Secret smiles

So Poppy Sylvia Holmes (formerly known by Ivy as baby George) is here. I only seem to do pregnancy and birth in a dramatic unpleasant way and this time was no exception. It's a story for another time but involved going into labour 3 weeks early, banging on the neighbours door in the early hours of the morning, lots of vomiting, an emergency caesar, a non breathing baby, a stint in intensive care, rides in a wheelchair, lots of hysterical crying (from me and Ivy), problems feeding and then finally arriving home. Not one to romanticise having babies it was with great pleasure that I walked out of the ante natal ward at RPA knowing I would never be back again - unless I was visiting.

So now time has flown and Pops is seven weeks old. Parenthood second time around feels easier. I'm not sure the regime of 3 hour sleeps and feeding and settling and vomiting IS actually easier or it's more a case that as parents we've now been trained by our first borns to have NO expectations. As a result you are pathetically grateful for 5 hours sleep when as a first time parent you would be bitter - not realising that things could be a lot, lot worse.

Poppy is a sweet little thing and so far seems to be a mummy's girl. Her eyes light up when she sees me (or my boobs) and from as early as 4 1/2 weeks I was the recipient of little smiles. Only problem is, she is a secret smiler. In the early hours of the dawn when I sit in the loungeroom feeding her she will stop, look me in the eyes and then break out in the most beautiful little grin, she will the lavish her smiles on nearby lightfittings, cushions and anything else nearby. It's sweet.

Only problem is when she sees her Daddy. She either cries or stares at Ed goggle eyed like she's been picked up by a serial killer. There are no smiles for Ed - just looks of horror or extreme crankiness. This is a suprise as Ivy lurved Ed from the get go. She was always happy to have a snuggle with him as a newborn and could be carried around in his arms for hours. Popster on the other hand is not convinced by this strange man who changes her bum and holds her in the evenings. In her opinion he is not to be trusted.

In the meantime she smiles secretly at me like we are in this together. While it's nice to be numero uno after playing second banana to Ivy and Ed's relationship I am a little wary. Afterall I suspect it will be me Poppy cries out for a 4am when she's older rather than that oh so familiar cry of DAAAAAADIEEEEEE that left Ed staggering to Ivy's assistance and me to roll over and go blissfully back to sleep. Has my luck run out?