Before you came in to the world...

A big monkey, everyone had a punt on gender, what date and what weight you would arrive at. In the end, you refused to be hurried. Mum had induced labour for 23 hours, halting at 9cm for the last 5 hours, before you came out the highway (my way or the highway held true!).

We listened to your little heart for a couple of days before we met you (dad on less drugs than mum). The nurses all got in on the gambling act too, posting their guesses on a piece of paper towel on the wall. Midwives came, went, and arrived back at work again to learn that we were still there, with no baby John.

We did not have a name for you until a few hours after your birth. Many were surprised that we did not know your gender either. We settled on John Murphy, a link back to your Costar heritage, and it suited your old man look. We suspect that, already, John Costar is a proud Grandad.

Anyway, this has been written in February  2014, so that you were old enough to help type it up (to be honest though, you are a tricky monkey to work with and have kept us busy and in  awe the last couple of months. They have gone very quickly and you are growing just the same.

All our love, mum and dad.

 Where is the anaesthetist? Did you page him?

 John chose the highway...

 Its a boy!

 First cuddle with mum.

 First cuddle with Dad.

 'Baby' murphy (not BO)

 In recovery, we decide on John.

 A real scrunched up face. Stuck in mum's pelvis for the better part of 23 hours. Conehead.

 Meet Grandad Barry.

 and Nana J.

 Early days, drugs starting to wear of slowly. This is about as much as Mum can lift.

 Nana and Opa do not drive anymore. They drove to the hospital, and got a ticket.

 So tiny. They put two name tags on, on mums request.

 The hospital food for the patients was amazing, however the food in he cafeteria tasted like onion powder. No matter what the dish. Mmmm onion.

A good photo with  Nanna Trudes. Trudes does not like cameras. 

Uncle Ryan and Auntie Franki. 

 John with Opa. Very lucky to be able to hang out with Opa.

 With Nana too.

Christmas with your Belgian family, Eoh and Evi. 

All they wanted for Christmas- Nanna and Pop Murphy with their second great grandson.