An extremely special birthday

Funny how time changes things so much.

Thirteen years ago on this day, I became a mother. It was my first born and I was as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. I did not know how to hold my new born son and I had to call my mum or my aunt to even lift him. I was so afraid of not supporting his neck right (new born babies cannot hold up their neck and need to be supported and carried in a particular way) and he seemed so tiny (even though he weighed a healthy 3.25 kgs) and I was so scared of hurting him.

Funny, how within a week I was able to even manage giving him a bath and how I learnt to even manage the cord stump. 


And then his first year. Oh how delightful it was! He was such a sweet, gorgeous baby. He started sleeping through the night at three months.I began reading books to him when he was three months old. He was such a joy and truly no trouble at all, that I even travelled without my husband, to Darjeeling and Gangtok  when he was just five months old. (New parents know what a nightmare it can be to travel with babies). We had an amazingly wonderful trip.

I refused to leave my precious baby in a creche (I just couldn't bear the thought of someone else looking after him) and so I took up a job (teaching in  a pre school) which was completely different from my field, just so that I could take him with me to work. He started accompanying me to school, from when he was one and a half years old.

When he was about two, he fell down and  he had to get six stitches at the back of his head, I was so distraught I could barely speak. I never knew till then, what helpless pain truly is. But he was a tough little fellow. He was finer than I was.


Then  I taught him to read using the Glen Doman method.  At the age of  three years and eight months he was reading Ladybird books like Princess and the Pea. He was even featured in a local TV program for early reading for children.

His love of books  grew along with him.(and today he reads Paul Jennings and Cornelia Funke)

At four and a half I taught him to ride a bicycle without trainer wheels. When he had his first fall, it was on a row of cactus plants. I had to rush him to my cousin who is a surgeon and he had to extract thousands of cacti thorns from his legs with a tweezer. I think I flinched each time a thorn was pulled out, more than he did.



The years have flown by since then.Today he is almost as tall as me and he can lift me with ease! I squeal and tell him to put me down when he carries me and lifts me off the floor.

Now he can talk to me at my level and we discuss a lot of things. We have such wonderful conversations. I tease him about girls and he teases me right back about my 'boyfriends'. We talk about Call of Duty-Black Ops and we talk about the cultural differences between UK and India. We discuss colleges and  various courses offered. He asks me about what interests me and what I like and I ask him the same. He introduces me to 'cool music' like Pendulum and I tell him about GNR, Bryan Adams and Billy Joel.

He  tells me I am cool (the ultimate compliment for a mother!) and is very proud of me and shows off my book and my portraits to a  few select friends.

He has a wonderful sense of humour and he can really make me laugh.He also clicks great photos and even has a photo blog.

I cannot help turning nostalgic and sentimental on the eve of his thirteenth birthday.



Happy  13th birthday to my darling sonny boy.
 ____________________________________________________________
Even if you are 26, you will still be my sonny boy :-)
Funny how some things remain the same no matter how much they change :-)

Comments

  1. Wishing Atul a very very Happy Birthday!! May all his dreams come true!! God bless him!!

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  2. oh wow.. happy birthday to him!

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  3. Happy b'day.god bless u.

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  4. Many Many Happy Returns of the Day Atul!!!!

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  5. "Even if you are 26, you will still be my sonny boy :-)"
    True! My son is 27 and he is both my 'sonny boy' and the young man I turn to for advice.
    Happy birthday to your son.

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  6. Happy Birthday Atul !! Loads of love to you !
    you are entering your teens now!(Preeti,how does that feel !)

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  7. Hi,..I had visited his photo blog a couple of days back, and he is indeed a great photographer. Please wish him a Happy Birthday on my behalf as well... :)

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  8. Happy Birthday Atul :)

    Can relate to the newborn stuff first hand ;)

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  9. Happy Birthday, Atul! Have a great one!
    If you're all that what your mom says; then you're gonna be one dream bf to a girl! Lucky girl, I tell you! ;)
    God Bless :)

    The picture is so full of love :)

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  10. Happy Birthday, Atul!!!! Have a wonderful and fantastic year!!!
    He smiles exactly like you, Preeti!!

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  11. happy birthday to the lovely kid God bless!

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  12. Many Many Happy Returns Of The Day Atul !! :)

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  13. lot of blessings going his way from asha aunty. Your love for your son shines through this post.

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  14. Happy Birthday A. Ah; you are growing up too fast, but I bet in your mind, its not fast enough. Have a wonderful B'day and lots and lots of fun.

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  15. Happy Birthday to the TEENAGER ATUL.

    May Gods blessing showered on him always.

