Deklin Austin Maharaj - August 31, 2012

We welcomed a new member to our family on August 31st at 6:54pm.  Deklin Austin Maharaj came into this world weighing 7lbs and 12 ounces.  It was a somewhat uneventful delivery mostly due to our calm cool and collected OB.  Deklin's cord was around his neck.  He was induced.  There was also meconium in the uterus. But our OB handled it all in stride.   So all these things were happening but he came out ok and is now part of our family.  He also was born in August.  The same month of my dad's birthday.
Through this really tough year he was a ray of light into our lives.  It was so hard to welcome into this world and want to show him off to everyone without my dad here.  I have 2 boys and no father.   It is a constant reminder he isn't here seeing my sons share "boy things" with me but not having someone to look up to and share the things I want to with.

Deks (this is now his official nickname..) has been a quite typical baby.  Really only cries when something is messed up, hungry, tired, dirty.  He sometimes will sit in his chair awake and quiet.  We think he does that because of all the craziness around he doesn't want to let on that he is awake.  He has already taken more of a beating in his first days of life than either of the kids combined!  He has been sat on, poked, kicked, punched, scratched, pushed, and twisted.  His brother and sister really are bullying him around!  That being said they show him love every moment they can.  Quinn helps with hugs and changing him and Ronin makes sure visitors don't make him cry.  The other day Ronin got so mad at his Aaji.  He yelled at her "Aaji, you made my brother cry!!"

We both think the Deks is a good mix of both the kids.  Which I guess is the way it should be.  We were down the the final hours deciding a name. In fact Deklin came to me (again) the day before he was born.  It was on the table shortly for Quinn but when I saw the spelling (DECLAN) I said he can't be named DE - CLAN.  Only after Quinn was born did Brenda make aware to me that it isn't pronounced that way and that we could have changed the spelling.  His middle name has a very special meaning.  He is named after my dad's favourite car in South Africa.  A car he was known for all around the area he lived in South Africa.  Everyone knew my dad's Austin Princess.  We couldn't named him Princess, so Austin it was.  We had to have something for my dad, because Deks won't know him the same way Quinn and Ronin will.  There will be no pictures of Deks and my dad hanging out.  There will be no spoiling of Deks by my dad.  He is the first kid in this house without Bedford as a middle name.

It has been a circus around here the last weeks.  Lucky I am off to help out because it would be a tough road all around if this house had to deal with me going to work as well!

Not sure what the weeks ahead hold but we will do our best and see what comes.