Olivia is 8 and a half months now and tonight, during dinner, she started clapping for the first time! Previously she’s only been slapping her forehead so this is a massive step forward!

She’s almost crawling. She can move backwards and turn 360 degrees but is yet to make the big step forward. I have been told to enjoy this period of non-mobility.

She’s also saying DA DA alot. I’m not delusional enough to think she’s trying to say Daddy … or am I?

On my way in for my second day back at work today. I think being a dad’s still sinking in. I’m getting quite good night’s sleep though. Can’t complain. My wife is doing an amazing job at night, as well as throughout the day. She’s a natural mother – and I always knew she would be. Having my mother-in-law around to cook and clean’s also been an incredible help. Apparently new mum’s should eat chicken and pork only, drink lots of warm milk, no cold food and drinks, have lots of soup, only specific types of veg, lots of ginger, and not squat (although I think the squatting one’s a bit of a myth). She’s also helping with the kid. I must admit, it was quite hard getting out of bed this morning when the little girl was peacefully sleeping beside me. Oh well. It makes leaving work to go home even more of a bonus when you know your daughter’s there and she’s changing so much each day – and becoming more and more alert. Also trying to stay fit and well myself – alot more proactively than I normally would. I don’t want to bring any viruses home for mum and daughter. Lots of Vitamin C being popped. Maybe a bit less coffee, he says optimistically.

Baby watch: She did her first open-eye smile this morning, her eyelashes are getting longer and she’s staying awake much longer.

The little girl is now off the ventilator now. Slowly the tubes and wires are being removed. Now she just needs to re-adapt to her fixed heart and lungs. She’s breathing ok but jerks a bit. I think that’s normal but after the last few days, anything slightly abnormal can be a worry. They’ve taken her pink hat off now and now, with the ventilator and mouthpiece removed, you can really see her face clearly.

I’m going to make a few predictions about her now based on her first few days. I remember as a kid when grandparents and aunts would look at a baby and make predictions about their character, physical appearance, or even future job. I always wondered if they were ever accurate. Well, for our little girl I think she has a great spirit – like her mum. We think she’s going to be cheeky, or even naughty. We think she’s going to be an active, outdoors kid who’s more comfortable in trainers and jeans rolling around on grass than in pink dresses playing with dolls – or is this what I prefer? Ha … not sure! But don’t get me wrong – we still have about 3 years’ worth of pink clothing for her to get through! I also think, like her mum, she’ll be more artistic than intellectual … this may be because what I’ve seen of her character so far reminds me alot of her incredible mum.

Ah yes. I also want to note down here our thanks to both our parents for all their help at this time, cooking and cleaning while we’ve been in and out of hospital after and before the birth. Can’t imagine how I’d have coped without them. And our friends and family too, whose messages and visits have really given us alot of strength. Our little girl really is a blessing from God in so many different ways.

It’s 8.12am on Friday, 16th October. Our little girl is just 3 days old and it now looks like she may be able to come off the ventilator. Very thankful all our prayers have been answered. Thanks to all who helped, thought about us, and prayed for us. Overnight, when I left her she was still on 35% oxygen and 4.0 NO2. The target was 21% oxygen and 0 NO2. Considering she started at 100% oxygen, being in the thirties was a great relief but she seemed to be at that level for an age. Thankfully she’s been fighting overnight. She’s a real fighter. We’re so proud of her. Waking past the neonatal ward reception the other day, I heard a doctor deliver some terrible news about someone’s child. It gave me shivers imagining being on the other end of that call. But some of the babies here are tiny. It’s a real miracle some of them survive. Miracles do exist. We just need to know how to spot them. I have lots of admiration for the medical staff at Kings, especially at the neonatal ward. Having watched them, incessantly, at close quarters over the last few days you can see not only how good they are but how lovingly they care for babies and mothers (and fathers) during what can be quite traumatic times. I can’t speak highly enough of them. If it is possible to recommend a hospital, I highly recommend this one! Right. Two hours until I can go back in to see our little girl. Incidentally, I’m writing this post on my mobile in the Costa Coffee – in the hospital lobby. Nice coffee. A real tonic for me. Best thing about this coffee shop is the girl behind the counter. She’s a really perfect example of good customer service. Not only does she recognise me in the short time I’ve been here (I thought Chinese people all looked alike to non-Chinese people!), she remembers my order and then gave me a loyalty card and retrospectively stamped all the coffees I had in the previous days. Plus she’s always cheery – even this early! I’m going to attempt to send feedback into Costa to compliment her specifically.

Day 2 of our little baby’s life has been trying. In the early hours of the morning, she went blue and the midwives took her straight up to the neonatal unit. She started off on an incubator but quickly switched to a ventilator. Seeing your baby breathing via a tube and with wires, cables and tubes on all parts of her body is really gut-wrenching.

Although the doctors and medical team are giving her great treatment, it is quite worrying when they say they’re not sure what’s wrong. I’ve never been a numbers person but I’ve never paid as much attention to numbers as I have done today, to the numbers of my girl’s monitor. Oxidation rate, heart rate, breaths per minute, blood pressure. I’ve learnt so much about oxygen, our anatomy, and how our bodies work but this isn’t how I would’ve liked to have learnt it.

The next 12 hours will be crucial. Her body’s really got to fight off this infection they think she has and really start running on its own. I pray it does, and I have faith our prayers will be answered. Doctors say she’s a real fighter, and now is the time to start fighting.