Happy Birthday...

13 years ago, on a cold winter morning, when Newcastle upon Tyne had its first snow of the year, the sweetest, and pinkest baby was born at the Royal Victoria Infirmary. She had the blackest of hair, and lips as red as rubies.

I remember the night before, my sister Lala and I had planned to go for a meal of Fish and chips the next day. But, of course it didn't materialize as I had to start my pantang the next day when that sweet little bundle of joy decided to arrive early by 12 days :)

I remember having the first contractions at 4:00a.m in the morning, and waking Ayah up to tell him that it was time. Ayah being Ayah, he was pretty calm about everything :)

I remember how Ayah had to scrape the ice off the windshield for nearly 20 minutes before we could start the journey to the hospital.

I remember the drive to the hospital going through the icy road at 4:30a.m in the morning. The drive which normally would have taken 20 minutes took us nearly an hour.

I remember the pain so vividly, and how her heartbeat would drop everytime I had my contractions, and I remember how worried and anxious Ayah and I were to see the doctors rushing in and out of the labour room.

And I remember the last push when she finally wailed out to the whole wide world...

I remember Ayah performing the qamat, and the look on his face was priceless as he held his first child in that delivery room.

I remember holding her for the first time, counting her little fingers and toes, and smelling her baby smell, and I shed tears of joy.

I remember having to undergo the pantang under my sister's supervision, which ended up not much as a pantang :)

I remember Ayah and I were tiptoeing all the time, fearing that we would wake the baby up.

I remember going up and down the stairs on the cold winter nights trying to untrap the wind in her tummy.

I remember everything oh so clearly...

Yes, I remember 13 years ago today, we had our first-born - Hanna Suhaila :)

If I had to go through the whole experience again, I would not change a thing, and I would willingly go through all the pains again, and have her again...and again...

To my Darling Hanna,

Happy 13th Birthday. Semoga dipanjangkan umur, dan menjadi anak yang solehah, dan berbudi pekerti tinggi. Semoga dilimpahi berkat dan rahmat. And Mommy and Ayah pray that you'll be the most wonderful daughter and showered with love and success throughout your life. Amin.

Ayah and Mommy love you very, very much.

Remember that.