Mini Me

     All children go through various phases while growing up. I was going through my acquisitive phase when this happened. I remember waiting and looking through the balcony for my parents. It was confusing as to why they had gone out without taking me. Other than for the office, they were mine all through weekends. And even more confusing was, they had gone to the hospital. I was the one who was taken to the hospital for the rare flu shots once in a while and to my four year old mind I couldn't figure out what they were doing there without me. 

     Finally my parents arrive and I like a puppy was following them without rest asking why they didn't take me too. My mom, ever the patient one, sits me down and tells me that I am going to have a baby brother or sister in some months time. She was, I think, worried that I would feel left out with me being possessive over the little things. But in my mind, all I could see was MY own Mini-Me.

     

     It didn't even occur to me that the baby could be a boy. All I saw was my own little human, just like me, that I could play with and of course order around. My first and foremost thought was that my Mini-Me would always fetch me whatever I want. The things I wanted back then being water, snacks, toys and such. So I used to sit near my mom, as my Mini-Me was readying herself for the world (and to become mine), and would imagine such fetching (sounds like a dog, but back then getting my things was all I cared about) she would be bound to do. 

     All too soon I wake up one day like any other and notice that my parents weren't home. While it wasn't unusual, I wanted to know where they had gone. My grandma informed me that my little sibling was on the way and that my dad would take me to the hospital as soon as he comes back. Well remember the acquisitive phase? It came back full force and I was all happy and hyper excited and couldn't wait for my dad to arrive. I dressed up ( still confuses me why I did that) and didn't let my dad sit or rest and so right back to the hospital we went with me in tow. He took me to a room and I could see my mom, lying down, in that god awful green gown they force the patients to wear. But all I could see from my vantage point was just one side of my mom. So I quickly moved to the other side, since I assumed she was sleeping as her eyes were closed, and just stared. 

     

     When I imagined my Mini-Me, she surely wasn't this tiny and didn't definitely resemble a loaf of pink dough. It struck me then that she was "NEW" and that I could teach her what I like. It felt like a different world because she was not just my Mini-Me, she was mine to care for and teach. And so it continued and still does, as she is very much mine to care for as the day she was born, with me ordering around and telling her what to do. But what I didn't factor was that she is just like me, just as I wished, and we butt heads quite often. And guess what? All that fetching I was waiting to happen? Never did. But that doesn't mean I would stop asking her, I still do without any results. And my parents' worrying about the transition from one to two kids was all for nothing. I can't imagine my life without that loaf of pink dough as she is a part of me just as I am of hers. Love you.

Listen to this lovely song if possible - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkP6Tf79UrM

Sowndharya