Post : 1.10.0.5

Wow... last few months have been very exciting indeed. So exiting that I have not had a chance to update this blog. Our little darling has been growing. Let's track the changes...

• She now goes to day-care
• she is now running around the house
• she is now climbing up and down the stairs without adult assistance
• she loves In The Night Garden and Tele-Tubbies
• she goes absolutely gaga over dogs... she wants to pat them. She says 'nice' when wants to do this...
• she dances to music - she wants to listen to it while in the car... she says "ta-thai"
• she is putting words together at an amazingly fast rate... now when I speak to her on the phone she says things like "Hi papa", "Love you", "Come soon", "Miss you"...
• * she said a three word sentence the other day... her uncle was very lucky! She said "Keep it there"
• she loves saying "No"... to the very delight of her mum, especially during meals :)
• she has grown taller... but still not putting on enough weight :(
• Oh yeah, she is pushy all right... must have picked up this streak from her mummy dearest...
• she has two smiles... a genuine one and a cheeky one... and it is adorable!
• she has been potty trained but loves to inform us that she has done a wee after-the-fact
• any given laundry day, 80% of items belong to her
• she loves putting her two babies to sleep...
• she loves to paint - and that too with a paint brush... doesn't want the crayons or sketch pens
• she loves M&M's (and so does her Pappa! :P )

Aah... there is so much happening. Everyday has been wonderful and I can just hope and pray to have many many many more...

Recently she met her paternal great grandmother for the second time... and also her second cousin... she had a great time playing around the yard with him especially using poor old great-grans walking stick :)

Now she is spending time with her maternal grandparents and delighting them with her bubbliness and energy! Enjoy it :P

PD

Post : 1.6.2.0 - love divine

This is such a wonderful feeling. I got home late from work to find my baby girl asleep. I had dinner and then went to see her with the intention of giving her a good night kiss on the forehead and then it happened...

With her eyes still closed and in her sleepy state, she said "pappa". I gave her another kiss and she said it again! I said sleep darling and she shook her head to say no, but poor thing must have been tired, she had her eyes closed. Bless your heart darling.

Pappa loves you.

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Post : 1.5.0.1

Happy 17 month birthday darling...

I am watching my daughter dressed in a western long sleeve top, Indian ghagra skirt and a "Blossom" hat... and trying to put a hat on her doll 'baba'....

Times-a-flying. Where is the pause button?

Stay beautiful darling... in-and-out.

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Post : 1.4.3.6

Hey Sahana

Both mommy and pappa love getting good morning and good night kisses from you... keep them coming ;)

Daddy!

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Post : 1.4.3.3

Sahana, you are just gorgeous.

I made the noise of a Koyal, you imitated. I did the call of a horse and to my amazement, you repeated. What blew me was that you were 100% aware of what you were doing...

Love you
Dad!

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Post : 1.1.3.4

Hi

So it has been couple of months since I last posted. Things have happened. Especially in our little bub's case. I will mention a few, and frankly I am amazed at how quickly kids grow and their excellent skills of capturing data, processing that to information i.e. understanding and now implementing...

So let me start with the latest.. today in fact. My mrs, her mum and bub were in a room and the mrs asked, where is Amma, so she pointed at my mother in law. When wifey asked who she was, babbu placed her hand on chest and said "amma"... of course it took a few seconds, but we figured it out. Becuase wifey refers to her mum as amma and the question posed was "who is amma" she pointed correctly. And thus, the placing the hand on the chest meant - you are "my" amma... wow. Few things to note here... the memory - association and secondly, the feeling that amma is mine, a person that I have some sway over, almost an authority... unbelievable.

Yesterday, princess was fascinated by the hand-towel in the laundry. As I had just washed her face and then dried with the same towel she decided to grab hold of it and not let go. Of course I told her that my hand was wet and it needed to be dried but she would let me have the towel... so I thought, let me try something. I showed her twice how to wipe my hand/arm. The third time I requested her to do and guess what... she did! She wiped my hand. I don't believe in coincidences that much, so I thought let me try once more... I pointed to a different part of my arm that was wet and told her to wipe it down... and to my surprise she did! Gorgeous!

The third instance is couple of days old... I had returned late from work one night... so the little one had not seen me for over 24 hours. In the morning, as usual, she woke up at about 5:30 AM and started playing around. Wifey pointed towards me and asked, who I was... she said "paa", asked again and she said "paapaa"... well that made my day.

She also recognises my dad... and calls him dada... every now and then when she hears some noise that seems to have emanated form his room, she screams on top of her voice and calls "dadaaa"... :)

Amongst other developments, she likes spicy foods more than sweet ones... she likes to sit on the couch in such a way that she is right-up against the back rest... we have a special futon bed with a back rest (which has tight bumpy surface) and she loves walking on it, sleeping on it... and lastly, she can correctly point out her eyes, nose, mouth, ears, head, oil and tea! Oh! and she loves playing in her little bathtub. We are in the process of toilet trainer her.

Most importantly, she loves having people around and her favourite animal is the dog followed by the tiger. On TV she likes Fish, but in real life she is not very attracted to them. She loves bird!!!!

Anyway more later...

PD

Post : 1.0.1.6

That's right folks, you read the post title correctly! My princess is one years' old now. Celebrated her birthday at home with family. All of us went a local temple to seek blessings from the supreme.

The family had arrived from overseas the day before so I think bubz was still a bit dazed and trying to adjust to the change in weather, place and people. A lot happened in the first week back. So I will take it from the top.

The much anticipated arrival occurred on Monday morning. On Tuesday we celebrated bubbu's birthday and had some friends come over to join the mini-celebrations (pics are already available on the net). The following day i.e. Wednesday, we took our baby to the doctors to get her one-year vaccinations sorted out. That was painful. Three needle jabs. She cried while she got her needles, partially because daddy had held her tightly and wouldn't allow any wriggling room. Probably disappointed because this person, whom she hasn't met for months and who appeared friendly was NOT BEING a friend. Well, darling, I understand, but a dad needs to be strong. Mum was not going to do it... afterall, she is a mother. The rest of the day, we decided to do nothing but let her play and get used to her new surroundings. As luck would have the mall where the doc's is located had couple of visitors who had dogs... our darling loves dogs. Mental note for future!

The weather also was miserable - from their perspective. It had been cold, overcast and raining most of the time. There was no room for any sunshine. As a result our baby caught some cold. Add on top of that, the effects of vaccination. Due to this, for over a day, she didn't eat properly nor drink. This of course made mum and grandma very uncomfortable and worried. They tried so many things to ensure her liquid intake was up... but no luck. At one stage, we went to the Emergency of the local children's hospital. At the hospital, the emergency queue waiting period was over three (3) hours... WHAT????? Luckily, when we were at the hospital, the little one had few mil's of water and that seemed to have bought some relief for mum. But, still no progress made on Solids.

Later that week, one of our family friends visited us and they also have a small daughter. Since they decided to stay here for the child's first year, they made some suggestions. Taken on board and some of the things we were able to implement. Our little one now sits on her high-chair and has her meals. She gets only one feed in the middle of the night and sleeps in her own cot. She looks so cute when she is sleeping. We know that she has had a good night's sleep when she wakes up with a big grin on her face. Mommy is still doing a lot of the night works - I tried but she is not comfortable with me, but she has not had me in her life for months so that will take time. Apart from that, during day time, she is very happy to see me and her grandpa! Awesome to see her smile which makes our hearts smile!

