Love at first sight...

She was the first of my closest friends to have a baby. When I was talking on the phone with Ana I could hear a baby crying in New Zealand, indeed it was the miracle of life. Oh the miracle of life and New Zealand, wait, really? Where the heck is that country? Of course I knew where it was, however half of Mexico (and almost 83% of the United States’ population) thought that New Zealand was very close to the UK, true story.

Anyway, they named their little boy Luca, and they decided to come to Mexico to show Ana’s family and friends what an amazing human being they’ve conceived 9 months ago (apparently during a “special” night full of tequila shots and cheap beer).  The moment I held Luca in my arms I knew that I was good with kids or babies or... whatever thing related. However I also thought: “let's take this little fellow to the shopping mall and see what single ladies have to say about it”. I also thought about the amazing things that I’ll teach to this guy when he turns 18. His first beer, his first “lets buy Uncle Luis a pint of Guinness because his pension money is not enough”, his first job as my wing man, oh wait, that’ll be soon at the shopping mall. 

While I imagined all this rubbish in my head Ana said to me “Why don’t you move to New Zealand with us?” Me? New Zealand? What’s there? Is it still part of Australia or they are independent now? (just kidding). Ana’s proposal was even more tempting than Japanese twins in a hot tub (if you know what I mean). New Zealand... that kept me thinking for a while.

After a month in Mexico the new family went back to Kiwiland, sombreros, Mexican souvenirs and salsas included (still sad donkeys didn’t get the visa so they stayed in Mexico). They left me with travelling thoughts wondering in my mind, my day dreaming problem aggravated.  

This wasn’t over; on January of 2009 Ana sent me an email:

Dear Luis

Blah blah blah blah blah ... I’m late, it happened three months ago, or so... blah blah blah... I’m now pregnant... blah blah blah... it’s a girl!

Love

Ana

Ps: quit your job and come to New Zealand!

Again! Again Ana announced to the world (donkeys no longer impressed) that she was pregnant. Not only that, but that the baby she was expecting was a girl. A girl! I was overwhelmed by all this. So after reading that email I had a sip of this very nice cabernet sauvignon (such a nice wine that I can no longer buy because I don’t have a corporate job, thanks Ana) and sighed.

I applied for the New Zealand Working Holiday Visa in April 2009; guess what, I got it. I took some days off work and went to Auckland in September. During my visit to Ana’s foster country I witnessed one of the most amazing events in my life: Emma Dilara’s birth. When I arrived to Auckland, Ana was a very pregnant woman. And by “very” I mean “wooooow”.

Let me tell you something about pregnant women, they are always right, they are always moody, ruthless and can destroy your self esteem by only using small sentences. I decided not to mention anything to Ana regarding her appearance. However I’m a very expressive person, so when she asked me “How do I look with this on?” I said “fine”. Wrong answer; let me put it this way, the consequences of that “fine” resulted in me travelling solo around the North Island for two weeks.

I did travel for two weeks while in New Zealand, Ana and Laurence were really busy with all the arrangement they had to make for Didi’s birth. Ana’s mom was there as well, so it was a very Mexican-ish  preparation thing. Finally, on my last weekend in New Zealand, on the 19^th of September of 2009 Emma Dilara was born.

If love at first sight exists it might be much related to what I felt the first time she smiled at me (I know what you are thinking “newborns don’t smile”, she smiled at me, no question about it). The cutest thing ever, little hands, little fingers, little body, and those little eyes looking at my face for the first time. The day after her birth I flew back to Mexico. My decision was taken already.

On the moment Didi held my finger with her tiny hand I decided to moved out of Mexico and give New Zealand a try.