I wouldn’t really call it the 7-year itch because we were still a really content couple. At peace with each other. But somewhere the desire to go from two to three had kicked in. It was funny how suddenly we had started speaking fondly of the babies we saw around us. It was almost like a natural progression in our relationship. We started craving for a mini version of us, someone to care for, to love and to nurture . We had experienced the world together, traveled, and worked hard on our careers. While there was so much more of that to do, having a pair of tiny footsteps join us was what we wanted. All our discussions about what our baby would be like were most amusing considering our personalities were poles apart. The baby of our dreams, would “it” be a boy or a girl? Who would “it” look like? Would “it” win more arguments than me? Would “it” prefer a beach vacation or go trekking with me? Little did we realise that from the moment our eyes meet, making our baby smile would be the only important thing.

As I reflected on what life would be like after a baby, there was one thing I knew that had to be done. I wanted to be a career woman while also being a hands-on Mom. I knew starting anything new after the baby arrived could be doubly challenging. So I got the idea of starting my fashion house before planning a baby. I had a degree in fashion and my passion for creating beautiful clothes was nothing new. Even as a young girl I remember spending hours at the neighbourhood tailoring shops. I used to draw out specific designs on pieces of paper that I wanted to be brought to life. Now I felt like doing something bigger with that talent. So the next thing to do – a conversation with the man of the house. I could tell he was glad I wasn’t asking for permission this time but expressing my desire.

Next thing I know, we had a realtor at our door ready to show us some properties for what was to become “The Shilpa Reddy Studio.” I wonder sometimes if I would have had cold feet if things had not moved at the pace they did. But the excitement just took over and everything fell into place beautifully. My work became my platform to express my creativity. I started to enjoy the added challenges of handling a business on my own. Somewhere along this journey of building my business into a steady platform, I knew we were now ready for our new venture of love.

When you’re planning to get pregnant, you want to do everything the right way, by the book. I got some basic health checks done and continued to pay special attention to my diet and fitness regime . I also stocked up on pregnancy tests and procured fertility kits from the US as they were not available back home at that time. So , we were all set to plan for a little one.

Over-thinking every step in the process of wanting to conceive was not going to be fun. So we decided to take it slow and as it comes .We planned a few short trips and a vacation and enjoyed every minute in each other’s company .

We had just returned from the holiday. Something was unusual this time. Something in my body felt different. It’s very easy specially for a woman to immediately notice any changes that occur in her body .My mind started racing – could this be it? The feeling was so strong, yet it’s just one of those things that you want to wait out before telling. So that’s what I did. I woke up quite early the next day with a test in my hand. And a second one too, just in case. I couldn’t believe my eyes. There were two lines on the meter. I had to be sure. So I took another one. Yes, I was pregnant. We were having a baby!

I ran out to wake my husband. Heart pounding so hard, I thought I could almost hear the beats. My mind was simultaneously racing with thoughts about how life was going to change, would I have terrible nausea, stretch marks, would it be a boy or a girl. It’s amazing how many random thoughts the mind is capable of bubbling up in just 2 minutes. Smiling ear to ear, I showed my husband the tests. We couldn’t contain our excitement that morning. We had to wake everyone in the family early to share our special news. We were having a baby!