Sunday evening. 9pm
Mum and dad have just phoned to signal their safe arrival home after the last two days with us. Love them loads and its been fantastic having them around at this special time.
So glad they wanted to come and were able to when I rang at 8pm on Friday evening with news of the imminent delivery.
They were here by 10.30 so after a few hugs and a quick turnaround, Trx and I were able too get to hospital by 11.30 in time for Nora's arrival an hour later.
I think it helped them being first in line this time around (the Last Time of course!!) so they were able to see baby within a few hours of birth and get those special moments.
And its been a great help to me too, cos they haven't stopped jobbing, cooking, washing up and entertaining the kids leaving Tx to get some rest (though she insists on less than she needs) and settle down again.
Dad and Stan get on really well now and spent this morning with a train set, mending (well, not actually) a breadmaker and making a pigsty out of a couple of match boxes and some bits of paper fro Stan's pet China pig.
Dad hasn't shut up about this since, going on and on about how much he enjoyed it, making and doing things and seeing Stan's brain and imagination going when nowadays "too many kids spend all their time in front of a TV or computer screen".
First visitor was JW from church whose 80th birthday party was last week. No-onebelieves her - she is the most glamorous, together and lovely 80 yr old in the world and looks about 65!!!
That was Saturday. I think I spent all day on the phone trying to pass on the news. Most people were out, and after six answerphone sin a row I gave up and tried again more successfully in the evening.
Took the other girls to church this morning, with Mum, and of course everyone was all hugs and congratualtions. This was all very moving. They really are a wonderful bunch of people and opened Mum's eyes to the way a church experience can be. She was touched, and again told of her dull and boring (largely Catholic-based) "high" church service at home. Really pray that she can find somewhere more like what she found today because it will help her re-discover her faith which I think she is trying to tdo at the moment.
Feels good to have been a catalyst in that.
Our church, as I belive the vicar siad, is more about the people in it than the building or the formality of protocol and procedure - and that was very apparent today.
He wasn't there himself this morning but came round with Mrs Vicar for a cup of tea and a cuddle with Nora for an hour just after Mum and Dad left.

Still feels a little weird being friends with the vicar because it blurs the edges of his role and our relationship.
Special people though, and their prayers and support have been invaluable.
CR also dropped by with a pressie but wouldn't come in, so its been altogether an exhausting time.

We decided that it would be nice while M and D were here to do Nora's "Day of Birth" party, rather than leaving it till later in the week and running the risk of crashing Stan's birthday next weekend.
It works really well this, and I think is a factor contributing to the (so far) lack of sibling jealousy at the arrival of a new baby in the family.
We have a meal, and then each of the kids opens a present from "the baby" before we say a prayer together and eat a big chocolate cake.

I'm on duty now and N is sleeping beside me in her basket, purring, snorting and wheezing away while Mummy sleeps downstairs in bed. At last…

Community midwife also called today and ticked all the boxes. We don't get another visit for FIVE days now, unless we think we need to see someone.
Everything is going so well so far.
Just the older two girls to tell - my next phone call, and then we can start having more visitors. Loads of people are itching to come round.
It's very touching.