Not that I already abandoned this concededly addictive blogging-thing – in fact this had gotten to be a difficult habit to break or so I thought – but work, change of residence, more work, husbandly duties (if there is such a term), horrendous Ban-Tal traffic, routine pre-natal check-ups, deadlines, yep, and a hundred other things that seemed to anesthetize my seemingly incorrigible hankering to write. All together, these must have been such a tremendous sedative since for quite awhile it somehow bunged that so-called writing juices from flowing out. But the itch is still there.
I do write day in and day out. Legal pleadings. Not much creativity there but loads of gobbledygook. I don’t intend to but often you have to respond to gobbledygook with gobbledygook.
But this most beautiful thing happened to me that led me back to my laptop and write about it. And share my thoughts to the whole world.
He is Ethan Victor. I named him (the “Victor” part) after my father’s who died when I was still two years old. I had no memory of him but somehow, perhaps because of my mother’s stories of him – from which such reassuring inspiration is continually drawn – he still manages to become part of who I am. The “Ethan” part – well, I just like the name. My wife and I had an unwritten agreement. She produces the baby. I produce the name. Quite a fair deal.
Not a fair deal really when it did happen. I couldn’t possibly fathom the pain and sacrifice my wife had to go through. In her case, her blood pressure shot up to as high as 200 on the day she delivered. That was a nasty surprise considering that all previous tests on her indicate everything to be normal. Despite that – but with the plucky doggedness of Dr. Chona Tremedal – Leizl managed to have a normal delivery. Such mettle and strength that my wife displayed in the course of such critical situation was clearly immeasurable. I say with all candor that I am not half the man er, woman that she is.
I thought I was prepared for fatherhood. I had an idea of what it was like. I have friends who are fathers. I experienced the thrill of anticipating it. All of these proved nothing compared to the reality of it happening – when you come face to face with an angel that you know is part and parcel of you. A most beautiful thing.
I am not, what they say, a man of faith. But I dare say I am a man of hope. I have no religious convictions. I do not declare to be an atheist or agnostic. I simply take comfort in the idea that life is an interminable enigma, that it has questions more than it has answers. I thirst for knowledge but take heed that it could never be quenched. I seek answers to questions but know that many of which would not be answered in this lifetime. Until then, these are but mysteries. I am not confused but I am amazed by it. I do not begrudge anyone who calls mysteries as miracles. For indeed life itself is one big miracle.
Seeing that beautiful face, that little arms and legs, that fragile human being… I realize without doubt, I had just one such little miracle.
congrats lan! ^_^
for your 2nd baby, have another agreement - you produce the baby, Leizl produces the name. hehehe
Congratulations
cute kaayo si baby ethan liwat sa ginikanan hehehehe.. enjoy the sleepless nights
Congrats! The baby’s so cute. I used to carry one and loved it. As a matter of fact, I loved it very much that I made three more. hahaha
They’re all grown-up now and carrying another baby in my arms is still a long way from now.
I just love how a baby smell. Give him smelling kisses for me, will you?
Posted by rolly at August 30, 2007, 10:14 amjanet, thanks. Hopefully makauli ka diri Pinas by October para ninay ka!!!
Mayor fer, under the law morag void agreement na kay impossible ang consideration.
Gracia - Hazel, ikaw ni? Thnks!!
Rolly, thanks. I sure will. I suppose you still could carry another one, sir.
hi, after i read you blog i was almost cried. whats a bautyful feelng from you to your wife and a baby. who is so lucky to have you as father. you are going to be a great dad. even through you had grown up without a dad on your side. i dont know you and never met in person but by reading your bog,and i am the mother of 2 kids. so i know your baby is a very lucky to have a daddy like you. congratulations to you and your wife. by the way your baby is very cute, and God had blessed you for a heathy baby. my name is my, im Richard’s wife.
Posted by Richard at August 31, 2007, 1:18 amHello My, glad that you finally left a comment here. Thanks for the generous comment. I’m pretty sure you are also lucky to have richard as a husband and father to your children, as they are of having you as wife and mother. Regards to richard. Hope you can come to the Philippines someday.
Posted by siu at August 31, 2007, 5:19 pmCongrats on your baby, ‘Lan! He is so cute! Babies are such blessings.
And I’m glad you’re blogging again.
Thanks jops.
will now make bloggping part of my things to do list.
congratulations daddy!!! *wink* enjoy fatherhood and make sure to check on the new mum as well..hehehe
have a sunshiney day!!
Posted by trish at September 17, 2007, 2:54 pmtrish, thnks!!
lan, since parehas ta duha nag teach ug business law, naa ko correction gamay sa imo g reply ni mayor regarding impossible ang condiseration. professional courtesy aside, i beg to differ…its not an impossible condition, in fact the proposed agreement is a viable one to perform. ikaw himo sa baby, leizl provides the name…albeit lahi lang ang mommy mo himo sa baby! hahaha! joke patyon jud ko ni leizl ani, peace! congrats
Posted by bads at September 24, 2007, 11:12 ambads, i very much respect your professional opinion.
When it comes to making babies, i know you’ve been practicing a lot. he he he.
maayo kay nasaag ka diri. thanks!
congrats lan! asa man tawon na ni liwat imo baby? cute kaayo dili same nimo nga pa cute. hahaha joke lang lan. regards to bads, tambok gihapon og walay buot or nag matured na? hahaha take care guys!
Posted by gaw at September 26, 2007, 8:07 pmcongrats to my beautiful cuz liezl and alan… finally youre blessed with a very cute baby ethan….nice name… but sorry jud lan kay murag amo jud genes naliwat hahaha… give mt regards to my cuz..
Posted by ayen at September 27, 2007, 7:24 amgawchua, ha ha ha ha. kumusta na man ka? wala gihapon kay buot?
- ayaw pataka ug istorya bahin ni bads kay basin makiha ka. Kabaw ba ka nga fiscal na cya?
ayen, biased gyud kaayo ka da. kumusta na ka dha new zealand?
Posted by siu at September 27, 2007, 9:07 amcute-kid .
finch, thnx for dropping by
Posted by siu at October 11, 2007, 12:24 amThe baby looks so peaceful.
Posted by hong at June 13, 2008, 7:42 pmAll comments are moderated. Your comments will not appear here unless approved by the blog owner. Thank you.
congratulations!!! i am so happy for you and leizl. ka-cute sa baby. asa man liwat? i hope someday very soon that i could experience your feeling right now (and not what leizl went through
). see you soon Ethan Victor
Posted by d_other shoe at August 28, 2007, 11:50 pm