Couple of days ago, since she was feeling much better and the weather had improved, we took our angel to the local playground where there are swings and slides and introduced her to the toys over there. She had fun. It is a relief for us, and parents I think, when their kids show easy adaptability to the environment around them. She now knows her way around her new home, where the CD rack is :) and which buttons she can turn on-off... it is a pleasure to have her make a mess around the home. At night when she has gone to bed and I take that opportunity to clean up her things, I stand back for a brief moment, and think - how much I have missed this. Of course, the next thought is to ensure her safety, so I need to go to the shops and buy some safety gear - the foremost being, those power-point plugs.

Today, the third week since their return from overseas, mum has re-joined her work. Couple of calls have already been made at home and bubbu is peacefully sleeping. This is a big relief for mum. Next big thing is going to be child care, but that is a little while away. So for the coming days, weeks and months, we plan to visit family, friends and places. Our princess is slowing getting used to the car-seat as well. Will keep you readers posted.

PD.

Ps. This weekend, its the mrs, mil's birthday (by calendar) and little one's birthday (by lunar calendar). So a weekend of celebrations... stay tuned for the pics.

Post : 0.11.4.0

I am so looking forward to welcoming home my darlings... it has been a while and I have missed out on so much... for instance, last week I saw my princess walk for the very first time... I am so anxious to hear the petter-patter of little feet with anklets all around the house...

come-on sh... come home soon! Miss you soooo much!

PD...

Post : 0.11.2.4

Aaah it has been a while.

Not much to write since the mrs and little princess have gone overseas. I did manage to catch-up with them in July and took them around to visit family and friends and boy! was the trip eventful. Interested? Read on...

I landed at my in-laws place in the wee hours of the morning and after coming home, found my little heart sleeping... I decided to take a nap next to her. After a while she woke and she WAS curious to find a man, probably not recalling having seen before, in the same bed as her... so she crawls over and ever so cautiously scan's my face for any familiarity... of course, I am aware and through squinting eye watching her delightful and ultra curious facial expressions... and the 24 hours of trip duration evaporated in thin air... aah, it must be love!

I just wanted to hold her and kiss her and play with her and watch her every move. Not being able to watch her grow is really difficult, manageable though (although a lot of people think that I have gone mad).

I digress.

So we decided to take the little one to visit my grandmother. We now officially have four generations in one family - paternally speaking. What a moment... what made my heart tingle was the fact that despite not having met each other both grandma and bubz hit it off well... even to the point that grandma got several kisses over the course of our stay. The highlight of the trip for little darling must have been our pet dog... I am sure wifey would agree that she was able to do most of the feeding courtesy of him. Everytime - babbu bhoobhoo.... and bang, there go couple of bites of food in her mouth... and that too with no resistance... kids are so curious!

Our little one fell sick for the first time due to excessive travelling, constant weather change (hmm... oxymoron) and we had about three four nights where she ran a high temperature. It made our hearts very heavy and sad at the same time, but we are SO PROUD of our pillu because at no time did she cry or wither or show annoyance... always had a smile. Reflecting on it, it showed me how to be a better a person of character, keep smiling it says - life is full of ups and downs... thank you sweetheart.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I came back alone - not planned but thought the best for my little queen was to get better, 100%, grow up some more, spend some more time in beloved motherland... so only 10 days to go when happiness returns. I am going to share something about me. My favourite song, that describes how I feel about the mrs is also the same one for our angel... a song by Powerfinger - My Happiness.

"I see your shadow on the street now
I hear you push through the rusty gate
Click of your heels on the concrete
Waiting for a knock coming way too late
It seems an age since I've seen you
Countdown as the weeks trickle into days

So you come in and put your bags down
I know there's something in the air
How can I do this to you right now
you're over there when I need you here

My happiness is slowly creeping back
Now you're at home
If it ever starts sinking in
It must be when you pack up and go

It seems an age since I've seen you
Countdown as the weeks trickle into days
I hope that time hasn't changed you
All I really want is for you to stay..."

Eagerly waiting...

PD

Post : 0.7.1.0

It has been a while since I have written on this blog. Not that there hasn't been things to write about but just that I have been busy with leaving my old job, going on a short break and then starting a new job... so things have been a bit busy. But, that’s no excuse!

There is so much to write about. It has been months since the little one has started crawling on her tummy. The last I saw of her, during the recent trip to Asia, was the she was successfully got on her knees (and almost crawled !)... She reminded me of the 'Frog' position from the movie King-Fu Hustle! Very very cute.

She has also started to eat some solids - mainly mashed food. Boy! She can make a mess... I have seen her being fed and the food goes all over her face, in her hair, nose, eyes... and if she doesn't like something, her mouth is shut tight... not even I can open it... stubborn like her MOM!

Her keenness to touch and lick objects has also increased dramatically. She darts her eye and head here and there to watch everything,

The Asian holiday was interesting. The weather was hot... and this is what I felt - an adult who can regulate their body temp. The little one was very brave through the trip. She made me proud! We did couple tours and she was fantastic through it. Awesome, in fact. The people over there, especially the ladies, absolutely adored her. I think they were fascinated by the fact that she was in a baby-Bjorn and was literally had hand and legs dangling. I must say, that in general that would make any baby look cute... but of course, ours is much more than that! (:P)

One of our ankle biters fav thing is to crawl up to an object and pick it up and evaluate it... for example I had map of Asia and had it laid out open as I was reading something. Before I knew it, she has crawled up to and in one swift move whisked it towards her... I think the colours on it, the black/white text and the noise the paper makes when crunched up, fascinate her! She gets so excited by it, that I couldn't help but laugh at her excitement. I suppose this is innocence. How precious!

Oh, the highlight of the holiday has to be the fact that at the age of 6 months, she entered the swimming pool. We didn't want to risk her getting an ear-infection so just kept the water at her chest level. She loved it. Couple of times, I had her resting on my legs - both of us submerged in water up to our respective knees and she just loved splashing it. Every time mom swam and came near, our little darling got very excited and gave a laugh that I swear came from the bottom of her heart... gosh I miss her so much! I still can't believe I let mom and baby stay overseas for this long... signs that I am a good hubby :P

Anyway, now I am in a regular contact with them - almost daily calls and I can hear the excited scream, chirps and cooes of darling in the background. Very refreshing. The other day was the mrs FIRST mother’s day. Our little darling sent flowers to mum - OMG, that’s another story. She didn't get it till two days later!

Anyway, I will be going to collect them in about six weeks time and so looking forward to that and catching up with the family.

PD

Post : 0.4.3.1

Hi All

It has been a while and I keep on saying that I will retro fit the blog but never get around to it... well today I will do something about that... I will post the most recent event in the life of my little darling...

Yesterday the little one got her ears pierced. Mother said she did not cry.. she is brave and she is. Love her to bits! Wife and darling should have travelled back to their base so will call to check how was the flight...

Everyday that I have been at work, the moment I come in to work, I log on, open an internet browser and access the picture of my cutie-pie. Different one every day!

Cheers
PD

Post : 0.3.3.4

My baby got vaccinated - round 2. Round 1 was bad, she cried and so it was important that her Daddy come along and witness and be supportive... so we went to the doctors. After filling in the forms, waiting around watching some other kids play and make noise, it was our turn for consultation.

So first up was the oral vaccination... now the doctor was saying that the actual vac is very very... guess what, very sweet.. and our darling was somewhat hesitant for a second but then gulp... all gone!

The next two rounds were the scary ones... even for the Dad... There was the injection on the left thigh and then on the right thigh... now praise must be given to the sciences for able to ensure that one injection contains several vaccinations so that the baby doesn't have to go through the trauma of multiple jabs... anyway, I digress. So our darling is fine as the doc inserts the needle in the thigh. Its when she squeezes the nozzle that she begins to cry. Even though the whole process is less than 5 seconds duration, time slowed down and I saw her face turn from the cheery usual to that of pain and sorrow.. she had an upside down frown than could make you cry... and I my heart was heavy! She cried... and cried and cried profusely for a few minutes. I held her as close to me as possible, took her out of the room.. I didn't want to let go of her as if to tell... I am here sweet heart... don't cry. Daddy loves you!

