Alex's Tuppence Worth @ 3rd September 2009

We're over the halfway mark in baby-baking terms, and yet it comes as a surprise that there's close friends we've entirely neglected to inform of our impending parenthood, most likely due to reaching the end of the 12-week 'danger zone' whilst Helen was in hospital having her leg sewn back together (giving us somewhat more pressing concerns than spreading our happy news about the place).

This situation came to light about an hour ago when we enjoyed a visit from my old University friend (and occasional partner-in-musical-crime) Jonny the Greek, who has recently become a father himself. The look of shock on his face upon encountering 'lens bump was a picture to behold - felt like an utter cad for inadvertently keeping him out of the loop.

Obviously he got his own back on my unpardonable failure to share my news with him by recounting tales of 3 months of night-feeding and generally getting no sleep following the birth of his beautiful daughter Alexia, an evil glint in his eye and a smile on his face as he saw the effect this information was having on me.

My friend Chris Sadler used to swear by a brand of coffee called 'Rocket Fuel'; a colleague at Faber similarly recommends 'Percol' as the ultimate pick-me-up cup of Joe. They both contain substances that go above and beyond the ability of mere caffeine to slap the brain into action whatever the circumstances. I think I'll be needing a cocktail of both if Dylan takes after either me or 'len in the first-year sleeping stakes.

Yes Mother, I know you're reading this blog with an evil grin and the glint of revenge in your eye - god knows you've earned it after raising me...

Alex aka Babydaddy