3rd September 2022 - Neice
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I have been an uncle for nearly 2 weeks now and it is a little mad how 
time quickly passes. Last weekend, I was able to head down to Plymouth 
to meet my neice. It was a lovely sunny day and so we all got together 
in my brother's garden. The first time I got to hold her was amazing. 
She is a floppy baby who likes to have her arms anywhere but by her 
sides so she had one arm hanging down while the other flopped around. 
She is also a right little wriggler. I was also able to see her last 
Monday before driving back up to the Midlands. She was awake for that 
time and a little farting machine. It is a bit odd feeling a tiny 
thing fart on your hand and yet being happy about it. This time I had 
to avoid her tiny sharp finger nails getting tangled in the beard. 
Sigh, it was lovely seeing the cause of so much hope, dreams and 
worries become real. She will of course remain the cause of hope, 
dreams and worries too. I am just glad for my brother and sister in 
law that they have managed to bring a life into the world. When I got 
the news that sister in law gave birth, I couldn't help but cry. Tears 
of joy like but still felt odd. 

I learnt something odd..... A friend of mine had a c section and so 
did my sister in law. Both sent me pictures of their child emerging 
from their body. In each case, the medical staff doing the operation 
asked if they wanted photos. They are disgustingly interesting photos. 
Think alien chest buster scene but lower down and you have it pretty 
much. Is this a thing? Why is this a thing? Do medical staff offer the 
same for those giving vaginal birth? I am baffled by this. 

Another fun part of there being a new baby in the family is the 
messages of shock from my brother. Within 3 days, he had been puked, 
pooed and peed on. Yesterday I got a message saying that my neice had 
managed to projectile poo. My brother was hit while being half a metre 
away. Then she promptly peed everywhere. The joys of being a parent! I 
am impressed with her aim and propensity for chaos.