The happy parents

Too too cute

They don't come much cuter than this

Supernanny

Our niece Adele - freelance nanny and firefighter. She has the magic touch for settling babies.

Cutie bootees

There's something about babies' bootees that makes people go gooey.

Daddy's trophy carrier

Our first walk with the baby sling

Our first walk

Coming home

Joseph is somewhere inside that snow suit!


Home at last

Before, During, After...

Before the Caesarean:
Ian looks very fetching in scrubs. It might bring a new dimension to our games of doctors and nurses.




During:
Here he comes!


After:
It's a... sticky white-grey thing!

He's arrived!

Joseph Paul Page arrived a week late on Monday 8th March at 10.20am by C-section. He weighed 2.84kg (6lb 3oz in old money) and is 48 cm long. He is gorgeously perfect with brown hair and his daddy's ears. We've been home from hospital a few days and are settling into a routine of feeding and sleeping (and so is the baby).

Parental development:
Julie thinks everyone should drop to their knees every morning and give thanks to the midwife who delivered them.
Ian is beyond overjoyed and has transformed instantly into a hands-on dad. He regards changing and dressing the baby as an "engineering challenge", but he needs to work on sartorial niceties like getting the clothes the right way round!

More bump porn!

Earlier this week Julie had a scan, but it's all far too cramped down there now to produce a useable portrait of the Bean. So we thought we'd do some more Bump porn instead. The scan was fine and the Bean now weighs over 7lb. His head is engaged and all of the books say that the baby will start to be less active now. The Bean doesn't appear to have read these books and still dances the fandango on a regular basis.

Parental development:
Just compare the photo with the one from 15th November! Julie now waddles - the bump goes straight ahead and the rest of her sways from side to side behind. Amazingly Julie has still put on less than a stone (14lbs for US friends) during the entire pregnancy, despite enjoying her food. Unfortunately about half of this weight gain seems to be round her ankles.
Ian has fitted both the car seat bases, prepared the cot, assembled the changing station, experimented with the TENS machine, admired the dinky little re-usable nappies (diapers), learnt how to use the steam steriliser and he STILL can't quite believe it's happening.

More pictures

The Bean had another scan yesterday, and he looked cuter than ever. In the top picture he is looking upwards with the top of his head on the left. You can very clearly see his profile, and Julie thinks he looks a little bit like his daddy!

In the bottom picture he is looking directly towards the "camera" with his head at the top. Julie loves this picture because with his head slightly tilted to one side and his eyes closed, he looks really relaxed. You can clearly see his cupid's bow, and again Julie thinks this looks like his daddy. At 34 weeks, the Bean now weighs about 4.5 pounds (approx 2000g) and he is still very active.

Parental development:

Julie had to spend a day or so in hospital enjoying the National Health Service's very best hospitality. It was just for observation, and everything was fine.

Ian enjoys feeling the Bean kick, and playing tunes to him, but he can't quite believe that he'll be here in a month or so.