4 Jun 2005

I have a hangover. Julie and I WENT OUT LAST NIGHT, leaving the King of the Elves and Viking in the capable hands of granny and great-aunt.

We went to a family do, it was a great night, lots of Barry White, lots of family catching up to do.

6 Jun 2005

I was sitting in our local hospital cafeteria this morning with Edmund (Viking) waiting for some post-operation checks. Julie had gone to get coffee when I was approached by this young woman.

She was gorgeous. Absolutely naturally divine. She coo-ed and ga-ga'd at Edmund and asked me if he was alright. I told her about the premature thing, and the oxygen thing. She asked me if i wanted anything from the cafe or shop. No thanks I replied.

Just about 2 seconds after she left Julie returned.

"My god Martin " she said "what were you doing chatting with Joss Stone?".

It was indeed Joss Stone. How bizarre.

8 Jun 2005

This is the child that woke me up this morning at 4 am, lustily demanding his first feed of 6. We sat in the rocking chair, me with a cup of sweet tea and him with his bottle.

His big blue eyes never left my face for a second and I could feel his intense stare on my skin.

After he had emptied the bottle I sat him on my knee and winded him. His belch was loud enough to bring the dog into the room from the kitchen downstairs.

I turned him round to see the sunrise that was meandering about behind the big trees in the churchyard opposite. He might have been watching star wars, for all the rapt attention he gave the scene.

I tickled his stomach, made rude popping noises, and he turned that king of the elves face towards me and his eyes lifted that perfect tiny mouth into a smile.

14 Jun 2005

Just to let people know how the twins are doing. I haven't got any photos at the moment because we're too damn busy to take any.

Aubrey and Edmund are absolutely divine, the best, delicious, groovy.

They are fatter, bigger, longer, grumpier and smellier.

They smile and respond to stories and rhymes.

They sleep for days, and wake for days. They feed round the clock.

They are just starting to reach out for toys or whatever is to hand.

They are still on oxygen, and five medications each, four times a day (equals a total of forty different medicine giving tasks a day!).

They love their expensive buggy (£650) and we still haven't got a car that can take their car seats so they travel everywhere by foot, which is fine at the moment.

They like goldilocks and the three bears, told in the style of Charles Hawtrey (the camp thin guy from the Carry On movies)

They are seven and a half months old and we are finally able to look forward with complete assurance that they'll be alright.

When we take them out for walks, we have to allow an extra hour for all the aah's and ooh's and " is that a special buggy for sick babies?" type questions. When we take the dog out with us we get the baby freaks and the dog freaks grabbing us by the arm and demanding we entertain them for ten minutes on some street corner with huge carbon-monoxide-generating buses passing right by.

Of course, we love the attention and play on it. I have several tiny mittens with which to fool them, I hold the tiny mittens up and say, "You see this? It was their hats when they were born!"

As a forward-thinking charity, Action Medical Research is creating a healthier future for everyone. Although we will still fund work into a wide range of diseases and conditions affecting all age groups, Touching Tiny Lives will give extra impetus towards solving the problems of pregnancy, childbirth and the early years.

Go to the get involved or giving sections to find out how you can help, or make a donation now.