You are 2 years old today. It was exactly at 8.58 am on a Saturday morning in 2003 that you arrived in our lives. It is such a cliche to say “….your life will not be the same after a baby….” but it is SO TRUE. Our lives have been enriched with your presence and each day since 16th August 2003has been an adventure on it’s own.
We remember the first time you sat up and looked at us as if saying “what an amazing trick I have learned!!”
We remember the first time you stood up and promptly fell down on your bum and did it again, and again, and again, and again….
We remember the first time you walked (with the baby walker) and crashed into a pillar in the basement and fell over. I have it on tape so feel freeto use it when you want us committed to a home.
We remember your first faltering steps as if you were walking on stilts.
We remember your first word. It was SHOE. You pronounced it as SHOOOOOO.
Now you are a toddler…which means that you can throw a toy further than you used to.
It also means the cute way you used to kick a ball around in the kitchen is no longer cute when the ball you kick lands on the counter top while yourmom cooks!!
It used to be easy taking you to the park where you would stay strapped in the swing but now you run headlong down the slides as if safe hands will materialise and save you. I have lost count of the number of times you havescrapped your knees or landed on your face in the sand.
It used to be easy to take you for walks but now you insist on pushing the stroller or the wagon on your own and drive it into a ditch.
It used to be cute when you would get pissed off, now you hit us.
Your mom and I try not to scold you but sometimes you just infuriate us to no end. Your eating habits. Don’t get me started on your eating habit!! It takes, on an average, 45 minutes to feed you a bowl!! And for that 45 minutes we have to endure Dora, Shah Rukh Khan and the like. The mind numbing boredom that we feel saps out all the energy we have left at the end of a day. So when, at this point, you spit out your food, I am usually readyto tear my hair.
Whenever you are upset, you cry and run away from us like your world has fallen apart. You usually run to your designated “time-out” place which is the at the bottom of the stairs and you stay there until I or your mom come and get you.
You love to be outdoors. It is a treat to watch you play outside. Whenever you are in a bad mood taking you outdoors cures you instantly. Whenever we want to take your mind off something, going outside usually does the trick. The neighbour’s love to watch you play outside as well. They always thinkyou are the perfect happy child!!
Whenever I think of you while working at my office, I cannot help but smile even though you woke us at 4am the same day.
Your quick smile, your giggle, your way of tickling us, your way of kissing us, your way of teaching us from your book, your way of thrusting your hand on our lips and not removing it until we kiss it, your anger, your tantrums, your love for yogurt, your love for chicken slices, your love for Dora thatkeeps us wondering how empty our lives would have been without you.
Happy birthday, my love.
Papa.
Desi In Toronto 