After about couple of minutes... the storm had passed and she was okay... I was okay. We were all okay... throughout this, I had not paid any attention to my wife but I had noticed, for a brief moment, pain and anguish on her face... I thought, now I love her even more.

Then it was the mrs turn to get the Swine Flu vac... although I believe it is to a certain degree propaganda at work but I could not take the risk on the risk of infection... I must say that the mrs was okay with her vac.... no need to lift her and pacify :P

On the way back, we decided to get coffee at McD's where I decided to indulge (after a very very long time and probably for long while before the next one) by having some pancakes... with whipped butter and maple syrup... was nice. Glutenous! I gave our darling a lick of the syrup twice (small quantities) and she loved it... I could see it on her face... Daddy's Girl!

So that was the day...

PD

Post : 0.3.0.1

Happy new year to all of you. May it bring you lots of joy and luck!

Our daughter is three months old... wow, time flies when one has fun. It is difficult to comprehend that it has been three months already. I remember her being born like it was yesterday. The excitement that I felt and the subsequent tiredness as I the adrenalin wore off... all I can say, and I am sure wifey will agree, that so far it has been an awesome ride.

So our little one is now three months old. Her neck is almost fully stable. She can balance it well. She still has some improvement to be done to hold it perfectly still. In other areas she is going gung-ho. She screams, gurgles and coos. She cries only when really hungry and her fav word appears to be 'unga' - which says I am HUNGRY - FEED ME NOW!

She has begun to grab things although I am not sure if she completely recognises her hands and feet but I can see that is changing day by day... oh! I must tell you something... she loves to hold and play with her hair when she is getting fed. That looks so cute.

So much has happened from when was born and today. The new year has come, my friends daughter can now stand. Another friend became a father and another one is going to be one this year... We also took our little on for a trip to a near-by city to test her long-drive capacity and you know what, the little one slept right through it... and funnily enough, since the mother had nothing do, decided to take a nap as well... was good to see that both mother and daughter were getting their beauty sleep!

I should do this blogging thing more often shouldn't I... its just that work is busy and when I am not at work, I am at home playing with the little one. Both mother and daughter are off overseas for a little while so I am going to miss them terribly... oh! well... this is what happens if you are a minority - only 33% stake and our home is no secular state! :D he he he...

Also from my previous post, hope all of you had a look at her vids and pics…

More later...
PD.

Post : 0.1.3.4

Well folks...

It has been a very interesting week. Our little one got her 2 month vaccination. She got two injections, one on each leg, and one oral drop. The poor thing was apparently okay when the needle was inserted but started crying when the doctor pushed the liquid through... strong one she is!

Mum was a bit scared and mother-in-law, well... she was too. She turned her back and looked the other way. Both must have been quite distraught.

Anyway, the litte one was fine the next day... she was back to her usual cycling routine. She is looking gorgeous day by day. We now get regular smiles and little songs... she likes spoken to and often does contribute back!

BTW folks, I have uploaded some photos and video's so hopefuly you have had a chance to look at them. If not, drop me a note and I'll send you the link.

NEWS HOT OFF THE PRESS :: Just wanted to let you guys know that our litte one now smiles back when we smile at her. Apparently the mrs tried this all morning to ensure that it was not a one-off...

Cool.. i'll see if I can capture that in a video and upload it.

Over-and-out

Post : 0.1.1.6

Suprise... I am back.

I am back - although for a brief moment - only to inform you that I will be back with all the updates and goss etc soon. Work is busy and I have some important tasks coming up in next two weeks. Once they are done, I will be dedicating more time for this...

In the mean time, a quick update. The little bubz is doing fine.. she now smiles! Makes all the restless and sleepless nights worth it... she has starting to cooch a little which is just awesome... wifey is also recovering well, although poor thing, is missing out on a lot of sleep. Thanks to her mother, the support has been great.

Those who got the pics... hope you enjoyed them and I will be uploading some more shortly...

Oh! and yeah.. the order of the post might change as I backfill some of the information... so please bear with me!

PD

Post 36 - 0.0.0.1

Oh wow...!

That's all I can say...

We had a baby daughter on Oct. 05 and it was absolutely fantastic.

I was there alongside my wife and so was her mother. The hospital policy allowed couple of support personnel and of course, I was not going to miss this for anything.

Anyway, there is a story in this blog post so let me begin... btw, I warn you, it may be long and at times refer to medical procedures... so make sure you are prepared!

Our story starts from the conclusion of the last post where we were waiting for the arrival of our baby.

So few days later, we had an appointment at the hospital to start the process of induction. As mentioned before, in this case, induction is by introducing Prostin to the body to get the mechanisms of birth ready for the event. This was done on a Sunday. The heartbeat of the baby was monitored prior to the application for about an hour and probably for the same duration after the application. Once Prostin is applied, in addition to the baby's heartbeat, monitoring is also in place to check for Braxton Hicks contractions.

All was well, and we were advise to return home - be near a telephone, not go shopping – in case, the Prostin worked well and the baby was on its way. We got home about midday. At about 4 PM, the mrs gets a call advising that we need to shift to the hospital. We were a bit concerned. I check with the mrs and she was feeling fine. Nothing unusual was happening. We later learnt that our gynac/obs wanted the mrs to be in a hospital rather than home, just to be on the safer side. Luckily, I had already put the bags etc in the car so we were ready to Rock'n'Roll.

So we arrived at the hospital, and after I suffered a small bout of absent-mindedness managed to find the bed where my wife was. We spent pretty much the rest of the afternoon doing nothing much... ah! well almost nothing much. I did end up leaving the hospital disappointed on two counts... first, there was no baby and two, my favourite football team lost... damn man!

Anyway, next morning, this is Monday now, I get a call from the wife saying that the hospital is transferring her to the birthing unit, in preparation of birth. The Prostin application from the previous day had not helped much and there would be a new application. Well, actually, it did work. After some internal check-up by the mid-wife, it was decided to provide a drip of Syntocin to my wife to get the contractions started... Syntocin is nothing but an artificial version of Oxytocin. Well, the drug did work and about 11ish, the wife went in labour...

There are some people who call the process of child birth - the labour of love. Trust me, it is. From what I could tell, it was quite painful as the contractions became frequent and of a regular nature. At this stage, I feel like talking about the midwives. I cannot believe that a society as advanced as ours is returning to the concept of midwives and culture where we hail from, seem to be favouring doctors and ultimately c-sections. Anyway, the midwife we had was simply Fantastic. Some of you may have already seen her. She knew what to say and it seemed to work. She had my wife's attention. One thing must be clarified here. No where during the entire process of child-birth did my wife loose her head or starting shouting obscenities etc... she was perfect. Anyway, returning back to the story... after about three hours of pretty intensive labour, we were blessed with a baby girl... and I swear, I choked for the briefest of moments... automatically! Don't know what it was or why - but I immediately fell in love with my baby... and what more, even more in love with my wife! BTW, I was really surprised at myself as I had not planned nor expected to be in the birthing room... and further more, I cut the umbilical chord!

So, after the baby was out, the nurses cleaned her up and ensure that she was doing well... and the stats are: 2.540 KGs, 49 cm height and 33 cm head circumference. Interestingly, the baby had her eyes open within 15 minutes of being out... I suspect, it is because she just had to meet her lovely dad! :) There was skin-to-skin contact pretty much after birth and then a quick feel to ensure that the bond between mother and child is formed... not that it wasn't in the first place... in addition to this, the baby was also given a shot of vitamin K.

