How does it feel when the hand that you held, supported and guided till some time ago suddenly starts to lead? What would be an appropriate response when you see your words being repeated almost verbatim by someone you didn’t expect (so soon)? How easy or how difficult is it to accept that time and people change faster than you can imagine?

I’d been asking myself these questions endlessly since last few months and, like back then, even now they are left unanswered. The reason is simple enough. Emotions cannot easily be defined and putting feelings into words has never been simple. Isn’t it? ☺

A Jr, my little boy who till yesterday was the centre of my universe, was pampered silly and could make me agree to almost anything by flashing a brilliant smile, has suddenly grown up and how! The prospect of being the elder one, ‘Bhaiya’ precisely, was welcomed by him with mixed feelings. There was a hint of pride, a tinge of possessiveness, a (hidden)slice of insecurity and a very apparent sense of caring in him. 😄

Agreed that Angel’s entry in our life has made us proud parents all over again, but more importantly it has made a parent/guardian out of my little boy. It is not unusual these days to find A Jr giving away the gyaan he acquired from us authoritatively but subtly to Angel with big brotherly protectiveness.

His favourite time to talk to her (which he does a lot) is during her daily massage. Like her elder brother, she absolutely loves it and doesn’t mind her Mom sweat it out while both these siblings have these special conversations. One of them talks nonstop while the other one listens intently, pretends like everything’s registered and responds with an occasional ‘huh’.

I’m inclined to share some of the pointers he has given his (just about 3 months old) sister so far. I’m sure you’ll end up smiling like I did! He calls her Bacchu fondly.

# Bacchu, when I go to school you should be a good girl and not trouble Mamma.

# When you’ll grow up you’ll go to school too. But when you have studies don’t come to me for help a lot because I’ll be in bigger class and will have lots of studies of my own.

# You should study hard and come first in class like Bhaiya.

# I’ll come to drop you to school in the beginning but later on you have to go by bus alone.

# When I go to play don’t be stubborn and insist on joining me. You’ll get hurt because you’re still a baby.

# If you do get hurt while playing, you shouldn’t cry. If you have to, you can cry only a little bit, not a lot. Then you come home and ask Mamma to apply dettol on it.

and last but not the least, my favourite one:

# If anyone troubles you, you have to tell Mamma and Papa and me also. Don’t hide anything and keep to yourself. How’ll we help you then?

It is ok if I get all emotional at this right? ☺ It’s all I can recollect right now. Might’ve missed out a thing or two. Some other time, some other post for them may be.

The first question when he wakes up in the morning is, ‘Has bachhu got up?’. There’s a separate goodbye for her whenever he steps out of the house. He picks her up in his arms carefully to pacify her when she’s crying and sings lullabies for her lovingly.

It is tough to imagine what goes on in A Jr’s little mind but he sure knows and acts like a responsible and caring big brother already. The big brother I never had. Lucky you, Angel! ❤