NORTHERN PLANNER

So young William Hovells is nearly 7 months old and quite a few things have changed since he was born, but quite a few things have stayed the same.

What is a constant, at least for now is his total dependency on us. It is no exaggeration to say that he is the most important thing in our world, amongst other priorities and passions, nothing comes close. But from his point of view, we ARE his world. He's visibly happier when he's with both of us, in fact, according to some child psychologists, he hasn't made the distinction between him and us yet, we're one person. Anyway, there isn't a single thing he can do without us, and he wouldn't want it any other way, he loves us both, there is nothing else.

But one or two things are wildly different too. From his point of view, he's off milk and eating. He loves it, absolutely adores eating time. Lasagne, cheese sandwiches, peanut butter on toast, beef tagine, lentil bake, weetabix, he loves it all. And it's lovely cooking for him, or cooking for all of us and watching my ingredients to make sure it's edible for a little tummy.

He's constantly laughing, he watches everything now, gurgles gibberish, plays games and adores In the Night Garden – and I adore watching it with him.

The other big change is with us. When he was born he had a blood infection and spent the first two weeks in hospital. I only realise now how stressful all that was. It made us a little neurotic over his health and wellbeing for a while. We were never those nauseating over protective parents who believe the world should part like the red sea for their child, but we worried about his first chest infection and when he had a bout of stuff that had him in A&E for a bit, all those repressed feelings from those first two weeks came flooding back.

All that's gone now. Let's face it, during the first two weeks, you don't really know what you're doing, to be honest, after six months you don't either, but there's some semblance of routine and you become quite relaxed about it.

I'm so glad I changed work and life arrangements, every day  I can't wait to get home to see him. But being a Dad can be contradictory. He's going away with his Mum for a week to see family this month. I'm looking for a week to myself, despite knowing how much I'll miss them. You sometimes find yourself wanting some time on your own, and feel guilty for it.

By the way, he seems to like swimming. Wonder how long it is until he beats Dad? Don't care if he hates swimming though, he can do ballet for all I care as long as it makes him happy.