A journal for my beautiful daughter

My beautiful Sugar.

I started this journal today, the 20th of July 2020, and you are exactly 10 months and 12 days old. I would have loved to start this journal earlier, but things don't always go as we would want them to, because life is never straightforward. Always remember that, things in life don't always go as planned but don't let it stop you on your track, keep moving anyway.

Well, better late than never right?
I would have loved to regal you on how your mum and I met, and how her beautiful smile got me trapped and then voila. But wouldn't you love to know all about your infant self first? Hahaha, I am sure you would.

Like I said before, I wish I had started this journal earlier, because it has been quite a journey. I kind of compensated for this slack with a Facebook page I created for you. Hahaha
It was an idea your mum and I came up with, I am not going to take all the credit for it. We thought it would be lovely to make pictures and videos of you, month after month, as you grow up and upload them on Facebook, so you'd see what you look like as a toddler. So there are pictures and videos for the times there weren't any writing of you. But from today, there shall be writings, pictures and videos of you. Your mum and I didnt have it like this when were little, but technology afforded us the opportunity to give it to you.

I am sure you would be wondering why we named you Sugar. I really love calling your name, sometimes I call it for no reason, and when I have reasons to call it, I call it non-stop. Hahaha
Your mum and I deliberated for long about a name for you when you were still a bulge in her belly. It wasn't an easy task. She would always cut me short and ask me, have you thought about a name? I would smile and say ehhh...No.

Your mum came up with some names that sounded a little funny, and all the while, I never mentioned any names to her, partly because I didn't want her laughing at me, and also because I really didn't want to just mention a bunch of names and just choose from them, I knew I'd feel it once the right name pops up.

We grew up knowing and answering biblical and religious names, it was a bit boring and repeatitve, plus your dad isnt really a church man. Hahaha. I was sure I didnt want you bearing one of those boring names, with all those religious connotations. There were already too much of it and we wanted something sweet and unique for you.

Your mum and I kind of agreed on this and I told her to go ahead, think and come up with names, while I do the same too. It took a while, but a name finally popped up. Two names actually. I was in the bathroom and your mum came up to me and said...what do you think about Sugar and Obioma? I gave out a smile and said, I like the sound of those names...Sugar. Yeah, I like that, no, I love that name. Sugar. Sugar is sweet and brings nothing but sweetness to the taste buds. You, my beautiful Sugar has brought nothing but sweetness into our lives.
About Obioma, we wanted an Igbo name for you too, but Obioma didn't stick and we thought about Idinma...Goodness, and it stuck also.

That is that about your name. We hope you love it, because we do. Sugar!

I would jump right onto the day of your birth, the day your story on earth actually started. I had come back from work early Sunday morning. Yeah, your dad used to work in a night club, as a bouncer. Hahaha...A real tough guy. Well, I came back, I was just chilling at the family residence in Orji when I got a call from your aunt in Lagos (Ada, your mum's elder and only sister) asking if your mum had called me that morning, I said no, whats happening? She said she spoke with your mum and she was complaining about cramps...Yeeshh! Cramps? I got antsy and panicky because the date of delivery from the scan we did was still 2 weeks away, or thereabout, so why is she having cramps now.

Well, I told Ada to hang up so I could call your mum. I did and she said it wasn't that serious, that Ada must have exaggerated. This was just a ruse to calm me down but I could tell from her voice that she wasnt herself. Mehn...its all happening too fast now, we hadnt bought half of the things the hospital requires for delivery, we hadnt packed her delivery bag, in fact, we weren't ready. Well, I drove down to your Uncle's house where she was (I usually drop her off there or at the family residence in Orji during the weekends so she would be close to people and not alone because obvious reasons, and because your mum was afraid of the dark. hahaha).

I met up with her at your uncle Jizzy's place, she looked strong, as she always does but I could tell your were knocking very hard on the door, wanting to get out. She suggested we go home and start packing her labour bag, I agreed and we left immediately. We got home and had the most important things packed in the bag, and now the cramps are getting stronger and happening a lot inbetween time. There was no question now that this was you trying to come out and see the world for yourself. We had finished packing and laoded everything in my bus, then I found out that I just had a flat tyre, and it was raining and I had no jack to change the tyre. Oh No...