.
c. the clear and sharply defined condition of an image.
d. the position of a viewed object or the adjustment of an optical device necessary to produce a clear image: in focus; out of focus.

I'm going somewhere with this. Follow me for a moment.

When we attended the Prental Classes, Lorraine (the instructor) talked about the mother needing a focus or focal point or something she could direct her attention to focus on, to assist her in getting thru the labour. Something that would inspire the mother. Something the mother could relate to in those moments of sheer and utter exhaustion that would still encourage her to push thru the pain.

I asked Ash what her "focus" was? I'm thinking the baby's ultrasound... a picture of her and I (see first blog entry - yes we still look that good)... a picture of her family... a unicorn... a $100 bill? Nope. I know I married Ash for a good reason. Just click here

Updated Ultrasound #4 - Jan. 6, 2010

There are these surreal moments I have every once in a while. Today was another one of them. Saw this picture of Cap and thought - whoa - this is becoming more and more real everyday. Someone is going to call Asha "Mommy" and me "Daddy"... at least up and until he's in his teen's and just refers to us as the 'rents or jerks or whatever new-fandagled lingo the kids are going to be using a decade from now. Will he ever think we are cool? Or were cool? Are we cool? Say the word a couple more times "cool". Now it just sounds lame. Are we lame?

I digress. Plan this weekend is to start prepping wee-man's room. The theme you ask? African Safari. Oooooo. I know. ;)

Asha and Cap are doing awesome. Ash is amazing. Her body's aching but she's going about his like a woman on a mission. Objective - healthy and happy baby. I love you honey.

On another note - just wanted to say thank you to everyone for donating their kids things. It is so greatly appreciated. And those who have purchased things from our registry... We Love You. Thank you so so much.

She's Gorgeous

Ta da! Finally. It took a little poking and proding but Ash finally let me get a picture of her and the baby bump (who I'm still referring to as Captain until a more suitable name is determined).

Mommy-to-be and baby are doing great as you can clearly see from the picture.

What's next? Our Seemantham. What's this you ask??? Good question. Here's a bit of a breakdown. Its also called a "bangle" ceremony. Google it. Don't worry, I had to too.

"According to ancient scriptures, the soul enters the baby in the womb around the 20th week of pregnancy or so. Seemantham is a prayer for the arrival of a good soul into the womb of the mother and for her and the child's health.

From the day of formation in the mother's womb, a child grows in different steps, each within a stipulated timeframe. According to the Vedic scripts, the birth and death is a pre-planned one by the almighty. And as pre-planned, the child grows in a way that is linked to many factors, which include genetically considered factors such as features, intelligence, height, weight, etc.

Accordingly, though brain formation occurs much earlier, the memory cells are said to begin activities after the completion of seven months of pregnancy. Then onwards, a child can record the sounds and vibrations from the surroundings and hears every sound around it.

So as to format the brain in a fittest condition, they used to perform Vedic recitals of relics and verses named "Udhagasanthi" or "Uthakashanthi" Japam, a soft but powerful mantra recital for about 1 and a half hours. This specific function of Japam is to give a solid state of mind for the child to be born, a positive vibration from the recited Mantras that give enough strength to the child in the womb, and to create an atmosphere conducive to the earthly possessives on his / her birth.

This also increases the mental strength of the would-be mother, encouraging her, through the supportive gathering members blessing the child and mother for a normal delivery."

And what about the father? Dad gets no shout-outs. Proof again that women are clearly the more important sex.

Guys... we're playing second fiddle to a human being capable of creating life. Kind of makes one really feel inferior.

Prenatal Classes - Ready to be a parent?!?!

Is anyone every really ready?

If you have never done them and you stil managed to successfully birth a child (or five) - you are my hero. The primary thing I learned in attending this two-day crash course on preganacy, labour and raising a child is - I KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT PREGNANCY, LABOUR AND RAISING A CHILD. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD... I WANT TO NAME THE KID CAPTAIN.

Clearly I am not fit to be a parent. Thank the lord this kid is going to have Asha. That my friends is a "fit" parent. I'll end up being the ying to her yang.

So we ended up taking prenatal classes last weekend in Oakville (www.birthingandbabies.com). Yes I'm giving this lady a shout-out. The instructor / nurse was great. Informative, responsive, caring and truly believed in what she was doing. It drives faith that this process of birthing is actually humanly possible.

Couple other noted (mostly disturbing) facts from the course:
A Fundus is the top portion of the uterus. I'm easing you into this.
Episiotomy is a small surgical incision of the perineum made to enlarge the vaginal opening. Yup - that still makes me shudder. In layman's terms - its cutting the vagina. Oh my lord. Men - we should bow to women... for they truly are the better / tougher sex.
Baby's are really ugly when they are born. Those knitted baby-caps they get... that's because their head is frickin' deformed. No - not just because it looks cute.

Lastly: Our Established Labour Panic Routine Should Ash Panic
1. Establish eye-to-eye contact (I apologize for what I have done)
2. Hold your partner firmly (Close enough that she can only "dirty" box with me)
3. Breathe with your partner (Hee hee - whoooooooo - apparently this works)
4. Reassure your partner (That its not entirely my fault - it takes 2 to tango)
5. Ad Lib (Punch Rob and blame him for all of this)

Baby-bump picture coming soon.