Asturian-American Migration Forum

Joseph David was born last week. Yay!

Hi,

Absolute CONGRATULATIONS to you all. A new baby is such a joy...

Welcome to Joseph David a new member of our family...and a little cousin to me and my family.

Barbara

I wish you and your family much happiness. What wonderful news!

That's wonderful, Xose! Now we'll have to get you all dressed up in Asturian trajes!

¡Qué bien, Xose! ¡Ahora hay que vestirse toda la familia en trajes asturianas!

Mis felicitaciones a los papas y mis mejores deseos para Xose David ¡que nombre mas bonito!

I agree, that's a pretty enviable name> Joseph David. You gotta post us some pics, Xose!

And show him how to register at Asturianus.org. After a few months he'll actually be able to see.

Norabona!

The critical question is when and where does he get his first chorizo. He's a little young for it now, of course, but time flies by.

Bob, you gotta meet my older brother, as should Eric. He is your co-conspirer for all sorts of fraudulent chourizo fabrication and airport fly-by-night stories. He's not in Connecticut exactly (ex-Seattle, now in Istanbul). But he definitely shares your single-mindedness about Asturian food...

As for Xose David, he could SMELL some chourizo as a good priming experience, and as a welcome to the offbeat Asturian-American community.

Speaking of smell, my granddaughters are 8 and almost 6. I see them at least once a week. Emotions and smells are deeply intertwined. Since the girls were born, I have always worn the same cologne every time I have been with them (with only a single exception due to a last minute change in plans). In retrospect, I should have rubbed chorizos all over myself.

Felicidades, Xose. Sorry Bob, but I would vote for bollinas, buñuelos or Mariñuelos first, then make my way towards the chorizos.

My reasoning is that Joseph David is a newborn and will be drinking alot of milk, he needs something sweet to go with it.

When he's got teeth he'll enjoy Chorizo's more.

I don't have any kids of my own (I'll be 28 in a week), but I made Pan de Pascua this past Easter. I used the recipe for mariñuelos, but braided the dough into loaves.

1 of my 2 nephews got to try it and he loved it. He's only 1 and 1/2, but I know I need to start him early on culture and cuisine.

My other nephew is learning a little spanish and watched as his dad and I made chorizo last week.

I'm trying to take Bob's advice and ensuring the preservation of our culture.

Here he is!

Wow, Xose, he's a real cutie!

Bob wrote:Speaking of smell, .... In retrospect, I should have rubbed chorizos all over myself.

That's hilarious, Bob! We need a photo!

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¡Anda, Xose, qué monada de niño!

Bob wrote:Hablando de olores, .... En retrospectiva, debería haber frotado chorizos por todo mi corpo.

¡Eso es hilarante, Bob! ¡Necesitamos una foto!

¡Que guapo Xose!, se te parece un poquito, pero es muchiiiiisimo mas guapo que su padre.

In all honesty, I have to say that Joseph David is one of the most adorable newborns I have ever seen, and at 64 I have seen more than a few. I hope you have some sort of paternity leave from work that will allow you maximum time to enjoy this stage of his life.

There is a tradition in my family that one male in every generation has a special magic with babies - my grandfather, my father (who was legendary in this regard) and now me. I wonder if that is true of other families as well. There is no real secret to it, we just learned from the older generations. Move slowly, talk quietly, lots of facial animation (even newborns are particularly good at recognizing human faces and responding to them), and read the signs from the baby and respond to them.

What an absolutely BEAUTIFUL baby.

I know what you mean Bob.

In our family that's my husband. When my Granddaughter was born he stood outside the nursery and talked to her. Telling her that he would always be there for her, how much he loved her and waited for her.

Now she is 13 and absolutely loves her Papa. When she is having a bad dad in school, skating or whatever...she turns to her Papa for support. They have such a wonderful bond.

Barbara