For every season, turn, turn, turn...

The day began with much trepedition. The two of us took our time to wake; not really wanting the day to begin. Of course, our little girl Madame was the first to budge from slumber. She awoke with her usual cries of "Dadee, Dadee!", not referring to her Dad but to Mummy instead. She calls everyone Dadee at the moment. It is hardly distinguishable but there are subtle differences between her "Dadees". One for when she means Mummy, one for when she means her auntie, and, of course, one for when she actually means Daddy. They are subtle but they are there.

So as ususal, we both stirred to frantic calls for "Dadee" - the one that actually means Mummy. We stirred relunctantly, not eally wanting to start the day. Today was the day of our boy's cesearean. We were ambivalent - excited to see our new baby, a little apprehensive to go for the operaton. Mummy had only been in hospital twice. First, when she was born, and, second, when Madame was born. As you may well expect, Mumy was none too keen to have her tummy cut open. Nor spend too much time lying in bed nursing her wound when we still had Madame roaming the halls. She was definitely in favour of a natural birth as was I. I really wanted to be there when our boy came out, to cut his cord and hold him aloft Kunta Kinte style. Besides, a cesearean costs a couple o grand more - money that could well be used for diapers, formuale, or flights to Davao.

Boy-Boy needed a cesearean because he was lying transverse in Mummy's tummy - sideways instead of head down. We found out in wk 37 and our OB wanted to take him out the following week, which was three days away. So in the meantime, Mummy squatted on her hands and knees like a frog (online research), Daddy and Mummy spoke to Boy-Boy (conventional wisdom), and everyone prayed in their own way (blind faith).

Hoping for the best but expecting the worst - that's how we were feeling as we arrived at the hospital. I was sure our boy had turned, Mummy was of the same conviction. All we needed was a sonagram to confirm our hopes. But before that, Mummy had to be admitted.