ETA : Nov 3 :11AM

Weekend of 1st and 2nd Nov ’08 : My last ultrasound is out. Baby is in extended breech, which means that not only has he turned around ( away from a normal position ) he has also locked himself, so there is no chance of him turning around again, and I have no choice but a C-Sec


This is so so similar to Binnie’s condition, just that she was not given any time to react, and I had a weekend to plan

Therefore this whole myth that if you are active during your pregnancy, chances of a normal delivery are very high, is all ****crap…I was hyper active, running till the last day, and Baby Chowdhary still wants me to go through the knife..
Date of operation is fixed for 3rd November, between 10:30 to 11:30 AM

30.10.2008

Manish’s 33rd birthday….i am almost ending my 36th week…everyone was making such a big deal about this. What if the baby decides to come today?
No way, I really wanted Manish’ birthday to be exclusive and the baby’s birthday to be exclusive…Can he/she please wait just a little bit longer?
Bought dear hubby new Armani sunglasses and decided to have one last just-the-two-of-us meal at a really cool place.
Vandana had suggested Magique (a Marut Sikka run restaurant) in Garden of Five Senses, Saidullajab. http://www.magique.in/
Joke was that while my hospital bag is absolutely packed, just incase something happened, Manish and I could directly go to Max Saket., and others would join.
Magique was beautiful. Just my kind of ambience, perfect setting for a special evening. Manish agrees that I am very good with picking out places which have awesome ambience, and an awesome menu that lists dishes we haven’t tried before and are skeptical because we would end up eating something very expensive and unexplainable.
Therefore, for all such menus, I have to figure out the closest sounding alternative to kebabs, chicken/mutton in gravy and something like tandoori roti !
Manish is also on his new bearded look…which he shamelessly continued well after the baby was born….(I feel like scratching myself even when I see this photo again) …..And worst, he convinced himself that he was looking like a stud!

It was THE meal before THE baby….

The one with the photo shoot

I forgot to tell that Binnie and I also thought of a “preggie shoot” .
Infact, credit for this goes to Pinky, who told me that this is a trend in the US. People go to professional photographers in every stage of pregnancy and get their photos shot.
Essentially Binnie and I should also have a similar kind of shoot with the hubbies, to sort of mark the almost-together pregnancies. Also, wear similar kind of clothes for symmetry !

These were taken at a Kodak studio in Gurgaon on 8th Oct, just TWO days before Binnie delivered Ahaan. What timing….but a MUST RECOMMEND for all expecting couples !

The days in between..

From one baby to another, 24 days days later.... Life moved at a surreal speed between 10th Oct and 3rd Nov.

With some just-getting-a-hang-of-it snippets from Binnie, and last minutes free advice from rest of the planet, i was slowly and bloatedly getting along.

Getting the handover from work in place, shopping with lists in hand, and some anxiety pangs, these 3 weeks were the most crazy.

Vidushi sent across this beautiful cot for the baby. Strange how life weaves in itself so many co-incidences. She was responsible for Manish and me meeting so many years ago...now she is the one gifting away the most prized nursery gift for OUR child...God bless her !

Karva Chauth was uneventful, though i managed to actually keep it for the entire day, and then again, as usual, Manish was delighted at the feet-touching bit ( would never never never miss this annual missed-as-i-blinked action)

This ritual is hilarious...why i do it...i dunno...i dont find it regressive, actually, find it amusing and cute. Manish on the other hand feels that this is some "shagun" which needs to be done, and always asks for repeat action. Arre, ho gaya, maine to dekha nahin, please ek baar aur...arre pata nahin chala, i didnt quite feel your hand on my feet...cmmon Shipra, be a sport, saal mein yeh 3 seconds most awaited hote hain...grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I am not a make up person, but somehow, like the bling bit on karva chauth. Bangles, nail polish, mehendi. Btw, was forbidden to put mehendi this year. Some logic that preggie girls dont put mehendi as mehendi is cold and not good for child ( ????!$#**)

So this was Manish's chance at putting his artistic skills to test....one of the sweetest moments of our relationship..i am displaying his masterpiece for others to get equally inspired...try something else than a fat teddy bear smiling wickedly( thats patented!)

