...to Catchfire and Ms. Catchfire on the birth of their little spark. Mazel Tov!
Congratulations
Tue, 2011-08-02 08:08
#1
Congratulations
Tue, 2011-08-02 09:53
#2
Congrats to Catchfire and his partner on the birth of their son - woohoo!!
Tue, 2011-08-02 09:54
#3
Congratulations to you both!
Tue, 2011-08-02 10:04
#4
Congratulations you two!
He'll be a registered babbler in no time I'm sure....
Tue, 2011-08-02 11:00
#5
Boom Boom
Congratulations, best wishes, felicitations, etc...!
Tue, 2011-08-02 12:20
#6
Congrats!
Tue, 2011-08-02 12:32
#7
ikosmos
Outstanding and congratulations. Remember to wait until they're 2 or 3 before starting them on chess.
Tue, 2011-08-02 13:15
#8
..best wishes to all the catchfires!
Tue, 2011-08-02 13:17
#9
Congrats, and get some rest.
Tue, 2011-08-02 13:27
#10
Timebandit
Lovely news! Mazel tov!
Tue, 2011-08-02 14:05
#11
Is it a he or a she?
What is the little munchkin's name going to be?
Tue, 2011-08-02 14:54
#12
Congrats Catchfire
Tue, 2011-08-02 16:23
#13
Catchfire
Thanks everyone, it means a lot! Wee Catchfire is doing great at almost 48 hours old, and his mum is recovering too. He can already recite the preamble to the Communist Manifesto and ikosmos, he's a little shaky on the Caro-Kann, but I think he gets the gist of the King's Indian. He also happens to be the most beautiful little thing I've ever seen, which is a plus. Thanks also to Caissa, for starting the the thread. I'm touched.
Tue, 2011-08-02 16:59
#14
While joining in the celebrities and sending warm feelings across the prairies and mountains to the Catchfire Clan, it behooves me to note that I have never been comfortable with "mazel tov" as an expression of congratulations in Hebrew. I have fought long - and utterly without success - to convince one and all that the better formulation is:
יישר כח
Or in transliteration, "Ye'yasher koach" - meaning roughly, "may your strength be firm". Perhaps I'd best leave it at that.
As for chess, may he emulate the triumphs of the great Soviet grandmaster Bogolyubov, who when asked for the secret of his success, is reputed to have replied: "When I am White, I win because I am White. When I am Black, I win because I am Bogolyubov!"
[s]Mazel tov[/s] Yasher koach!
Tue, 2011-08-02 17:57
#15
"Mazel tov" would translate as "good luck" which I guess is an appropriate, if not the most reassuring, expression for a new parent or to newlyweds, etc.
I prefer "yasher koach" myself as well, though I've heard it translated more as "go with strength", which, of course, is what G-d said to Moses when He gave him the Torah. For true Jewish effect, however, "yasher koach" must be mumbled as "shkoiach"...
Tue, 2011-08-02 18:00
#16
So how would I pronounce that? is it like "coach"? or co-atch?
Tue, 2011-08-02 18:05
#17
It's usually pronounced as in "shkoy-uck"
Tue, 2011-08-02 18:06
#18
It's usually pronounced as in "shkoy-uck"
Tue, 2011-08-02 18:15
#19
Ok, but I work with a Jewish guy who just had a kid, and you better not be pulling my leg.
Tue, 2011-08-02 18:26
#20
No, not at all. It's standard.
"Mazel tov" is also appropriate but its more a "good luck" and is often used for people who are starting something new - e.g. they got a new job, they got married or they had a baby. It's wishing them luck in their new role. "Shkoiach" tends to be used to congratulate someone on an accomplishment, sort of like "job well done."
Tue, 2011-08-02 20:29
#21
Congratulations, Catchfire.
There's no other feeling at all like it. I find myself looking for more words. Having watched three of my daughters being born, I feel I should have some expertise in saying the perfect thing here.
But, words don't do it.
lose yourself in this time.
Tue, 2011-08-02 20:33
#22
Wee Catchfire is doing great at almost 48 hours old, and his mum is recovering too.
Well done, all.
Tue, 2011-08-02 21:00
#23
Congratulations, and best wishes to all three of you!
Tue, 2011-08-02 21:37
#24
Oh ya, congratulations to you all. Everyone must be overjoyed.
