Who Will Hold You First?

Little one, let me tell you what happened at dinner last night. It got very loud. But it was a happy kind of loud.

Dadi started it. She put down her spoon. "I will hold the baby first. I am knitting a sweater, after all!" Click, click went her needles.

Nana sat up straight. "No, no, no," he said in his deep voice. "I will hold the baby first. I have been practising! Look!" He picked up a cushion and rocked it. Sway, sway. Rock, rock. The cushion looked very comfy.

Then Bua jumped in. Her voice went high and quick. "Excuse me! I am the Bua! In our family, Bua comes first. I have learnt three lullabies already!" And she began to sing. La-la-la-laaa!

"Me first!" said Dadi. "No, me first!" said Nana. "Me, me, me!" sang Bua.

I raised my hand. "Ahem. Excuse me, everyone. I am the Papa. So surely the Papa..."

"Me first! No, me first!" they all said again. Nobody even heard me.

Dadi waved her spoon. Nana waved his cushion. Bua waved her phone, full of lullabies. The dog barked. Woof, woof! Even the pressure cooker joined in. Wheeeee!

Then Mumma laughed. A soft, clear laugh. Everyone stopped.

"Do you all know," she said, "who is holding the baby right now?"

Everyone looked at her. Then at her tummy. Then at each other.

"Me!" said Mumma, smiling. "I have been holding this baby for months. Day and night. So I think I am already first."

For a moment, nobody spoke. Then Nana laughed. Ho ho ho! Dadi laughed. Hee hee hee! Bua laughed and clapped. And I laughed loudest of all.

So we made a plan. A turns list! Dadi wrote it on paper and stuck it on the fridge. Mumma first, always. Then Papa. Then Dadi, then Nana, then Bua. And then round and round again.

Now there is no more "Me first! No, me first!" There is only, "Your turn now!"

So, little one, many arms are waiting for you. Warm arms. Kind arms. Gentle arms. Everyone will take turns, and every hug will be full of love.