what a weekend

Well, that was quite a weekend. Mrs McMuffin seems to be making an amazing recovery and yesterday was doing the laundry. We even went for a walk in the lovely sunshine. I don't think we realised quite how different a 'normal' birth could be. Mrs McMuffin was in labour (stage 2) - the pushing bit) for about 10 hours with Babycake, and needed a week or so to recover. This time the pushing only took about 20 minutes and she was practically up and about within a couple of hours. The human body really is amazing. We seem to be taking a new baby in our stride. We both just seem much more confident and less worried about breaking her. I guess there really is something to be said for having more than one child. I'm off to college this morning while Gypsy Tart stays with Mrs McMuffin to make sure everything is okay. The only 'problem' is the other baby who still insists on being looked after. In fact, he has just appeared in the garden, where I am typing this, shouting 'hullo' at me. He is now showing me a disgusting snail that he has found. I have to stop now, but I will persuade Mrs McMuffin to write something later.

welcome to the world

A lovely baby girl born at 17:13 weighing 7lb 8ozs. Mother and child hale and hearty.

baby watch part 7

She is still at it.

baby watch part 6

She has been in the pool for an hour or so. Gas and air seems to be helping. Pushing isn't far away, I'm sure. Slinky just popped in for a visit. He seemed a bit put out to find a swimming pool in the dining room.

baby watch part 5

I can't believe what a fool I have been. I managed to fill the pool without putting a liner in it. The midwife and I have had to empty the bloody thing and start all over again. Damn.

babywatch part 4

This is it for real this time. Mrs McMuffin has been suffering contractions all morning. The midwives have arrived, and I can't tell you how pleased I was to see that it was the same woman who delivered Babycake. She was wonderful. Mrs McMuffin is 4 or 5 cm dilated and I have been sent to fill the pool, which I am now doing. Mrs McMuffin's parents are coming to collect Babycake and whisk him away to have fun somewhere else. More to come...

babywatch part 3

Sorry folks, she just doesn't want to come out for some reason. It all looked like it was happening last night, but after a day of irregular contractions she still hasn't appeared. Mrs McMuffin is fine, and looking more and more pregnant every minute. She just looks like she might pop like a ballon. I am sure that the baby will make an appearance tomorrow, or at least I hope so. Perhaps sometime around midday would be nice, so that we can get a decent nights sleep and some breakfast. I'll let you know how it all works out.

babywatch part 2

The dining room has been cleared. The birthing pool has been inflated. Boy what a job that was. I forgot how much hard work that was. Mrs McMuffin and Babycake have gone to bed in an attempt to get some sleep before the big event. Oh, and Gypsy Tart has been put on alert. More to come...probably.

babywatch part 1

It is beginning to look as if it might have started. More news to come.

us eating dinner at bluewater

a few minutes on my own

I decided to keep going at work for a bit longer and finally stopped at 37 weeks. I've found it a lot easier being heavily pregnant and looking after a toddler than winding up at work and have rediscovered the joy of actually having some energy and staying awake past 9pm. Of course this was helped last week by Babycake going to nursery for two mornings and my parents had him for some of Thursday, so once I'd relaxed enough to actually believe that I was going to get more than 20 minutes of time not at work or with Babycake, I went to get my hair cut for the first time in almost 2 years (yes, that's right). Anyway, I am going to make the most of whatever few precious hours I have to myself and not waste any time. I've got plans for the hallway floor and there's always plenty to do in the garden.

I've managed to kid myself that this baby isn't due for ages and even now at 39 weeks and having had a show, I've still managed to make myself believe that she'll be a week late. Frankly, the more time I have to prepare the better. I hear second births are usually quicker and easier and after the marathon that was Babycake's, a gentle 10km Fun Run sounds like a good thing. I have no sympathy with women who are tired of being pregnant and just wanted it over, I'll take the enormous belly, pelvic pain and her jumping on my nerves and making my legs collapse for a bit longer yet, although I wouldn't mind getting my thighs and arse back to normal!

Boris effing Johnson

Madness.

the view

This is the view I have when I go out for a fag at night. Babycake loves to spy on me through the catflap. By the way I took this with my iPhone and a great little app called Snapature which allows me to play around with various settings on the camera.

baby is all grown up

Babycake started nursery this week. I took him for an introductory visit on Tuesday morning for a couple of hours. I took him for another brief visit this morning, and I've left him there, all alone, for an hour. I am now in the unusual position of trying to enjoy a cup of coffee without him, but I can't stop thinking about him and whether he is going to get really upset at some point. I guess he better get used to it because he starts proper next week. Poor little thing.

stroppy baby after dinner