Emily Hope

	at Mersey General Hospital Weight: 10lb 1oz Welcome little one to this Earth, the whole wide world awaits your birth! Originally, I wanted to make this page a kind of 'blog' and update it each time the baby girl said or did something that needed recording. But I've now realised that was a slightly naive notion, since it seems she does something new and beautiful constantly... it's just not practical to sit at a computer all day, every day! So, these limited entries must be considered "Emily's Greatest hits". Where to begin, when you're documenting the creation of life? To actually bring a child into the world is no small decision - the whole process is not just about creating life, but creating a whole new view on life itself - and this is one decision that, in our lives, we will never regret. There's really no way to easily describe the process, anyway... whether it's because so much happens in such a seemingly short time, or because you're constantly full of a mixture of excitement and trepidation, the whole process now seems like a sweet dream. From the moment that the pregnancy was confirmed (although I found it difficult to believe at first, which put a damper on my excitement) it slowly began to sink in. Organising a room for the future babe, and getting a cot and carry-beds ready - not to mention piles of nappies and bibs - helps hammer it home. But the real clincher is feeling that first movement from within Mrs' belly. Once that babe started kicking, she never stopped... and they were magic communications, every one. Thankfully the weeks stretched into months without incident - the only concern being Mrs' health. I thought it was called 'morning sickness'... well, this 'morning sickness' lasted all morning, noon and night. Poor Mrs! But she soldiered on, swollen ankles and all, with little complaints. A few trips to the GP, and the Hospital, reassured us that all was well with babe - and to see the little embryonic form on the Ultrasound was another major experience. So THIS was the little creature causing all the illness, concern, worry and happiness - blissfully unaware of it all. And it wouldn't let us know what gender it was, either... secretive little thing! In between check-ups at the Hospital, we also attended Anti-natal classes - but I'm not sure if these classes made me reassured, or more worried! I think mostly it was a help, and thankfully the olden-day classes where you have to huff and puff with the Mrs are over, making way for more practical information. We were ready as we'd ever be. Finally the day (well, night) came, not far from the predicted due date. After a previous false alarm, this time the very large Mrs knew for sure there was a new arrival on the way - so it was grab the bag, get in the car, and break the speed limit during the 10 minute drive to the hospital! My concerns about having to deliver a baby in the car at the roadside weren't realised, luckily - the babe managed to stay put until Mrs and myself were in the maternity ward, waiting for action stations. Now, I remember someone saying that if males were the bearers of children, the human race wouldn't exist - and I tend to agree. I don't succumb to pain too easily, but I sure as hell wouldn't like to experience this pain that Mrs was taking all in stride. I don't know if the TV versions of women experiencing contractions are stereotypical, but this was nothing like it - and as Mrs says, who'd have the energy to scream and cry like those TV women anyway? Time pushed on... and after a relatively short labour (2 - 3 hours), babe was actually making an appearance! And Mrs was still more calm than she should have been - the pain was noticeable on Mrs' face, but not overpowering her, which surprised the midwife. But there was a slight worry... the midwife noticed that babe had an elbow in an awkward position, hampering her 'escape'. However, with a little skill and luck - and a very short half-hour or so of hard work - suddenly there was a chubby bundle of moisture, skin and hair being placed on Mrs' now-flat belly... and we were meeting a new beautiful baby daughter, just as we'd hoped for, for the first time. There were very few words for a while, it was more just looking at and cuddling this tiny bundle, who after a few cries and tears was snuggling close to Momma. And Mrs might not have noticed it at the time, but the brand-new Dad had eyes full of tears of joy. It's now been two months, and things are progressing wonderfully at home. I'm getting quite adept at changing nappies and helping run the household, and the late-night cries for Momma's milk aren't quite as bad as they were (it helps when I'm able to sleep through them though). Emily is so far a very placid and happy little girl, who only seems to cry when she's really upset about something - maybe this trend will continue into childhood? We can hope. And she's now smiling and grinning, and trying ever so hard to talk to us... you'll never see anything so cute in your life. The story has been epic so far, and it's amazing to think it's all only just begun. This has only been ONE chapter in the story of Emily's life, and ours - and there's going to be many more to come. Update: 5th October 2005 Well, the old saying about time flying when you're having fun isn't quite true - the damn thing flies whether you're having fun or not! It's been 8 months since the baby girl appeared, and although she's not keen on learning to crawl yet (she'd rather yell out until someone picks her up) she's capable of rolling around and supporting herself on her chubby legs. We're in no rush for her to get mobile yet, anyway! She's still a very happy baby, when she's not crying to be fed her beloved food, and is always excited to see both favourite things and new things. The little hands are always imagining grabbing what she can see, so much so that Mrs says she's riding a motorbike. Me, it looks like she's playing air guitar. Either way, she knows when she wants something - even the cat gets shouted and grabbed at, but from a safe distance. This baby girl already seems to know that the cat isn't to be trusted! Emily has had some days when she's been sick with sore throat and/or croup which makes her uncharacteristically quiet and grizzly, but as soon as the big grins and happy squealing returns, you know she's feeling better. We've got teething to look forward to soon, however. Maybe her happy nature will help her (and us) through the worst of it. I'll be adding some new photos soon, but rest assured she's still as cute and pretty as ever. The only real change so far is she's starting to grow some real hair - but we still don't know if it'll be light or dark, or curly or straight. But whether her hair stays thin with a thick patch on top, or if she grows a style to rival Don King, she'd still be our beautiful baby girl. Update: 23rd July 2008 When trying to think of some of the more important parts of the now-3-years-old girl's life, there are some that immediately come to mind. The first, of course, is the big milestone; baby's first steps. It was hard enough just to get her to roll and crawl -- she suffered from a big reflux problem -- and although she could stand, she only wanted to walk when SHE was ready, which shows in the video we managed to take of her genuine first steps. Being offered something just out of reach (her much-loved dummy/pacifier, I believe it was) she finally stepped off to get it... but in true Emily fashion, after one or two steps she had to pause and stoop in a tight-fisted, growling ball of frustration before she straightened up to continue her first walk. And later on the same video, she walks the length of the room to collapse on her Dada's lap, grinning in a very pleased-with-herself way. More updates to come shortly... hopefully before the little girl starts high school!		Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge

	~ Thanks to the Mersey General Hospital staff! Page was last modified on 18th July 2009 ~ Best viewed at 800x600 or higher Questions? Check out Joker's Homepage and you might find answers. Comments, suggestions? Email me and let me know!