“Are you sure your baby is alright?
He is 5 months old and still hasn’t rolled.” The annoying woman asked Mum again.
I realised that time had passed quickly.
I was nearing 6 months old.
In other words, it had been three months since I returned.
Many things happened in this time.
But one thing didn’t.
My rolling in front of Mum.
I started rolling a while ago.
But I kept it a secret from Mum.
The moment I roll, Mum will start becoming more protective.
That will reduce my freedom, and I won’t be able to talk with Anu as usual.
So I didn’t want to roll.
Another reason was that I didn’t want to grow up.
I just wanted to be a baby forever.
Anyway, everything was fine until this annoying lady came home.
She was an old friend of Mum.
I recently realised that more than half of my Mum’s friends are annoying old hoots, and the other half are cute and beautiful girls.
Mum and the friend kept talking while I was on the bed.
“My cousin’s friend’s brother’s son started rolling when he was one month old and started walking when he was 3 months old.” The annoying lady continued her stupid narration.
“Alex is fine.
He will start rolling sooner or later.” Mum replied unenthusiastically.
She didn’t like the topic.
I could see that clearly from her face.
So I decided to help her out.
“Wooo goo gooo…” I cooed.
“Look, he is talking.” Mum changed the topic.
“Well…
My cousin’s friend’s brother’s son started talking when he was one month old and started singing when he was three months old.” The annoying lady continued.
I couldn’t let this continue.
It was actually affecting the pride of Mum.
So I rolled.
Not once.
But thrice.
I rolled and rolled until I was at the edge of the bed and Mum stopped me.
“Well, he can roll.
But It’s not that big of a deal.” The annoying woman wasn’t ready to give up.
So, I sat up.
I supported myself with my tiny arms and sat up.
Mum was looking at me excitedly.
She also guarded me with her arms so that I wouldn’t fall back.
“My cousin’s friend’s brother’s son…”
“Shut up.” Before the annoying lady could finish her annoying comparison, Mum shut her up.
After that, Mum lost interest in her friend and threw her out.
Once the friend was gone, she turned to me.
“So you can roll and even sit?
Why didn’t you do that till now?”
“Waa ooo….” I talked baby, again.
“Can you say ‘amma’?” She tried to make me talk.
For those who are not familiar with the word, ‘amma’ is what we call Mum in our language.
I really wanted to call her amma.
In my previous life, after we lost her, I dreamed of a day when I could call her amma again.
But I decided to keep quiet.
Five months is a bit early to sit and a lot early to talk.
Mum spent the next hour trying to make me talk.
Once that failed, she started the next program.
“Roll…
Sit.
Roll…
Sit.” She kept commanding.
I rolled and sat.
But I wasn’t alone.
Doodu was competing with me.
He also rolled and sat.
“Who is amma’s good boy?” Mum asked
“Waaaa….” I answered.
Mum laughed aloud hearing our answers.
I gave a threatening look at Doodu.
Why is he competing with me for my Mum?
She is mine!
I tried to kick him with my tiny chubby legs.
But he nimbly evaded.
Mum kept on laughing and made us do more tricks.
Doodu was extra enthusiastic and tried to do everything faster than me.
Usually, he hangs out with Anu.
But now that Anu was at school, he was competing with me.
Now, I am starting to hate the stupid dog.
He is a bit too intelligent for a dog, and on top of that, he is competing with me to be my mother’s ‘good boy’.
He is definitely begging for a beating.
At the same time, I felt stupid.
I was a 35-year-old man.
Now I am competing with a stupid puppy.
But who cares.
I can compete with the stupid dog as long as it can make Mum laugh.
But still, I have to teach him a lesson later.
Otherwise, he will forget who calls the shots in this house.
In other news, Anu changed Doodu’s name.
Now he is Doodu Philip.
In our place, the children usually carry the name of their dad.
My name is Alex Philip.
My dad’s name is Philip John.
My son would be named Roshan Alex.
Anu naming the dog ‘Doodu Philip’ was like adding the dog as our family member.
Dad really didn’t like hearing Anu shouting ‘Doodu Philip’.
Mum and I had a hard time trying to control our laughter.
But surprisingly, Dad allowed the dog to be named Doodu Philip.
So, just like that, Doodu officially became my sibling.