I thought the first thing he would do, after successfully completing his ¾ of a year in isolation, is to be glad to see a human face. Instead, he cried, uncontrollably - it must have been a very difficult journey for him. A huge barrier had just been crossed and when I cut a long mass of indistinguishable nature, it severed all physical ties with his dark past. He was a free man now. Well…. As if he realized this, and the notion that it may not be for quite some years from then, he continued to cry. That did not stop the four figures, all clad in green overalls, from taking him away from us. That would not do, I told myself and with a reassuring look to comfort my already distressed wife, I followed them closely. But there was no need to worry. They were just giving him a long-needed scrub.
A few minutes later, when they handed him to me, he was all nice and pink. He opened his eyes for the very first time and even the soft fluorescent light seemed too harsh for him. Ramya and I looked at him, tired, but happy parents trying to commit all those moments to memory for years to follow. When I walked out of the delivery room holding him, I felt like Mufasa from Lion King and had to contain all my excitement from holding him up to introduce the newest member to the flock. Needless to say, they were all over him.
I can’t believe that it has been a year since I first held that lovely 2.93 kg and 50 cm bundle of joy. He has come a long way, figuratively as well as in the space-time continuum. From the first time we saw him in the 4D in utero scan, putting his right foot into his mouth; to his first smile; be it the first time he rolled over; or his first words; or to the time he took his first baby steps in his 11th month; it has been a wonderful year, with a lot of fascinating firsts. Though it is unfair to judge from an older set of eyes, I am sure he has enjoyed his first trip around the Sun. To every novel challenge that the life has thrown at him, he has faced it with an unabashed innocence that only a child can possess and explored it with his eyes, hands and mouth…usually in that order. He may not know the difference between what is right and what is not, but that is true for me as well :) But atleast he knows what he wants…and more importantly, how to get it…with a simple act of a high pitched call!
As many of you know, raising a baby is not all fun, with many major adjustments in lifestyle and a few sacrifices. But an innocent smile or an uninhibited laughter has the power to set everything right and Achyuta has given us more joy than we can put down in words. Here are some photo-video moments that we would like to share with you all. Don't forget to watch the HD version :)
