WATCHING HIM GROW

 By Prim K. Tumuramye

‘Did you see that? The baby just kicked’ I called out to hubby.

‘He is strong.’ hubby responded as he gently leaned on my bulging tummy to feel the baby’s movements.

‘It’s a she!’ I told him. He smiled and challenged me to a bet.

‘It’s a boy! Do you wanna bet?’ he intimidatingly asked me.

Well, from the fifth month till our son was born on a Wednesday morning of April 17th, 2012, the baby’s kicks had been among the main highlights of our journey to parenthood. I had not taken a scan test to check the sex of the baby. Truth be told, all we cared about was having a healthy baby. Whether it turned out to be a boy or girl was immaterial. As long as it was a baby, we couldn’t wait to behold our bundle of joy. Being our first fruit of the womb, every day came with its own cares, joys and lessons. The nine months that had hitherto looked like eternity came to an end. The excruciating labor pains, the anxiety of waiting for the mid wife to finally command me to push; are memories that can never be erased. That morning when the baby came, my name suddenly changed. I was to live with a new title – mother. Yours truly had to share in the fame, his name changed by default to father! Six years down the road it has been such a memorable journey. From the little helpless baby to the tall, confident man you are becoming. You are such a priceless gift.

Early this year while driving home with hubby, I got the lesson of my life. When he saw our neighbor from a distance, he slowed down and whispered to me ‘Dickson told him.’

Confused, I asked him what he meant by ‘Dickson told him!” He parked and narrated to me how my son had told our neighbor that I had referred to him as foolish.

The shock could be read on my face. A few months back, my other neighbor had come to alert me that this other neighbor’s German shepherd dog would find its way out of the gate and loiter in the neighborhood. On several occasions it nearly harmed people that crossed its path, whether young or old. Knowing that I had little children, my neighbor had come to alert me so that I watch my children’s movements outside our homestead.

‘Isn’t that a foolish way of handling one’s pet? How can our neighbor let his dog on the loose knowing what a danger it poses to the community?’

‘Mummy did you say he is foolish?’ my son asked me, as if to confirm what I had said.

‘No, he is not foolish but letting the dog loiter around on its own is a foolish risk.’ I clarified.

He insisted that I had called our neighbor foolish. That had been months back.

That evening when I got home, I asked him what he had told the dog owner.

‘I was passing by his home going to Canon’s place and he greeted me. I told him that I am not fine. He asked me why I was not fine and I told him it’s because you had called him foolish. Don’t worry mummy, I also asked him to forgive you.’ He narrated.

I was at loss for a response. I learnt my lesson; to be careful with my words!

That evening I knew he had grown. Today he adds another year. Am I not blessed to be your mother? Tumuramye Dickson is definitely the proudest man to have fathered you.

Happiest birthday son!

©Prim K. Tumuramye

17^th April 2018

Prim is a Christian, wife, mother and Communications Specialist at Compassion International. She is passionate about reading, writing, youth mentorship and intentional parenting.