My After 40 Baby.

As promised we have now finally come to the end of cake season for the year in my household. My smallest baby shark turned one last Sunday. She is my first (and last) child born in my 40s so she is a highlight of my second half. Actually, she somehow symbolises the beginning of my second half. No wonder I have had the most conversations with her, out of all my clan, about this stage in my life. There is a story to this baby.

After my son was born, I had my four-ball made up (golf lingo meaning complete). I was happy to do life with mummy shark, my older girl and my little man. Then one morning as I prepared to go kazini, mummy shark dropped the bombshell that I would be a dad to one more Kenyan. Anger and panic gripped me. I had made it clear (or so I thought) that this is it and no more tois, so how now…

In addition, business was not doing well. I sat on my bed and worked out her school fees till campo, plus all the birthday parties, salon visits (I’m looking for one with wholesale rates for my three queens now), holidays and extracurricular activities. Sijui monkeynastiks, ballet, taekwondo, and on the list went. In 8-4-4, we only did one touch soccer, shake, bladder and bano and it was all free. Then we walked home. I miss those days. Nowadays, school transport alone was fees for a whole term for me and my siblings back in the day. At one she even has a phone (see photo above). Iko shida..

I got depressed and my panic doubled. So throughout the pregnancy I was hivi hivi. Serious case of delayed reaction. As I look back I think mummy shark had taken her chances as she knows me well. She knew I wasn’t happy but once the baby is born, I would defect to chama cha watoto. She was right. ‘Know your partner 101’ was a course she passed well it seems. It helps to know your person folks.

I picked my one-year-old angel last Sunday morning from her bed to sing to her and pray over her life, and she was in very high spirits. It’s like she knew it was her first birthday. I just love her huge smile with all her six teeth and big brown eyes. Priceless! We prayed for her, and thanked God for the past one year living with our new housemate. We then proceeded to have lunch and a dedication service for her at my folks place with friends and family. That was a very uplifting time. I remember the pastor as he prayed over my baby shark saying that because we have given baby back to the Lord, then even the prayers we have been making will be answered pap. I’m therefore expecting my deals to open up soon.

She has been a very easy baby for us. She sleeps through the night, feeds well and we have visited Gertrude’s hospital only twice in the year. Then in this gruelling year she has been so refreshing in several ways. Like the feeling one gets from drinking a cold Fanta orange on returning back home after a long time abroad. She has made her family feel on top of the world even when the world has been on top of us this year. She carried us through the loss of my mother-in-love, especially because she bears her name. It’s like mum was smiling down on us through my baby. She’s definitely worth coming home to after a long day. Now I realise why she had to be born and for such a time as this. I called her the pride of my estate when she checked into the universe. I am very proud of her.

A pal told me that this is the one who will be going with me into the sunset. Maybe it’s because she’s the baby of my ‘old’ age. Though life does begin at 40. I now cannot imagine life without her. If there is one thing that has anchored me during these turbulent years of halftime, it has been my children. To them I still score highly and retain my hero position. My smallest baby shark makes that clear every time I walk through the door. She lifts her small arms up screaming to be picked up, then breaks into this warm christmas smile once i do.  It doesn’t matter what I’ve been through. Her daddy is home and that’s all that matters.

I get freaked out when I look at her and my other baby sharks, because I don’t feel equal to the task ahead of providing for them, and bringing them up right. Mummy shark, I must say, appears much better equipped for the task ahead. I’m delighted to have her as my partner on this one.I don’t know who my baby will be in future. She is one, so maybe it’s too early to tell. I feel nice when I’m told she is now beginning to look like me, she’s extroverted and social. She’s mini – me! I pray for her to be all she was created to be, whatever that may be. That because she has come into the world, her presence will be felt far and wide. And that she will be kept away from harm and not cause pain. That is Daddy’s prayer for his little angel. ”I’m honoured to be your father and I’ll continue to give it my best shot ever. So help me God.’’

Happy first birthday bo-bo. Thank you for making daddy look good.