Watching Your Child Sleep...

Photo credit: The3dstudio.com

The other night, long after I'd tucked Aanya into bed, I went back into her room to check on her and honestly to watch her sleep. I'll never get tired of seeing the way she hugs her piggy( a soft toy) and sleeps a relaxed sleep. Not to mention it's the only time in the day when she's not asking me questions or telling me stories or asking me to help her with everything she's doing. Basically talking non-stop the full time she's at home. I don't know how she manages but she does it. It felt so quiet and peaceful.

The moment took me back 4.5 yrs when, Puneet was driving me to the hospital and trust me it was the scariest ride of my life. I was afraid. Yes, in pain too. But I was too overwhelmed by what was going to happen and how our lives were about to be turned upside down. I was terrified of labor. Terrified thinking that a male doctor was on call (Yes, it sounds silly, I know). Epidural. What if the epidural did not work? Puneet couldn't comfort me, because he too was submerged with emotions. The thing with men is, they can't feel the baby the way we women can and are clueless the entire nine months until they are handed over a little life, a tiny part of them, who can bring tears of joy down their eyes.

"This is it " We thought. We won't be alone for at least 18 years now. Our lives were about to change and there is no going back. We were going to enter Parenthood. The one we had signed up for nine months ago.

With all these overwhelming thoughts, a day and a half of labor, 3 hours of unsuccessful push and after an hour of c-section, I looked at Aanya for the first time. Humbled. Grateful. It didn't matter that she looked like an alien. I knew I will love her and always believe she's cute. I saw that perfection. And love. And mercy. And grace. I had never seen the hand of God so clearly in all my life.

Standing beside her bed, with these thoughts in my mind I smiled and Thanked God once again for the beautiful present He gifted me and assigned a big responsibility of raising her into a wonderful woman.

I will take good care of you baby girl. I promise.