Happy First Birthday!

Dear Saatvik,

Congratulations!!!You are 1 year old today. Ah.....looking at these pictures make me feel that you are already a big boy by now.

I want to believe that you still have not learned how to handle nature's calls skillfully. But the naughty twinkle in your eyes makes me doubt that you are aware of everything and you knowingly soak your liquids on my clothes. Sometimes, on my face too(on my most unlucky days).

 

Last year has been an year of so many events and happenings. You, ofcourse, were the center, for most of them. Everything seems to be for you and around you. And why not? You have given so much joy to everyone of us. Infact, your grand parents seem to have got a new life altogether. I have never seen them behaving so childishly, lively and sometimes awkward, I must say. And your mom - what should I say about her. You are her most prized possession, more important than anybody, even much more important than me. I am really surprised by your unique connection with her. You are still not able to speak anything, but she seems to understand every little gesture of  yours and every little thing you require. She knows exactly when you are hungry or thirsty, when you want to be held in lap or when you want to be left on the ground. She is perfectly aware of your wake up timings, almost to the precision of a minute. She knows everything about you. You, kind of, communicate with your eyes with her. I don't know how both of you just perfectly fit with each-other. May be, this is what mothers are all about. Am I jealous?

(Watch your finger kid!!)

Probably yes, because I am completely on the opposite end. I always end up holding you from the wrong side. Somehow, you always get uncomfortable in my lap after a certain period of time. You are always more interested in sucking my mobile phone than playing with me. Though you seem to enjoy when I make you jump in the air, but that fun lasts for only 2-3 minutes and soon, you start looking around, searching for your mother. I don't know why you start crying inspite of the fact that I try to take utmost care while holding you. Now, this is not fair. I sometimes make a cartoon of myself and work really hard to entertain you but guess what, it almost always ends up in a flop show. Your mother gives me tips about building a rapport with you, but frankly speaking, I find those tips completely illogical and irrational. Your mom says that I don't play with you, instead I mess with you. But I don't...believe me.....Perhaps, I am just so terrible at these things. Anyways, I have not lost hope. I will definitely make you fall in love with me one day.

There came a few lows in past year, as well and the biggest one of those was when you fell terribly ill and had to be hospitalized for 3 days. I was away from home for a month and nobody told me about this. I only came to know once you were back home. Your mother told that your whole body had swollen due to some kind of bacterial infection and you were in so much pain. I believe you fought bravely, with a little help from the doctor, to beat the disease. I am so proud of you for this and I feel guilty, I was not there in such demanding times. I missed you so much while I was away.

You have introduced me to the joy of being able to grow up again. I had completely forgot the simple pleasures of life. Now, with you, it seems I have re-discovered them. I am not in any kind of hurry now. I like sitting idle, watching you, trying to understand your strange and sometimes silly expressions. I like when you roll your tongue in awkward manner and close your lips, almost spitting at me. I don't know why you turn upside down and try to crawl with the help of your head. Its fun to watch, though. My heart comes to my mouth when you fall , at-times, trying to drag or stand up. But now, watching you, I understand that falling is an important part of learning how to stand up. You  rise strongly everytime you fall. Nothing seems to be impossible to you. You try to grab the sun-rays , you try to hold your own shadow and you never care for the fact that you have reached to the end of the bed. Gravity simply doesn't matter to you at all. I like when you get excited and throw your little hands in air when a pigeon flutters its wings on our balcony railing. Never before, I had realized that watching pigeons can provide so much joy.

And I also like to play along you, with your toys. Here is one little secret. Though I show everybody that I am playing with your toys to make you happy, but the fact is, I myself enjoy them very much. You see, they make such wonderful toys these days. I especially like that monkey with the long neck. And you know what, these days I am searching for the big dolphin, I brought for you. Your mom has hided it from me. She says, I will break it. I like when she remarks that she is having a tough time in handling 2 kids - you and me. I feel privileged to be put in your class.

 I like watching your mom trying to make you sleep. While doing so, she is so much full of love and care for you. Its amazing to see that contentment on her face. You see, mothers are people who spend their nights, awake, just to make sure that their kids sleep peacefully. Mothers...hmmmphhhhh.....I also tried to help you sleep many times but  instead, ended up disturbing the sleep of neighbors. I promise, I will practice hard to improve at it. But I like it very much, when your mom or your grandmother compare your certain mannerisms with me and say:                                                                                   "LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON".

Happy Birthday once again dear! A large part of  your birthday cake, I brought today, will be devoured by me but I am sure in the coming years, you will fight with me to have the most of it. I have one more thing to share with you. Before you, I was never ever a baby-friendly person. I was not a 'baby-hater' but I was also not a 'baby-lover'. I was reluctant to hold babies, never enjoyed their company and atleast never found them 'CUTE', for sure. But with you, I have changed and it feels lot better to be what I am at present than what I was in past. I am now not shy to accept that I am a baby person. Day by day, you are evolving into such a wonderful son. Its great to have lived some amazing moments of life with you. We have crossed 1 year and I guess, we are comfortably poised to enjoy the rest of our journey together.

No, I am not finished yet..... :)

I hope you will grow up to have the indomitable spirit similar to that of the person shown in the below video or may be better than him. I wish I can be a father like the one shown here or may be better than him. ;)