Now the dust has died down, I can take a moment here and take stock of everything that’s happened. I am happy and proud to announce our first newborn son, Mason Alexander Hwang! He was born at Santa Monica’s Providence St. John’s hospital on July 18, 2019 at 6:33am, weighing in at 7 lbs. 14 oz.

At this moment he’s resting in his crib right next to my desk in my office as I type this. He’s got very curious eyes and is soaking in the new world he’s just been thrust into. For now I’m extremely thankful that he’s beginning to sleep more regularly, and it’s only week 2! I consider myself super blessed to have Mason, and such a wonderful wife to raise him with.

Mason’s name means “one who works with stone.” While it may seem basic, it’s a powerful name because of its figurative meaning. All great foundations are built with stone. Also, my name, Peter, means “rock,” so there is a double entendre in Mason’s name.

Alexander, aside from being the name of former kings and conquerors, has its origins as being the name for “one who is the defender of men.”

I told my doctor what his name was, and he thought it sounded presidential!  I couldn’t agree more. 🙂

My wife and I have a promise to Mason. It will be to raise him to the best of our ability, but never to attempt to force his destiny as our predecessor Asian generations did. Our promise is to never tell him to be someone he doesn’t want to be, to pursue a profession he hates, or to try to impress people who aren’t worth impressing (and that’s most people). We will teach him honor, kindness, work ethic, humility, joy, fun, faith, and relationships. I’ve realized that living 39 years on this earth, those are the things one really needs at the end of the day. All the other stuff is a waste of time and life, and Mason will know this at a young age.

As I type this, I’ve changed Mason’s diaper twice, and he’s now resting in my lap. It’s cute-  he’s hiccuping because he drank mom’s milk too fast. 🙂 I’m enjoying every moment these days. I think about Mason when I’m at the gym, or out of the house. I’m very thankful that Sarah and I can stay home and tend to Mason 24/7 every day. Aside from avoiding the costs and unknowns of daycare, we get to show him our love directly as he eases into life. I’ve been dreaming of this for a long time, to raise our kids in this way. I can already tell you just 2 weeks into it, I highly recommend it!

Uh oh, i think he just pooped again. 🙂