March 17th, 2014. I am 1 year old, and it shows!
Still small in weight and size for my age, but undeniably the best smiler and smoothest crawler around! And very present; I pity my big brother Dante who takes toys from me and pushes me away – just wait and see, soon I will walk all over you… Bro, you are so kind and sweet, and I am just a little faster, naughtier, and always with a smile to get away with it.
At the time of writing this article – December ’13 – I’m 9 months old, but I first want to tell you about my early stages and my Oma Reintjen’s visit from Holland, she arrived here in Chile by the end of April, autumn, I was barely 6 six weeks old. That sounds very young, but being the youngest of two I consider myself a fast learner and I act consequently; so soon I will catch up with my brother Dante – only 1,5 years older – and in no time I will be as skilled, funny and smiley, and probably a bit wilder..
Today Tue. Sept. 17th, 2013, is a special day for me and family as I am now half a year old.
This is not for me, but the ambience here is in Valparaiso is of big festivity, almost euphoric, with chilean flags waving from every house and building; tomorrow Sept. 18th is Fiestas Patria in Chile – Independence Day, a somewhat overdone expression of glory of the Nation – September has become “mes de la Patria”. A curiously “shared” love for a country by a profoundly divided society, living with wounds that were never cured; last week was the conmemoration of 40 years after the military regime seized power (Sept. 11th, 1973) – a black page in modern history (f.i. until today over a 1000 people are disappeared, justice was never done to the victims of the dictatorship).
And yet, everyone is waving the flag and partying for the next 5 days. Viva Chile, mierda!
On a more positive note, today I went with Mom and Dad and my brother Dante to see his class mates at the Waldorf kinder garden, Dante started last week and seems to have a great time; can’t wait to join him and learn while playing, life is all good and happy for the next years!
With 25 days of age, my pediatrician is very satified with my growth: now 3,2kg ~ 7 Lbs with 50cm ~ 20″ (up from 2,6kg ~ 5.7 Lbs with 45cm ~18″).
I look bigger as well, drinking pure mother’s milk and sleeping all day. The nights are weird though. I feel ackward in my tummy & guts and cry my lungs out until I have seen all the rooms of the house twice – once in my Moms arms, then my Dads arms. When I see they are desperate I stop, have a good drink, make sure NOT to burp, so I can sleep a while on someones breast. As soon as I am put in my bassinet I start complaining again, and I keep fuzzy until my next feed. At the glares of sunrise my body relaxes, I am exhausted and fall into a nice sleep.
Other than that, no complaints, my brother Dante check in on me various times a day and seems to accept my presence.
Today the four of us walked downtown and bought a nice pairs of walking boots for my brother, he loves them!
And real great news: my grandma Oma Reintjen comes to visit us, for a month!! Can’t wait to meet her, I heard her voice via skype a couple of times, but that’s not the same. Bet she holds me and sways me like only grandma’s do.
My first week at home is 24x7h activity…..don’t think it is only about eating and sleeping, in between many things happen, even if I am not aware of it.I met my Tata Ricky, who came from Santiago to see me! He and my Nona Kela also came when I was born, but I went straight to neonatal, where only Moms and Dads are allowed in. Great Tata, I love him! Also, I love the breastfeeding every 3-4 hours, specially at at night it is great to be fed – doze off, and when I am put to bed I am hungry again! The service is great, one good shout and I am back on the breast; the trick is not to burp, and Mom will hold me through the whole night. Home sweet home.
This is me coming home after hospital release, a week old; a meeting between the 2 brothers, my big brother Dante does the talking!
To make things easier on my brother, I bought him a present:
So I was born on a Sunday, March 17th, 2013. With 35 weeks of pregnancy, just when my Mom started to get hopes of having me at full term, I became restless and decided this was the day; Mom and Dad drove with my brother Dante from home in Valparaiso to the next coastal town Viña del Mar, to Clinica Ciudad del Mar, where Mom’s gynecologist attends.
No holding back, and at 23:00h the same day I am born. The next morning I am taken of respiratory assistance, and at 21:00h I am transferred by ambulance to public Hospital van Buren in Valparaíso, around the corner from home. Only Moms and Dads are allowed in the Neonal unit, so when after a week I am released from hospital, Monday March 25th, I really look forward to meeting my brother Dante and other family members and friends.
How exciting to meet my big brother, it looks like he is somewhat uncertain about this new situation; my Neonatologist recommended me to buy my brother Dante a present, to become friends and partners, what a grand idea! So I got him a fire station with a ramp, 2 cars and a door, his favorite items: doors and wheels. Upon arrival, although he wanted to touch me and seemed a bit invaded in his territory, he liked the gift, and with a few days I guess we will become hermanos amigos.
Dear family and friends,
After all that happened I couldn’t wait either, and although my Mom took all possible precautions and rest staying home in Valparaiso – Chile, I decided that last Sunday night March 17th, 2013 at 23:00h and with 34 weeks & 6 days it was time to see what life is all about, and proudly present myself: Enzo Omar Koning Venegas, born with 2,6kg / 5.7 Pounds & 45cm / 17.7″.
Compared to my brother Dante (dantemax.com), 6 weeks extra in Mom’s womb make a huge difference (5.7 vs 3.3 Lbs, 17.7″ vs 15″), but in my eagerness to come out I forgot to breath and needed respiratory help, ventilator at first and CPAP for the first night. Since the next day I am breathing on my own and in Neonatal intermediary care, hopefully after a week I will be released from hospital to meet my brother and family!
