Happy 6th Birthday Anastacia!

I always catch myself saying that I wish I had delayed giving birth to her for a couple more days so that we are sharing the same birthday. A prelude to the flashback of the day Anastacia, my little angel, the mini-me was born.

You will have a baby girl.

Everyone told me when I was pregnant. There is a myth that when a pregnant woman in blooming, prettier than the usual, she is bearing a girl, but if the woman is not so pretty and her neck is all-dark, she is bearing a boy. I think they are right, (well of course they are Anastacia is a girl huh!) I mean about the pretty thing. I was so overly conscious about my looks, even during labor on the way to the hospital, I still made sure that I will look pretty and poised, picture perfect!

The hospital is not so far from my apartment, it is just maybe less than 50 steps from my doorstep. A week before Anastacia actual birthday I had a labor rehearsal at the hospital. Hahaha! Yeah a rehearsal, it was a fake birthday. I thought I was on the way, I was having major contractions I can’t bear. My doctor was laughing at me, “You are just 3cms you can still go home, it’s not time yet!” she said smiling.

When it’s the actual labor, oh boy! Tasha gave me a hard time, 11 hours in the labor room, with all other moms-to-be in agony. I can still remember how they cry-out-loud, complain of the excruciating pain of labors shouting and crying I can’t take it anymore! They all look ugly; I silently commented as I silently lay on my side on my labor bed. I closed my eyes and just think of happy thoughts to counter the throbbing contractions I am having.

I was admitted 5cms already and my doctor was amazed that I have gone almost 11 hours before my water broke. I was already screaming to my doctor to give me an induced labor because I am hurting from the long labor. But she said no. At least she was stern in enforcing my wish no needles or anything I want a normal delivery.

“I am going to poop!” I screamed in Tagalog in the delivery room I was in alone. My doctor instructed me to alarm them immediately when I feel like taking the dump. As soon as one doctor assistant heard my bawl, two doctors got in including my doctor, and four other nurses.

“Ok give me a long push and breathe through your nose not your mouth,” my doctor instructed me. After three long push, Anastacia was born.

“What is my baby?” I asked my doctor. “She is a beautiful girl,” as she showed them to me while they clean her up. I didn’t hear my daughter cry though, I was too exhausted that as soon as I saw them cleaning her up and was told of her gender I dozed off immediately and long.

“What is the time of birth,” someone asked I overheard while my eyes shut on the way to a deep sleep. “Twelve o five a.m.” said one. “No, it’s 11:55pm,” the other one said. “What shall we follow?” one asked. “It’s always the hospital time we should follow,” someone insisted. “Ok, hospital time is 11:55pm.”

When I woke up, Anastacia was not yet beside me. But she was brought to me as soon as the nurses knew I am awake. There with me was my sister and mother. A few hours later my brother came. Then my super closest friends went to visit Christine and her hubby Francis, Star and Nick. My other friends wasn’t able to visit as the hospital limits visitors. They gave a baby shower though at my apartment. Everyone was there and pleased to welcome the coming of the new baby, everyone except her biological father. But that is another story, I would like to share (NOT!)

Today is Anastacia’s 6th birthday, the feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo Church. Tasha and I went to a fun fare to celebrate and she had her cake, hotdog, sundae, spaghetti and chickenjoy, the all-time kids favorite menu for birthdays. She got a pair of new shoes, a thousand bucks and we went to light up some candles at the church. She enjoyed blowing the candle on her cake, happily ate her spaghetti and chicken, and an icing on her nose