The Day - 2nd March. Aadyaa's arrival.

The day started with wifey reporting that her water has broken. The baby seems to be on the way... two weeks earlier than predicted by the gynecologist. The gynae confirmed it after inspection and wifey was admitted to the hospital. So from the initial plan of leisurely spending the Sunday watching the first of the India - Australia cricket finals, the scenario changed to hectic activity in the hospital and nervousness. Now when I think of it, the match that day provided moments of relief from the pressure to me and the others who were present.

There was a scene right out of "Nine Months" movie when in one of the moments when I tried to comfort wifey during a painful contraction in the evening, she shooed me away saying 'हट जाओ । भाग जाओ ।' :-) lol

Finally the call came from the gynae to take wifey to labor room at around 9.15 pm.

Once wifey was in the labor room, did I realise I was hungry ... and tired. I went to the hospital room, switched on the TV and tried to eat some dinner... The TV was full of news of the cricket victory over Aussies in the first final. An hour passed. I remembered the gynae telling us that it could take an hour or more. The 38 week wait is going to get over anytime. came back to wait outside the labor room. Prachi and my mothers and one of her brothers were present. The rest of the family had been sent home.

More than an hour passed. Apart from the tension of waiting and hoping for everything to be fine, I was in another fix... what to name the kid. Girl's name was decided 3 months back. And the name was so liked by wifey and me that we just did not think about a name in the eventuality of the baby being a boy.

Finally someone emerged from the labor room and asked for cloth to wrap the baby in as the baby had arrived. Our barrage of questions were not answered by him and he disappeared after getting the cloth and a shawl from my mother. I was congratulated and hugged by wifeys brother and all four of us went into a huddle. After another agonising 15 minutes or so, the baby emerged, wrapped in the shawl and we were informed that its a girl. Oh Man !!! Finally I get to see my offspring.

My Offspring!

She was taken up to the hospital room and wifey's brother and I returned to wait for and receive wifey. All this in the middle of frantic texting and making and receiving phone calls. Wifey came out and in discomfort, but was looking ok overall.

It actually began to sink in from the next morning that we had hoped for a girl and got her. God had been kind. So we found the name which the two of us had decided for her to be extremely appropriate - Aadyaa, after Goddess Durga.

Three months earlier I had decided in my mind the text message which I was going to send to the rest of the world when she arrives. Yes. The exact words were in my mind months before. So I was well prepared when the moment came :-)

Since then it has been a roller coaster so far for me, feeling peaceful and happy when she is quiet, seems comforted in my arms and goes to sleep at my shoulder... and feeling extremely disturbed when she is crying out loud.

This is not as perfect a description as I would have liked to put out, but that is because of the time which has passed. And in the ensuing time, I have preferred to be with Aadyaa rather than spend the time putting out this post. I will possibly edit it in the course of the next few days and add more details as I remember them.