Yellow pansies and orange marigolds

I am back at home. A. was born at 8:04pm on 15th May and I was discharged today. DH was with me throughout. I will write a longer post on how it all happened later on. I need to write it for myself, the same way I needed to write Moksha's story.

In the meantime, thank you so much for all of your comments and emails. I have found it immensely supportive and comforting to know that you were thinking of me and that I am not alone.

Special thanks also to Kate who planted yellow pansies for V. and orange marigolds for A. I had yellow pansies flowering on my balcony for almost all of my pregnancy with V. I planted them again for him this year. The French for pansies is "pensées" which means "thoughts". When I first planted them in November or December 2005, it was because they were on sale at a local garden centre. I ended up having loads and filled pots and pots with them. They flowered until the end of June. When my mum and dad visited in mid-June for a long weekend to help us get everything ready for V., my mum tidied them all up (I was finding the bending down and/or squatting a bit troublesome at 36 weeks - another reason to be doubly impressed with Kate planting these now as she is 32 weeks pregnant with twins). They weren't specially selected to be V.'s special flower, but that's how it turned out.

When we found out A. had an increased nuchal fold, we chose a flower for him. We chose orange marigolds, called "rose d'Inde" or "rose of India" in French. Orange marigolds are also used a lot in India in all types of ceremonies and occasions, often in garlands. So I have some orange marigolds flowering on my balcony for A. It means such a lot to me that Kate planted these and the yellow pansies in her garden, in such a privileged and honoured spot around the base of Nicolas' tree. Thank you friend.

If anyone else feels like planting orange marigolds for A. in their garden, I would be truly honoured. Please send me a picture if you do.