Life with 2 kids and a monkey. Just a quick update to let you all know how it's going over here. Gloria was kept in the hospital a while longer on account of her jaundice (inherited from me and my blood disorder, lucky girl). Anyway, by Saturday we were desperate to get everyone out of the hospital room. I likened being stuck in there to taking a long-haul flight. Limited in-flight entertainment, mass-produced food brought by uniformed staff and even the air-conditioner sound gave the impression of a high-altitude hum. The problem on Saturday was that Nelson came down with a high fever (fortunately, it doesn't seem to be dengue, the spread of which is a major concern to Natalenses). By Saturday evening we were all at home. Nelson passed the night without a fever which we were extremely grateful for and I passed the night so soundly asleep that Rach, on trying to wake me on three seperate occasion with the application of physical violence, was unable to stir me from my stupor. Today, Sunday we have been mostly in the house amid a chaotic cacophony of babies, push-chairs, nappies, toy cars and everything else.

All in all, I have enough material to fill three weeks of this blog so I'll have to try and get some of all this down over the next few days. One small anecdote for now. We were worried how Nelson would feel with the arrival of his new sister. We tried to soften the blow of his no longer being his parents and grandparents numero uno by having several gifts allegedly from his sister strategically given over the course of the last few days. Whether it was that or Nelson's good nature, he has so far really taken to the newest member of the family. Perhaps, we are still in the honeymoon period but he is excited to show his sister everything and always asks after her if she is not in the room when he comes in. He's fed up when she sleeps and doesn't play cars (see pic of the stash he let her borrow in her basket). To further manage the transition for him we simulate what is happening to the baby on his stuffed teddy "Monkey"(actually a hippo but who's to know?). Hence, the other pic above of a nappied Monkey sharing Gloria's basket.

All in all we've made it through our first day at home. As Becki Dean from York wrote on my facebook wall today: "Repeat after me... it gets easier, it gets easier, it gets easier".