So here we are... it has finally happened. After 30 odd years of roaming the earth, never really thinking that I would ever grow up, I have or will have to!! Yes I am married and have a serious job... but that doesn't really count as we all have partners at some stage (Those that want them) and society demands that you have a job, otherwise, to be honest, you can't really do anything, because life costs money! But to have a baby on the way!!! That demands an adults attention... no more messing around... no more being "Bullet Proof" thinking that everyone is responsible for their own destiny, now there is some little "squirrel" (not real name... I hope) that is dependant completely and uttererly on me... Scary.

Now the scariest thing about being Dad2be, is how we go from makeing it(tick), to getting it out! This brings the beast of the NHS (UK National Health Service) into my living room. Forgive me if I don't sound competely convinced that this will be a smooth ride... but for a first world health service.. it is a mess. The rich go private and get healthly, the poor don't and do "Home diagnsis" as it is safer. I pay my NI, and it isn't cheap, so I don't think I am asking to much for... I don't know... something in return. This is not a FREE service, I have being making advance payments for years... So please, no favours required, just the service I have paid for.

First experience... Go to the Doctor.

"Hi Doc, we are pregnant!" says the wife excitedly!!! "Do you have proof?" says the Doctor. Huh? Do we have proof? No we are here just to get the free pampers vouchers because I shit my pants sometimes!! "No Doc, we have gone to clinic (being in England, propositions aren't used much, hence no "to" in that sentence) and they have done a pregancy test, and confirmed that we are preggie." says the wife, a little less excited and a little more annoyed.

"Oh" says Doc "Have you brought the indicator with you?" Yes I carry a urine saturated test tube around with me to show all my work colleges that my wife can pee straight. "No" again wife responds as I start to turn a little more red than pink... "Do you realise that it is 17h00 on Friday and if you haven't brought the positive indicator with you, you will have to come back as the nurse has gone home, and she is the only one who can do the test." HOLD THE PHONE!! So a qualified Doctor on £100K+ can't perform a pregancy test!! This does fill me with confidence. At this stage I step in and take control of the situation - Not in the "I am MAN" kind of way, more of a "We are TEAM" kind of way. But yes, even a mighty MAN could not convince him that a pregnancy test can be performed by a humble doctor.

So we walk out the surgery, without the blood pressure test - promised, without and overview on how the NHS will be helping us with the arrival of Squirrel and without the confidence that having our child in the UK is going to be safe. Can I just mention that this is around the time when the media is full of reports of dirty hospitals and Mothers being left in their own placenta after giving birth in a hospital!!! Maybe the NHS should take their paid DUTY more seriously.

Things have moved on from there and we are lucky enough to have proved to the doctor, who did make us come back, as he is NOT qualified to do a pregnancy test, that we are awaiting the arrival of Squirrel.

Morning sickness has taken root in our house... midnight snacks, in bed (Urgh!), happen frequently and I have become the root of all evil. Other than that, 12 week appointment is loaming over us, like a guarenteed hangover on the 1st Jan.