First Birthday Celebrations

Manya turned one on November 6th! It being a week day, M's separation anxiety on the ascending path and not many parents with really young kids for M's company we know, we decided to keep the first birthday all about the birthday girl. And looks like we made a great decision. There were no crying fits, no anxious moments - just a lot fun and excitement.

On the night prior to the big day, we put M to sleep at her usual time and then both mommy and daddy sneaked to the living room area to spruce it up. I baked a Tres Leches cake - hoping that she'll like the milky sweetness. The picture and recipe on my other blog here. Vish blew about 30-40 balloons. Most of them were pink and black, along with the streamers, in keeping with M's main birthday dress! We put a huge bunch of colorful balloons on top of the dining table.

The next morning when M came down, the squeals of delight from her on seeing the decorations were such a source of joy for us. It's amazing how children instantly notice the difference. I am sure she had that inkling that this was a different day :). After Skype sessions with her thatha, daadi, nana, nani, mama, athai-athimber and her cousins, we cut the cake. We gave her a huge block to smash into and voila, how thrilled was our little devil. A whole piece to herself to do as she pleased! There was cake all over - she ate quite a bit too, giving me such a great sense of pride!

We ensured that we stuck to her food and nap schedule. Though we did manage to squeeze in atleast three dress changes and a lot of pictures in between! After her afternoon nap, we took her to the local zoo - a more of a petting center really. It turned out to be huge hit. There was an exclusive petting barn with sheep, lambs, goats and llamas - the animals are so used to visitors and kids that they readily approach you for food and even for posing! M spoke to quite a few of them. She loved the monkeys and the ducks at the pond. Even though she was too young for the pony ride, we let her watch it and clap hands as it trotted along. She didn't even spare a second glance to the more exotic species of snow leopards, foxes, and reptiles. The deer and the kangaroos were too far for her to really "enjoy" them. After spending a couple of hours there and letting her have her snack at the pond, we came back with great memories and pictures. 

Vish and I spent the late evening after her highness had gone off to sleep, reminiscing about the same day last year. I cannot say it enough, how fascinating it is to see how children change and grow up so much in 12 measly months! Amen.

The birth story with all the gruesome details!

(P.S. This is going to be a very long read.)

Now, I did do a welcome post here, but apparently it's not enough for a birth story. Considering so many of my friends have been asking for details, I thought I'd might as well do a post so that I can direct them here for all the gory details and also preserve these to read when I am old and senile :).

My official due date was November 5th, 2012. I got up around 1AM that day, feeling a little weird - like IT was going to happen. Vish was ready to jump into the car and take us to the hospital but I dismissed the feeling, convincing myself that it was only because I knew it was my due date! I slept soundly for another 6 hours. Vish very reluctantly left for office (after asking me atleast 10 times that I was sure nothing was happening) - he had taken anticipatory leave already and hated the idea of going to work when he needn't have :D. 

At around 9AM, I felt as if my water was breaking. I had a regular prenatal appointment scheduled for 4PM that day and was wondering if I should hang on till then. Now, the doctor had warned us that it is not always a la Hollywood water breaking with a flowing puddle in the middle of a mall! Even a leak could mean the water bag has ruptured. And not to mention dad and mom were dead sure that I need to go straight to the hospital :D. So, hesitatingly, I called the nurse at the clinic and asked her what I should do. She very casually remarked, "you could come in now, I'll prepone your appointment." Then the tough part, calling Vish back after having pushed him off! Poor guy came rushing home and we were off to the doctor's by 10. We waited for our turn, what seemed like forever. One look by the doc, and he was like, "Congratulations, the baby is coming, please rush to the hospital". Both of us took a minute to recover from the shock those words caused. So, this was it! IT was happening. We took our last car ride, as a couple, to the hospital, completed all check-in formalities, and by 1130AM, I was on the I/V, hooked onto monitors and what not, in the hospital bed. My first ever "hospital admission".

My birth plan was discussed, which had only two major components: A. I wanted a safe delivery. The baby's safety and well being would be the number 1 priority in any decision that the hospital team would need to take at any time. B. Pain Management: I wasn't going to kid myself. With no experience of any real physical pain, I was absolutely certain that there would be a time I wouldn't be able to take it, so why not ask for it upfront. I had already researched a lot on the subject and spoken to the doctors, and had decided that at the time the contractions become "really" painful, I'd go for an epidural. The heads up was given to the anesthesiologist. 

The doctor wanted to wait for the contractions to start naturally, but nothing happened. At 1 PM, a team of 5 doctors and nurses came in to tell me that they noticed the fetal heart rate had suddenly dropped. I was told I would be under observation, and if this happened once more, I would have to go for a C section. But looked like, Manya was just being restless and feisty! At about 3PM, I was put on pitocin to induce labor. The contractions came slow. Like dull cramps. And then they increased in strength and frequency. By 7:30 PM, I was ready for epidural. and by 10 PM I was comfortably falling asleep - in fact I didn't even come to know when the nurse came for the hourly dilation check. By 12, Vish was also nodding off. I was only 5 cms dilated by then (the birth happens at 10).

I cannot tell you how sudden the progression was from then on. At 1:30AM, we were woken up by a flurry of activity in the room - the nurse told me I was 9.5, and we need to start practicing pushing. The second, "Oh My God It's happening" moment in 24 hours. In another half an hour, I was 10 - the doctor came in and told us he could see the baby's head and hair and it might just deliver itself :D. I pushed and I pushed. The epidural was stopped for about 10 minutes so that I could feel some sensation and push correctly. It was torturous. Having survived on two cups of grape juice the whole day, I was losing strength and consciousness. Everything seemed a blur. 

At 2:30AM, the doctor declared show time; given my almost unconscious state, he decided on episiotomy, and since the epidural effect was wearing off, I was given a local anesthesia prior to the incision. I don't remember the sequence of events very clearly from then on - I have vague memories of shivering constantly, of Vish telling me I am doing great (yeah right!), of the nurse shouting, of the doctor prodding, till suddenly everything was silenced by a loud cry. 

She was here. On November 6th, 2012, at 2:42 AM.

November 6th, 2012

The world changes in a fraction of a second; and the enormity of the truth of this statement strikes you the loudest and clearest when an achingly delicate baby is put in your lap moments after the big bang birth.

When the democrats and the republicans were tossing and turning in bed in the wee hours of the morning of the election day, there was feverish excitement at our end too. Amidst the clamor of the sanitized tools of the doctor, the hurried activity of the nurses, the rhythmic beats of the monitor, the fast fading strength of mommy and the nervous anticipation of daddy, a tiny little being eagerly pushing to come out, finally managed to pop her whole self out and say hello to the world in one loud cry.

When her bare wriggly body was placed over my chest, Manya instinctively strained her neck to look at me; wide-eyed she stared into my eyes - a moment etched in my memory for ever. Suddenly, I seemed so small in front of her, her strength seemed greater than mine and so did her resilience. My heart froze and my body shivered in fright. For all the unsorted emotions I felt, all I could say to her was, 'I am scared, you take care.' Vish had a better grip on the situation and I was pleasantly surprised as he confidently took her and rocked her and cooed to her while I was still reeling from the shock of what had happened.

This was finally her. Our daughter, who we had eagerly awaited for, for nine long months. We were parents now. Priorities flipped as our heart skipped a beat with every sound and movement she made. We felt so responsible and vulnerable, at the same time. And, why not. A care so binding, a love so intense.


Our world had changed, for forever. And it had taken only a fraction of a second.