The charming dynamo

My wife and I could not get to see him till he was a little over two months. When we did meet him, we had with us his two great-grandmothers (our mothers) and his Aunt and Uncle (my daughter and son-in-law).
Although we had seen a few pictures and videos of our grandson, Raynik, getting to meet him in person had a different feel of excitement. The little fella didn’t take very kindly to his being rotated amongst us and expressed his annoyance in the only way he knew – by a full-throated bawl! One constant in that meeting was his fondness for the camera. His look was both unflinching and straight.
We next met him last year in November. He was a little over 1 year and was getting to discover the world and its myriad mysteries. A thorough extrovert, he could charm people with his generous and radiant smile. A bundle of indefatigable energy, he was for ever on the move. He was basking and enjoying every bit of the attention he was getting from his grandparents and great-grandparents. Little Raynik had the index finger of his right hand ever ready to press any button or switch. For him his world was all about buttons and switches!
One of the most fascinating sights was his chasing my nonagenarian father all over the house for getting his hands on what in my father’s scheme of things ranked as one of his most precious possessions – his antiquated transistor.
My father would try to divert the little fellow’s attention by showing him some other toy, but he would patiently and persistently bide his moment all the while never ever showing any sign of irritation or annoyance in not getting what he wanted. A little fall here or there would hurt him but when his parents would let out a little laugh, he would forget his hurt and get on with his overly busy schedule.
Strangers to the house would be welcomed with his signature smile. I remember my driver, who fell to his charm, telling me that his own child was prone to be a little restrained with him. His ability to strike a pose had been further honed during the interregnum between our two meetings. He had now become an even more perfect showman in front of the lens. His straight and silky hair coupled with his winning smile further reinforced this image. He seemed to enjoy his moments in front of the camera. This was evident also in the pictures and videos we got to see of him. Time flew when the little fella was around.
He kept everyone on their toes and it was as if he was testing each one of us for our alertness. He would quietly give up on the subject of his immediate attention on hearing the word ‘forbidden’ by his parents but that would not discourage him from turning his attention to some other new object. We now look forward to our next meeting with the little charmer and the new things he would have picked up!