We had now been in the birthing room from about 7 AM in the morning to about 5 PM in the afternoon... after about half-an-hour, we were shifted to the maternity ward for the mrs and the baby to enjoy a well earned rest!

---

BTW, you would have also noted that some things on this blog have changed. Gone are the birth countdown tickers and now it is replaced by a single age ticker. Thanks to LilyPie.

Also, there is a new notation in the post title... this one is 0.0.0.1 which means,0 years, 0 months, 0 weeks and 1 day... which would be the age of my baby!

More to follow...a bit like Star Wars :)

PD.

Post 35 - Week 40

Hello All

IT IS WEEK 40 - the baby potentially could have made an appearance from Sat! Nail biting stuff this!

I have not been that busy to update the blog but I, again, have been a bit lazy. Well actually, no, I am not lazy, I think our baby has taken after me! I believe it is enjoying the warm blanket that mommy has wrapped it in. Hence, nothing to write home about!

I also suspect that currently, it is in a similar stage that we adults experience - especially in the morning time on nice spring holidays - that time when we are awake, lying in bed and just don't want to get out and do things... lying flat on the back, starting at the ceiling, watching small bits of dust float in the room amidst the sunlight which gently flows in through the clear windows... aah, to be lazy and carefree! It like having double chocolate ice-cream - Yummm...

Anyway, the baby is fine. The mrs is getting a lot of support and enjoyment from having her mom around. We went to the gynac yesterday (who has the flu) and she is still happy with the progress and no need to for immediate action - but we have booked our selves in for natural induction (gel application) for this weekend - so unless the baby arrives before that, we will be getting our bundle of joy next week for sure.

I feel like repeating so I shall - both mother and baby are doing fine. Both are having normal (expected) heartbeat/blood pressure. The position of the baby is fine. It is still kicking its mommy (who is quiet bruised - don't worry little one, your mum will make you pay for that with all that extra homework you will do... ha ha ha... I am telling you :: daddy is way cooler!)

I have been sick for the last few days - and maybe that's a reason why the bub doesn't want to make an appearance. What it doesn't know is that everyone, and I mean everyone, is keenly awaiting its entrance. We have people calling, emailing, sms'ing, fb'ing everyday to get an update... boy, its building up the excitement!

As usual, I have the audio file from the Gyan'c visit which I will upload soon.

--- Some medical stuff now ---

The induction process is whereby the cream/gel is applied to get the cervix to get ready for the delivery. The gyn/obs will then artificially "break waters" which will lead the baby to make an appearance. This is the next best option to natural.

This process doesn't automatically mean that mother needs to take Epidural or anything. That is purely based on the pain threshold of the mother.

This also doesn't necessarily mean that there is a need for C/Section - again that is based on the events that follow.

We are, however, hoping that the baby arrives well before we need to worry about this stuff!

--- end ---

Oh! and we have all the hospital bags etc prepared - so now, we are waiting on one person only...

::> PD.

Post 34 - Week 37 : I have been busy and lazy

Dear baby...

One must realise truth in life... there are many, one that concerns you is that your dad is most often than not lazy. Usually, he is genuinely busy with work or study but then laziness is something that is mutually attractive :)

There has been so much happening with you and I haven't shared that with any one. My bad. You are now in your 37'th week... technically, you can make an entrance any time and that makes me glad and also just a bit worried... am I ready for you? I think you are thinking - ready or not, mate, here I come :)

Well, let me first tell your relatives and friends that you are very active. I have felt so many bump and kicks from you... your mum is always very happy to get a soft kiss from you (and tell you what, you do kiss your mum a lot!).

Of friends, remember I spoke about my friend in Post 19 - well he became a father. A baby boy with a very bold and strong name of Siddarth (or Sidd). Although Sidd, reminds me of the sloth in Ice Age - funny character! Sonam is doing fine. She visited us last weekend to say hello... she is looking so cute and just like her dad... BTW, I dont think dad is cute... just Sonam... he he he. Three of my dads-for-the-first time celebrated their very first Fathers day... must have been a nice feeling. I took your grandfather out for some lunch and ice-cream. I think he liked it...

Oh and guess whose voice you have heard or hearing recently... your mother parents... yes, maternal grandies... they had come to visit you and see how you two are doing? Your maternal grand mother will spend more time with us and I am sure you will see her as soon as you are born... she has some very special skills and I am sure you will appreciate it!

Your cousin, how is in the same boat (pardon the punn) as you, is also doing fine back in Asia... we will go and meet them on our way back to motherland and you can say gday to them...

My work and uni is coming along fine... oooh oooh guess what, I am trying to the learn the guitar for you.. at the moment, I am awful at it but every now and then, I hit the right notes... it sounds awesome then... anyway, I should be studying for my exam at the moment and if our mom finds out... we I am gonna be in trouble...

alrighty floating one... talk later... hugz and kisses!

---

To every one else... here is what our bub sounds like -> 24 Aug 09.


According to BabyCenter Au, the baby is now shedding the
lanugo which is like the coating that has been protecting your skin... it will be eating most of it and this forms part of the baby's first poo... what a nice note to end on (again, pardon the punn).

Over and out... PD

I am waiting... and watching the time pass... for the moment... very eagerly!

Post 33 - Week 33

Hi All

It is by mere coincedence that the post and weeks are aligned. I have just been busy with work and study that just haven't had time to post something... my bad!

Well, I am here and going to blurb...

Most importantly, the wife is fine. She is still experiencing some shortness of breath but according to some internet articles (must be real right...? ) could be due to the baby pusing some lung space. Apart from that, all is well.. so well that mrs has had ice-cream couple of times this week... by the way, I am sure you are aware what season it is here...! She's mad I tell you.. MAD!

The baby is fine and moving a lot. We suspect that it is in position - no doubt getting ready to meet her dad! I felt the kicks the other day and again - amazing! One of my friends become a mother yesterday - she had a 4 KG baby... wishing them all the best! Will pop over some time and wish them the same face-to-face!

Our friends, parents of Sonam, bought a new place but didnt give the address... so its been like a month since I have seen her... I went overseas and them came back and the mrs was sick.. so since we are returning to some kind of normalcy, we shall visit again!

Oh BTW, we did our Ante-natal classes couple of weeks back. Another friend, whose wife is due pretty much in couple of weeks time were there as well... its always good to have some you kwow there, I think, there is a lot of experience sharing. This helps ask the right questions and be aware of certain things...

The following week, we had the gynac/obs appointment - all is well. The baby's heartbeat is fine and growing well. According to Kaz Cooke, the baby should be about 2 KG's. And as per BabyCenter Au., the baby can now focus on close-by objects such as fingers and hands etc... anyway, I am sure, I will have more to talk about so will do that at the next opportunity... work is quite busy! Oh and also... Wife's mother will be arriving this weekend... we are looking forward to it!

Until then... take care! PD!



Little one's heart beat -> 03 Aug 09



mad = my adorable darling!

Post 32 - week 30

Hi All

Well, it has been a hectic and fast week since the last post. Dear old mrs is still not well. Suffering from post cold cough. She is however RECOVERING which is most important. I am hoping, come this weekend, she will be fine. There have been multiple visits and conversations with the Doctor, Gynac and the hospital to make sure that this bug is nothing more serious than the common cold. What has happened (so we are told) is that firstly the mrs contracted the common cold. Then she also contracted some coughing illness. Her being 30 weeks pregnant, the body is already at work protecting the baby and hence, there was a breach in her bodies defences and thus the prolonged illness. However, wife is now at home, not speaking much (resting her throat) and getting better. THE BABY IS NORMAL AND ACTIVE !!!

