The many names of Neel.....

Your smile is sooo amazing...

Hi Neel... this week, week 5 of your life, you have started to smile. I love it when you look at me and I gently tickle your cheeks and out comes this beautiful smile. As I write this blog, you are sleeping next to your big sister. You have your hand on her hand and your heads are meeting. It is a very pretty sight. I love it. So far.. you have been a baby that sleeps all the time.

The most amazing thing is that you sleep through the night. By week 2.5 you have been sleeping for 6 hours at a stretch at night. Your didi is still trying to figure you out. One moment she loves you and the next she will smack you. She loves to pick you up and carry you around. If we are not looking closely she will pick you up, which she can do surprisingly well.

Neel an actor?

Hi Baby Boy... yesterday was an interesting day, you did your first TV commercial. I know this sounds strange considering neither mummy nor daddy have any movie/tv experience or background. Someone was looking for ethnic newborns and so i turned in your picture and you got selected as one of the 6 babies for a national ad for a big big corporation. I had to run around and get your work permit and we finally show up at the set.

The set was a nursery set where they put the newborns in bassinets. As a newborn you can only work for 20 minutes max. You slept through the whole shoot. I am not sure if that is good or bad (we will find out soon enough if your shoot is aired in the ad) but the director did film single footage of you when all the other babies were crying since you were so peacefully sleeping. Yesterday was the day you earned your first dollar. We will put your earnings into your college fund.. so you can go to college....

Other than the video shoot, you have had lots of visitors come by and your big sister always wants to play with you. But every day she does find an opportunity to smack you on your head, no matter what we do. I keep telling here, wait till baby brother grows up and he is going to push you and then no one is going to save her.....

Neel... 3 weeks later

Hi Neel.... it's been almost 3 weeks since you have been born and you have been one excellent baby. You just sleep most of the time! When you are awake, your big eyes are scanning the entire room. You have amazing neck strength. Your neck goes from one side to another on its own. We are all slowly falling madly in love with you.

Your sister loves you and I am sure someday in the future she will be sorry for smacking you on your head. Most of the times we are able to stop her before she touches you, but every once in a while she will sneak up and smack your head. The first time that happened you cried but since then you don't seem to care anymore. A few moments after she smacks you, we see her kissing you and wanting to carry you. She also reads to you and tells you stories.

This picture was taken after your first bath!

Hi My Baby Boy.....

My little boy. I am so amazed to be able to say these three words. Of course, you won't be so little some day, but for now, I am happy I can say this. Your birth was easier than your sister's. I'd like to say we are becoming experts at this, but it is not going to happen again. You and your sister are it.

It's been 9 days since you were born and 7 since we brought you home. You have been a joy to be with, as you only cry when you are (a) hungry, (b) gassy, (c) dirty [diaper change]. If all three of those are fine, you are very content.

Your neck strength is amazing. You can already lift your head, but you can't control it, so we have to watch your head otherwise it will just lob around helplessly. You are quite content to just sit in someone's lap and gaze out at the world. But we can't be content, we have to start involving you in activities such as tummy time, and have to expose you to colorful toys, activities, etc. Whatever we did for your sister, we have to make sure we do for you.

So welcome to the world, Neel Vir. It's going to be a joyous, eventful ride.