Everyday, every hour, every minute, new lives come into the world. Saturday night, a new life came into my world. My best friend Mazyar and his wife Mahkameh had their first baby - Ariana. Emily and I couldn't be happier about it.
Ariana's birth means so many things. For Mahkameh (who goes by Mac), it's the end of a somewhat turbulent, very uncomfortable pregnancy. She gets her body back (minus the short-term lease on her breasts), and I think she's happy about that.
For Maz and Mac, this is the beginning of a new stage and adventure in their lives. Maz has been both elated and nervous since the day he found out Mac was pregnant. That's because Maz takes responsibility very seriously. It's completely in his nature and way to fully understand the commitment he's made and to throw himself into it absolutely.
He may talk big about fishing, catch nothing and then come home with red snapper bought at a fish shop at the port... but when it comes to doing right by people, Maz doesn't fail. Ever.
In his goodness, patience, dedication and unparalleled understanding of loyalty and love, Mazyar will be natural as a father. He's been a devoted and adoring uncle to his sister's three boys and even got a little practice in baby and toddler handling along the way.
For Emily and I, it's shocking that we've been gone longer than a gestation period. Maz and Mac called on Skype to wish me a happy birthday and let us know about the baby. Mac was one month pregnant - that was September 26th, more than two months after we left home. Here we are, with five weeks to go and there's Ariana - on the other side of a Skype camera - looking adorable.
There hasn't been anything this year I've felt so bad about missing. There are a lot of babies born - but Ariana is special. Mazyar is more my brother than my friend. So, this is a big deal.
Because of our closeness and because I identify so much with Maz, this more than any other birth, marks a change in our place in life. We - and I - are no longer the young generation. We're now at the age where we're having the next generation. Emily and I have baby plans for when we get home.
Everyone in a child's life has something to offer. I admire people who give of themselves willingly and I especially like it when people share special perspectives, talents and parts of themselves.
The whole time of this pregnancy, in the back of my head, I've thought about what I want to tell this child, what I can offer that might be different than other adults in her life. I've also thought about what it would help her to know.
Although you never know the relationship you'll have with a person - because these things develop individually and organically - and you can never know what will come down the line....I have a few ideas.
I'll remind her how special it is that she is adored by a giant Persian family that gives love to children like water pours over Niagra falls.
One day, I'll tell her how her mom was the only one who ever made her dad light up and be as relaxed and happy as he is.
I'll take her to Travel Town and the Griffith Park Railroad trains - just to make sure she doesn't doesn't think trains are for boys.
We'll go to the zoo often so that her dad and I can teach her every obscure animal there and share the way we find yaks, dugongs, lemmings, marmots, armadillos and wildebeest to be endlessly entertaining.
She'll need to know that there's more to the world than Los Angeles, so if possible, we'll take her on an adventure far from home.
I'll point out that her dad never takes on anything without being fully committed. Once he's in, he's in and he makes it work. That's a wonderful thing.
We'll read Little Golden Books - because the classics are classics for a reason. None of this Disney princess crap. Good old fashioned, Poky Little Puppy. The study of mischievous puppies who always get dessert is important.
When her mom's away, I'll give her donuts - Spudnuts specifically. She'll learn not to tell anyone except maybe her dad, who will resoundingly approve.
I'll tell her that no matter what her father says, celery - like most things including the rosewater that will flavor her little Persian-American world - has a pungent smell.
When she reaches the age where it's time for complex school projects, I hope to help her with them occasionally. Her dad and I are great at school projects.
Most importantly, given who her parents are, Ariana's going to be as smart as she will be warm hearted. It's easy to be disappointed and confused when you figure out that people aren't always as capable or warm - especially when you come from Maz and Mac's families.
So, I hope to be one of the people she comes to who can help teach her that a lot of people are just dumb about things. It doesn't matter. Just be yourself and love, care and do anyway.
Happy Birthday, Ariana.
