Vayun and the baby

Thats not a baby. Thats a football! - my 4 year old nephew, Vayun, tells me looking at my 9 months pregnant tummy. I smile. I tell him - Inside the tummy is a baby, beta. He isnt so sure. :) At a later point I ask him to touch my tummy to feel the baby - he does it very hesitantly - he says - I am scared.. ! with a smile.

Last weekend, I was to go for my scan appointment and I decided to take my nephew along with me. Atleast he could see the baby that he has been told so much about.

And on the weekend, we finally reach the hospital waiting room. Once we enter the maternity ward of the hospital, we are greeted by a huge picture of a pretty to-be mom with a tummy that looked like a football. Vayun stops in front of picture, comes back to me- looks at my tummy and bursts out in a giggle. Perhaps he thinks there are more women with a funny football tummy ! :)

And then after some wait, we go into the scan room. He sees the baby on the scan machine, but he is not able to figure out much.

Can you see the baby? - Doctor asks him kindly .

No! He says, as he is trying to make sense of the grey areas on the scan machine.
That was understandable - coz the baby was not very clear in the scan.

Looking at his eager face, Doctor asks him kindly – are you waiting for the baby to come out..?

He says - YES!..

Doctor smiles back and says - Baby also wants to come out to meet you .. !

He giggles in excitement at that ! :)

The doctor feels sorry that Vayun is not able to see the baby clearly- so does the next best thing. She puts the doppler machine on my tummy.

The baby's heart beat goes - DUBH dubh ! DUBH dubh ! DUBH dubh ! DUBH dubh ! - LOUD AND CLEAR.

He smiles and giggles in delight and anticipation !

Once the scan is over, ( secretly I was more disappointed than him that I couldnt show him what I had been promising the whole of last week ), I ask him - Did you see the baby ?

He looks at me with an innocent beautiful face and says - How could I , the baby is in your tummy na.. !

Well, I couldnt argue more.. !

After a while, he looks at me curiously, widens his big round eyes in a question and asks with the innocence of a four year old- The doctor couldnt take the baby out ?

Uh ! I am stumped.

I recover and reply back- No beta.The doctor couldnt ! ( What else do I say.. )

By now we have reached the patients waiting area. He asks me again - loud and clear for everyone in the waiting room to hear - When is the doctor taking the baby out ?

I sneak a glance around - all the patients have stopped doing whatever they are doing and have started looking at my nephew and are giving him a loving, adoring glance - also they are simultaneously sneaking a glance at me, waiting to see what answer I would give him. I smile at him and say affectionately - She will take it out beta.. Maybe in another 10 days ...

He smiles back at me and says - Another ten days ? OK ! ..

The answer seemed to satisfy him. He seemed as if he could definitely wait for 10 days more.

And then he runs behind me again as we scoot out of the hospital.