Unfortunately, we had to cancel the program last week due to the sickness. The most important thing was that we had a lot of support from some friends and that was good to see. We also had an international visitor and unfortunately, we could not really spend some quality time with them. It was nice of them to understand though.

Now to exciting part of the post - according to BabyCenter - the babies lungs and digestive tract is nearly mature and can apparently see. How much they can see is unknown. The baby is growing and is getting cramped for space. So, when the baby kicks or punches or moves, we should feel it strongly and I CAN AGREE with that! I can't believe that I am still facsinated by this. Imagine being kicked and punched by the baby in my hands... reminds me of my nephew back home...

Anyway, I'll update you as the time passes... until then... take care!

PD

Post 31 - week 29

Hi All

Time is flying fast... I can't believe we are only about 11 weeks away from the main event. We are having fun along the way though. Well, most of the time.

The mrs has been sick this week - with the flu. Poor thing. She is coughing and sneezing. She has worked from home which is good considering there is a general problem with the Swine flue pandemic. In our state, there have been several cases where pregnant women have been diagnosed with swine flu. We saw the doctor on Monday and he said that in our case, it is the common flu (still potent though) and things should subside soon. Today, the last working day of the week and things have improved slightly although I think the mrs still has a slight fever. She is waiting at the doctors as I write this... if the fever hasn't subsided, she will need to get anti-biotics. Lets see what happens...

BTW, on Monday, we also had our Gynac appointment. The baby is supposidly one kg in weight and growing well. I recorded the heart-beat again and when I get a chance will upload it. It is beating strong. Although, I am sure it is getting sick of mommy's sickness :D Probably thinking, muumm... can you please stop coughing... I am not able to sleep properly.. he he he

Yesterday, we got informed that one of our friends are also expecting a child. They are in the 19th week at present. They have some fun times ahead. I think the best part so far - for me - has been feeling the little kicks and punches. Amazing....

We have a ceremony - something like baby shower - at home today. We have invited 40-50 people. Here, we tend to invite both the partners and not only one. Travelling distances are quite a bit so makes sense. Also being a workday, commuting has to be taken into consideration. Couple of close family friends have also helped us. Nice of them. I will post the photos (if I get a chance to take them).

That's it for now... back to work!

PD

Ps. Here is the latest in our series of baby heart beats... the most recent! -> 13 July 09.

Post 30 - Week 28

Hello All

Firstly, both mum and would-be bub appear to be fine. While I was overseas, the mrs stayed over at our friends house and enjoyed herself very much. All this important as it keeps her mind and body positive which is of course good for the bub!

The bub has grown. The wife is now more visible than before. She can now be spotted easily. So this month, 7, we will announce to the world that we are expecting another addition to the family. According to BabyCentre, the baby has regular sleeping times and can open and close their eyes. They can also be more active during showers and the water feels different. Our bub, seems to be most active during the afternoon.

Last night, I was talking to the bub and in show of response, felt three tiny kicks... wow. That was good! Looking forward to more action! My cousin wanted to know whether it will be girl or a boy - but I am loving the suspense. We have a name picked out if it is a boy - will tell only if it is a boy. As far as the girl, well, we are still working on it. Needs to be something simple, modern yet have value and meaning to it... so going through combinations.

We have the regular gynac appointment next week which I will update you on of course. Followed by that, next week, we are having a small cermony at home - something like a baby shower.

Apart from that... all is well.

PD

Post 29 - Back from overseas...

G'day ankle biter

How are you? I am fine and anxious... you know why!

I am writing after a while as I got back from visiting your great grandmother only two days back. She is fine but I am sure she is missing your great-grandfather. While I was there, I met all your cousins, your aunts and uncles as well as your grandfather and his siblings. They were all very curious to find out how you and your mother are doing. I told them that you are active and growing. They cannot wait to see you. I told them that I will try to take you to meet your great granny after you arrive and are fit to travel... that would be your first international travel... in an aeroplane... Boy! the travellers are getting younger day by day.

Also, I cannot wait to take you by an aeroplane... I love it and hope you do to....

While I was there, I bought some small-small things for you. They are so cute. Uncle gave you some toys and an aunt made some wollen clothes for you. I got you some cotton clothes. Importantly, I got couple of pieces of garmets for you that belongs to your great grandmother. It is made of cotton and really soft... you will ber very comfortable and warm in it. On minor side, I also bought garment for your mum - just to keep her happy to :P (don't tell her I told you this).

Anyway, I am back at work and getting busy with studies as well but I will talk to you tonight and every night when possible. You take care and be well...

Love,
Dad

Post 28 - week 26 (month 7 has started!)

Hello little one

How are you doing in there? Getting used to mummy's heartbeat? It has a nice rythem to it doesn't it? I think so too! I bet you get to hear me sometimes as well. Isn't it funny how the whole thing works aye. What you have between you and your mummy is a special bond - and usally the strongest. Bonds with Daddy are also strong.

You are the culmintion of generations of work. It is as if the whole creation has arranged itself to ensure that you are born. You are the result of the first cause. Heavy stuff? I would imagine so. There is a reason. It is with great regret that I must tell you that our captain has left us. Your great-grandfather passed away last night. Now we have a new captain for our Kulkarni house-hold and he is your grandfather. You, my dear, are the new star of the team - like Sachin Tendulkar. Keep the captain happy!

Just know that for you to be here and breath the air, is work of generations. Love it and Live it!

Dad

---

I am looking for flights to travel to India...

Post 27 - week 25

Hello All

We had the gynac visit last week and all is progressing well. The mrs is doing fine. She has been munching on chocolates for couple of days and the gynac has advised us to reduce the intake so we are thinking of no more than once a week just to satisfy the cravings. Also, wifey needs to do a blood test to check for gestational diabetes.

I cooked some stir-fried brown-rice the other day and I think the baby might have liked it. According to BabyCentre Au, the baby, most likely, has developed some appreciation for taste and music, hence can like or dislike stuff. It was fairly simple, seemed healthier but the MOST important thing is that I can make it... AND it turned out well (plus, I can help out the mrs in cooking).

The other day, we were invited for lunch and while travelling, the mrs decided to give the baby a feel of our songs... so there she was listening to her iPod Touch with one bud in her ear and the other one tucked inside her dress just where we think the baby's head is... I was driving and I could her what was being played so I am sure the baby heard it as well. There were three or four kicks delivered - but not sure if that's a good sign or a 'jeez I hate this oldies music'...

Apart from this, the baby is fine. It is playing well. I have spoken to it and it responds by kicking me... I suppose this is the fate destiny has written for me.... :D

Anyway, rest if fine. Will keep you uptodate on progress... as it comes along.

PD

Ps. I told my friends at the BBQ and they were 'finally' you have joined the club... and I have the audio of the heart-beat from the gynac visit which I will upload when I get a chance.

PPs... here is the latest audio of our baby's heartbeat... 11 June 09.

Post 27 - Week 24

Hello All

We are eagerly waiting... and there is still plenty of time (and pain) to come... I am going to go watch a sports event with my dad this month and that got me wondering... I can't wait to go to a football match with my kid! Of course, my kid would support the team that I support (I am presuming/expecting - and I know its bad... but can't help it!).

I told this to the mrs and she said that maybe we (I and my kid), and Sonam with her dad can go to a football match some time in the future... while some lovely vegetarian food is being prepared at home... now that sounds like what I like!

