You can see now why child number 3 is going to take some planning can't you? It has to be August 12th to fit in with our schedule! (not next year though, maybe the year after?)

These last 12 months have just flown by. I remember as clearly as if it was yesterday what I was doing this time last year. I had my first contraction at 9.30. By 10.30 they were coming every 2 minutes. By 11.30 I was pacing around the kitchen with contractions every minute that were so strong I couldn't speak through them, Wayne was stuck in traffic on his way home, Brooke was about to start watching her 3rd DVD of the day and the labour ward were expecting me ASAP. I remember being close to a panic stage when I thought I was going to have the baby at home with only Brooke in the house. The sense of relief when Wayne walked through the door just before noon was unbelieveable. Suddenly, I knew everything was going to be OK.

We got to the hospital around 12.30, arriving with another couple. Lucky for me her contractions were every 5 minutes so I was whisked into the only available room while she had to wait in the hall. I was around 5cm dilated and wandered around the room for a while, had a bath and listened to Wayne and his running commentary on everything. Around 3.30 I was beginning to feel as though I needed to know how I was doing, I was only using a TENS machine for pain relief (as I did with Brooke) and I felt like I needed to know how much longer I had to go. When the midwife found that I was only 7cm she broke my waters and everything happened at once.

I don't remember the panicked details when the waters were meconium stained. I do remember the midwife running to the door and shouting for a paediatrician, me being sick and Wayne just being fantastic and holding my hand. I remember the paediatrician and midwife laughing at the clothes we had ready for baby telling me that there was no way the baby was going to fit into them. I was really worried that I would burst my eardrums while pushing (as I did with Brooke) but at 15.45 Cameron was born with no worries.

He checked out fine, I checked out fine and everything was as perfect as it should be. It was only when I was feeding him a few minutes later (like Brooke he knew exactly what he was doing!) and looking out of the window at Wayne on the phone to our parents that I had an overwhelming sense of deja vu. We were in the same room that I had given birth to Brooke in, 4 years and 1 day earlier. That felt right somehow. I joked with the midwife that we would book the room for our third child on August 12th in a couple of years time and she just raised one eyebrow at me and said "planning the third already" I guess it was a little soon!

Here he is about to empty out the basket of rubbish yesterday morning while Brooke opened her presents.

Aaah. Daddy's boy!

Pole dancing in his future? I think not!

The first year has been amazing. Being parents of 2 children has taken a lot of getting used to. Cameron is totally different to Brooke, more physically demanding and adventurous. He is walking confidently, climbing the stairs and having mini tantrums where he hurls himself to the floor if you tell him no. He gravitates towards things that he knows he is not supposed to touch, teases his sister by holding toys out to her and saying "ta, ta" before snatching them away and shouting "dont" when she tries to take them. He has the best Dr Evil cackle I've ever heard and we all laugh at him when he does his evil baby impression. He loves his sister to pieces, when we are in the house without her he walks through the rooms looking everywhere for her and shouting "Br, Br. Hello"

Or at least his version of Hello. Which is more like Hewwo. Which he also says into the phone, or anything else that looks remotely phone like. For instance a remote control, book, toy or plaster. He is our gorgeous little troublesome bundle of boy and we all love him lots.

I may dream of nights of solid sleep where I don't lay in bed listening to him awake in his cot and praying that he will put himself back to sleep; I may look at him when he is covered with dribble and slobbo, holding his arms out to me for a cuddle and think "gross"; I may long for a whole day with Wayne where I don't have to remember to close doors, put hot drinks out of reach and constantly wipe someone's nose; but I love him to pieces. I never imagined what it would be like to have a boy, I always assumed I'd have another girl but you know what? Mr Cameron I wouldn't swap you for the world... Love you lots little man. xx

** It is very hard to rhyme words with Cameron but Brooke likes to try. She usually calls him Cameron Bameron Shameron Delameron. Who knows why? Who cares, its cute!