So much love (2)

I’ve used that title previously, when they married. I can’t think of a better title for the next chapter though.

Following on the story from my last post, there was a little more waiting to be done last week. I returned to my car dealership one afternoon because the air conditioning needed attention. Whilst there, the young service manager recalled an earlier conversation we had. When I left, I found I had a small passenger - a gift from the company - to take home. How sweet is that?

The days passed, we followed progress from the maternity hospital on WhatsApp and tried to get on with our lives as normal. But as anyone who’s been there, done that will know, it’s not easy. I descaled the coffee machine…

I baked.

We went to the cinema during the afternoon! (We saw Wonka, the perfect distraction at such a time)

But it wasn’t until Thursday morning that we had news of a safe arrival. At one minute past midnight on the first day of February, we welcomed the newest member to our small family: Arthur.

On Thursday morning my swimming friends gave a little cheer on hearing the news.

The ladies in the supermarket (one of whom welcomed the safe arrival of her own grandchild last week) gave me a huge bunch of tulips “with love from Waitrose”.

We have been overwhelmed by so many such unexpected kindnesses in the last few days. Neither of us realised how much anxiety was sitting there in the backs of our minds until we had that important message. Whilst one new family finds they have different priorities this weekend, discovering endless variations on “normal”, one tiny baby has yet to discover the love that is waiting for him.

Welcome to the world, Arthur. Born 12.01am, on his way home at just gone 4pm.