Over the weekend, we told one of our very close family friends the good news. This is interesting becuase, when their son was born, I was doing my in the first year of senior high school and now that we are having a child, he will be in senior high school... nice even gap!

Other than this, things are progressing fine. We are still doing odd things around the home. Our recent long weekend was nice... the weather is finally changing - and for the better. The wifey is much better now. She can now start her recommended exercises for the pregnancy!

I am keeping well - my exercising is paying off... talking about exercising, just an FYI, I set a new PB (personal best) today - 10kms in 51 minutes! This included a 5 min + 2 min + 1 min walk breaks... Waiting to crack the 45 min barrier!

Coming up this week is the gynac appointment. Will let you know how that goes. I have a BBQ to attend with the 'Boys'. I will tell them our good news then.

Rest is cool - wishing the same for you.

PD

Post 26 - Week 23 (and half)

Hi folks... it has been a while since I have written anything on the blog. Have been a bit busy with university and work. But today, I decided that I must update you all on what has been happening... and from our perspective - its fascinating.

We have been kicked!

You heard us right... I have been kicked in the face once already and the baby isn't even born yet! Felt awesome! The mrs does now regularly feel tiny kicks and punches and she loves it! The baby is doing fine. Active it seems - but I think during the day, does sleep a lot. We have not had a chance to be as active recently because wife's back is hurting a bit - apparently, the pelvic area is adjusting to the changes in the condition and one of the muscles is sore. This muscle sits on top of a nerve so it is a bit painful.

We have visit a physiotherapist and he has given us some exercise suggestions which we do try. The mrs needs my help for this though. We have been advised NOT TO APPLY HEAT GEL for ex: Dencorub. We pretty much now-a-days read the label on medicine and pain relief stuff to x-check for pregnancy side-effects.

On another note... my friends daughter, Sonam - is really cute now. Her expressions have flowered more and you know what... the other day she was actually cool with me... although I do suspect the squeeky comfort chair mixed with the gentle rocking for that effect. Also, she couldn't see my face... Hmmmm... is it, could it be.. nah... anyway, I have decided to bribe her whenever I get a chance... stuff the friendship :D (he he he)

Oh also, wanted to share with you, we visited the hospital where we will be delivering the baby... we met one of the mid-wives. Basically it was like an interview with the wife and then the couple. I rather not say what the interview with the wife was - as I think it is important for it to be quiet.

We now have a room booked when the time is due... we were given a bag that has some useful information in it.

At work, I have informed couple more colleagues about the pregnancy. Eventually, I need to tell HR so that I can apply for paternity leave when required. Anyway, this has been a long blog and you must be tired... so talk later and will keep up posted!

PD

Ps. According to BabyCentre Australia - the baby is now more aware of voices. I think we need to make a point of being careful of what we say and what we think. Also, the baby can now apparently blink!

नमश्कार

Post 25 - third trimester is fast approaching...

A short one... we are in to our SIXTH month... and things are going well. Touch wood.

The baby is more active now-a-days. I think it is getting excited over the IPL 09 semi-finals and finals :)

Mrs is also doing fine.

Over and out... PD.

Post 24 - Week 21 - point of no return!

Not that we were planning to... but thought I might just mention it.

Well, we are now in week 21 - so only 19 more weeks to go. Count down...

The visit to gynac was fine. The mrs has been instructed to pay further attention on her eating pattern and quantity. The gynac has recommended that she has good breakfast, followed by a morning snack of some protein stuff (almonds/dates etc) followed by good lunch (carbohydrates and good-fat). For afternoon snack, can have some fruits followed by a good dinner later on in the evening. Sounds a lot - but I think if you have a balanced diet then this should be not a problem.

BTW, Sonam is now so much cuter. She does stick her tongue out (I am sure I didn't teach her that!). She is now singing and she does look very cute when she does. She also plays the cardboard drums... something you need to see to believe. She is not that old... I think she has made a good choice in her selection of percussion instrument. African Drums or Bongo's might be her ideal thing...

Back to the mrs. She is fine and keeping well. We are still doing the 10 km walk every Sunday morning. At the halfway point we usually have a fresh fruit drink and then we head-back. The whole thing takes about 2.5 to 3 hours. Well worth it though. Oh! The baby is now showing more strength. Apart from the fact that I can hear her at night, but the mrs is also now feeling it. Which is a good sign.

Anyway, according to BabyCentre Australia, the baby is now more aware... that could possibly explain the boost in activity. So... it is exciting times for us. Hopefully my blog conveys our excitement to you!

Cheers
PD

Post 23 - weeks 19 and 20 combined!

Hello All

Apologies for not updating you guys early enough... after coming back from holidays, work and studies was a bit busy and then I didn't get a chance to upload the latest audio file... as usual I missed the opportunity to record it at the Gynac because I had no idea how to start a voice recording... so I made the point of placing a short cut. Now I am all prepared!

BTW, I was supposed to be on holidays (again) but had to cancel it. Bummer... but maybe next time.

Anyway, the mrs said to me today that the baby must be growing more. You know what, I think I agree with her. Last night, at about 3 AM, I heard her stomach rumbling. I am sure it was the baby doing some acrobatics. I heard it very clearly - as it is, it is very quiet at 3 AM! That was nice. I am teaching the baby to count to five...

BTW, I know some of you asked us if we wanted to find out the gender of the baby... we the ultrasound technician did ask but we refused, basically on the notion that there is no need to. The mrs and her mother do think it is going to be a girl - so may it will be. I don't care. If it is a boy - then ardent Sydney Swans follower and if it is a girl, then Daddy's little girl - the way I see it - its a win-win situation!

Oh! and here the actual link to the audio file - WEEK 19. Hope you enjoy!

We have to visit the Gynac this Thursday to get our monthly checkup. After that the next highlight of the month is the visit to the hospital where we meet the midwves etc... but I will drop in a short note post the visit to gynac.

Post 22 - Week 18 and refreshed

Hello all and welcome back. Well, actually we came back from a short holiday. We had gone away to one of our southern states and it was good. We did a fair bit of driving and sight-seeing. It was enjoyable - it was sunny, it was cloudy, it was windy, it rained and it snowed - it was nice!

We met one of our close neighbours from our home country. I hadn't seen them in over 19 years so it was good to catch-up. It was a short meeting but it was good none-the-less. It was a pleasant encounter!

Anyway, this blog is primarily about our (expecting) child and so we are now in week 18 - getting closer to the half-way mark! According to BabyCentre, the baby should be around 14 cms long and very active - it may actually be sucking its own thumb... reminds me of one of my cousins - you know who I am talking about!

The mrs is doing fine and she also had a relaxing holiday, which I think does her health a world-of-good. She is showing slightly but one cannot tell when she is wearing professional attire.

Anyway, we have the ultrasound scan next week and so looking forward to it. I have figured out how to get the voice recorder on my phone working and created a shortcut for it. So, I will be posting that again.

Keep an eye out for a post early next week!

PD

OH! BTW, some great news, one of our relatives is also expecting a child in about a months time after us. They are not starting a blog - tch tch tch, but CONGRATS!

Post 21 - Rest time

Well our next appointment for Gynac/Obs in the first week of May. We will also have the ultrasound that day.

BTW, the title of the blog is "Rest time" because the mrs has finished her dance commitments (in terms of public performances). She had one on the weekend which I might add was very good. A lot of people were there and it was well received. Of course, this was done by group of students so it's everyone's hard work.

She will still attend her regular dance class and participate as much as she can. After some time, she will relegate herself to just observing. At least she can keep learning visually. One should exercise both the left and right brain...

