B for Babies

Babies. Toddlers. Little humans. Humans you can’t communicate with.

I’m at an age when many of my peers have babies. It’s highly possible that I’ve been in that age span for a while now, but have been able to dodge/ ignore the presence of those little humans till 2 of my close friends had babies in the same month, and another cousin as well.

I also realize that – since I now have a partner, I haven’t had to blidside babies as an impossibility – which has led me to pay more attention to those little things which require a LOT of attention.

A few weeks back, two friends of mine with one of theirs’ son went to the zoo. The zoo itself was great. Lot of open pathways for the kid to run wild in. Which he did, happily. For me, the scary experience was the ride to and fro. I’ve been driving for more than 2.5 years now, but I just realized that day that he was the first toddler in my car. I don’t have a car seat. Indian road rules don’t mandate it. My friend (his mother) was used to having him in the car, so she didn’t worry. However, I tell you those 45 minutes to and 45 minutes from, I drove with my heart in my hands.

One minute he was standing on the seat. One minute lying there (Inside my head screams: Stay there. Just lie down. STAY!), then he decided to check out the place between the back of my (driver’s) seat and the seat behind be – where he fits perfectly, with space to spare even, then he was trying to make his way to the passenger seat where another friend sat (where I firmly sent him back from), then playing with my umberella and then he was trying to climb on to the back. I had so many – SO MANY visions of everything that could possibly go wrong. Him popping out the side windows, or the back vizer, or the umbrella going right through him, … you get the drift. [I’m pretty certain that my kid(s) are going to be strapped into car seats. And Chair seats. And Cribs. And anything they can be strapped into.]

Then there’s the other baby. The tiny 5 month old (young?) who cannot sit still for a second when she’s awake.

We had a Biriyani party at her place (my friend’s. the little thing isn’t old enough to rent places out yet) – and 10 grown ass adults sat around in a room with one fan, occasionally fanning ourselves, because that one tiny human who is hardly 2 feet long got to sleep in peace in the air-conditioned room. The last time there was a biriyani party, it was us in the air-conditioned room.

Little humans change everything.

My other friend, she doesn’t live in India anymore. Earlier, she could come here and go as she pleased. Now, her little human determines when she travels. AND HOW she travels. Ha!

Are you wondering if all I have are gripes about these little humans that change lives and families?

Not really. I love babies. To bits. I know it’s a tad difficult to believe after this little rant. [YES little. Don’t even get me started on babies/ toddlers meet paper/ wall/ nice things in general]

What once used to be polite interest has now become open curiosity. I’m amazed at how much babies and parents have power over each other’s lives.

My friend (with the 5 month old) and I go for swimming classes together. One evening, as she was rushing back, she was telling me how her little one knows exactly to wait for an hour then start wailing. Apparently one day she got back a teensie bit later, and little K is drowning in her own tears and wouldn’t even let her go take a shower because she was scared my friend is leaving her again.

In my mind, I was thinking “Oh poor mothers! They can’t do anything”

My friend however, dewy eyed, declares “I was like ‘awwww – How can anyone love me so much!’”

That was beautiful.

These little beings disrupt lives. Then they look at you, hold on to one of your finger with all of theirs, and smile – and the whole world fades away. You are the most special person who reigns on that planet in that moment. And if they hug you or kiss you (or try to eat whatever part of your face fits in their little mouths!) that’s the sweetest.

If they trust you enough to fall asleep as you hold them – all the peace on earth is with you.

-

PS: Until they wake up and start wailing. Hehehehehehe!