So...

Well, I'm exhausted, but I'm happy, and that's a good way to be.
Philippa, to be fair, is far more exhausted than I am. Can't think why. It's not as if giving birth is tougher on the mum than it is on the dad.....

Mathew is perplexed by the whole thing, but seems very taken with his little brother. We've managed to delay any friends and family coming round to 'Meet The Addition' because it's hard enough getting used to a new paradigm at home while you're still knackered from the hospital without having loads of goo-ing and coo-ing women in their 40s and 50s getting under your feet. So we've managed to put off any and all drop-ins until Wednesday at the earliest. 

My work sent a delightful bunch of flowers, with a large teddy bear. He is extremely soft and cuddly and will have pride of place at the foot of 2.0's bed, which will probably give him PTSD later in life, but will look cute in photos.

And we have a name, but I'm reluctant to reveal it, because we want to let the person who inspired the middle name hear about it face to face.

Ah, sod it - he won't be reading this.

We've gone with RIAN EDWARD.

Rian is pronounced as Ryan, but is the older, more original, Gaelic-based spelling, that can be used for either sex of child, and seems to be becoming more popular.

To be honest, we'd settle on the name months ago, but I never told you coz it was fun to engage in frivolous speculation, moniker fantasising and some good old-fashioned pulling-of-the-wool-over-the-eyes-of-your-readers. Not that any of you gave a shit, I'm sure.

I'm going now. Not sure I mentioned it, but I'm tired. And emotional. Tired and emotional and proud. And a dad! Twice over!!!!!

RC 7-11-22