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Things are as they are, not as they should be!

C is for… Child’s Birthday Today

a-to-z-letters-c
It’s Aaryan’s birthday. He turns 11 today. I imagined waking him up with a kiss and a hug. Watched him as his lazy sleepy eyes open and instantaneously sparkle when it dawns that today is his special day. This is his big day and he always looks forwards to celebrate this day in a big way.

I can see the multiple lists he has made (I smile smugly at the knowledge of the gene pool that has contributed for his list making habit)…

  • his personal list comprising of the new clothes, shoes, spectacles he’d want…
  • his friends list which would have some names scratched off the list and then added again…
  • the menu he would want for the party
  • the options for the cake… he prides himself in having a unique theme for his cake every year
  • a secret list (which would not be shared with anybody) of the gifts he’d want… just in case the grand parents, aunts and some friends ask about his choice of gift

The images of the party in action are vividly appearing in front of me…

The group of boys ranging from 8 to 14 years, huddled over somebody’s WWE Slam Attax cards. I can hear their cheers and excited ‘bragging sharing of knowledge’ over the WWE players.

The announcement from the sister that the party games are about to begin. I can hear the cheers and a few groans too…

The cake is about to be cut and all assemble around it. The little ones can’t resist touching the sides of the cake with their fingers and licking it speedily before anybody reprimands. The cake is no longer cut with parents or grand parents holding the knife… it is an affair which the friends manage. They cut it together and one enterprising friend has smeared the cake on Aaryan’s face. While the elders are shaking their heads in disapproval, the birthday boy is enjoying it thoroughly. It is like a sacrosanct ritual…

The food is being attacked with gusto…

The gifts are opened with impatience writ large on the face. ‘The Aha!’ outnumber the ‘Oh!’

I see a tired but a very content and happy child …

A beep from the phone breaks my reverie and … on a day like this I wish our son was not studying in a Boarding School.

104 Responses

  1. Now that was vivid – I lived through the party – and then the end was quite sad. I’m sure the boarding school has it’s own charm and party!

  2. …..and no birthday bump which the friends give to the birthday boy.

    What a sweet post, shilpa! You did it all virtually for him. Happy birthday, Aaryan! God bless you.

  3. Happy bday to Aryan !
    I love that name 🙂 I have a cousin’s son Ayaan. DAMN cute and 3yrs old. His bdays are my favorite
    I never liked cake smearing. I Myself used to plead to not to smear
    anyway hv a grt time

    1. Thanks you Afshan 🙂 Ayaan is a sweet name too! I hate this cake smearing… spoils the cake, hair, and many-a-times the clothes too! But people love doing it! 🙂

  4. Happy B’day to Aryan 🙂

    I am sure he must be having fun at hostel!! I remember my days….though I used to miss my family but hostel b’days are different & special!

    1. Thank you Smita 🙂 Yes, he will have a cake cutting ceremony with sweets etc in the dorm. Till last year, the school would organize evening tea party or dinner party for the birthday kid (of course, the bill was sent to the parents!) but from this year, they have only a cake and paper sweets for the dormitory friends!

  5. boarding school also have many advantages shilpa. The residential campus environment ensures that students are immersed in an educational world where learning is central to all activities.
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  6. Aww !! I wish he was with you today ! But I am sure he must be having a rocking time !
    My cousins who were in boarding have such lovely memories of it !

  7. Happy birthday wishes and lots of hugs to Aryan. When he comes home he will read all his Mom’s post.. He will be thrilled. Your A to Z is fantastic.

    1. Thank you sooo much Ma’am! Yes, he would read these some day!
      Glad you are liking the series… but it is only the 3rd alphabet today and we have 23 more to go… but am sure we will sail through this one 🙂

  8. A very very happy & fun Birthday to Aaryan. 🙂
    I remember I started following your blog around the same time last year. Liked my stay of 1yr with the beautiful stories here.

  9. Awwww, did not like the end one bit 🙁 Can’t you go to him? I’m sure he is having a great time. They all do. We are the ones who mop around about how fast they are growing. Happy birthday to Aaryan (which is also my nephew’s name) and happy labour day to you mommy. Hugs!

    1. Wow! You studied in a Boarding too!! At what age did you go the B School, Priyanka? Have you blogged about your Boarding experience?? Would love to read all about it! 🙂

  10. So you are progressing pretty well, good work.
    Nice description, enjoyed the Birthday party of Aaryan.
    Please pass on my best wishes to him on this grand day of his life.

    1. Oh yes, 11 is a good age to be at a boarding school. Though he is very happy and well settled at his school but it saddens a mother’s heart on days like these… Thanks Clarissa 🙂

  11. When we grow up, do our mom’s remember the birthday party in the same way?? Like I’m 30, married and living far away; I don’t think my mother cares about my birthday so much now! :))
    Happy Birthday to Aaryan! Wish him lots of happiness.

    1. I know what you mean, Nisha! For kids birthday parties are a big thing so as parents we are super excited too… Thanks a lot for your warm wishes. Appreciate a lot! 🙂

  12. Hi Shilpa

    I remembered one previous post of urs about your son being at boarding school ..I was wondering how come he is celebrating at home, and thought that perhaps he is no longer there.. 🙂 Anyways wishing him a very happy birthday! May his happiness multiply!

  13. Awww!

    Contrary to what people think, I think boarding schools are awesome. 11th birthday, nice..reminds me of Harry Potter and how he got invite from Hogwarts on his 11th birthday 🙂

  14. very nice! loved the way you have described it…it also reminded me how simple the life is when you look at life through the eyesof a child!

  15. Awww….I know how you must be missing him. Wish him a very Happy Birthday, Shilpa!! My lil one will turn 4 in 10 days and she won’t be able to come before the bday as the tickets are expensive. Planning for a post birthday party after the week. Nice sweet post 🙂

    1. No ya..nothing…becoming relaxed with years..as it is spring for us, planning to set it up in a park so that I will be spared with the home cleaning business 🙂 And order food from outside 😛

  16. Wow Shilpa you caught the essence of the party so very well.. the licking of the cake.. and the lists.. sweet. I’m sure he’ll be having super fun at his school. Hugs to you though and many happy returns of the day to your son.

  17. Best wishes to your son 🙂 And a sad ending though. Already I had told you that you could have your son beside you in your home. But you had some valid points. I am eager to see him creating wonders. 🙂

  18. A lovely post! You know, The four Birthdays I had in hostel were wonderful too. So I am sure he would have enjoyed himself too. 🙂

  19. A birthday in the hostel is fun, but my mum used to miss me so much especially on my birthdays. We could compensate that by having another celebration at home since we had two birthday’s in a year – one according to the English calender and another according to the traditional malayalam calender. So you can imagine, double the fun for us kids 😀 😀

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