... and baby makes three

"A child is the only chance we get in life to assist God in a miracle..."

Say hello to our lovely daughter Isabel Aria Joachim, born at 5:30pm on Thursday, April 5th 2007.

We liked to have thought that we prepared adequately enough for her birth, both in terms of logistics as well as from a mental standpoint, from speaking to new parents, to reading about babies and parenting, to speculating between ourselves how she might turn out to be, or what we might experience when we see her.

But there is nothing, absolutely nothing that could have prepared us for exactly how much joy and excitement she brought to us both and to our families, both at the time and day of her birth, and in these first few days of having her with us.

Isabel is the first grandchild on both her mother's and her father's families, and you can only imagine what joy she has brought to her uncles, aunts, grandmother, grandfather and great-grandmother, as well as a host of uncles, aunts and cousins in our extended family.

Isabel means "an oath from God (Hebrew)", whilst Aria is a classical Sanskit name (also popular Italian and Portuguese name), meaning , "prayer" (Sanskit), "song" (Greek) or "lion" (Hebrew); an aria is also said to be the most melodic, most expressive piece in an opera, usually performed by the lead soprano. We both liked the name the moment we thought of it in the months before she was born.

Isabel is an Aries, and individuals born under this sign are thought to have a confident, aggressive, energetic, active, adventurous, enthusiastic, fair, passionate, and pioneering character. Physically they are said to be tall in stature and athletic in appearance.

She is also born in the lunar year of the Fire Pig, said to be honest, straightforward and patient people, who are modest characters who prefer to work diligently behind the scenes.

We just say what will be, will be...

Isabel shares the same birthday as Thomas Hobbes (philosopher, b. 1588), Joseph Lister (English surgeon, b. 1827), Bette Davis (actress, b. 1908), Gregory Peck (actor, b. 1916), Arthur Hailey (writer, b. 1920), Colin Powell (former US State Secretary, b. 1937), Fernando Morientes and Simone Inzaghi (footballers, both b. 1976), among others.

Our thanks to for all your congratulations, SMSes, cards, gifts and flowers and best wishes. Here's an excerpt from one of our favourites:

A new dawn arrives to break the monotony of everyday life with the gift of a daughter.

This will be a reason for you to hurry home to the giggles and grins of a toothless charmer. She will grab at your finger or a strand of your hair to tell you that she is here to stay.

Here's wishing you an endless celebration that only a daughter can bring...