Happy Birthday, Tiger Baby!

Julienne Roux was born September 1, 2010 at 5:24 in the afternoon, a little before sundown.

I could not think of a better metaphoric interpretation for that day than this lady holding sun.

I believe that the moment we breathe air, our initiation, our greatness on earth officially begins.

Or, here is a lady holding sun. Probably a metaphor of a parent's dream for her child, to give her everything she could dream of. Even holding sun. 

Tigers Are-

Hugely generous Well- mannered Courageous Self assured Leaders Protectors Honorable Noble Active Liberal minded Magnetic Lucky Strong Authoritative Sensitive Deep thinking Passionate Venerable

But they can also be ...

Undisciplined Uncompromising Vain Rash In constant danger Disobedient Hasty Hotheaded Stubborn Disrespectful of rules Quarrelsome

Sixth, Naming Names

“We'll call her Marie Fita,” the shackler said, staring at a tub of biscuits at the cupboard.
“No,” I said, “It sounds like the name of a child who gets dragged by the hair by an unkind mother.”
“Then after the two grandmothers: Julia and Rose. Julia Rose. Julie Rose.”
“No. No, no, no. Maria Bonifiacia. We'll call her Bonnie, at least it means a pretty face,” I said.
“No,” he said.
Then this is when the cookbooks come with a second purpose besides helping you how to cook.
“Rosemary?” he asked.
“No.”
“Sage?”
“No.”
“Please don't tell me you'll suggest Parsley and Thyme.”
“Ok. Julienne.”
“And when she has siblings we'll call them Paysanne and Brunoise.”
Silence.
“I like Julienne,” I said.
Silence.
Then I continued. “It should have something short after. Like, Frannie- May. Anna- Lee. Julienne- blank. Hmm... Julienne, Julienne... Roux. Julienne Roux.”
“I like that. Settled, then.”

We asked a Frenchman from Nice how to pronounce the name properly in French.
“Ju-yen Rwoo,” he said, with the scratchy “r” of the language.

Then some weeks later, we took the baby to the clinic for the vaccines. After playing coo-coo with the kid, the nurse finally asked for the records, “What's the baby's name?”

“Juyen Rwoo,”
“What?” The confused look.
“Here, let me write it down for you.”

And that's when the real fun begins.

Fifth, What to Wear to the Party?

Shopping for baby clothes. Those little socks, little mittens... awww. Cute.