Sweet Sixteen-Blog 3

“It’s time…” I woke my husband up in the early morning on Rosh Hashanah. They say mother nature makes pregnant women start cleaning around their house when the time is near, but in my case, I went to the nail salon to get a pedicure done; I wanted my feet look pretty when I go in labor.

My baby was not due until two weeks later, I had planned my mom come from Japan to help me a week after that day. But I was calm because I had packed my bag, the nursery room (with the window drape, crib bedding, feeding bopper-pillow in matching fabric etc.) that I made a long time ago, and I was all ready to bring my baby home! I had read Everything to know when expecting like my bible. Everything should have gone perfectly. However, we went to the hospital too soon. I was not fully dilated, and my baby didn’t come out until a little past 8p.m. I was hungry because they didn’t let me eat all day for anesthesia. When my mother-in law and her husband rushed to the hospital in the late morning, they had to wait long time, and she got ice cream for herself. I could smell the yummy strawberry flavor, I wanted to kill her! I had to walk around the hall way to get dilated, when I finally got the epidural, I thought it was going to be an easy job, but I was wrong. When it was the time to push, I didn’t know how to. I had escaped the cheesy maternity class with my husband, and didn’t really practice the pushing part! It was a Rosh Hashanah evening as I said, and the nurse somehow decided to bring my baby out before her shift was over. I didn’t know until it was over, but she had cut the epidural without asking me, but only my husband! Yet, I still couldn’t push well and my doctor had to use the “vacuum” to suck it my baby’s head out. It hurt like a hell and I screamed so loud! I can’t imagine how Japanese women go through labor without any anesthesia! When my baby finally came out to the world, the nurse brought her to me but I barely opened my eyes because of exhaustion. No tear of joy or Kodak moment. I was happy when my doctor gave me something to numb the pain before he stitched back.. you know, down there. I was thinking the funny story my Japanese friend had told me; It took a long time for her doctor to stitch her’s, she said ” What are you embroidering down there !?” LOL!

When it was all done, I finally got to eat my cheese burger and chocolate milkshake that I had requested my sweet husband to get for me. Everybody was gone, and there were only three of us, the new family. “She looks like me…” I said disappointedly. I knew she wouldn’t have a blond hair and blue eyes like her dad because black is more dominant color, but she’s got my button nose! I was expecting a beautiful half American baby. My husband laughed, but he seemed very happy. He poked her tiny hand with his index finger gently and she grabbed it strongly. Later he told me, that was “the moment” that he realized he became a daddy. He has been the sweetest, loving dad anyone could possibly ask for.

Our baby with her signature black long hair and beautiful hazel eyes turned 16 today and she is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever created  I am so grateful to be given such a healthy, sweet, funny, smart and beautiful child. Happy sweet sixteen to my masterpiece!

By the way, I got compliment for my pedicure from the nurse while I was trying to push..!