Light Upon Light

#68 Of Small Babies and Big Babies and Baes

After our baby boo came, there was good news and bad news back home.

The good news was, our engagement got postponed to day after the baby's Aqeeqah. The bad news, our engagement got postponed. A part of me was sighing in relief because somehow things seemed rushed, a part of me couldn't wait for it to be over already.

With the extra time, I was busy overthinking. Well, whenever I wasn't around any of the babies that is.

Back at the hospital when both Di and baby were brought to the room, we were anticipating Abid's reaction. He was with his father, pestering him about Di. When he saw her finally, his joy knew no bounds and he also had a thousand questions.

"What happened to your tummy Mama?"

"How did they take the baby out?"

"Baby is not there?" He once asked poking at her belly. He was quite distressed thinking the hospital people had taken away his baby.

Then the little one was brought in and suddenly he was really quiet. Phuppi took the baby, wrapped in a little pink blanket, and brought her down to his level so he could see. The darling was sleeping soundly with a tiny little fist resting near her cheek.

"It's your sister Abid," Phuppi said.

He was staring at her, taking her in, probably formulating another hundred questions. Leaving his father's hand, he reached out and poked her rosy cheek.

"Baby!" He squealed with the most adorable smile. All of us were cooing at how cute it was.

He wanted to hold her, he gave her a kiss on her forehead, he kept rushing to the crib and standing on his tippy toes to see her so Zaid lifted him. Abid was taken in and he didn't want to come home from the hospital. Jiju had to take drag him away as he cried. And the next morning he woke up, dressed up and had his breakfast as soon as he could so he could rush to his mother and sister.

Once Di came home, it was so hard to hold myself back from going to the baby. It's good thing babies don't feel creeped out by all the adults coming in to see them as they're snoozing. It was an irresistible pull though. So I often found myself sitting with Di and carrying the baby around whenever I could. After all, she'd be going back to her home as soon as her mother recovered.

And so when my future parents in law came to visit the baby, they found me cuddling her to sleep as Di fed Abid his lunch. The little man was slowly starting to realize that he won't get Di's attention all the time. And he had little tantrums from time to time and always wanted to be fed by Di.

The thing about cuddling babies to sleep is that you fall asleep with them. And it doesn't really matter, unless your future mum in law gently taps your shoulder to wake you.

Yes, that's exactly what happened.

I didn't ever think I'd feel like hiding my face from Haseena Aunty ever.

"Assalamu alaikum beta," she greeted with a warm smile.

"Wa alaikumasalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu," I responded as I sat up quickly, and fixed my dupatta.

Di and Iqra bhabhi were not really trying to hide their fits of giggles as I brushed away non existent strands of hair from my face.

"Looks like you're the one staying up at nights with the baby and not Ayesha hmm?" Haseena Aunty asked with an amused glint in her eyes. Now where have I seen that before...

Cue the laughter at my expense as I sat there with a flustered smile.

"It's good practice for the future Ammi," Iqra Bhabhi said and winked.