First birthday party!

It was your first birthday yesterday. You woke up your usually time at 6am. Mommy slept next to you after prepping for the birthday at 4am. Appah wanted to let mommy sleep a bit more so he took you upstairs set up the DVD player in your room and played your favorite Sunday school songs. Mommy had to rush to class so she got you ready and appah dropped you off at Hilda pattis house. Appah actually finished all the errands mommy had listed for him including buying you nice black shoes to go with your outfit in the evening! Mommy finished class and decided it was too late to decorate the car cake she baked you the night before so she went to buy a little smash cake from this fancy french bakery, which didnt make smashable little cakes, so she rushed to whole foods where she bought you one. Thats where she was when the clock struck 11.10am- the time you were born, exactly a year ago.

The night before you were born mommy and grandma went shopping for some nighties for the hospital for the scheduled C-section the next day. And when at Sears, mommy started having painful contractions, but thought nothing of it because she had been having fake contractions 2 months before you were actually born and besides they werent even regularly timed. So we went back home and just spent time talking. We were in the car when mommy's doctor called and asked if we were sure we wanted to have you out the next day because there was some confusion about your due date and she thought you should probably come the following week. But your Canadian thatha and patti had come to town along with uncle Kingy just to see you as soon as you were born. And everybody had taken time off and we were ready. Mommy didnt really like the notion of a scheduled birth and wanted as natural a time as possible but you just werent in position and had gotten so big that mommy couldnt sleep, sit or walk. So she let the doctor pick the date and things were settled, we were still going in as plan. Big ammamma also spent the night at ammammas house. Mommy was really nervous and was just flipping and turning on the couch (where she was sleeping for the past month or so-- most comfortable angle). Appah says he had a great nights rest in his bed upstairs in your nursery. Finally at 5.30am mommy could fake sleeping no more and she woke up for a shower. After that she woke up Appah, ammamma and big ammamma. Appah and mommy left first (after praying with thatha and ammamma) because we wanted to pray with thatha and patti in Baltimore before heading to the hospital. After stopping by and praying we headed out to the hospital, and inspite of having gone there a couple of times before, we just couldnt find the right exit and got lost 2 times and then finally got there. C-section was scheduled for 8 am but the anesthetist couldnt be found. So mommy's nurse (Juanita) got her ready in a flimsy robe and a stupid (annoying) catheter to drain out the bags of IV fluid they kept pumping in. When the doctor came to check on mommy, she said that mommy was very dilated (you'll know the meaning of that some day, I'll leave that one for appah) and was surprised that mommy couldnt feel the contractions as much as she should have. This made mommy happy because that meant you were ready to come out and you would have come out that day irrespective of it being planned ahead or not. Both your thathas, patti, ammamma, big ammamma, chin amms, Canada thatha and Kingy uncle were in the hospital by the time mommy was made ready. Since only 3 guests were allowed to be with mom they were taking turns to come and sit with mom. Mommy was getting very irritated because the catheter was bothering her, she wanted to tug and throw it out and all patti, ammamma, big ammamma and appah were doing was just laughing and joking. Quite honestly, she was thinking of a way to get Juanita (nurse) alone so she could ask them all to GET OUT! Luckily for mom, Juanita did come in and said it was time to go...Canada thatha and patti had to catch their flight back so thatha went to the airport to drop them. Sadly he wasnt there when mommy was wheeled in to the operating theater. When inside, the stupid, tardy anesthetist had to poke mommy 5 times before he could get the right spot for the epidural-- while answering and speaking on his cellphone every few minutes, thank goodness for Juanita holding on to mommys hand (appah wasnt allowed inside yet). Once the anesthesia was done they got mommy in position and almost started without letting appah (who was all geared up in his scrubs, paper shoes and paper shower cap) in. When mommy asked for appah, the doctors had already started the procedure, though mommy couldnt see-- they had put a screen over her. Appah comes in, and mommy finally feels a little less anxious. She asks appah to sing her something to soothe her nerves and your father comes close to my ears and sings "Ennadi muniamma!" of all songs...how annoying! Mommy had to ask him to stop and then appah looks over the screen and says "I think he's out", and I say really? And a few seconds later we hear the cutest little "Ingaaaaahhhhh Ingaaaaaahh", you were out. Appah got up to see you and to make sure you were ok and then was led out so they could clean up both you and mommy. Mommy still hadnt seen you, she could just hear from behind the screen, Apgar:9, Time:11.10. And after what seemed an eternity they brought you to me, all bundled up, pink and beautiful. I couldnt believe that you were mine...and before I knew it they took you out for a detailed check. Once both you and appah were out they began closing up mommy and it took 6 people to put mommy on the stretcher bound back to her room. Once back in the room, ammamma, thatha, and big ammamma come in hug and kiss mommy. A nurse comes in speaks to mommy and then they bring you in for your first feeding. Mommy feeds you and then is conked out because of all the medicine that they gave her. Mommy just remembers waking up in the middle seeing chinamms and appah trying to figure out how to work a diaper!

All the details are so clear in my mind, I cant believe one year has flown by. You are such an important part of our lives, our world revolves so much around you that I cant imagine what life would be like without you. We love you soo very much! Muuuuuuaaaaahhh!
Oh as for your party, all your pattis, granpatti, ammammas, chinamms, athais, mamas, chinnainas came (except for Jasmine and Jaya patti and Angela athais family). Mahima akka and her family came. As did uncle Austin, his mother and father also made it (Lalitha putti couldnt make it but she really wanted to and left you a beautiful phone message). Moms friends Aunties Perciliz, Audrey and Khadijah came as well as uncle Dave. You had 3 cakes, 2 biryanis, 2 roast chicken, fish curry (ammamma), lamb curry, chicken curry, raita, cheese plates, fruit salad, ice cream, drumsticks, mini hotdogs, sambar (patti), green beans, lasagne (chinamms), pasta(chinamms), channa curry, apple crumble and kesari (ammamma). Chinamms made you cute brownie favors with a picture of you on them and she bought all the house decorations and Soni, Sinthi and Jenny atthais helped decorate the house. It was a boat load of fun!