Sun....Son

My friend Ajay has written a wonderful poem titled A Lazy Yawn on his blog. It is an interesting address to the Sun. While reading his poem, I thought of how the Sun might reply. Here is how I see it.
____________

Sun...Son

Good morning Aj
A top of the morning to you
Your shiny pate and attitude
Tell me you consider it a boon
Lazing in the party of the moon.

Chronic bachelor?
Tales of my offsprings abound in your myths
Dare say some are true
Every time I think of rest
One of them springs on me in jest.

Aj the dad
Like you, I dream of a sunless day
My head buried below the pillow
But no use, for here she comes - Aditi
My mom...what a pity!

Arise, awake, she cries
Go do your duty, you fool!
The world lies in wait for you
If that does not give you wings
Look at the sweet trouble he springs.

Ha ha Aj, Ishaan's awake
I see your tiny tot
My wish, your yawn, hold no avail
Your sleepy days are numbered
Gone are the days when you slumbered.

The kit - hospital essentials for delivery

What all do I need to take with me to the hospital for the delivery? This was something that I had dwelt on and kept ready by around the 35th week. There really is no predicting when the baby decides to come. It is always better to be over prepared in this case. This is my take on what you should pack..

For the mommy

Clothes - many hospitals require you to wear hospital gear till you are discharged. Still a couple of sets wouldn't hurt. Make sure they are cotton, comfortable and opens at the front for ease of feeding.  Carry a sweater as the room temperature may be slightly cool.

Undergarments - nursing bras and panties. Here again comfort is the mantra. I found disposable panties very useful for the first week or so. Take panties that have inner elastic i.e the elastic band is within the cloth and not exposed.

Sanitary napkins - carry a large pack or two of soft maternity napkins. Carefree seems to have these. Take the xl size. The normal napkins will feel a bit rough to use for the first few weeks.

Nursing shawl - a normal shawl or a nursing shawl to cover up while feeding. With visitors coming you will need this.

Toiletries - toothbrush, paste, soap, face wash, washing soap, creams, oil, shampoo, comb, hair bands and clips etc.

Hand wash/sanitizer - carry a small pack. Very useful for visitors. They will want to pick the baby.

Towels - two bath towels and two hand towels.

Utensils - a flask, eater bottle, couple of glasses, plates, bowls and spoons. Hospital food is usually provided for the patient but some of it I am sure you would like to share/give away to your attender.

Bedding - a heavier blanket in case the room feels cold, pillow and blankets for the attender. Somehow most hospitals rank low on a proper attender's bed.

Footwear - comfortable bedroom and bathroom slippers.

Electronics - camera, phone, chargers. With all the clicks and posts to be done, let us not forget this.

This is just for the mommy. Any person accompanying her would need their own clothes and stuff. Be sure that is ready too.

For the baby

Clothes - around 4 pairs of cotton clothes. Cap, socks and mittens. They do scratch themselves quite a bit. I know many consider it bad luck to buy clothes beforehand for a baby, if so ensure someone is on standby to run and get some.

Quilt/wrap - 2 or 3 wraps to swaddle the baby. A couple of bedsheets/quilts for the crib.

Towels - bath and face towels. At least 5 face towels. I assure you they throw up more milk than they initially drank. I actually asked myself if he was drinking something on the side ;)

Diapers - disposable ones for the hospital. Loads of them. A large pack in newborn size would do. I used pampers active baby new born..

Changing sheet - two quick dry changing sheets.

Wet wipes/ cotton roll - for cleaning during nappy changing. I preferred cotton dipped in warm water as shown to me by the nurses.

Toiletries - baby soap, shampoo. Baby oil and lotion are not necessities with most doctors not recommending their use.

Diaper rash cream - very, very important. I used Himalaya with great results.

Feeding essentials - usually you are the feeding essential. However in some cases a top feed becomes necessary for the first few days. My hospital gave the milk powder, measuring cup and shankh or vessel in which milk is given to newborns. You can opt for a bottle too.

My hospital provided many of the essentials. Do check with your hospital what they provide.

Rise and Fall

A part of my earlier writings. A personification of the Sun's journey. It is rhyming and is very sing song in its metre. I can picture myself teaching this to Arjun someday.


Rise and Fall

Rise he did from slumber deep
For long had he been asleep
Orange his robes but red it gleams
Washed anew in golden streams.

Flowers did bloom in his way
That was enough to make his day
Now perched up ever so high
Eternal life seemed so nigh.

He stretched and smiled a smile so bright
For everything seemed just so right
Every sight did gladden his heart
No wonder he found it so hard to part.

His health by now did decline
He knew it was time to recline
To be up and about for another day
Goodbye was what he had to say.

Red now in parting sorrow
Hoping for a better tomorrow
He sunk in to the depths from where he came
Knowing every day will be the same.

Hope

Now that I am slowly settling in to my new home..and actually figuring out where all my thing are..I have fished out my small diary where my old writings were recorded.

This poem has a fun story behind it. It was the last year of my graduation. The annual fest was on. My friends and I were participating in many events..creative writing was one of them. Sid and I took part in that event. There were many topics from which we had to choose and write a poem or prose. Coincidentally, we both chose the same set of lines..more suited for prose than a poem.

We both were notoriously unromantic and I remember thinking it would definitely surprise my friend Lakshmi if I wrote a romantic poem. Sid, apparently, had the same thought.

What started as a romantic love poem in my head got converted to a poem about hope. I remember Sid's poem also changed and became about an old lady.

We just couldn't be romantic even if we tried.

My poem won the contest and I was all thrilled about it. That fest was very eventful for us. Vandan winning the solo singing competition, Sid and Lakshmi singing the duet. I winning the personality contest as well as the extempore. My memory, though, becomes blank when I think what my friend Kruti did. Those were some fun days. I really miss the gang, life has sent us to different states and continents, but when we get in touch it does feel as if we had just talked yesterday.
_______

Hope

I remember the day, my friend
When the wind scattered my dreams apart
Like withered leaves they shook and fell
With my life, my dreams they crumbled

I looked in the mirror and saw my shattered face
Then I saw you take my hand
And promise me an unforgettable journey

We went tip toeing along a path
Amongst the trees
Back towards the end of the garden
Stooping down
So as the branches wouldn't scrape our heads

There a whirlwind had subsided
Leaving my dreams behind
A hint a form remained
Rest to be filled by my heart

Friend, I had you all along
Forgive the ignorance if this child
You taught me to stand and face the gale
You taught me that the leaves will come back

In your hands forever will I be
For Hope, without you
The child in me is lost.