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Parenthood – What you may miss as your child grows up
By Phil/Kords | Published | No Comments
Reading time: 3 min 28 sec
Word Count: 867
Parenthood is amazing. Your parents looked after you when you were kids. Now you have become a parent! So have I – barely two months ago. I have come to realise a few things I will soon discover when caring for Pandora myself. The Things I may miss – it will never come back. Then there are things that I will look forward to coming.
The question about pet names:
The first month was unpredictable. Pandora just came into the world -I call her my ‘Bundle of Joy!’. She rightly deserves that title. Every parent would start by giving their child some names, pet names and nicknames. When your child is still an infant – these names, pet names and nicknames tend to sound better.
I call it better because it suits the child at that age. When he or she grows up – chances are they may or may not like it. I did not like my pet name because my unmarried maternal uncle and aunts would tease regularly. That made me dislike but not hate my pet name.
Over the years, mom and then dad had stopped calling me by my pet name. Over a particular age – the pet name is at times better to remain with childhood. Do I miss calling out buy this pet name? Yes and no.
Yes because these names your parents give you are supposed to be used when you are kids. Certainly not after you’ve grown up? Is that so?
Why I consider this name special is because parents have called you by that name out of love.
I called my then twins in Phoebe’s womb as Chunnoo-Munnoo! Indians can better associate with this name not because it is an actual name. I am yet to come across someone by that name. These name more Hindi filmi sounding.
Phoebe and I were open to having a baby boy or a girl. It did not matter. Since they were initially twins, I was hoping for one of them to be a girl.
I addressed both of them, but when one of them did not survive past 8th month – I stopped calling them. I came up with a new name ‘Tintymintoo’. It is an abstract name – pet names are meant to be that – void of meaning but full of love.
I feel after kids grow up, they are no longer kids and the pet name no longer associates with them in any way. Hence the dislike? I don’t know. I will patiently wait for Pandora to grow up and let me know.
The ‘Missing’:
The first two days Phoebe was in the hospital – post-delivery I had to look after Pandora. Phoebe was in no position to move due to the caesarean operation (LSCS – procedure). I fed Pandora, took care of her, changed her diapers and pacified her (obviously, I still do).
My sleep was disrupted. I don’t miss that! I love my sleep but looking back at the time when Phoebe and I waited for five years without a kid and then nine months to bring our child into this world – now the wait seems to be worth it. I don’t miss that. I look back and think to myself – now’s my time!
Two months hence – Pandora’s sleeping pattern has better improved. From the previous sleep time of two hours, it has increased to three or more at times. Her wake-up time is more or less constant around 3 or 3:30 am or sometimes even around 4 or 4:30. It depends entirely on what time she goes to sleep. Then she maintains a gap of around two hours and wakes up around 6:30 am.
Phoebe is on her toes to breast-feed her. Sometimes she sleeps almost immediately after having her fill. There are times when I must put her to sleep. Pandora falls asleep in my arms. Though, it takes some time for her to fall asleep. She knows it is sleepy time when she is with me. She loves to stroll – in my arms and eventually sleep.
What I may miss – this will be not a short term but a long-term ‘miss’. She grows up and learns how to talk – I may miss her ‘Goo-goo’ and ‘Ga-ga’. Not that I want her to remain that way. No. I want her to grow, but when looking back at her growing process, you will kind-of remember those things.
You will remember everything right from the time you saw your child in the operating room in the cradle. The first look – the first cry – the first laugh, the first walk, the first words they spoke and perhaps even the first time they asked something from you.
I will hold it in my heart tightly and think about all these things after I grow old.
Things that I miss right now is -nothing. I am enjoying my moment of being a parent and lucky to have a daughter. Enjoy every moment of parenthood because kids grow up quickly. Make sure you miss nothing but enjoy everything. Give them the things you did not get and a life you did not have.
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