Like Julie Andrews says, when you read you begin with ABC, when you sing you begin with Do re mi, and when you marry you begin with where is baby!

Ok, I am going to be very honest and say it aloud, I am not a maternal creature. Human babies do not evoke maternal feelings in me. But when it comes to doggos, that’s a different story.

So after years of courtship, when the man and I finally got married, we did not give much thought to babydom. Actually we did not need to give it a thought because we had immediate family thinking about it all the time. After a year or two passed, the questions began. Immediate family, well I still understand, but random relatives…sorry but I do not entertain personal queries from people whom I have spoken to for 5 minutes in my total life-span.

The questions are asked in a very creative fashion and I have made a mental list of those. Starts with the usual Good news kab dogey– because hey no other news in your professional or personal life is good. Followed by grandmama demanding Vansha cha Diva-the lantern of the dynasty, my mother going bonkers asking for Kanha everytime we met or spoke, man in Napoli asking where is ‘Bambino’ and my favourite is auntyji at a wedding asking why have I not made any ‘PROGRESS’ in life! Mentally I did show her the middle finger, but then outwardly gave her a sheepish grin and ran as fast as my saree could take me.

So here’s the truth bomb. I got married at the ripe old age of 28 to a man who is a year and two months younger than me ( aiyyo taboo)! At that time, Ye Jawaani, hai deewani was still applicable to us, and sounds of the ticking biological clock were drowned by days of endless partying and boozy nights.

Actually no, none of that happened. I am an old soul by birth and can count the number of parties I have attended on my fingertips. But yes we did manage a fair bit of travel before we gave serious thoughts to progressing in life 🤣

To be honest, till Joy ( my furry baby) was with us, I did not feel the need for a baby. He was after all my first baby and I have tended to him in sickness and health.

Pro Tip: Once you are a pet parent, cleaning pee, poop, puke is a walk in the park.

The moment Joy crossed the rainbow bridge, there was a massive void in our collective lives. While letting him go, I told him he had to come back to me as my baby. I think he fulfilled his promise but that’s a story for another time.