Boom

My world of friends and family is awash with babies.

It seems that the great majority of my international circle of friends has embarked on the baby-making journey once they have reached their early to mid thirties. I’ve never felt terribly maternal or indeed comfortable with babies. However, my new friend Henrik, 10-month-old son of Birgitte and Kejl in Copenhagen, has changed that. He’s the calmest baby I’ve ever known (the fact that his parents, and their culture, are calm probably has something to do with that). Henrik is one of those magical children who eats, sleeps, plays and laughs, crying only when it’s definitely time for a feed or a change.

I received news only today that another girlfriend in London has quietly been pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy last week. Gigi’s best mate from Naples is now living near Oxford and his fiancé is due just before Christmas. Another friend is talking about her ticking clock. It’s all around me, maybe not literally but certainly figuratively.