As you can also see from the top, this is week 17. As per BabyCentre Australia, the mrs should be putting on some weight (although she has actually lost some - the doctor said it is okay) and getting gentle sensations of the baby's movement... I have the feeling we are going to be hitting the fast lane soon!

Folks, we will be away for most of this week and part next week - we are going away to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I will try to update the blog during that time, but if not, it will have to wait till late next week.

Until then... adios!

Post 20 - well rounded day!

With the wifey's monthly check as the highlight of the day, I left for work leaving the mrs behind to work from home... and that was a bad sign itself. Nearer to work, my car met the tow-bar of the car in front with such haste that warranted half-a-day at work. I thought, at least I wished Dad happy birthday ( वाडदिवसाच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा )when my mood was much lighter!

So, having prepared myself to seperate with some money down the track, spent the day as best as I could. In the afternoon, we went to the Gynac/Obs for the mrs monthly check and everything is well. The baby's heartbeat is fine and normal. The wife has had few nights of interuppted sleep which results in head-aches the next day. The doc advised that perhaps a light walk or nice bath before going to bed should be adequate. Also, try to stay up late as possible might help. It is essential to get good sleep between 12 AM and 4 AM.... all in all, everything is fine. That is important.

One of our family friends had organised dinner for my dad, but since I had a study class to attend, I could not go... missed out it. Though I have just had the left over cake torte for breakfast, at least I participated - I feel.

Anyway, the next big event is in week 19 - where we get another ultrasound which will be used to conduct a whole bunch more tests to make sure all is well. Until then... over and out...

maybe not till then... :)

Post 19 - Week 16!

Well, as you can see from the counters above, we are in week 16 - 166 days to go!

According to BabyCentre AU, our baby is the size of an avacado...
but apparently in the next three weeks will increase in size, so looking forward to that. I suppose wifey, will start showing now.

Something interesting happened yesterday. The mrs swore that she felt the baby move. That was fantastic. I tried my luck and see if I could feel anything but no success. However, it is good to know. The mrs has her check up this week. I will update the post again then.

Over the weekend (Easter), I visited my friend to catch-up and especially their daughter Sonam. Wow, she has grown. She is now aware of her 'sound' making capabilities. I had a baby-chat with her. She is gorgeous. I also think she is absolutely in love with her dad... I have seen it. She stares at him for hours (if possible). I think she also recognises me. I had a beard not so long and then I shaved it... I think she is now recognising facial features... wow! I am so looking forward to playing with her some more! - and get some practice along the way... :)

PD

More later...

Post 18 - old friends

I bumped in to an old friend of mine whom I had not seen for over two years. We met at a bus stop on the city - coincidently the same stop, I had met another friend after a long time.

Anyway, we got chatting and I geneally asked how he was doing, whether he is married etc... and guess what, he is married and expecting a child - that too in September first week. Wow! What a small world. There must have been something special in the water in January 2009 :D

BTW, I think I am strange... I was thinking about this earlier on. There was a time in my life when I would detest being asked if I am married, kids etc... I mean what business is it of others to know - right? I am not sure why I asked him that question. Wierd. Must be parenthood :)

Also, I am trying to re-aquire my old skill of observation - let things pass and just observe (a bit esoteric I suppose).

PD

Post 17 - hey! its week #15

The week has started with a chuckle - a smile. Apparently in week 15 of the pregnancy, the baby can now move all of its limbs. The mrs did say the other night - she felt rumblings in the stomach but did not pay much attention to it. Put it in the 'body is adapting to pregnancy' basket.

Also, apparently, the ultrasound can perhaps identify the gender of the child. I was speaking with wifey and were thinking about the pro's and con's of identifying. Why is it that we need to find out? After all we have not done so for thousands of year and billions of births. Why should we need to know? We are not planning to decorate the room in a particular manner - that will be done later if there is a need. I know some people take advantage of the technical capabilities and have 'uncaring' or 'uncommon' intentions (read: abortion), others want to plan ahead.

I, personally, would like to get your thoughts on it. You can comment on this question: Should we find out the gender of the baby? Why?.

PD

BTW, the mrs really wants a girl - so is there any psychological benefits of identifying the gender?

Post 16 - relevance

Some news to share that puts perspective on things and relevance of issues.

You know, I wrote not so long ago that I was having issues at work that affected me - and I let it get to me. Well, I did sort of get-over-it but then something else happened - something small, but enough to annoy me and spoil my evening.

Anyway, the next day, I am at work and trying to concentrate at work on hand when I heard the news that someone that I know - not very close, but knew them - had an accident. That was bad enough, but that person lost two family members of which one was a young daughter. This got me thinking... what are my problems in front of what this person is facing.

I am writing blogs, having expectation, planning this and that etc and we are only week 14. This person had the opportunity to go through this and see and experience the whole process from a single cell to a living-walking-breathing daughter. Spent many a sleepless nights consoling the baby, went to first day of school, went on holidays and played games.... and now, its all gone. Only memories.

This is hard, heavy and tragic. My issues have faded in to insignificance. I am ashamed at how I let my issues takeover me. There are strange ways, how the higher-powers tell you things... just wish it was not so hard on some one else... god give them courage and strength.

...

Post 15 - food vs sleep

Dear wifey's appetite is now back... she seems to have lost sleep though. Everything else is going hunky dory. We, especially me, are looking forward to week 19 ultra sound.

Apart from that, things are fine. I think I have mostly convinced the mrs to leave her laptop etc at work and not to bring any work home. It has been pouring heavily here for the last three to four days. As I write this, there are dark clouds over the south-easter region of the city.

Health wise, we are all fine. I am trying to get fit so that when the time comes, I am ready to give my 100%.

PD

Post 14 - Week 14!

Well, it has been a quiet start to the week. Although, wifey seems to be following the characteristics to the tee... she is not as hungry as before. I suppose, if this keeps up she will be hungry enough to eat a horse in her third trimester...

anyway, according to BabyCentre, there is a possibility that wifey's hair will become more 'lustrous'.. . and our baby is apparently growing its curls!

And I know it will be curls... I just know it. Call its a fathers intuition :D

PD

Post Seven.Two - The audio

Hi All

Please find attached the audio recording of our babies heartbeat recorded during ultrasound conducted in pregnancy week #12.

Hope you enjoy... Here it is: Baby HeartBeat

Please note that the file is in the ".wav" format.

PD

Note: The link was not working so had to fix it.

Post 13 - Lesson in life

Today, an event bought me down to earth... actually you can say buried me. It has nothing to do with us expecting a child. Thank god, that is all well (touch wood).

But, the event will certainly shape my attitude in terms of how I will bring up my kid(s). I realised that when times get tough, the first things that tend to disappear in the work space is ethics. Things get cut-throat and all the pleasantries are dispensed with!

Basically there is some change happening at the team level and I am not happy about the way it was communicated. What makes it worse is that what I am being taught is completely opposite to how it actually is in real life... it's not like that I am studying in country A and working in country B. No point identifying the person or the situation, the only thing that I am going to take away from this whole sordid affair is that:

I am a better person than this and I have ethics. Ethics and principals make a person with strong and positive characteristics. I refuse to treat and behave like I was treated with. I am better than that and I will ensure that I will teach this.

Some people suck, are mean, mean minded and lack people skill. To survive in the world, people need to treat each other with respect, dignity and honour.

I strive for all three.

Ps... I did not steal/borrow any part of my stuff away from any UN pledge :D

Post 12 - Tickers!

Hello all

I hope you have enjoyed reading the blog so far... there are more news to come so keep your self updated!

The latest change in the blog, is that I have added a ticker which can be seen 'always at the top'. We should acknowledge the providors "The Bump". It is free and they have one available for conception, pregnancy (which I have used) and birthday one!

