The Man I Married

Before we get distracted with our little man's appearance,

I want to remember how thankful I am for the man I married.

After all, it was Thanksgiving yesterday... a day to remember what we are thankful for.

It's been a long and hard road.

It hasn't been easy getting here.

But we have.

I say we, because I have no doubt I would not be as happy as I am with where I am now, if it wasn't for him being there as my partner in life.

I am thankful for having him as my co-pilot in this journey to parenthood.

The past 9 months have been tumultuous,

but we are almost at the end now.

With a new beginning in sight.

He has been as involved in this pregnancy as I could have ever hoped for, in every way.

He was with me at our initial doctor's visits, when we were trying to conceive.

He accompanied me to endless blood tests and ultrasound scans, when we were trying to figure out what was wrong.

He readily agreed to be tested, when we were trying to solve the puzzle.

He encouraged me and supported me, when I was down and struggling with coming to terms with the fact that my body was letting us down in our bid to start a family.

He indulged me in all my TTC (trying to conceive) neurotic behavior and obsessions, when I started reading books and charting my basal body temps every morning and taking pills and demanding sex every day (which on hindsight he probably didn't need much convincing about :p)

He shared in my joy and happiness, when we found out we were finally pregnant even though the superstitious side of him didn't really want a Tiger baby.

He watched me like a hawk, making sure that I wasn't doing too much and wasn't tiring myself out, when we were desperately holding on to hope that our joy would not be short-lived.

He gave in to my desperate pleas to announce the news to our nearest and dearest, even though we were only 5 weeks pregnant and he really didn't want to jinx it.

He accompanied me to all my ultrasounds and blood tests and doctor's appointments, except for the one when he was back in SG.

He took such great and tender care of me when I was suffering from the terrible morning sickness, even if it meant he would spend the afternoon prepping and cooking dinner, but had to start all over again when I came home and decided I don't wanna eat it, and wanted something else.

He would scrub the toilet bowl spotless, because he knew it was all he could do to make my bouts of throwing up that little bit more bearable.

He indulged me in my cravings, even when I was not eating the most nutritious food because of my crappy non-existent appetite, because he says "some food is better than no food".

He cuddled me and kissed me on my forehead, when I was sick as a dog because he knows that's all I need to feel better again.

He let me sleep all weekend long while he found his own entertainment, without complaining about being neglected, because he knew how exhausted I was from working, studying and growing a new baby.

He kept his spirits up no matter what, to keep mine up, even when he was worried sick about his mum's illness and surgery.

He came home, even when he wanted to be there for his mum, because he knew he had a responsibility to go back to work and provide for his family and be there for his wife.

He indulged me in buying maternity clothes online from the US, because he knew it would make me feel better and more confident about my new body.

He constantly reminds me about how beautiful he thinks I am, even though I was expanding in all directions exponentially.

He kisses my stretchmarks whenever I feel down about them, telling me that they will go away and even if they don't, it doesn't change the way he feels about me.

He accompanies me in the shower whenever he's home, to help me get in and out of the bathtub, because I was growing bigger and he didn't want me to fall.

He waits for me to finish showering with a handful of cocoa butter, rubbing it into the stretch mark-prone areas of my skin, even though he finds the feeling of lotion on his hands icky.

He changes my toilet rolls for me when he sees it empty, even though he doesn't use it and doesn't have anything to do with it, because he knows I'll need it the next time our baby kicks my bladder and I have to run to the loo.

He helps me with wearing my shoes, because I can no longer bend to touch my toes.

He scrubbed my feet and in between my toes in the bath when I shower, also because I can no longer bed to touch my toes.

He has gotten into the habit of helping me get up from the floor, off the couch or out of bed when I need to, by giving me his hand and pulling me up, or giving me a gentle push from behind, because he knows I can't do it on my own with our baby in the way.

He rubs my back without hesitation when I say my back is aching, even when he is tired and all he wants to do is watch tv or sleep.

He refuses to let me carry anything heavy, including groceries and my handbag, even though he has always said guys carrying girls' handbag just look gay. Not because I might harm the baby, but because it can hurt my back and cause injury to my uterus.

He lets me take up all the pillows in bed and letting me take up 3/4 of the bed space with my pillows, leaving him with not much space at all, because he knows I need it.

He voluntarily reads up on matters pertaining to my pregnancy and baby care online and via Youtube, even though he could most definitely have found far more entertaining stuff to occupy his time.

He reads my What to Expect When You Are Expecting and What to Expect The First Year books, just because I told him it would really help me if he knew what to expect.

It's the little things that count.

And I never want to forget that.

He never fails to tell me he loves me, lots and lots, and nothing will change that.

He talks about our son and glows with so much love in his eyes when he does, that my heart swells each time.

He reminds me constantly that if he ever had to choose between me and our baby if an emergency arises during childbirth, he would not hesitate to pick me even though he does already love his baby son so much.

He reassures me over and over again, tirelessly, when I tell him I'm worried our relationship will change and not for the better, after our baby arrives.

He loves me, equally as much as I love him.

And for that, I'll be eternally thankful.

With our 2nd official wedding anniversary coming up,

I just want to say that I love this man I married,

with all my heart and soul.

With every fibre of my very being.

There isn't a day that passes that I don't say a silent thanks for having him in my life.

I sometimes can't believe that we have now been married for more than 3 years,

that we have since known each other for more than 6 years,

that we are expecting our own little miracle any day now,

that we can look forward to spending the rest of our lives together,

conquering and savoring every little challenge and moment life brings us.

Together, as co-pilots in life.

For now, 

I can't wait to see the look on his face and the light in his eyes,

at the moment when he lays eyes on his baby son for the very first time.

I can't wait to make him the proud and loving daddy that I know he'll be.

Oh what beautiful times await us ahead...