A few hours after that last blog post I was in the car on my way to Adelaide; the baby was on the way, and I was needed for baby-sitting duty.   All went well, and our beautiful boy arrived at 10.30 at night.

His name is Finn, and we think he's adorable, of course. He came home from the hospital the next afternoon, and Thomas was enchanted with him.  He climbed onto the couch, stuck out his arms and said 'BABY!' He held Finn's hand and talked to him so gently, we were all really proud of him.

Alas, when the baby was 2 days old Thomas developed Hand, Foot & Mouth for the second time, and he was a very sick little boy.  Seonaid couldn't touch him in case she passed it on to Finn, so she had to stay in her bedroom listening to Thomas crying in pain, while Hayden and I tried to make things  better for him.  I think we held him for 4 days straight, taking turns to comfort him. It was traumatising for everyone. I've never seen anything like the blisters all over him, down his throat, all over the soles of his feet, and most of his body, even in his ears. We even had him tested for chicken pox, but that was negative thank goodness.  Just very severe H, F & M.

Yesterday he started to recover his spirits, the blisters had healed and he was allowed to go near the baby again.

Wow that was a hectic time, one I hope we never have to repeat. I've taken the opportunity to come home for two days, and then I'll go back for babysitting next week, until Finn is more settled into a routine. And I have to catch up on some Isla time, I feel like she missed out when I was so preoccupied with Thomas.

Finn is a long skinny drink of water, which he's doing his best to rectify.  

The visiting Community Nurse had to double check her figures because he's stacked on an incredible amount of weight at 9 days old. He's almost lost that newborn look, getting a little double chin, and a plumper face. I'm hoping that everyone stays healthy and they can move smoothly into being a 7-person family.....