Growing Pains

Well, it's done. The YO's admission process into a Montessori is now officially over. I can now relax and cry in the dark.

It just seems like yesterday that I was screaming at my anasthetist (who also happened to be my gynaec's wife) for having the gall to tell me so cheerfully that I had just had another boy! I was supposed to be having a daughter this time round, I already had the EO! God, how stupid I was...I still cringe at the memory! Because babies are so much smarter than you! It took me less than two days to fall endlessly, madly and devotedly in love with my new little, pug-nosed teddy bear!

It seems just like yesterday that I drove home with him settled in my arms, sleeping contentedly, unaware that a big brother was waiting excitedly for him at home and that the next day was Diwali. So while centuries ago, a city was celebrating the return of an exiled son, a prince, back home, we were welcoming our son, our little one, into our home, our life.

It seems just like yesterday that he started crawling and was full of glee beacuse of it, after all, it meant that he could follow his big brother and cousin-brother all over the house...as fast as his hands and knees would allow him!

It seems just like yesterday when he had started losing all his hair, revealing bald patches all over his head making for a very worried, borderline-hysterical Mamma! And now, I can't get enough of running my fingers through his over-long curls, which I know, will soon have to go. So until the scissors arrive, just one more time, a few more curls!

It seems just like yesterday when he discovered his land legs and soon became an ace sprinter...and then climber...and then jumper...and eventually heart-attack inducer, grey-hair giver! Olympics 2024, anyone?

It seems just like yesterday when he learnt to say 'dada' and he would say it over and over again and again, following the object of his adoration all over the place! 'Baba' and 'Mama' soon followed suit and we couldn't get enough of it then, we can't get enough of it now! More words followed and it soon became clear what his favourite word was 'bikki!' (biscuit) and that hasn't changed...it's still his favourite word!

It seems just like yesterday when he had his first bite of milky, melty chocolate and just scrunched up his little face in initial disgust thinking “wtf?!?” as he normally did and still does whenever he tastes anything new. Then the eyes flew open with a different kind of “WTF?!?” look, the eyebrows disappeared into his hairline, the lip-smacking started. Yes! Another chocoholic had been born… created…fashioned…what have you.

It seems just like yesterday that he took his first plane ride. To Chennai. We stayed with the MIM’s cousin and his family and my two boys had a blast with their cousins! However,it was the airport and plane journey that fascinated him and much of it was due to the excitement and enthu that had rubbed off from the EO.

It seems just like yesterday that he was trying to do "Inthi Binthy", his fingers going in all kinds of different directions and then when not succeeding, coming to me all teary-eyed and entreating me tell him that little spider's story, complete with actions! My reward was always the same, a very toothy grin and a joyous chuckle, complete with claps and a loud "Bowwwwwww!" (meaning, "Wowwwwwww!")

It seems just like yesterday that he discovered the joys of music and started to boogie his little butt, ‘snapping’ his tiny little fingers and shaking his head wildly so that his mass of curls did a dance of their own!

It seems just like yesterday that I gave him a school bag to play with. It belonged to the EO, but he had outgrown it, so, like many other things before that bag and like many other things to come after, that bag was passed onto the YO. Needless to say, he was thrilled! He filled it with all his favourite toys and walked around the house, thinking he was like his big brother, thinking he was a big boy! The next morning, as I got ready to take the EO to school, the YO shrieked, ran to his room, grabbed the bag and a pair of 'going-out' shoes and stood before me, ready to go to school. The picture he made, standing there in his mismatched tee and shorts, oversized chappals, uncombed unruly hair and bag clutched fervently with both hands to his chest knocked me out of the ballpark and into space. It is one of my favourite 'memory snaps' and it seems that my heart clicked it only yesterday!

Sigh! It seems just like yesterday that my YO, my cuddly bear, my pug bug, my darling little one, was too young for school.

And now, in a couple of tomorrows, he'll turn two, spread his wings and soar!