Sent from my iPad
Ariana's birth means so many things. For Mahkameh (who goes by Mac), it's the end of a somewhat turbulent, very uncomfortable pregnancy. She gets her body back (minus the short-term lease on her breasts), and I think she's happy about that.
For Maz and Mac, this is the beginning of a new stage and adventure in their lives. Maz has been both elated and nervous since the day he found out Mac was pregnant. That's because Maz takes responsibility very seriously. It's completely in his nature and way to fully understand the commitment he's made and to throw himself into it absolutely.
He may talk big about fishing, catch nothing and then come home with red snapper bought at a fish shop at the port... but when it comes to doing right by people, Maz doesn't fail. Ever.
In his goodness, patience, dedication and unparalleled understanding of loyalty and love, Mazyar will be natural as a father. He's been a devoted and adoring uncle to his sister's three boys and even got a little practice in baby and toddler handling along the way.
For Emily and I, it's shocking that we've been gone longer than a gestation period. Maz and Mac called on Skype to wish me a happy birthday and let us know about the baby. Mac was one month pregnant - that was September 26th, more than two months after we left home. Here we are, with five weeks to go and there's Ariana - on the other side of a Skype camera - looking adorable.
There hasn't been anything this year I've felt so bad about missing. There are a lot of babies born - but Ariana is special. Mazyar is more my brother than my friend. So, this is a big deal.
Because of our closeness and because I identify so much with Maz, this more than any other birth, marks a change in our place in life. We - and I - are no longer the young generation. We're now at the age where we're having the next generation. Emily and I have baby plans for when we get home.
Everyone in a child's life has something to offer. I admire people who give of themselves willingly and I especially like it when people share special perspectives, talents and parts of themselves.
The whole time of this pregnancy, in the back of my head, I've thought about what I want to tell this child, what I can offer that might be different than other adults in her life. I've also thought about what it would help her to know.
Although you never know the relationship you'll have with a person - because these things develop individually and organically - and you can never know what will come down the line....I have a few ideas.
I'll remind her how special it is that she is adored by a giant Persian family that gives love to children like water pours over Niagra falls.
One day, I'll tell her how her mom was the only one who ever made her dad light up and be as relaxed and happy as he is.
I'll take her to Travel Town and the Griffith Park Railroad trains - just to make sure she doesn't doesn't think trains are for boys.
We'll go to the zoo often so that her dad and I can teach her every obscure animal there and share the way we find yaks, dugongs, lemmings, marmots, armadillos and wildebeest to be endlessly entertaining.
She'll need to know that there's more to the world than Los Angeles, so if possible, we'll take her on an adventure far from home.
I'll point out that her dad never takes on anything without being fully committed. Once he's in, he's in and he makes it work. That's a wonderful thing.
We'll read Little Golden Books - because the classics are classics for a reason. None of this Disney princess crap. Good old fashioned, Poky Little Puppy. The study of mischievous puppies who always get dessert is important.
When her mom's away, I'll give her donuts - Spudnuts specifically. She'll learn not to tell anyone except maybe her dad, who will resoundingly approve.
I'll tell her that no matter what her father says, celery - like most things including the rosewater that will flavor her little Persian-American world - has a pungent smell.
When she reaches the age where it's time for complex school projects, I hope to help her with them occasionally. Her dad and I are great at school projects.
Most importantly, given who her parents are, Ariana's going to be as smart as she will be warm hearted. It's easy to be disappointed and confused when you figure out that people aren't always as capable or warm - especially when you come from Maz and Mac's families.
So, I hope to be one of the people she comes to who can help teach her that a lot of people are just dumb about things. It doesn't matter. Just be yourself and love, care and do anyway.
Happy Birthday, Ariana.
Sent from my iPad
Awww... much love and HB to little Ariana (that was one of our four potential names for Anura!). Perhaps one day she and Anura (her slightly older Indo-Iranian playmate) will be pals! :)
Posted by: Arti | 05/23/2011 at 09:31 AM