7 years ago on this day...

.. I was heavily pregnant and the tummy was about to burst anytime. We were in Ipoh, having just simply renovated my inlaw's old house and moved in. Papa came back from Brunei to lend a helping hand during my labor (for me to bite!) and celebrate CNY together.

That night, we *jeng jeng jeng* after been separated for a few months. Then early next morning, we went to my gynae's for our weekly check up. I was so heavily pregnant that the people there kept asking me "joong mei sang tuck ah?"... and the nurse also said "If by tomorrow still not in labor, she (my gynae) would be on leave already and your case will be handled by someone else"...woah~ I kept praying that that day's better be the day.

When I went in, I was immediately told to lie down and checked by her. Lo and behold! She said I was already in labor, my cervix already opened up 5 cm! My hub and I looked at each other and then he asked her "err??? means what ah? When is she going into labor leh?" Duh! We looked really darn bodoh! She asked me if I wanted epidural or not, we looked at each other again with a big ? on top of our heads. I asked for her advice and she told me, looking at my "sihat dan kuat"-ness, I can try to do without it. So, ok! Here we go!

She told me to be admitted right away! Not even giving me the chance to go home and pack my stuffs. I pled with her to let me go home and take my things, it's not very far away jek. So, she said ok, but have to be quick!

Then we lengang-lengang kaki, went to eat dimsum with my mil, go back home to take a shower (as I was advised by friends I had better do!) and take my already prepacked luggage to go to hospital again. I even wanted to take a nap first!

When we were there, it was about 1pm, after coming out from the clinic at about 10+ that morning. Everything that followed was so new to me, being shaven, poked at the ass to "clear the usus besar", and changed and lying down to rest. There wasn't any pain at all, and we were just waiting.

The doctor came on and off to check my cervix, and it was opening up, albeit a bit slowly. She said when it reached 9cm, we can start "hoi kung". Hub was getting restless, checking out the machines here and there and I had to keep an eye on him like a kid, telling him not to play with this or with that!

By late afternoon, still nothing! I slept a bit. Doctor came and asked how I was. I said "nothing!". She then gave me some "boost" by injection, I think, to start off some contractions. By 6+ to 7, I start to have some "feelings". Hub told me he was thinking of going out for awhile to grab a bite first, I machar him and firmly told him he is NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

From 7pm, the feelings came strongly and rapidly, and then suddenly the whole labor room was abuzz with actions finally. The doctor was called, and work began. Honestly, I didn't know when to do what. The nurses guided me, told me not to yell out, saving my breath to push. It did help actually. Then by each contraction, and what is shown on the screen, all of them told me to push hard. The first wave came and gone, only the head was seen.

The doctor said "If you can't do it by the 2nd time, I would have to cut you up!" I shivered upon hearing that and was determined to do it the 2nd round. She used vacuum to help me suck his head out too and with a mighty push, he was born, slightly over 8pm. What a huge relief!

This guy weighed 3.8kg when born. Quite a big sized baby, apparently, with a big head somemore.

I remembered hub looking at the bb with a "disgusted" face, then at me dearingly, it's very rare he looked at me like that. Then he planted a kiss on my forehead and said thank you & "sanfu sai nei". The baby was plonked on my chest and I saw him for the first time. My first impression was "why the face like tai kau meen geh?". Anyhow, I was so happy to see him.

1 hour later, I was wheeled out from the labor room, and I saw HL and my mil outside. HL asked me "sang jor la?". I replied "haiyah..", she said "you don't look like it!". That was a good one!

I called my mom to tell her the good news too, and upon hearing my voice, she also said "sang jor la? you don't sound like it". Fuyoh! I am so amazed with myself. Still looked and sounded so energetic, kononnya.

He was such an easy baby to take care, he gave me so many feel good moments of being a new mommy again. Breastfeeding came so easily this time and everything else is not much fuss with him either. He would just play on his own when he's awake, then go back to sleep when he's tired and wailed awhile for milk when hungry.

But once in awhile, he would go "BAWLLLLLL" loudly out of a sudden, without any warnings. Kinda showed his peculiar character even at that very young age.





And he's turning 7 tomorrow. My little boy. This weekend will be a birthday party for him. Come la, don't be late, ok?