Always nice to hear another future lefty has entered the world, too. =:)
Wed, 2011-08-03 01:16
#25
One good piece of advice I have repeated to myself many times:
Remember that it is our job to set the boundaries, and their job to test them.
Wed, 2011-08-03 01:56
#26
One good piece of advice I have repeated to myself many times:Remember that it is our job to set the boundaries, and their job to test them.
Another variation:
We have to use diversion as a tactic to get them to behave -- until they figure this out, and start diverting their parents. Around age 3. 
Wed, 2011-08-03 08:08
#27
We have to use diversion as a tactic to get them to behave --
Really, Wilf, what a cynical way to depict the role of social democracy under capitalism!!!
Whoops, wrong thread...
Mr. Tea is pretty well correct on "Yasher koach". The pronunciation he proposes is the one I grew up with, although note that it's old East European style Hebrew pronunciation, not Zionist-reinvented Hebrew as now spoken in Israel.
For oldgoat's benefit, it should be pronounced "Yasher-coy-ach", where "ach" is as per the German guttural sound. And yeah, the more you just mumble it, the more it'll sound authentic.
If you want to be on the safe side, you can say both (mazel tov as well). So, "Hey, well done, but good luck from here on in!!"
Catchfire - forget about the "future lefty" thing right now - they are individual human beings. Just as you and I chose, so ineluctably will they. Just provide a good example and don't lecture them. That's my advice. Just don't ask me whether it worked...
Wed, 2011-08-03 08:56
#28
Congratulations Catchfire and Ms. Catchfire! Enjoy every moment as it goes by WAY too quickly. My other advice is sleep when the baby sleeps for now and let the house be messy (or let well-meaning relatives clean and cook for you).
Wed, 2011-08-03 09:55
#29
so I said that. someone just said "bless you" and handed me a tissue
Wed, 2011-08-03 10:27
#30
he's a little shaky on the Caro-KannI have a few books on the Caro-Kann I can lend him. Alternatively, he could just play over a lot of Karpov's games.
ETA: I have a chessboard signed by Karpov at the 1988 World Chess Festival hanging in our basement.
Wed, 2011-08-03 10:29
#31
In English or German?
or was it zay gezunt?
Wed, 2011-08-03 11:13
#32
Congratulations, Catchfire and E_B_K! You have so much joy ahead of you!
I've always liked what Khalil Gibran had to say about children ...
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
Wed, 2011-08-03 11:23
#33
Catchfire
Lovely, Ripple! The wee spark is sleeping in my lap while E_B_K catches up on a few winks before the next feeding. Things are looking good right now.
Wed, 2011-08-03 13:24
#34
laine lowe
Lovely, Ripple! The wee spark is sleeping in my lap while E_B_K catches up on a few winks before the next feeding. Things are looking good right now.
Such exciting and happy news. Congratulations to you both and a jolly welcome to the wee one.
Wed, 2011-08-03 14:10
#35
Congratulations and best wishes! :) Must be a joyous wonderful feeling, I can only imagine.
Wed, 2011-08-03 23:46
#36
RevolutionPlease
Congrats E_B_K, Catchfire and little E_B_K. You're a lucky baby. All the best, to you and yours.
Thu, 2011-08-04 00:17
#37
Congratulation,
and now enjoy the sleepless night ;)
fortunately it last only for a few month.
but it get back once in while at four year old with the nightmare.
Enjoy ;)
PS. IT not that bad!
Fri, 2011-08-05 01:33
#38
Catchfire - forget about the "future lefty" thing right now - they are individual human beings. Just as you and I chose, so ineluctably will they. Just provide a good example and don't lecture them. That's my advice. Just don't ask me whether it worked...
Of course you are right, all new life's are a light unto themselves first. We can only hope they follow our example and advice down the road. Anyhow, congratulations again, I'd have a cigar for you all, as I don't have to be a example to anyone but my cat.... :)
Fri, 2011-08-05 09:58
#39
Yasher Koach
and to your new son may i add from the prayers of my youth to your son:
May Hashem make you like Ephraim and Menasheh.
and May Hashem bless you and keep you. May Hashem make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May Hashem lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Fri, 2011-08-05 10:14
#40
Maysie
I've always liked what Khalil Gibran had to say about children ...
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
Congrats and hugs to the three of you, Catchfire. xo
Fri, 2011-08-05 16:57
#41
Catchfire
<3 @ Maysie. Thanks pal.
Sat, 2021-11-27 13:08
#42
.