Baby Jack - arrived today! Phew, worries over!!!!

Our new grandson, Jack, who arrived at 3.05 am this morning after five worrying months.  We'd all been told in early July that he had a cleft palate, but also that this was associated with other abnormalities and a particular 'syndrome' (fortunately it wasn't and he's fine).  

He's a lovely strong boy (7lb 3 oz at three weeks early) and already feeding well.  He will have his cleft lip operated on when he is a few months old, and the cleft palate when his adult front teeth and most of his back teeth have come through.  

His sister Amelia (aged three) said recently 'Granny Val, baby Jack will have a funny face when he comes out (!) but I'm going to learn him to smile and then when he's bigger the doctors will sew his smile on'.  I thought it was a lovely way to describe the operation, and of course we all hope he will look even more beautiful when it's done.

Here's a photograph of him at just a few minutes old looking a bit battered but already his eyes are less swollen and he seems very calm. :