One happy family

Divya Dutta

It was déjà vu...it was happening after three years again. I could hear her crying. She sounded the cutest. Yes, she had arrived in the world, her angelic eyes trying to open and see the world around. My brother’s second baby. It was a girl this time and we all wanted it so. The older one being a boy. As everyone is calling to congratulate, they add, “Family complete go gayi”. Yes, indeed, the family is complete. And they say, she has come to give you joy like Ma...

Welcome little one—Mere ghar ayi ek nanhi pari.

What’s very interesting also is to see the reactions of the older child, Vehaant and my pet Sakhi. We have been mentally preparing him for the new arrival, the chota baby. Vehaant was ecstatic to see the little doll, trying to hold her. He keeps toys for her, but what also happened alongside was what we all expected. Vehaant was having to share his mother with the little one now. That the little 2-year-old didn’t know how to deal with. So, he smiled when he saw the baby but he looked lost when he saw the mother with the infant. My heart went to the little child. It reminded me of exactly how I felt when I held baby Rahul in my hands when he was born. I adored him but didn’t know how to share Ma with him. Eventually, of course, I learnt it well and in fact became more protective than even Ma. But now it was a task to make Vehaant comfortable. So everyone in the family, me, Rahul, his wife and the maids kept playing with him, doing masti, giving him more attention so that he doesn’t feel insecure. Yes, he’s back now to feeling confident, jovial and happy. He is back to doing things for the little one. I love the way he says, “So jao chota baby”.

On the other hand my lovely little pet Sakhi, who felt the same insecurity when Vehaant came home, and was dealt with the same way, with love and attention, this time was very calm. She would sit with me all the time but the moment the little baby was in my lap, she would very sweetly go and sit in a corner as if understanding that it was the little baby’s time.

Little love, little understanding—is the best language the little ones understand and it all gets sorted.

I wrapped my meeting and rang the doorbell of my house. I could hear the noise inside. Sakhi barking, Vehaant jumping around and the little cries of the baby, and my brother’s voice looking for names for the angel.

The door opened and I had a big smile. The door to my world, of happy crazy chaos... and am so loving stepping into it.

(Dutta is a Bollywood actress)