48 ways Shreya changed my life...

Come October my mind starts drifting to all the activities that I did four years ago around the same date. Blessed with the most comfortable and pampered pregnancy that one can dream of, neither me nor my baby was in hurry to come out. Eventually the date arrived when I was seen rushing around the house, ticking my list for hospital bag whereas everyone around me including my Doctor worried that the baby inside had overstayed her welcome. And then we chanced upon a curly top and our life changed for ever...

A compulsive list-maker in me loves making list and so here's a list of 48 ways in which Shreya changed my life (for the 48 months that she has been in my life):

1. I started respecting my body...much more than I ever did.

2. I believe once again in things that I believed in as a child.

3. I think of you 976428085 times a day.

4. I (almost) forgot the meaning of silence. Silence? What's that?

5. I started loving the hours I spend in office. More so because of the welcome that I get makes me feel nothing less than a rock-star...every single day.

6. The days when I am not working, my bath has become longer. I am okay to answer 1001 questions from inside or even open the door to look at the drawing, as long as I can shut it back on you.

7. I love my friends. Especially the ones who've made babies.

8. I realised that I can have the most wonderful conversation using only vowel sounds like 'ahhh' and 'ooo'.

9. Nothing is mine any longer. Including my good, old husband ;)

10. I always have time for one more baby hug from you, even if I am in the middle of customer (escalation) call.

11. A new respect for my Mom. Strange as it may sound, one overpowering new feeling I had ever since you came to my life and it made me appreciate my own mom so much more.

12. I have developed a new timeline. Before, if it took me 10 minutes to get somewhere, I grabbed my bag and left 10 minutes before I had to be there. After you came to my life, I soon realized I had to add about 30 minutes on to my 'leave by' time.

13. When someone says good things about you, I am very happy to take the credit.

14. I can spend an hour looking for a Dora shoe.

15. And appreciating those cheap-neon-pink bracelet just because it is 'pink'.

16. I love to see you sleep. And I switch the lights on just to watch and admire your sleep-heavy eyelids and curls covering your face.

17. A new perspective as I see the world in a different way. Never knew that a mundane thing can be appreciated with such wonder and amazement.

18. I always knew but your presence made my realisation even stronger that your Daddy is the most important person in my life. He is the one person I have relied on more than ever, from the moment I said 'We're pregnant', through pregnancy, delivery, and those first few days after your birth. Watching the man you love shift into a new role as a daddy to the amazing bond that is building up between you two -- it's a wonderful journey. Priceless!

19. No sleep. No problem.

20. Movie makeover. Before you, its movie 50 times a year and now it is the same movie 50 times a day!

21. There is nothing called "too many pictures and videos".

22. "Me-time" never sounded so pleasant to my ears.

23. I have learnt to lower the bar of expectation from my end and I am now at peace.

24. I love my parents/in-laws much more now. Especially when I leave you with them.

25. I take it to my stride when my relatives asks me about you before they ask me about me.

26. I love the imaginary picnic that we have with moon, stars and their cuzzin (read Sun) almost every fortnight.

27. I am surprised at how much confident I have become.I feel like being a mom gives me the confidence to not care so much what other people think.

28. I never knew that I can be friends with women I don’t give a shit about just because their kid likes you.

29. I am obsessed with all girlie things like gown and bangles. Not mine, yours.

30. Patience is something which I never knew I had so much that I can listen to you speak for 15 long minutes on the number of ways letter 'f' can be written.

31. ..and that I don't mind listening to the same song on repeat mode just because you love it.

32. I realised that I have become a soppy fool. I’d never cried at a TV programme before I had you. Recently, got a lump in my throat watching wildlife documentaries. Why are there always baby elephants getting lost? Won't I call that soppy fool?

33. I developed an in-built toilet-tracker. Even if I am in the middle of shopping, the moment I hear the alarming phrase "Mimme, I need to pee!", my toilet-locating reflex will kick in to work hard and finally answer back “Marks and Spencer, top of the escalator, turn right”.

34. I finish my evening cup of coffee in 7 instalments.

35. My definition of bad-hair day has changed. Completely.

36. I love like I never knew I could love!

37. A huge shift in the friend circle. And strangely I care a damn about it. Still have a handful of awesome pals and quality always beats quantity.

38. I discovered my uniqueness and love it. I somehow don't relate to those mummies in the park who are either whining about their kids not eating, or that the child still don't know 'that' rhymes or that their child had mastered piano at the age of four. I always found it very strange to compare milestones between babies and realised eventually that I am not in the rat-race and neither are you.

39. I can multi-task bloody well.  I can be listening to you, typing on my laptop and answering a phone call and reading WhatsApp message at the same time and perfectly well.

40. I am almost on first name basis with Samridhi, Ishaan, Aradhaya, Simran, Prenika, although I have not met anyone one of them yet.

41. I can read and be-read-to a book million, billion and zillion times a week and still pretend to enjoy it to bits.

42. I have learnt and still learning some important lessons of life. A child teaches their parents much more than the parents do. And Shreya taught me to live life in present.

43. I have become my parents. Yes, and this is the fact. However much I may try to insulate myself, it is true that I am turning into my parents in strange and insidious ways. In my ways of looking at the world. Myself. In raising you. That’s the treachery of inheritance and I feel honoured about the fact.

44. My instinct is more valuable than I think, mostly in case of parenting. If something doesn’t feel right, it usually isn't right.

45. Learnt it hard way but it is the fact that you are always watching me and that I should never ever let you down.

46. Dancing is so much fun. And so is painting. And so is playing. And so is singing. And so is reading. Doing so many things in so little time and enjoying it is something which I have learnt from you. That happiness need not have any boundary nor any set of rules. Simple pleasure of life, I say!

47. That I have become addicted to your sloppy kisses and selfless hugs. Never ever stop them coming my way.

48. You are still the funnest person to have around, and I am so happy to be your mom. Watching you grow is the most fascinating experience of my life. Thank you for coming into my life.