Happy 11th Birthday Ashwin

 

My son is 11

That little fellow,

who rested happy in my womb, not wanting to come out on time, snuggling, asking for another 5 minutes, then with a little push, he popped right out, before the epidural could hit, and he was out, with nary a cry, happily drinking milk, skin to skin, filling my heart to the very brim and over

 

that same little fellow, who would jump on my tummy, bouncy bouncy bounce bounce, till I remembered we had another little one inside

and so particular he knew the tastes of different brands of milk and would flat out refuse when given a different one in India, so we had to feed him in his sleep to get some nourishment into him

who would exclaim Jiggu Jigga to say he was happy, and ask for lala and noo noo for rice and noodles, teaching us his language then as now

 

my sweet baby, whom, once a new one arrived needing my time all the time, would sit uncomplaining in the same room as me, playing with his cars and toys – as long as he could be near me, so I was never lonely

 

my prince who asks such deep questions of me, who cried at thinking he may not be my son again in a next birth, who asked where he was when I was four, who thought we’d have a baby coz our lips accidentally brushed each others’

 

this little boy little little happy boy who stands still for music, who draws funky cows, who cries for an ant he may have killed or for having given milk to a puppy without realising it may have hurt it

 

this sweet sweet little boy who would want his milk bottle fastened in specific ways to a logic known only to him, who would not wear pants that revealed the ankles or singlets for a time, who asked why does he do that, she doesn’t like it, when he saw a song where the man teases the unwilling girl

who told his father it can’t be easy to wash others’ bums and brought tears to his eyes

 

this precious little boy who questions why schools have to give homework  - why why?

Who writes, draws, sings, plays music and brings art and life to this world

I am so blessed to be your mother

I love you

happy birthday Ashwin