Mommy says I'm growing bigger.

I'm settling down into a routine now. I wake up usually around 6ish....I know, I'm an early bird...and I get my worm...oops sorry mommie milk! Then on, its usually sleep feed sleep feed and in between getting my backside cleaned for me by mummy or daddy.

Until yesterday, when I was being naughty and troubling mummy. She complained to daddy about me and daddy picked me up to calm me down.He briefly mentioned to mommy that I was gaining weight. That was it.
It was all Mommy needed to express what she thought she was imagining. She could feel the strain now on her arms of picking me up and carrying me around.

Hehehehe I didn't tell anyone. I knew all along that I was growing fast.

I let out another surprise at them the same evening. I laughed. Not the gas inflicted smile that I would be forced to give while passing wind. This was a naughty, mischievous laugh baring all my would be teeth!

They looked like such goofs after that staring at me waiting for me to do it again. I guess I'll keep them waiting for a while more.

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When will they ever learn.

I'm two weeks old now and so are my parents. I've grownup quickly quickly. They're still growing slowly!
I've learnt so many new things, you know...I learnt how to blink, how to bat my eyelashes, how to make silly faces so that people would pick me up.

I learnt that I have to burp quickly after my meal or else Mummy or Daddy whack my back till I am so tired that I fall asleep.

I also learnt to make noises to express myself when I need a change or I need to be fed. Still, they haven't figured out which noise is for which. There are so many times when I am hungry and they are groping around my backside waiting for poop. Then, there are times when I'm sitting in a pool of my poop but all mommy wants to do is feed me! I tell you, these adults are slow learners.

The other thing I've learnt is to not mess with my Maalish Aunty. She comes every morning, plops me over her legs and massages my skin with some slimy, slippery fluid. I've heard Daddy calling it Oil or something. It smells. If I protest though, aunty pushes my muscles harder. She also believes that I am old enough to exercise and stretches my arms and legs to the limit.

After this, is the time I like best. Bath time. She puts me on her feet, soaps me, washes me, flips me over on her feet, does the same thing with my back and then dries me off. Then, its Powder time. I smell great after that! Then its sleepy time! But they all insist on playing with me once I'm done!!! When will they ever learn!

Weeks before becoming Dad

I am intruding on my son's space but this blog is the first amongst many things I intend to share with him.
There are countless books on parenting telling Mom's what they should do. Very few focusing on what the dad should do, or even feel.

Numerous books on what to expect, what Mom will be feeling, how to cope with those feelings, how its normal to be emotional etc etc.

Dad's are expected to wing it. Go to work, be the breadwinners, be practical, sensible anything but emotional. Well, we feel it too. Unfortunately, all those books on motherhood and babyhood are written by women. I suspect its because Dad's don't get the time to write or just can't get down to doing it (peer pressure??). Don't close this window just yet...I'm not about to write a book.

This is what I felt in the weeks leading up to the delivery.

When he kicked for the first time - Mom was elated. I felt joy. Immense joy. Not because he kicked. Because she was elated. At that time, he was still a foetus to me. Something I had studied in medical school. The kicking was something we took for granted because we saw pregnant women all the time. But my wife was glowing....and I felt Joy. Immense Joy.

When she started getting Braxton Hicks Contractions - Mom was elated and confused. She had tons of questions. It started to sink in. This was my child. Something I had helped make! My flesh, my blood, possible looks like me. We talked about the contractions. Explained to her it was normal. It's just your uterus getting ready. I am convinced it is an act of God, not to help the uterus get ready or the mother, but for the Dad to realise he's having a baby.

She gets backaches - She felt tired and hassled. It hurt! I said I know. I had no idea. It's impossible to know what kind of pain someone is in unless you've suffered it before. No matter how much you say you know. It was her uterus getting bigger and ready.

