Thursday, June 30, 2011

Three months!



Dear Bambi,

Three months before, this time, I was sleeping in front of the operation theatre. The doctor was late and we had had no sleep the previous night. What with being taken for various tests at 3am and what not. The catheter was irritating (to put it very mildly) and I just wanted to get everything over. I was scared and anxious unlike the first time. Maybe because I knew better now. The BH and my mother were waiting outside each in their own world of thoughts. Both reliving Mowgli's birth.

After what seemed like eternity they wheeled me into the operation theatre, and then it was a flurry of activities. Pressure taken, random people describing my case history, questions asked of me on why I had opted for a C section, curled into a ball readying myself for the spinal anaesthesia. My doctor came in rushing and we were ready to cut! Everything happened very fast, I was fully conscious talking to the junior doctor when you were pulled out "Its a Boy! Its a Boy." I was slightly disappointed, but happy thinking of the cute nickname that we had selected for the boy. "Oops, Its a Girl Its a Girl, that was the umbilical cord!" Everybody in the theatre started laughing and that is how you came into our lives. To the sound of laughter…

The first sight I had of you was wide open legs. I finally had to tell the doctor, "Yes, I got it. Its a girl. Now can you please show me her face!" I kissed you and there were tears in my eyes. Now, I dont know how that came about. With your brother, there were no tears, I was just relieved that after 6 long and horrible hours, he had finally decided to make an appearance! Seeing you for the first time was a sweet feeling. That the girl we had so longed for had finally come.

They cleaned you up, wrapped you in a blue flannel and went to show the BH and mamama. and Your dada kept on asking the doctor, "Boy or Girl?". The wily fellow just said "Why dont you see for yourselves?" and slowly took his sweet time unwrapping you. Your mamama says that your dada was ready to grab you from the doctor by this time. And once he knew, it was a girl, the baby girl that he dreamt about he was quiet, so happy that there were no words. He has always maintained that Mowgli and I gang up on him and he needed a girl to be on his side always. Well, now that you are here lets all gang up on your dada :-)

Three months went by really fast as always. You are one of the happiest babies I've ever seen (*Touchwood*). Content to lie down quietly, and once you started smiling, always smiling. You talk to yourself in different tones and if we dont pay attention, the tone starts becoming shriller and shriller. Mowgli loves you and kisses you the first thing in the morning. You are very patient allowing him to smother you with his kisses, not reacting much when he slyly pinches you. Most evenings, you lie down on your playmat surrounded by cars and a hyper brother and a hyper dog! You have started travelling at 2 months, and completely at ease. You have been to drop your chachan at school, pick him up from the bus stop, have bought vegetables, walked in the play area downstairs, been to the swimming pool and even gone to the airport in a volvo!!! Others see you and exclaim "Such a small baby, why have you brought her out of the house?"But you are one tough chick! You fix them with a stare and then with a sweet smile. Tagging behind your brother from now itself. I shudder to think of the days when you will start crawling behind him.We are more relaxed with you, after all we are veterans by now :-) Enjoying playing with you, talking to you. By the way, thats what you like the best- people talking to you. You also talk back making sounds in different tones. Its fun! Your nickname is still in dispute. Your dada is still sticking to his "old fashioned name" and I to the "modern cute name". I have the family behind me and your dada has the friends. Mowgli, depending on which of us he needs more, changes the nickname to gain preference. At times he will tell us to call you "Gudiya baby", "rehaan baby" etc. As the lady of this house, I have hope and faith that mine will be the last word, and my name will stick. Well, time will tell!
So, as always keep smiling and God Bless.
P.S. Do try to lift your lazy butt and roll over. Your hyperactive brother rolled over at this time!

Love,
Mama

Thursday, June 16, 2011

School, Two kids


On the first day, Mowgli comes back with a tear streaked face. Reason being " Mowglinte classile ella boysum gerlsum cry cheyuva" ! Thus starts peer pressure
Genes. They are a strange thing. Funny how they pop up unexpectedly. Just like his father, anybody and everybody within a 500m radius are Mowgli's FRIENDS. He doesnot know their names, they might not be in his class, they most probably will be ignoring him big time, but for him everybody is a friend. Randomly goes and hugs other kids, pulls a girl's pigtails as we walk towards the car, waves bye to another chap. He plays with the kids in the apartment for a couple of hours and then invites them home to play some more! The BH has sobered down a little now, otherwise he used to be as bad as this. Our house used to be the unofficial guest house for anybody who came to Blore! Am preparing myself for the deluge of 'friends' that will grace our house in the years to come!!!
He totally adores Bambi (the little princess has been christened Bambi). So the day starts with him crushing her with one of his bear hugs and kisses. Along with the love, there are moments of jealousy when I'm given strict instructions to not give duddu to baby.. let her cry. And he has discovered that this is somebody whom he can order about. A small pinch for " baby enthina bedill susu cheythe? Go to the bathroom". " baby enthina kai vayilidane?" "baby enthina karayane... chachan edukano?" Slyly trying to lift Bambi when nobody is looking, pulling off her socks when he is irritated with her, surrounding her with cars and trucks of all shapes and sizes, talking to her about his trucks and monkeys and elephants.

She on the other hand is relatively calmer than Mowgli. Totally content with life. And has resigned herself to life with Mowgli and Cocoa :-)

And us? We are enjoying this mishmash!

When I was pregnant with Bambi, a senior colleague told me "A second child will make your family complete. It might sound cliched, but its the truth." I had jokingly responded that with just one kid and a dog our family was as 'complete' as could be. But now I understand what he meant. Totally.