We found the shirt in the new born section of the store. My parents were there with us. We had waited for them to arrive, to begin all the last minute (few hours to be conservatively precise) shopping. Including planning for the “first drive” home. It was a white onesie (something, I never knew existed before the obvious) and it had the words “Born in 2008” embroidered in gold. “A little tacky, don’t you think….“she said from above the little mountain she was carrying around her waist. And I returned…. “so what … after all he is going to be born in Motown…we need some bling !!” He was born within a week of that conversation !!
Everything changed !! Everything !! The next one year was going to be the most important course (from life) that we were to be enrolled into and we had no clue about it. I take that back almost immediately .. though it would be easy to delete it than keep typing the unnecessary. You see …. I am sure …..on the night we relocated to the LDR (labor and delivery room…. I just thought LDR looks cool) and the doctor asked…. “how far apart are your cramps“…she knew exactly what we had signed up for…this was a non refundable deposit !! Even though we did not read a lot of books and ignored advice all the time and did whatever the hell we thought would work ……in retrospect , a couple of books and a little attention to age old advice would not have hurt. But then the thrill of the unknown would be lost and that was not acceptable !!
This would be a good time to confess…. that we are a set of extremely weak parents. Like Amitabh’s dialogue in Sharaabi …”uske ek ek ansoo …. ek ek lakh se keemti hai“.(each tear drop of the damsel is worth exorbitant amount of cash)…. we end up getting resonating effects of MithunDa saying “Ma…..”….and then … we give in to the effects of the water shed. It works every time … in his favor of course and that is just not right …..(they need to spend more money on the “what is in that child’s head” thesis) . Oh by the way …did I forget to mention … we spared each other the false promise of any attempts to drop (“lay” would be a better word…not as effective though) the minor in a crib…..located in the “southern hemisphere”(that would the space adjacent to the bed for the majors).This called for intense exploitation (without pay of course) of our respective optic nerves, in the stead of a video monitor atop the “crib that never happened”. During his visit to India, he snored to glory in the womb effect of the sari swing arrangement. Damn the dry walls in the States. There is no solid sturdy counterpart of the rusty hook thingy (in all ceilings from India).I heard about this and meekly mentioned on the phone ….”could you try and put a pillow on the floor ……below where his body is hanging“.!!
And then this move happened. Just when we were starting to plan about what we should plan for “da” day…..,we had to pack our life in four suitcases and a car seat. I shall grunt and vent about that in several later posts.Let us not digress….already!! So now we are in the middle of ….technically on the south side of this building …. facing the woods ….wait .. I said I shall complain about our current life later in a ……..!!
Let me start over. The good news is …. this “nothing’s happening or will ever happen” city ….boasts of an outlet of our preferred grocery store. (someone in the board of directors was totally not paying attention …..when they planned on locations around the country). Meanwhile …my complete lack of attention (the usual you see) to …ummmm…….(for lack of a better word) ….”behind” of a third (or fourth or what not) person, resulted in a small nudge (a brush if you may) by the jeep shaped shopping cart ..which of course, was being pseudo maneuvered by the “knee high lump of chocolate” !! I used my nerdy grin and managed to whisper …”we have a new driver..!!“.Technically that translated into a parent (that would be me …..heehaaahaaa) using his child’s cuteness (so not true….) to sneak out of (what are you talking about …) what could possibly end up in a harassment law suit !!
We ordered a “plain vanilla” cake … literally !! We wanted chocolate sprinkles on the sides …which are hidden from the view (above)…courtesy… 2D effects from my 4639.34 mega pixel camera or whatever that means.We came up with the name when we heard him cry out saying it. He must be a couple of weeks old then.And we thought nothing would look prettier on the cake that we were going to devour for the next one week than what we wanted to call him in the first place ….huh !!
Here’s wishing you a wonderful first year of your journey Onga. I know you are a year and a week old….. right now….as you sleep with your mouth open and Baba is trying to balance this “suitcase look alike” laptop. I know we did not do much on “da” day ….except dress you up in a dhoti (alone…) and take “Mallika Sharbat” pictures of your sexy self. We did not even let you drink some of the baby lotion….(especially on a day when anything is allowed) …or for that matter …let you bite on Amma’s flip flops … agreed it is unfair !! What I do not know is if Blogger will still be in business….. about ten years from now and if you can read what we wanted to tell you …. (in not so many words …. literally) !! Also …we have a feeling you may not enjoy being called what we call you … and even got your cake written on with … but then … you know what …. live with it … !! Someday …. you will look all manly shanly … sporting the “then” cool shades …..wearing the “rip off” jeans (no pun intended) ….. with the high maintenance girl/guy next to you …. know what ….we are still gonna say .. “we totally labooo ….our little onga bongs …!!!”
Dear LEB Jr aka Onga.. Wish you a very happy birthday (a week belated, per ur baba's post).. im sure you are going to have lotsa fun with ur baba and amma.. they sound like a very cool and fun couple to grow up with.. here is wishing you happiness and sunshine always..LEB- what a comeback post.. not the usual-run-of-the-mill, but a very different take on Jr's very first birthday.. i hope you guys are settled in your new abode and we get to hear of ur moving exploits in ur signature style..
Cheers!
First things first …. Welcome back LEB, we missed you loads!Now for the lil Onga Bonga … Happy ist Bday sweetheart, we heard so much about you. May you grow up big, tall and intelligent and make your mama and papa proud! 🙂
Oooh! Onga, Happy Birthday!! Hope you had a fantastic first year of life……Learning to turn around, sitting by self, standing, walking, baby talking and taking you amma and baba by awe, with whatever you did!! Have a fabulous second year, too!!
Ramesh emailed me his comment:Lovely to see you back in action. Hope the house shifting went off well and you are well settled now. Happy birthday to the young man. Without a doubt blogger will be around for many many years and when the young man becomes a big man, he's going to get all misty eyed reading his father's lovely post. Blogosphere has been a bit dry when you have been away. Come back into it with a vengeance. My proxies are acting up and I am again unable to post a comment on your blog. So until I figure that out, will respond by this route.
Duniya mein do tarah ke maa-baap hote hain…Those who learn from others' experiences and those who others learn from. Wishing you the best, for belonging to the second category 🙂
Thanks so much everyone for your kind wishes … I am not as regualar to my blog as I brush my teeth … it has ceased to be a weekly ritual … I hope you shall align your annoyance in a manner that is a "win win" for all … just kidding …. make the best of it … but I love you for your kindnes … so keep visiting !!
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