Welcome baby Anna!!!

What a day we had yesterday! Fantastic, exhilarating, exhausting, worrying, amazing and overwhelming. These are just a few words to describe Tuesday 1st July 2008. At 4am my wife woke me up and indicated that she was in pain, as the hour progressed it became very clear that that was the day and we were going to have a baby! I was overcome with fear and excitement. the only thing I could do on the way in the car (I don't drive) was text every single person I know and let them know we were off and running. Amy was brilliant. She was calm and took everything in her stride. Clearly having the tens machine helped and I would recommend using one to any prospective parents out there. We arrived at hospital and the midwives were amazing. Calm and reassuring. After four hours of extreme pain and virtually no pain relief (much respect and completely in awe) baby Anna Kate was born into our family. She weighed 9lbs 6ozs and is simply scrumptious. I say again 9lbs 6ozs. Oh my god that must have hurt. I am truly not sure how effective and supportive I was, but we got through it. I found the whole thing a very emotional experience and a day later I am not sure I can find any words to describe it properly. Two things - I had no choice but to capitulate on the argument re names - the one who had the pain should choose the name. Without a doubt - no argument. At present there are no pictures as we left the camera at the hospital and have not yet got it back. Believe me there will be hundreds for the reader to view!

Secondly, I am going to allow my wonderful wife to buy a new buggy (she has been bugging me for the last NINE months!). My blog has been invaded by the evil and completely destructive virus that is materialistic wife. It's capable of buying anything on the Internet and is not stoppable by any known virus software. What I actually said to my wife is let's take the current buggy we have to beyond the stage where we do not need the car seat that comes with it, then buy a more lightweight one to use with Anna. I am beginning to think she lied and snuck some drugs into the birth process that I did not know about.

Offspring number one Lucy - had an interesting day. She spent the day with granny and must have been a bit confused when she woke and neither Mummy or Daddy were there. When we arrived home at 7pm with baby in tow we made sure that she had the biggest ever cuddles and she was rewarded with a doll as a present. Which she called Bella. So far she has reacted well - although on occasion she does swing into denial that she is not a big sister. It must be a very unnerving experience for her. She will always be loved, as will Anna. My family is complete.

It's not really sunk in yet that I am a dad again. I am sure it will soon. I can already feel that confidence panics again about what to do with something so small. I had to go to work today and make sure all was well. Have felt a bit left out and have not seen much of Anna yet. We have a whole lifetime to get to know each other...There is so much to tell you and I don't know where to start. I am really knackered and am going to call it a day. Picture found courtesy of Anna's Auntie Kate!