The first few weeks are a little tough...

Newborns are ridiculously cute and lovable, but nothing could have prepared me for the first 2 weeks of taking care of my little one.  Everything worried me or stressed me out and learning how to nurse was so stressful since I knew her nourishment depended on me.  This little monkey is a great baby, but she just hates to sleep! Even if she is exhausted, she will fight to stay awake.  Here are a few shots of her first month at home.

I spent many many nights sleeping on the couch like this.  She just wouldn't sleep unless you were holding her close to you.  She loves to snuggle!

Manu and Viju mama visting...

Rani ammooma and Aniyan appooppan from Ottawa, Canada

This is at her first pediatrician's visit. She did so well!

Summit's first father's day! He's already an amazing dad.

Oh Baby!

Bringing Saanvi home was both exciting and scary. I had no idea what was going on or how I was supposed to take care of an infant.  I didn't even have breast feeding down so when I got home I was so scared she was starving I squirted some formula into her mouth to make sure she wasn't hungry!  Luckily I didn't have to do that again.  Saanvi is growing day by day and I'm so heartbroken that she doesn't fit into her cute little newborn clothes anymore.  She still is up a lot at night, but overall she's a fantastic
baby.

PUSH, PUSH!!!!! Saanvi's Arrival!

Saanvi Summit Shah, born June 3rd, 2011, weighing 6lbs. 15 oz, 19 in. long.
I couldn't believe this little human was living inside of me for 9 months! Amazing...

Saanvi and her pappa having some kangaroo time together

The siblings meeting peanut for the first time

Foi and her baby neice

The strict velyachan? yeah right...:)

My absolutely amazing, wonderful, supportive doula, Suzan Singh.  This lovely lady helped coach me through labor at home.  I was able to stay at home for most of my laboring purely because of her.  We will definitely ask her to be a part of any other deliveries Summit and I go through.  Even after I had the baby, she stayed by my side while everyone else ran to see the newborn.  A true angel.

Saanvi and her Ammoomma meeting for the first time

After our first night together in the hospital. Dad still looks happy after not much sleep!

My amazing sister who also helped me get through my labor.  She truly is another mother to me. 

Priya Velyamma! One of our closest friends

Meeting some of her cousins for the first time, Maya and Natasha

Saanu and her Dadi

Ekta maasi!

Uh Summit, I think this plus sign means I'm pregnant...

September 26th, 2010: Hmm...I'm late, let's take a pregnancy test.

The day we found out! Summit looks a
bit scared don't you think?

And so it began. Nine months of excitement, anxiety and preparing for parenthood.  Although I had bad morning sickness, heartburn and back aches, I still really loved being pregnant.  Unfortunately I spent a lot of time away from Summit since he was setting up his new Allergy and Asthma practice while I stayed back in Chicago and worked.   (Shout out to my bestie Sheethal for giving me a place to stay during my first and second trimester!!)  I wish I would have blogged during my pregnancy so I could remember it better in the years to come, but what can you do?  We decided to have a doula coach us through the preganancy since I wanted to labor at home as long as possible.  I finally got to the hospital when I was 8 cm (the car ride was torturous) and I got my epidural shortly after.  Saanvi was a bit stubborn to come out so I was scheduled for an induction on June 4th but my little monkey knew how badly I wanted to have a natural birth so she decided to come the night before!  After I got my epidural, my water broke and I was soon ready to push. Pushing was just as hard as the painful contractions, I barely had any energy.  Once she came out, I couldn't believe this little human had been living inside me for 9 months.  If you don't believe in God, you will once you have a child.  It's absolutely an amazing experience.  Summit and I were taped on a reality show called One Born every Minute that will air on Lifetime later this fall. I hope I'm not screaming and crying too much! I guess we'll see!

Just finished first trimester

40 weeks!

Thirteen years too late?

I never considered myself a person who would spend the time to document my life on a blog, but here I am.  I'm not really sure if I caved because "all my friends are doing it" or with the stress of having a place to record all the amazing happenings in my life so I don't forget them.  Either way, I'm happy I chose to do this.  I wanted to start my blog off with the birth of our beautiful daughter Saanvi, but then I thought that would be jumping into the middle of my life without a proper introduction. I feel like I'm thirteen years too late to be starting a blog. Nonetheless,  My "Shah Family" life really began 13 years ago, in June of 1998 when I first started dating my husband Summit.  Within those 13 years what's really happened? Well...we started dating, we broke up, made up, graduated high school, started college at Ohio State, fought, broke up, made up, graduated from Ohio State, went to medical school, fought, broke up, made up, went to pharmacy school, did residency together in Boston, travelled, got engaged, moved to California, got married, moved to Chicago, got pregnant, moved back to Columbus, opened up a medical practice and had a baby.  I have clearly left out many things but to keep it short and not too boring, that pretty much sums it up.  After 11 years of dating, Summit and I got married on September 19th, 2009.  Since we have been together since I was basically a kid, we have an amazing bond and relationship that is indescribable.  We fight and love each other with a passion you will only find after 13 years of being together.  After a year of marriage, what better way to celebrate then start our own family. So here we are, almost 2 years after our wedding, starting our own little family.  So there is my intro and here is the rest of our lives....

A clip of our wedding day