Scarlett James Cassia Grace....

.......was born at 12.37pm today! Weighing 7lb 3 ounces, she arrived after a 22 hour labour - Janey's waters broke while she was in the middle of ordering something from QVC yesterday. Darren didn't get lost on the one way system and they reached the hospital in record time. Ivy kept apologising to the nurses and telling them that she was ashamed of her daughter and her "foul bloody language" and Darren's mum Lou was desperate to know the "absolute final" agreed combination of names as she's going to arrange her tattoo appointment for tomorrow. "There I am, wondering when my placenta was going to put in an appearance and she wants to know if we're putting the James before or after Grace!" Janey hooted, slurping back the champagne that David had smuggled in.

Janey said that she "weren't half glad I'd pre booked me epidural" and said that there was one comical moment when Darren ventured down to the "business" end of the bed just as the baby was crowning and "went as green as the gown he was wearing" but, all in all said Janey, it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. That'll be the drugs talking I said knowingly.


Ivy was all misty eyed and not letting anyone else hold the new arrival and Uncle Jim had arrived (after having to practically park in Catford) without the camera so she sent him home to get it. As we were leaving, Mac ceremoniously gave "Scallet" one of his teddies "from when I was a baby" and I had to be scraped off the floor.


"When are you going to have another baby mummy?" Mac asked in a loud booming voice as we negotiated the warren-like hospital corridors. Lots of indulgent smiles abounded from the harrassed hospital staff but David had to whip into the coffee shop to get a "strong Americano".