Exactly a month ago, on Tuesday, February 11th, 2020, a little angel came into our lives and started a new chapter - Parenthood. After some deliberation, we decided to name him Avyaan (अव्यान). The word comes from Sanskrit and means 'The one without any imperfections', or, 'The perfect one'. It is also one of the several hundred names of Lord Vishnu, one of the gods of the Holy Trinity (Brahma - The Creator, Vishnu - The Preserver, Mahesh - The Destroyer) in Hinduism. While no mere mortal can be perfect, and I certainly hope not to turn into one of those parents that want perfection in everything from their offspring, I do hope that his name acts as an ideal for him to strive for and for us to guide towards.
Last one month has been crazy, in a mostly a good way, and it is safe to say that our lives will never be the same again. Slowly, but surely, the realization is dawning that we now have an entire tiny human being that is dependent on us for everything and crying is the only verbal way he has of communicating his needs to us. This blog is aimed at chronicling my life as a dad along with all the challenges and lessons that come with it.
As we get set to celebrate his completion of first month of ride through space and time aboard Planet Earth, called life, I shall conclude this post with these changes that I noticed in me post parenthood:
- Personal comfort has taken a back seat. I haven't been able to sleep more than 3 hours at a stretch because there's always something that the baby needs every few hours - Feed, Diaper Change, Readjusting position in bed etc. But somehow you don't mind these inconveniences.
- For probably the first time in my life, I have started giving a much higher priority to how safe my driving is as opposed to how soon I can get to my destination.
- This statement may sound inconsistent but I've realized that my patience/tolerance has increased substantially when it comes to dealing with matters related to Avyaan. Yes, the sleepless nights, the bouts of crying are frustrating, but having a peacefully smiling baby once you're through the episode, is worth every hour of denied sleep. However, there is no more tolerance for other drama in life. Apparently babies give you some much needed perspective in life.
- You become acutely aware of your finances. It may not seem so in the beginning, but raising a baby is a costly affair. The insurance, diapers, formula, doctor visits, new clothes all start adding up pretty fast. It is very important to have a solid financial planning in your toolbox if you are to survive this.
- There are no words to describe the feeling of having a baby fall asleep into your arms, secure in the knowledge that it is a safe place for him.
- The biggest realization has been that as much as we are training the baby to be better and well adjusted to the world around him, the baby is also training us to be a better version of ourselves every day.
Till next time!