The Checklist

Did i ever mention that between March 08- Oct 08, Binnie and i collaborated on an excel sheet that underwent several iterations. This sheet was called the Baby Arrival Checklist. You may want to compare it to planning for a NASA space shuttle launch, or the next strategic military move from the US Army in name of world peace.

I must, at this point, give credit to many friends, and relatives who gave in advice on what to buy and what to have when the stork comes visting...I can't list Binnie's credits ( coz she inisited on taking all the credit herself) but a big muaah to Binnie herself, Neha, Vidushi, Ankur, Kala, Navneet, Priyanka, Anjali , Rupali, Maa, Mom in law, Megha, many chachis, maamis and bhabhis...and then Manish for supporting every shopping whim of mine!

Since i created this template, it has done the rounds of other expecting friends...

Mujhe to 26th January ko haathi pe bitha ke ghumana chahiye ( for such a brave and well thought of exercise :)

The first few looks and homecoming and the name !

By the way, Baby Batra is named AHAAN meaning dawn ( early morning)

He came and how ! ( For 10th Oct, 2008)

It’s a usual Friday, I did chat up with Binnie, and she said that it was her last day at work.
They do at Sapient, a complete handover. Like for eg, everything, laptop, datacard, pen drive, I-card etc are all taken away. Its like an exit.
I guess the difference between AGC and Sapient is that at AGC, everything is issued in the employees’ name, so you handover when you resign and its your last day.
While at Sape, its issued under a project. You move out of a project, all the assets go back.
Checked up with Binnie before my day close, she was logging off…
Move to 9:40 PM: GK 2. Manish goes to Safadrjung to meet Sumit who is off to UK. Me and family sitting up with the ususal guppa shappa.
Tring Tring : Why is Maa calling at this hour, hell, what happended…what, you driving, Binnie is taken to Cradle…she is popping !!!!

Gawwwwwwwwwwwdddddddddddd: Butterflies in in stomach…family asking me to stay calm, I am calling Manish to inform, quickly getting dressed, call Amit to check, she is taken in pre-op…she went for her sonography, baby in breech, checks with her gynaec, has to be opeated today….phuuuuuuuuuuuuu…

Mom tells me to eat dinner…I am constantly looking at my phone…tring tring…shippu it’s a boy ! What hello, already…so quick, did she “shit” it out…God Amit why are you crying? Hell, I am laughing and crying at the same time….Manish…boy boy…We are coming to pick you…be ready
Drive to Cradle Gurgaon …I was just smiling, and messaging all my friends…
Hello Naana Naani….Binnie kahan hai? Can I meet her….haan ji vadhaiyan vadhaiyan…twanu bhi…mithai khaao…

Can I please meet my sister…she is now in post op, and its 11+ PM….please and can I see the baby?
Some nurse saw my own shape and was hit with confusion( whats with all the preggy excited girls) and then some kindness enough to "break" the rule.
Okay you can…

Me :Hi there…wow…B…you did it…munda…
Binnie : Hi…ya…oh who is here…guess what Ship, I came in with a laptop bag, I am going out with a baby..
Me : Wow…ok, you are groggy…relax..
Binnie : Jiju is here…arre koi mithai khilao
Manish : Binnie please, relax
Me : Relax, chill, whats this formality shit…I am going to see the baby…you take care, see you later…good job…love you !
Can I please please please see the baby….noooooooooooo....Ma...please, isko dekho, itni door se aayi hai ( preggy trump card again) oooookkkkk….nurse disappears into the nursery…
OH MY GOD : taaza taaza baccha…my god another Amit…why is he so tiny..shit they all are……

Wind up the day…baby Chowdhary inside would have caught all the butterflies by now :)