The waking Beauty

What most parents never forget are the sleepless nights.  Almost every parent talks about crying babies, irregular sleeping timings, gastro-related problems, colic and so on.  Movies and comics drive the point home: a baby in the house means a compromise on sleep is mandatory.  

Obviously, we expected no different.  And we were brave enough to insist that we (husband and wife) would take of the baby on our own, instead of asking our mothers for help (as is the custom in South India).  After my baby turned 3 months old, we brought her to our place, where it would only be the 3 of us.  We were prepared to face anything coming our way, whatever be it.  Turns out: life can be nice!

God bless my child: she has never given us a sleepless night so far (she is 6 months old now!).  We usually put her to bed around 9 pm and she hardly wakes up before 7 am.  My wife might feed her twice in the night, but that's it!  There have been occasions when she woke up crying, but 5 minutes of carrying around would put her back to sleep.  We are blessed this way.

But what I like most about her sleeping is something else entirely.  A journey culminates when one reaches the destination.  A dish is considered ready once it is served.  In the same manner, my baby's "sleep blessing" reaches its high when she wakes up.  

I have stayed in hostels and dormitories for almost 9 years of my life.  I have had room-mates for almost 3 years once I started working.  I have seen how people act, react and look like when they wake up.  It's nothing pleasant.  Really.  But when Jennifer opens her eyes after every nap/slumber (be it voluntarily or us waking her up), she smiles....it is the most beautiful sight in the world.  Her eyes may not even be fully open...but if she sees anyone next to her when she awakes, she gives a toothless smile that brightens up her face.  I try to catch her waking up every morning before going to work.  Once she smiles at me like this, I am ready for anything the day has in store for me.  

I would say that even if my baby had sleeping troubles, irregular timings or colic or whatever...this morning smile would have been enough and more to make up for everything else.  It is as if I am viewing a sunrise within our bedroom.  God bless her...