She dropped her mucous plug - I was the doctor that my brain is conditioned to be. "It's ok", I said. It's part of the process. I completely missed the fact that this was the first sign of progressing into labour. Of course, it takes days after this for labour to begin, but I am not a gynaec and I missed it. The dad in me began to stir.
I drove slower, much slower. I watched signals with more concentration than ever before. I chose roads according to her convenience. It should not hurt her back. No chances with traffic snarls and accidents. 

She was lying in pain when I got back - I realised this was labour. Dad had kicked in. Spoke to Grandma. She was our gynaec. She's the quick thinker in the family. Said lets waste no time. We're off to the hospital. I remained calm. Medicine training kicked in involuntarily. Wife asked can you believe we're in labour. I said yes. It didn't register. She stayed at the hospital from then till delivery. I didn't. Mom did. She would decide progress. I wouldn't.

I went home that night and checked my emails. I had one saying June 20 is Father's day. I thought, "What shall we get dad for this one?"

Then it hit me. Smack in the face. By June 20, I too would be a father. My own child. That I had to care for and worry about. I don't usually worry about things. I'm cold like that. But I melted that night. I believed we were in labour. I understood that I was having a son. I knew that I would do anything for him to be born healthy. It kicked in. 

This was the first lesson my son taught me. Better than any book could ever explain! Better than any other parent could tell me what to feel. Better than my wife knowing before I did. My Son! 

Water Baby

 3rd June:

Ahhh this is the life...Fed, slept, pooped, peed, fed again....I love you Mommy!

*Blink Blink*
Who is this frail looking lady grabbing me??? Uhhh Mom do you know this stranger?? *Blushing* Not my nappy....don't remove that. We've only just met. This isn't even our first date!!

*Brrrrr* Its cold....what do you think you're doing? *Splash, splash* Blurrrgggpppgg
Almost drowned there. This is nothing like Momma's lichor used to be. I can't even taste my pee in this. It's so colourless even. How boring.

Hmmm this smooth white bar seems nice. Smells nice too. *Aahhhhh*
That's a better temperature. Wait wait, don't flip me over. I can't swim I can't swim!!
Stop patting my buttocks with the white bar....

Hmmm, this is new. Soft. Nice. Rub behind my ears will you. It's still a little wet there. *Closing Eyes* This is nice. I'll just kick back and relax a bit.

*Sniff Sniff* Wow! I smell great! Must be this new white powder they've doused me with. Aweso.....*Falls Asleep*

Zzzzzzzz

Oops! I made you a daddy!

*Blink Blink*

Hmmm, this uterus is starting to push into me now....I'm getting cramped.

Wonder what the date is?? Hey Mom! Mooooooommm!!! mommyyyyyyy!!! What date is it today?

1st June! Isn't this a little early for you to be imposing your uterus onto me!!

I'm still enjoying the tasty treats your friends made you eat at your baby shower 2 days ago! Stop trying to push me out will you.

*Soothes the uterus down* There there, I'm not leaving you and going just yet. We'll be friends for sometime yet, Me, My umbilical cord and you!

2nd June:

Ouch! Mom stop pushing. *Gags* I'm not getting enough air! Help Help....*Kicks frantically with each contraction* I can't take this anymore...I'm too lazy to fight this *Heart Rate Falls*

Ohhh everything's going dark. I'm feeling numb. Hey, wait a minute! Come back here! You, yes you anterior wall of the uterus....What's the big idea letting so much light in!!! Arrrrgghh, there's a knife in your belly!!!

*Bright Lights* *Blink...Blink...Blink*

Oh Crap! I'm out!!! Better start crying before that scary looking pediatrician whacks my bottoms!! *Waaaah Waaaahh*

Ohhh Mommy you're pretty!!!!! Who is that monstrosity of a man with a cap and mask! That's dad! You have got to be kidding me. How could someone looking like that produce something as cute as me!

Ok ok, smile for the camera!

Gosh, I'm tired now! Enough for the first day of my life.

More later