Ten Years On - Happy Birthday Zola!
On December 20, 1999, India and I got up just before 5am. We drove to the base of Lion’s Head Mountain, in Cape Town, and hiked up for about 30 minutes. The weather was surprisingly cool and cloudy for early summer in Cape Town. We didn’t make it quite to the top, but it was an impressive effort for a 41-week pregnant woman. We took a picture of India’s exposed belly, with the Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop, and headed back down to the car.
By 7am, we were at the hospital, inducing labor. Our Ob/Gyn, Sheana, was a strapping, utterly confident, six foot two Scottish woman. She told India’s and my mother, “Don’t worry about a thing, ladies. Before nightfall, there will be a baby.”
India was in labor for about 10 hours. At mid-day we went for a walk in the sunshine. A security guard started walking with us. I asked him, in Afrikaans, whether he was afraid that we were going to steal something. He said, “No. I’m afraid the lady will step on a snake and hurt the baby.”
Despite the labor and the hot tub and lots of encouragement, it became clear that the baby was not coming on his own. At 7pm, Sheana said, “We’re doing a C-section. I’ve gotten my team together.” She told me to change and wash my hands.
If I had spent a few minutes more in the washroom, I would have missed the birth. Zola was pulled out by his armpits at 7:19 pm. It was one of the happiest moments of my life.
Ten years has passed. Zola is so much a part of our daily lives and consciousness, it is difficult to remember what life was like before him. He is a sweet, intelligent, funny, and curious little boy. We have shared great adventures and many happy times. We feel anormously blessed to have him in our lives.
Ten years!