A day older

1. Not being in the office today means a chance to catch up on some proper sleep from the previous two nights of liveliness. I have a sluggish start fuelled by coffee and wait for my call.

2. I get my call and I nip over to the hospital with the newly fitted car seat and help Caroline pack up Frankie and all her things ready for the off. Frankie is a day older and looks different - more hair, less pink. There are 3 other babies in the room ready to start their lives. The cosy safeness of that little ward is soon to go and already it's plain to see that some babies are luckier than others. I know I shouldn't be shocked, but I am a little. I'm just thankful Frankie is one of the lucky ones.

3. A careful drive home to deliver mother and daughter to father, big sister, granny and grandad. The flat is filled with presents and flowers and chatter and folk. Frankie's home.

4. I find a quiet-ish moment to give Ellis her camera - it's my gift to her for becoming a big sister. But mainly it's because I think she is very, very good at taking pictures. I know she is only 3, but within the hour she has taken portraits of everyone and has plans to make an album to take to nursery in the morning.

5. I spend a quiet night by myself lost in thought and sleepy-ness. It's an emotional time; I think about the people who aren't here who should be and we dearly wish were. I think about how the generations shift and change and that we are all of us lucky to be one day older.