Doll House

A little girl

One little doll

To dress and hairdo

One life long

She combs and parts

And plaits her hair

Rainbow garters

Pinks and pairs

Little pigtails

Glittery bands

Wings behind

And matching wand

At times its neat

Oiled and black

Tidy school-doll

Hair tied back

A little girl

Two little dolls

To dress and hairdo

One life long

She cuddles and combs

And combs and loves

The smiling bundle

In her arms

A little girl

Two little dolls

To love and love

One life long... 

I love you ... too

When Rhea was born, I told her … “I love you too”.

10 months have passed since then. 

Those words have been improvised. Sometimes they go “I love you too, I love you twenty two, I love you three hundred and ninety two” ; And sometimes, “I love you too, boo, poopoo… moo… moo.” Improvisations here can be countless, as any mum will tell you.

But something about that sentence always made me uncomfortable. Because, when I had held Heeya for the first time, it was just tears and smiles and “I love you”. Was that I love you "one"? Did that precede I love you "two"?

This discomfort remained with me, bit like a floating speck in the eye that runs away every time you try to pin it down. 

Till one day when Rhea started babbling, and she said “Mya”. 

And then, “Mya” again. 

And I suddenly realized what the “too” had meant all through. :)

It had been my answer to all her unsaid “I love you, Ma”.

Just the way Heeya sometimes says and makes the sun rise on my day. 
Just like Rhea has been saying too … in her own sugarplum munchkin way, of course.

I love you too, my baby…