Antipodea: September 2005

Back on my usual spot in the sun, on the swing chair, on the verandah. It's getting hotter every week as we approach the Southern Hemisphere summer, and so the air-con has had to be started up again.

Had a good few weeks on the paternity leave. Sleeping overnight has been something of an issue, as the boy still has no interest in me being rested for work, but other than the last few nights that he's been unsettled (think he was a bit unwell as he felt very hot but I have declined the opportunity to buy a thermometer which I think should be banned from new parents) he usually only wakes up 2-3 times overnight for a feed. He got over it after a few days though, and is back to his usual self.

Work is same old same old. Still plugging away in the ED.

Only news of any note - bought a car. I'm still driving the beaten-up old Barina but with summer coming up and all we thuoght it would be best to get something with air-conditioning for the benefit of the wee yin. Got a second-hand Toyota Echo, an ex-rental. Came to about $13000 (£5000-6000) which isn't bad. I think they hold their value well so we'll see what'll happen to it when we go back to the UK - whether we sell it or keep it for whenever we return. Will decide at last possible moment, probably.

Had to buy some formula for the boy as he eats so much that Jen can't keep up. Only needs it at most once a day or sometimes not at all, and at least it gives her a bit of a break. He was up to about 4.5 kg at the last weigh-in (2 weeks old or so) so he remains a big fat fatty. Still not walking or talking, disappointingly, but we'll see how his second month goes which is coming up soon.

Unfortunately I don't have the inclination at the moment to write anything more interesting, so I'll leave it at that.

The wee one has finally arrived. At 7.52am (Australian Eastern) on 2nd September 2005, so he is now anout two and a half days old.

Obviously his coming about was not straightforward, as us Campbells seem to go out of our way to make things difficult. The ordeal started on the morning of the 1st, around 4am. Jen woke me up to let me know she was having contractions, about 3-4 minutes apart.

Now, having seen a few labouring chicks in the past, I have to say she didn't look all that uncomfortable, but it was early days. This is not something that can be mentioned to anyone with a possible dilating cervix as birds are sensitive about that sort of thing, and to question her discomfort would be like asking for help singing falsetto. The mad hairy feminists have the hormonal half of the population under the impression that doubt expressed by any male is tantamount to revoking voting rights.

In any event they got worse so after 2 hours we headed over to the labour ward, and waddled (or at least one of us did) to one of the Screaming Rooms. While we were there, Jen developed the same vomiting and diarrhoea that the rest of the family had had for the preceding week. This was confirmed by the obstetrician who pointed out that half a centimetre of dilatation was less than impressive and that she just had the dreaded lurgy.

I went home to get some sleep before work, who I had already called to explain I wouldn't be in. I turned up at 4pm, 2 hours late. They kept Jen in (private healthcare loves milking unecessary admissions for a bit of extra cash) for intravenous fluids, although a night out would have left most people more dehydrated than her at that point.

After arriving at work at 4pm, I got another call around half past to say she was now in labour. I hung around for a couple of hours to try and at least get some work done, then trotted off to the hospital. Rather than leave all the gear (mum and baby bag, camera) in the car, I had already chucked it in the house, so turned up empty handed to a sore and contracting wife.

A mere 16 hours, one epidural and several visits by the obstetrician later, Jen produced a 9 lb 1 oz, healthy, disgruntled boy who turned out to be called Callum Gordon Campbell. I confessed to the midwife that I was a shit life partner and parent by having not so much as a spare vest to replace the one the boy had already covered in products of conception, and so had to dash back to the house to grab the carefully prepared and neglected first time parent kit, and spare knickers for the wife.

Callum is simply beautiful. The touch of neonatal jaundice and his rather stout frame do make him look like an Islander, but he is a perfect and so far very placid little one. As long as he gets his feed, he is spending his days mostly sleeping, ignoring the paediatrician, and getting stroppy about bathtime. He will occasionally open his eyes to see if there is a nipple within striking distance but otherwise he seems to be getting over the biggest day of his life so far.