Baby: A Soppy Story h/c (Exclusive Signed Page 45 Bookplate Edition) back

"Well, the midwife said there was no protein or glucose in my wee, so that's good?"
"What would it mean if there was protein and glucose in your wee?"
"That it would make a good sports drink?"

Haha! I can recall many such a nonplussed conversation between myself and Mrs. R along those lines where seemingly vital pregnancy-related information was conveyed to us by medical experts. The significance of which was then immediately entirely lost in translation... First-time parents, the very dictionary definition of clueless buffoons…

There's so much to chuckle at here, both pre- and post-birth, but I suspect you'll need to have endured the travails and triumphs of producing progeny yourself to fully appreciate how perfectly Philippa captures the absurdities of the whole affair. For example, I'm pretty sure every single set of neophyte parents has been through the consternation of the car seat farrago whilst preparing to leave the hospital ward with their precious charge... Here's Luke to demonstrate for the uninitiated / refresh your minds for those full versed in the torture.

"Why didn't we practise the car seat earlier?"
"I did! Just not with an actual baby in it."

Fair point! I remember all too well that feeling of total, overwhelming all-consuming fear as I fumbled at the straps of the car seat scarcely believing the foolish doctors were about to let two complete novices actually walk out with a child to look after…

Here Philippa recounts for us some of their own mini-rollercoaster hilarious highs and ludicrous lows first anticipating the arrival and then surviving the looking after of the lovely Robin. I'm pretty certain every single couple might well have had the following bust up too…

"I'll take her downstairs and see you in an hour or so. Need anything?"
"Thanks, no, I'm okay."
"Maybe I'll get to have a lie-in one day."
"Excuse me?!"

Cue epic full page rant regarding birth, breastfeeding and so much more besides that our lovely ladies go through just to bear our children! You'd think the least us supportive spouses and partners could do would be not mention we might also be a teeny-weeny bit tired ourselves right?! Wrong! I remember feeling after seven months that I had fallen into what I can only describe as a Marianas Trench of tiredness… but in the game of competitive child-rearing tiredness I was only ever going to be a runner-up! (Sorry Joanna if you're reading this!)

Not that's it's all about the kids man! Far from it actually, for whilst the lovely Robin does eventually make her dramatic appearance and then we see her rolling and toddling her way even further into her parents' (and our) hearts thus begin to create a whole new love story, the majority of this work is still about Philippa and Luke's own. I absolutely adore how Philippa manages to (remember for a start!) capture these little moments of mirth perfectly amidst the new child-enhanced level of chaos. This was one of my personal favourites, and again, could have been directly lifted from the Rigby household…

"I think we need to throw this Pepsi away. It's gone flat."
"No! Don't throw it away! I'll drink it."
"Okay… use your body as a bin."

For more soppiness, don't forget the original SOPPY love story!

For more Philippa Rice, please see also ST COLIN AND THE DRAGON, SISTER BFFS, WE'RE OUT and the SOPPY JOURNAL.

The first 100 copies come with a Page 45 Exclusive Bookplate designed and signed by Philippa Rice.