Looking back, part 2: Grandparents visit

(October – November, 2007)

We want to take a moment once again to look back and acknowledge some special visitors we've had since Oliver's birth.

Less than a week after we brought Oliver home from the hospital, Oliver's grandparents, his Thamma and his Dadu, arrived from India. It was such a difficult time (they could tell you some stories!) that those early weeks at home have become a bit of a blur for us. Having Shami's parents here was a tremendous help, and in fact we're not sure we would have survived without them.

Notice how the lovely sari Ollie's Thamma is wearing on the left miraculously turns into a special heirloom blanket, complete with an embroidered "OA" for Oliver Akash! Thank you Thamma!

Although we were mostly housebound and too exhausted to do much of anything beyond what was absolutely necessary, we did manage to get out a few times to show them some of Sydney's sights, including a couple of walks along the coast and a stop at Bondi beach. Ollie even dipped his toes into the Tasman sea for the first time, but he was not impressed.




It was not just their help with meals, cleaning and caring for Oliver we are grateful for, but their boundless love and emotional support. We are so glad they were able to come and meet their first grandchild early on, even if the circumstances were far from the happy ones we'd envisioned.

All dressed up: three generations of Chatterjee men. And Oliver with his mum and Thamma too.