Thrill of grandparenting

Gifted Grandparents

The greatest gift that you can ever get is to become a grandparent. Ask any grandparent and he/she will vouch for it.

By God’s grace, Neeta and I became grandparents again this year in California. Courtesy Akanksha (Ashi) and Ankur, we had the delight of welcoming Naman, our grandson, into this world. As Charles Dickens said, “Every baby born into the world is a finer one than the last”. We couldn't have agreed more. 

Ashi chose a very innovative way of announcing the arrival of the baby. See what she wrote.


Here is Naman as a baby in arms.

Here is a selfie which Ashi took with Naman.

Of course, bringing up babies is no easy task. Ask any young Mom 

or a granny who is helping the baby and the mom, and you will hear a chorus! Like what Mark Twain said, “A baby is an inestimable blessing and bother”! 

Few more pictures of Naman as he grew up to be a month old! 

He seems to be reciting the alphabet "O"!

 All the grandparents-- Dada, Dadi and Nani-- celebrated Naman's 

first 'monthly birthday' by cutting a cake!

And Naman when he entered his second month in this world, he was in the lap of his great grandmother!

Naman enjoying Nani's lap.

The scene now shifts to India. 

As we said, we were blessed earlier in 2013 with our only granddaughter in Chennai. Named Anuva, she is the real heart throb of the family. Here are some pictures of Anuva as a baby.

How she looked in the first hour of her life!

She is going to be two in May this year. Full of action, she capitalises on all the attention she gets. Let her pictures do the talking all the way from a baby to an energetic toddler!

With her favourite bunny.

And, when she learnt to lift her head. All excited!

With Kruger, her best friend whom she copies! 

Portrait with mumma...

Anuva is forever in love with outdoors! See her enjoying the stroll with Ansh bhaiya.

Her first steps, wobbly but confident under the watchful eyes of Appa!

Anuva the flier!

And mind you, she doesn't like rough surfaces. Even tufts of a green lawn bother her-- see the way she has folded the toes in our lawn!

 Tying the first Rakhi to Ansh Bhaiya.

And now, I too get invited to parties!

Like all children of this hi-tech age, Anuva too is fond of the cell phone. I gave her my old-gen 'unsmart' phone. And she didn't take long to figure it out! Reaction? See the the combo picture. 

Dadu had to pacify her and make peace.

  13th May 2014-- time for her first birthday bash. Venue RSI Secunderabad.

We all went to Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Jan 2015. Few more action shots of Anuva.
Appa's baby.

Hug from Ansh bhaiya.

Anuva the poser.

Anuva the acrobat.

Anuva the climber. Site: Moyar river and dam, Karnataka.

Anuva the gymnast.

"Family photograph? Please do not disturb me, I am busy!"

This is what Ansh did nine years ago. Anuva has repeated it-- removing Dadi's bindi. And putting it on! 

We learn from our children and if we are fortunate, from our grand  

children as well! 
Like Naman has taught us 'Demand your rights (food for the baby)' and 'How to sleep well'!
Whereas Anuva's lessons to us have been-- how to concentrate and remain focussed--- anywhere and everywhere!

We close here with that classic quotation from William Wordsworth who said, “Child is the father of the man”!

You are welcome to share your experiences as a parent or 

grandparent.

May God bless all the children in the world as the world belongs to them!

Thanks for browsing,

-          Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 3rd March 2015