Erica Reeda

Alhamdullillah, 2 weeks ago on Saturday 24th March 2007 at 8.38am, we welcomed the arrival of our second baby - Ms Erica Reeda Ezalman Reezal. She was delivered by Caesarian section by Dr Ummul Wahiy at Apollo TTDI Hospital (haha not a lot of people know of this small establishment...).

Of course we planned to have a normal delivery. but it wasn't meant to be (again). At least it made it easier for me to plan my travel plan to go home. We walked into the hospital at 7.30am and had Erica just over an hour later! I think it was better this time around as we knew what to expect. I was allowed back in the Operating theater; alas, without my handycam - I guess I'll just show the kids Ehsan's 'introduction' video when they're big enough and explain that the process was the same (down to the 'popping' sound when their heads, well, popped out!)



Here's mama with the little princess. She had slight jaundice, but nothing to worry about according to Dr Sharifah, her Paed.



Now it's Baba's turn! In some ways Erica has benefited from her being the 2nd child; we're more comfortable handling her, changing and bathing her. But there are some minus points too; we're always comparing her with Ehsan...but I think things will improve when she gets older - we have a pair now and I'm really looking forward to seeing them interacting with each other, and the fun of raising both a boy and girl, InsyaAllah...



Here we have Dr Ummul doing a checkup on Ckn's stitches. Dr Ummul asked for our permission to have her niece (Aisya) and her friend (Max, English guy), both pre-med students, to attend the C-Section. We consented since they'll just be observing the procedure. The funny thing is that towards the end, Max fainted - right there and then in the OT! He'd already witnessed a vaginal birth (euww - that is the technical term!) but I think the sight of Ckn being cut open and a head popping out from the wound was just too much. Guess all doctors have to go thru this 'rite of passage'! We met Max a few days ago during the checkup - I'm happy to report _he_ is doing OK - I don't think you can faint from manning the patient registrations at Dr Ummul's clinic! haha

So far Ckn's healing quite well, and we even imported a tukang urut from Kelantan specially to urut and tunku and take care of Erica. I got all my family members (and mummy) helping out to take care of all three of them; thankfully, since as I'm writing this I'm on transit in Dubai back to Sudan. I don't think I can ever repay my baba, mama, fyan and karee...



...now we come to one my favourite pictures - Ehsan and Erica together. I feel so proud coz ever since Ehsan first laid his eyes on his sister, he's always wanted to kiss her, encourage her, touch her hands, and cuddle her (supervised of course!). I think that's a good sign, don't you? I pray that they will grow up loving each other. He's the Abalone now (just like me!) and one day he'll do all the Abalone stuff; and I hope I'll be there to give him advise.



p/s Erica looks like Ehsan when he was first born, with 2 differences; she has a more 'sepet' eyes, and a wider/bigger nose...but look at the pic above; they have the same hairstyles!