A spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down....

We have had a new addition to our family since December...no it's not what you think!! We hired a nanny to help out with Saanvi while I worked at the hospital and at the office and we couldn't have found a more perfect match!  Not only does Saanvi love her but Summit and I also get along with her so well, we feel like she's known us for years.  This woman (she's only a mere 23 years old, so she's really still a girl) gets all props because she was able to finally get Saanvi to take a bottle.  When I get stressed about something, she always brings me back to reality and reminds that everything always will work out. She is awesome with the baby and is always looking for ways to keep their daily activities new and educational.  She is such a positive person and always walks into the house with a bright smile.  Heather, we are sooooo thankful to have found you, and we can't wait to see Saanvi grow up with you.  I don't have nearly enough pictures of you guys to do you justice, but nonetheless....

December happenings....

Here are a bunch of random shots in December, Saanvi's sixth month!

Video chatting withing Dadi in India!

Ready for the winter

Our first Christmas tree...that didn't smell like pine :(

Foi trying to feed Saanvi some rice

Eating carrots!

Saanvi's first piece of furniture...put together by Heather , our new nanny!

Merry Christmas!

Nalin dressed up at a Christmas party. How cute does this guy look!????

Darshan & Lindsay's new baby, Ariya

Rakhee & Chetan's baby boy, Sai

The Christmas tree finally decorated, 4 days before Christmas!

Spending Christmas morning with my sick little baby! Saanvi had a really bad cold on her first Christmas and just wanted to cuddle all day long :(

The "Fro" after the shower

A visit from Sheethal maasi

Chilling at Polaris Mall....

This is when Saanvi started showing me some affection and cuddling with me.  I of course melted!!

This is my baby, straight up

Shah family Christmas in Dover, Ohio ....all the ladies!!

I know...we get pretty crazy

how many people does it take to make tea?

Nava Ghar (check my guju out!)

December 7th, 2011

I am so thrilled and shocked at the same time that not only did we decide to come back to Columbus to start our family, but we are back in my old stomping grounds, Dublin! I love this place with all my heart.  I have so many memories of growing up that being in this area makes me feel like a part of me is still back in my childhood.  Our new house, is literally 2 miles from the house I spent 27 years in!  When I drive by my old neighborhood I get such a sense of comfort and more importantly I remember my parents and the fun times I had growing up with my mom, dad and sister.  So here we are back in Dublin, with our new little family and Saanvi will get to go to the same elementary and middle school I went to!  Our closing was Dec.7th, 2011 and we have been getting settled in over the past month.  We are so blessed to have this home!

 

Maasa & Maasi came and represented all of our parents since both of our moms were in India. 

Saanvi's Rice Feeding

December 12th 2011

We were so fortunate to have Shailesh Uncle conduct Saanvi's Annaprashana.  The Annaprashana was so special because it wasn't just another ritualistic Hindu ceremony, but it had so much meaning because Shailesh took such effort to explain the meaning of everything to us.  He started off by reminding us with "Ishavasyam Idam Sarvam", God resides everywhere.  The Annaprashana is the 4th Sanskar of the sixteen where a baby is given solid food for the first time. The baby's first food is a mixture of rice, milk, ghee and a drop of honey.  The food is first offered to God, so the first food the baby is given is prasad. Saanvi loved  the little mixture and was excited to try something new. Thank you so much Shailesh Uncle and Geeta Aunty for making her Annaprashana so meaningful!

Smile...take 2

We tried to get some family pictures taken back in July when Saanvi was 2 months old but it was literally 100 degrees outside so we decided to wait until fall to try again. Natalie, my friend and fellow lacrosse player from high school took our pictures again this time and we got some good shots. I love how "fallish" they look.  My favorite part about this shoot was that we took pictures in the back of my best friend Kim's house, my second home growing up and Natalie was even able to sneak in some shots of us in front of our old Haddington house!  Thanks Natalie, we will be calling you again for the second baby's pictures too!

Oh how I LOVE TO DIVE!!!

We went diving in Cozumel and I had to devote an individual post for all of our awesome underwater pictures (special thanks to Blanca, our dive master for taking these awesome shots).  My friend Richard is going to get annoyed because I'm talking about diving...again...for the 345th time.

Summit getting into the water

Letting my partner know I'm doing ok!

My favorite...my dive is complete when I see one of these huge turtle dudes underwater.  They are so cute and grandpa like!

The nurse shark that was about 3 feet away from us, I heard the jaws music in my head as he came out from under his hiding....i literally jumped on summit's back underwater. i'm not gonna lie, i was scurred.

another appooppa turtle. LOVE THESE GUYS!

summit, me and the dada turtle