By DIANE TAN

WHEN Mr Tony Leong and his wife Nancy found out she was finally pregnant after six years of marriage, they were ecstatic. After all, it had been a long, hard wait.

But one fear clouded their happiness, at least initially -- she was already 40, as was he.

"There was an element of worry, of course, and friends were surprised that we were finally with child, but we prayed and we let nature take its course," says Mrs Leong at their five-room flat in Queen's Close.

Their cosy, air-conditioned TV room is clearly devoted to the comfort of their son, Douglas, now two. There is a Winnie The Pooh sofa bed where he can sit while he watches TV; and his favourite toy airplanes and balloons are strewn about the floor.

"I really was too overjoyed to worry too much about being a late-age parent. The pregnancy was a blessing from God and he's our gift of life and love," she adds.

Mrs Leong, 42, an accounting manager, is basking in the glow of her second pregnancy. Her second boy is due in April.

Mr Leong, also 42, a senior investment manager, admits to being a bit concerned about the risk of the first pregnancy to his wife and child. "But we have a good gynaecologist and both for Douglas and our second one, he gave us the confidence that everything was going to turn out fine," he says.

Mrs Leong had to lie in bed for a month at the beginning of her first pregnancy due to a hormonal imbalance, a common problem for some pregnant women.

She was given hormonal injections daily by her husband. "But I was looking forward to the whole thing so much that I really didn't mind it at all," she says.

Mr Leong quips: "Neither did I. There were times when I actually enjoyed sticking those needles into my wife!"

SHE SAYS

"FOR Douglas, we were advised to do an amniocentesis (test to determine if the foetus registers any disorders).

"Luckily, the test showed no defects and there were no complications during delivery. I expected the labour to be longer but Douglas was born within four hours. When I saw him, I was so happy.

"Douglas is very well taken care of. My mother-in-law and the maid look after him during the day and we take over at night. Giving him the attention is important. After all, time is precious and we did have him rather late.

"We don't feel tired playing with him. In fact, we tend to forget our age because he brings out the child in us.

"We know we are not young and we have to take care of our health for his sake. That's why we eat properly and watch our diet.

"Being late-age parents, we want to be as involved in his growing up as we can manage. Tony is into sailing, photography and making model airplanes. He has so many hobbies to share with Douglas that I don't think we'll ever run out of things to do.

"Now, in line with his Dad's hobby, Douglas plays with small gilders for children as a start. He will join the other kids in Changi Sailing Club to take up yachting when he turns five.

"I think one reason we conceived our second boy more easily was maybe because I had given birth. This second baby, which was also conceived naturally, has Douglas to thank for. Tony would not have considered a second one if Douglas wasn't a good boy. And he is!"

HE SAYS

"I WAS naturally excited and took lots of pictures in the ward when she was in labour with Douglas. Then I had a shock when I noticed this torpedo head sticking out.

"I remember asking the doctor why I was having a cone-head for a baby. I didn't think the doctor was very pleased.

"Douglas suffered during the first month because of his inadequate parents.

"When we gave him the bottle, he would suck very hard and finish only one ounce of milk after a very long time. After that, the poor boy would just fall asleep, exhausted. Then a friend visited after the confinement and told us the truth -- we did not punch a bigger hole on the teats!

"When he was three months old, he cried for attention often, and once, I chose to ignore it totally.

"Nancy got so upset that she went to the other room and bawled her eyes out. Two wailers at the same time is all I can take and I am never that severe with him anymore.

"I don't worry about late-age parenthood. We have established careers and we have built up a sound financial base, so their material needs may be taken care of.

"Emotionally, we are young at heart and, in 20 years' time, my sons and I can still take the boat and sail out into the South China Sea.

"Douglas is really the one teaching us many things and he makes us feel young and stupid all over again."