The First Born Tag

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?Yes…and for two years and 8 months too

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? I giggled and said to the doctor,”You are kidding..you are!”And walked over clumsily to hug the husband in a hospital gown.

4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU? Na-uh..This was a much wanted,much awaited pregnancy.

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 26

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? Through a pregnancy test at the doctor’s office.The nurse asked me,if I thought I was pregnant and I said confidently..No way. She asked me to pee in a cup..and I couldn’t,was made to gulp 2 glasses of water and asked to provide atleast 5 drops..LOL!! finally gave them a sample and got the GOOD NEWS.

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?The Doctor told us together..so,after S and I,the first person to know was my dad.It was 3 AM in India,and he thought that the whole good news conversation was a dream.

8. DUE DATE?April 14-16

9. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?Yes and food aversions too-to milk and non-veg and rajma…and all things nice.

10. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? Cream rolls,from a local bakery in Thane, Imli ki chutney(we visited almost every desi restaurant in Chicago searching for the perfect chutney in 2 months.

11. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? “They-who-must-not-be-named”

12. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD’S SEX?A beautiful girl

13. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?I wanted a girl,for as long as I can remember..for a brief period,a week or so,I felt that it may be a boy…but other than that I always knew and wanted a girl.

14. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? around 13-14 pounds

15. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? Yes a traditional one.

16. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? I knew..I helped the Husband plan it :)It was a happy day.

17. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? yes- Low progesterone levels to start with..Gestational Diabetes,Low amniotic fluid,leading to bed-rest.

18. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? Phoenix

19. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?Less than an hour.The Baby’s heart-rate dropped during a routine non-stress test.I was admitted and taken to the OT for a C-section.

20. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL/BIRTH CENTER?Husband.

21. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?the husband and the hospital staff

22. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?C Section and I LOVED it.We talked through the whole surgery.It was so casual…I would gladly have another C-sec..if its going to be as happy as the first.

23. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?Epidural,sweet Epidural..But later refused pain-killers,only to wake up with stabbing pains..that’s when,I popped in the offered pills,without a fuss

24. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?6 pounds 9 ounces

25. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ?At 8:33 PM

26. WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN THE DOCTOR ANNOUNCED THE SEX OF THE BABY?We came to know the Baby’s sex in my sixth month of pregnancy..just after those 2 weeks of “maybe-its-a boy’..so,I was just quiet.Didn’t say anything for full 2 mins..then,said,a belated,WOWWW..

27. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST REACTION ON SEEING THE BABY? I remember saying Awww..when I first heard her cry.And I started crying..when I first saw her,it was through a haze of tears and I remember thinking that she was TINY(this was a baby,who was thought to be around 10 pounds..) she was really tiny.I blinked..and then,all I saw was the husband’s arm.

28. DID YOU CRY? Ohhh Yes!!! I cry very easily..

29. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Aadya

30. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY?23 months,2weeks and 2 days young.

And here’s one of my favorite pics of my baby girl-