    As one of the Thirukural says... Magan thanthaikku aatrum uthavi ivan thanthai ennotraan kol enumn sol. Meaning... The best thing a Child can do to their parent is, to make the world to say....what a blessing and how much Tapas his parents had to have him as son.

    Atul has done that already. Let the Mother-Son bond grow and blessed always. Hugs to your little boy who is becoming a MAN

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  16. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  17. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  18. Happy Birthday to Atul!

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  19. herlichen gulchwanstein zum geburtstag(german)...(happy bday)...to u atul...~

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  20. Aw I'm so sorry I'm late!
    Happy birthday atul :) :)

    Wonderful post as usual, Preeti!

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  21. aww! nice one. my younger son turned 13 on 22nd!! would like to have a little longer of the little un, but sigh, he's growing up, turning defiant, awkard, angry, shy all befitting a teenager. rough times ahead, to be tided over. so best wishes to you too, as a teenager's mum!! :)

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  22. Thank you all,. Much appreciate the comments and wishes. Each and every comment was read and re-read. Apologies for not replying individually--it would have been the same reply--a heartfelt thanks :)

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  23. hi, this is to enquire the adres of that rehab centre u mentioned in ur book coz i just read it, nd want to make it the topic for my grad. documentry, so plz, help me find the adres.
    google is eurotrash,
    thnx in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  24. hi, this is to enquire the adres of that rehab centre u mentioned in ur book coz i just read it, nd want to make it the topic for my grad. documentry, so plz, help me find the adres.
    google is eurotrash,
    thnx in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  25. hi, this is to enquire the adres of that rehab centre u mentioned in ur book coz i just read it, nd want to make it the topic for my grad. documentry, so plz, help me find the adres.
    google is eurotrash,
    thnx in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  26. hi, this is to enquire the adres of that rehab centre u mentioned in ur book coz i just read it, nd want to make it the topic for my grad. documentry, so plz, help me find the adres.
    google is eurotrash,
    thnx in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  27. hi, this is to enquire the adres of that rehab centre u mentioned in ur book coz i just read it, nd want to make it the topic for my grad. documentry, so plz, help me find the adres.
    google is eurotrash,
    thnx in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  28. hi, this is to enquire the adres of that rehab centre u mentioned in ur book coz i just read it, nd want to make it the topic for my grad. documentry, so plz, help me find the adres.
    google is eurotrash,
    thnx in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  29. hi, this is to enquire the adres of that rehab centre u mentioned in ur book coz i just read it, nd want to make it the topic for my grad. documentry, so plz, help me find the adres.
    google is eurotrash,
    thnx in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  30. hi, this is to enquire the adres of that rehab centre u mentioned in ur book coz i just read it, nd want to make it the topic for my grad. documentry, so plz, help me find the adres.
    google is eurotrash,
    thnx in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  31. hi, this is to enquire the adres of that rehab centre u mentioned in ur book coz i just read it, nd want to make it the topic for my grad. documentry, so plz, help me find the adres.
    google is eurotrash,
    thnx in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hi Preeti..i read ur book recently..its amazing..
    I njoyd reading ur blog also..
    Happy bday to Atul:)
    Jaya

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  33. Belated Birthday Wishes Atul!!!!

    Lovely portrait and a even lovlier post Preeti:-)

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  34. Jaya and codename: Have mailed you individually.

    Reflections: Thank you :)

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  35. Awww! Had a lump in my throat as I read this post!

    Belated birthday wishes and blessings for your sonny boy! May your bond grow richer, deeper and more beautiful with every passing day...

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  36. Damn! I am late :(

    Belated happy birthday to Atul and bestest of everything :)

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  37. Anonymous1:38 PM

    Very touching post Preethi!
    Belated birthday wishes to your sonny boy :)

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  38. A very happy belated birthday to Atul. He is one of the finest young men I know :) I wish him all the success and happiness in the days to come :)

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  39. Belated birthday wishes, Atul. All the very best to you :)

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  40. Hi Preeti,
    Belated wishes to Atul! Hope he had a wonderful birthday!
    The portrait is so nice!! And hope you "settling down in Bangalore" is going good!
    -Durga

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  41. Wow cant believe Atul is 13...
    Congrats to you both and wishing him the very best for the years ahead!

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  42. Hi Preeti,

    Belated Birthday wishes to Atul! I hope he had a wonderful birthday in Bangalore...

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  43. Hey I came a lil late here..
    Belated b'day wishes Atul. Have a rocking year ahead :)

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  44. thanks to all who wished after my previous reply! He did have a nice birthday.

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  45. excellent potrait. U have managed to capture his charm.

    Belated b'day wishes Atul.

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  46. Hi Preet, Heres wishing a belated happy birthday to your sonny boy! I am sure you guys had a wonderful day.

    take care

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