I first saw you today. You are eight weeks and five days old, they say, but neither your mother nor I can reconcile that age with what we believe, which is that you were conceived closer to seven weeks ago. My right hand was holding your mum's left as we watched your heart beating on the screen. What could a prospective father do but smile?
It is ten months since we decided we would try to have a baby. We sat on a hill overlooking the Peruvian city of Huaraz and I asked your mother what she thought of the idea. We decided that the end of the year would be a good time to try. We left South America in May and after four months away from each other in the summer (she went to see your grandparents and cousin Tiantian in Xian, I worked in London) she returned to London in early October and the day after my birthday, we flew to Bali via Singapore.
Now we are in New Zealand and seeing you on Xmas Eve was a wonderful gift. We are looking forward to you, baby.