Its fun :D

Btw, I posted a note in one of the forums at BabyCentre and people are happy that a would-be-dad has posted something. Musn't be a common thing.

Post 11 - Anti natal classes

We booked our ante-natal classes at a hospital relatively close to our place. This is the place which will hold significance in our lives!

We are going to be busy from late June to early August, once a week in the evening. We even got a discount becuase we booked it before the mrs hit 20 weeks mark. Saved some dough...

I am looking forward to it... and tea and coffee is provided - yeah :P

Apprently the fellow attendees become a close knit 'parents group' - kind of an oxymoron in a nuclear western society.

BTW, the aim of ante-natal classes is to help prepare us for labour, birth, and early parenthood. I suspect, my m-i-l will also provide (perhaps more) valuable in these matter.

More information: BabyCentre (Australia). This website can also send you free personalised newsletter. Might be good source of information just for reference sake. I have signed up for it.

Post 10 - Dinner

Dad took us out for dinner today to celebrate the good news.

The mrs had an assignment due today afternoon so kinda worked out well for her as well. No need to cook :D

We went to a place called Haveli about 15 minutes drive from our home... was okay. The set-up is 'noice'.

Good night.

Cute...

Post Nine - it's public

information to family members only!

Dad told his family - on both sides - so all आत्या'ज, काका'ज, चुलते'ज, मामा'ज अणि मावशी'ज should come to know shortly.

And the sms's are coming in!

On Sneha's side - both Arvind and Sunil are now updated.

That's the end of that high. Now the long road lie's ahead of us.

Post Eight - telling the family

We told our parents...

I told my dad. When he came back from work, he was annoyed at something so I lost the interest in telling him. Later on that night, as I was doing the dishes, I told. He said good and then walked off and wished Sneha congrats.

He was still a bit annoyed becuase we didn't tell him initially. We acted as per the recommendation of the doctor. No two ways about it. The doctor, knows more about this than any one of us.

Mrs's mother will be coming to say with us around the time...

So so far, just my dad and Sneha's parents know about this. Slowly, the news will filter for sure.

As far as telling my friends... a bit later on.

Post Seven.One - The ultrasound

So after the gynac we went to ultrasound folks at the private hospital near our place. We had a 4 PM appointment and we go there diligently at 3:55 PM.

At 5 PM, we were still waiting. After moving the car couple times, drinking some water, paying for the DVD of the ultrasound, we waited some more.

Then it was our turn at about 5:15 PM. The ultrasound specilist had spend a whopping 4 hours with a lady expecting twins... apparently, there is a need to get the foetus (or baby) in a particular position. This is to get some measurements of its size etc. This with the results of the blood test, determines the risk (or less of) the baby having Downe Syndrome.

The ultrasound went well... took about 35 to 45 minutes. I managed to get the recording on the mobile phone of the baby's heartbeat... and will be attached for you shortly...

The DVD also shows the baby's details... such as its tiny 1 cm heart, its legs and arms etc... amazing (both the baby and the machine that shows you this...)

Anyway, if we don't hear back from the gynac, all is fine. Our next meeting is on April 16.

More info as it comes to hand :D

Post Seven - Ultrasound

I took the day off from work and the mrs decided to work from home so that we can go together and visit the gynac and the ultrasound people...

About 11:30 PM, I suggested that we go visit our friend who has recently become a father and play with his daughter Sonam. She is gorgeous.

Also found out that the sister of another one of my friends gave birth to a baby girl "Zoya" two days before Sonam :D

Girls Rule! So in my friends circle, there are 6 kids, of whom 4 are girls and two are boys.

Anyway, after playing with her, we left for the Gynac. Got there... found the receptionist a bit rude (maybe having a bad day). The walls of the gynac's office were plastered with thousands of baby photos... there must have been atleast a thousand!

Anyway, we had a chat with the gynac and all she asked some usual questions on health and diet. Then the best thing for a while happened... she use a tool called dopplex to check for the baby's heartbeat.... and I heard it for the first time. Unconsiously, a large smile planted itself on my face and my head started beating to its rythem... wifey cracked up!

That must have been the point of realisation. ** GRIN **

After that, we discussed when our next meeting is going to be... 16 April. Dad's birthday.

I realised that I should have recorded the heartbeat on my mobile phone... bummer. Maybe I can do that the ultrsound place...

next post on that....

Post Six - results #2

Well, we got the results back and all is well and healthy.

The doctor indicated that the mrs should continue with her normal activities. She can still continue with her gym and Bharata-natyam, although she should stop doing things that involve picking up heavy things or bending etc for dance.

Anyway, she spent four hours at the medical centre to pick up the results which was a waste of her time. I think she spent some time working... she has a lot on her plate. PM's :)

Anyway, next - anything important - is March 16. An appointment with the gynac and ultrasound.

The ultrasound should be interesting.

Post Five.One - New entrant to the world

My friends have become proud parents of a beautiful daughter. Got an sms not so long ago.

It read:

"Yo ppls. after nine long months and even longer 11 days after than, i am finally proud to be the father of a beautiful healthy 3.295 kg baby girl."

The search for name continues...

Post Five - More tests

हे भगवान!

यह क्या हो रहा हैं ?>

Back to the doctors... apparently more tests should have been done so need to get some more sample. I am all for tests and everything, but we are not the first couple in the world having a baby... how can a doctor forget the normal tests? Anyhow, it's important and a minor issue... I am happy that more test will be done to make sure that wifey is fine... not sure what the tests are meant to indicate but wifey knows more about it.

The news of awaiting events are yet to completely sink in... of course, I am busy at work and with studies (I hope that's what keeping it out).

Will get the results in couple of days... mrs will go to collect.

Post four - results

I went to the doctors with wifey today and the results are good. The doc informed us saying there were a few tests that were not conducted so need to take additional samples.

The pathologist has closed his office by then... it was 7:45 PM and he closes at 7:45 PM... so need to come back tomorrow.

It has been an interesting two days... I am okay with the news... still not as ecstatic as shown in the movie. I wonder why? Maybe the realist-rationalist in me is holding tight on the news, not letting it scream.

I am, however, glad. Wifey has shown signs of 'oh my god! I am pregnant... I am worried'. I have reassured her that my little pumpkin is going to be fine...

The doctor told us to keep the news a bit hush as the chances of miscarriages are high in the first three months. This would be mean that we can't tell anyone till middle of March. That's a bit tough. I will do it for the wife though... although I still feel that our parents should know.

Only a little longer....

Post Three - confirmation

Australia Day...

Did one of those test-at-home tests to check... looks like a positive. Tested again the next day... positive again. GRIN.

The mrs went to the doctors today... and she is going to be a mum. This means that I am going to be a dad. Wow!

I don't think I have realised the impact of this. Maybe it will sink in later on. Lets see.

The doctor that my wife saw, Dr. Pollard, took couple tubes (30 ml) blood sample for testing. Need to re-visit her for the results.

Fingers-x'ed

Post Two - Update

I think it might have worked the first time - my proverbial gun was loaded... and I did shoot the sheriff!

:D

Happy is what I am... my friend is still awaiting the birth of their first child. No idea if it is going to be a girl or a boy... I don't mind either. I wonder if what we will have is were to have one... could it be twins. So many questions.

Better get the mrs to the doctors and get confirmation. I wonder how I will handle it.

Still :D

Post One - initiation!

Jan 5, 2009

We seriously started working towards having one of our own. Let's see how things pan out.

I am looking forward to fatherhood but also concerned about our lifestyle and present financial commitments... A friend of ours is expecting a child this month.

Interesting time indeed.