Yes, Thomas is off to nursery today - it's only a trial run to see how he gets on. He will start going regularly in September when Kate's maternity leave runs out. But it's sort of scary for his parents because we've never left him in the hands of strangers before and we're a bit jumpy about it.
From next month he will go for two days a week - on the days that Kate works. At least hopes to work.
Kate has a big day ahead of her today. Her job as care co-ordinator has been taken away from her while she's on maternity leave and she is now being forced to apply to be redeployed elsewhere in the authority. She's got to go for an interview and undertake written tests this afternoon.
It's an eye opener to me just how many women are shoddily treated by their employers while they're on maternity leave - despite all the legislation apparently protecting them. My own sister found to her horror when she tried to return to her old job that she'd been sidelined and demoted and those whom she was in charge of before, were now in charge of her. In the end she left and went to - and won - an industrial tribunal.
And the woman in the bed alongside Kate in the maternity ward at the Maelor, who Kate has kept in touch with, has lost her job as a secretary altogether. I just think it's an appalling way to behave.
Anyway, on to more positive matters, Thomas is fine and getting bigger and leggier by the day. He's doing loads of gurgling and talking in baby babble. He's putting on weight but not as much as he should do - but we've been told it's not something to worry about.
As for hair - he still hasn't really got any! I've told him I'll be planting grass seed on his pate if he doesn't grow some soon!
And as for his father, I've just completed writing my children's novel based on smugglers landing goods on the Llyn peninsula of North Wales. My ambition now is to get it in print in some form so that one day, my own son can read a book written by his very own dad! That's my goal.
In three days' time - Thomas will be half a year old. Amazing!
