We made it! After what felt like a two-year gestation period, several hundred fake declarations that ‘This baby is definitely coming this weekend/night/day/shopping trip/dinner date’ etc; panicked tears that we had no buggy, moses basket, carseat and would never have enough time to buy them… our baby was 9 days late anyway (incidentally, maybe the givers of ante-natal refresher classes should stop saying things like ‘There’s no WAY you’ll go over on Baby Number 2’ – ya know?).

To a background of my favorite sounds: Dublin city waking up – seagulls, traffic building back up, people getting on with their day, Eva Elizabeth Fynes was born at 7.22am on the 2nd of July. She was exactly the same weight as Jacob had been – 7lbs 13oz – perfectly formed and, most amazingly – A GIRL!! We still can’t believe we have a girl!!

Al and I spent most of the rest of the day in teary disbelief, but we are in love, through and through (not with each other, with the baby. Ok, a little bit more with each other). Jacob came in to meet his new little sister that evening with Granny & Grandad and his gentle, tender kiss for this tiny new baby would break your heart.

Although we’ve been monitoring Jacob’s delayed pronunciation of words (E.G. He’ll ask me if I’m drinking a “TUP OF TOFFEE’ in the mornings), I have never been happier for him to get this one a tiny bit wrong.

‘Who’s this?’ I asked him, gesturing towards Eva.

‘Little Brother’, Jacob replied, very matter of fact.

‘It’s baby sister’, I corrected him.

‘Ohhhh’ his eyes opened wide. ‘Baby sisssster‘.

‘That’s right. And do you know what baby sister’s name is?’

‘Oh yes mummy’, Jacob replied.

‘You tell me what her name is’.

‘It’s Eva A Little Bit’.

I. LOVE. HIM.

And Eva.

I have loads of stories for you about the whole experience, but for now, thanks for all the love you’ve shown us in the last 6 days since she was born xxxx

My Kids & I xxx