Ankita puraan

I started keeping a diary (the old-fashioned kind) during my initiation period as a mother. This is one of the first write-ups…

7th April 2008

ANKITA – Empress, one with auspicious marks.
Our daughter… our hearts, as they say are forever destined to walk out of our bodies.

We brought her home on the 10th of March 2008 from Missionaries of Charity, Delhi. Today, she is already the apple of everyone’s eyes; the grandparents, the aunts, the assorted neighbours. Ankita or ‘ita’ as we call her, is an absolute joy, except when she is sleepy and doesn’t know how to go to sleep; then she is a cranky, pain in the backside.

As I write this, she lies here next to me in an outrageously big fluorescent green shirt, dreaming. I always wondered why parents dress their kids in such awful clothes … now I know.
It could either be because the child is being so squirmy/crabby/ touchy that the parent picks the first set that is within reach OR the child, very considerately throws up/does su-su/potty at the exact moment the parent has finished dressing it up and hence are forced to do a: A ill-fated fashion disaster or b: Resort to point 1 which is to grab the first thing available to sight. There is one other reason, probably the biggest one. Gifts.

The minute people hear about so and so having had a baby, there is an influx of clothes in said person’s place. Now there are a few sensible souls who send the parents thoughtful gifts, like vitamin tablets but the others … baby sets, booties, jackets, socks and so on … in colours they think are cute (or stereotyped by the cruel marketing focused fashion police) – pink for girls, blue for boys.

Do you have any clue how a pile of pink looks to someone who last slept Lord knows when, has a howling infant waiting for her bottle and the flask has played deserter again? YES … like a strip of digene.

So the parent does what anyone with frayed nerves would do. Forage for anything that is not in pink (or blue) – clips, shoes, bibs, nappies – and put them over the antacid representing apparel.

From now on, when you see babies dressed like they are from Saturn … do not blame the parents. Give them a smile, maybe even a pat on their back. Beget some good karma. When you have a kid of your own; you will need all of it.

I thought we were smart. The day before Ankita was to come home, we went and got her a bunch of clothes in blue. So, now when we take her out, she is either dressed like Britney Spears with dark hair or gets mistaken for a boy.

No matter what.

upset or sad
yell or shout
hungry or in pain
for a hug, for a cuddle
mums are the best.

i didn't quite get it.
until now.

no matter how much i yell and keep her from doing fun things (eating the chappals, toppling dustbins, putting fingers inside sockets) ... she holds up her little hands and wants her mother to comfort her ...

i am going to miss it when she grows up.
wonder if my mum does too.

this and that

The only thing I seem to talk about these days is about the daughter.
I really ought to write about my life.
Now, wait a single minute ... what life am I talking about?
Mera jeevan ek susu potty nappy dudu routine ban ke reh gaya ...

Arrrgghh ...
Ok. Am so not letting the boredom demon seep in.
But it is difficult.
To suddenly be house bound. Not meet friends. Not have brain storming sessions. No deadlines. No lunch time gossips...

Am I a bad mother then? Because I cannot seem to find complete joy in just looking after my child?
I love the kid. I would hate to miss a second of her life. But somehow, the heart seems to crave for more. Not like I have the energy for more though.

Oh well, the silver lining is the number of books I have been able to read. Buddha the graphic novel, the entire artemis fowl series plus everything else that eoin colfer has written, the avalon series, a couple of daniel steels and ...uhm, a few mills and boons...

Oh and, the daughter has managed to crawl ... in reverse gear. Doesnt seem to get why the toy she was crawling towards suddenly seems so far.
Total nutcase.

Cheers~

Joys of Motherhood ...

and nope, am not talking about the book by Buchi Emacheta.

Our daughter Ankita is currently the source of Joy. Well ok, most times. Except when she wakes up at 2.30 A.M and for no reason. I mean, if a kid wants food or needs to be changed ... I get that. But if a kid gets up just for kicks ... I SO DO NOT GET IT.

Anybody who knows me understands that sleep is next to Godliness in my book. Does this 1 foot nothing tyke get that? No sir, not her. No respect for elders. Whats this generation coming to... tch tch tch.

Ok bye. The Empress is upset that I would rather stare at the computer than look at her making bubbles. Nonsense.