Dealing with little sh*ts

First full day of being a daddy and already looking forward to the next one.

I was back at the bedside slightly later than intended this morning after a very long but highly educational chat about baby boys with two nice women in the flower shop.

Then it was across to Ward 56 at the LGI to see the two heroes of yesterday; one said they'd missed me, the other can't talk yet but I kind of hoped he'd missed me too (sad, isn't it?!)

"The boy Jamie" (as Alan Hansen might describe him) apparently twisted his shoulder on the way to Leeds last night so, soon after my arrival, I had the pleasure of plumping him into a pram and taking him down first for an x-ray and then a scan on the sore bit. Thankfully all seems well.

In the afternoon it was an opportunity for some of our close family members to meet their new relation for the first time and no-one seemed to go home disappointed.

However, whilst they were there, it became apparent that Jamie needed his nappy changing and fast. Until this point of my life, nappy changing was not something I could list as an achievement.

But, forced into a corner, I stepped forward and, to my great surprise, it wasn't half as bad as I thought. Indeed, by the time I left the hospital an hour and a bit ago, I'd done four. Very pleased with myself, I have to say and - weirdly - the highlight of my day (how life has changed in such a short space of time!)

The moral of my first 24 hours is therefore thus: baby steps are not just for babies, they're for babies' daddies too.

I'm loving taking the first uneasy shuffles forward in my new role and, like Jamie, I have no clue about what future adventures lie ahead. Hopefully he, like me, will enjoy the ride.

PS I took some great photos today - then left the camera beside the cot. However, friends and family, I hope the above pic of him and his mum from last night will satisfy your extremely heartening needs (especially if you fancy offering to babysit sometime soon).