Kathleen Brenda Clark

Kathleen Brenda Clark

The emailed Birth announcement (sent 12h00) follows:

Hi All.

It has finally happened, much to Madam's relief. Most fortuitously, it did not happen whilst giving a CEE course last week!!! (Actually, most fortuitously for Andr\'e, who would have had to take over the lecturing :-) :-) Number Two was duly hauled out of Madam (we wholly believe in entirely Natural Birth, ie Cut-it-Out---the most natural way, surely) at

07h50

and is duly named

Kathleen Brenda Clark.

All of

3.44kg (Robert was 3.4!)

and of standard length

500mm, (Medico's use cm, not understanding SI units :-)

with a 1-minute APGAR of 9 (typical for Caesar's) and a full 10/10 at 5 minutes, complete with a highly verifiable set of lungs, and other requisite body parts (the odd arm or two, the occasional toe, etc).

Back in the ward at 08h25. I did the first bath. She is not too keen on bathing! (Must be the British blood :-)

This time around, no gestational diabetes, a little non-movement, the odd trip down the road to the (Bloody Still Being Altered maternity unit), but nothing to worry about, all Praise be to God! And builders will be builders..........

All (Father, Son, Daughter, and um, er, ah, oh!, yes!, Mother! are doing exceptionally well. Ruff (the Boxer), Floss (the indeterminate Maltese thing), and Budgerigar (the Cat: Budgie, for short) are pensive in the absence of Madam---after all the last time this happened, Robert arrived---what next?

A bit of ``been there done that'' decended, but not a hell of a lot!!! It is just such a miracle! The first breath, The first encounter with the cold air, The unfairness of being hauled out!! W^E^E^E^E^E^E^E^E^E^E^E....

I simply cannot get over the size of the thing. I used to get quite narked when others said of Robert: ``But he's so small!''. Me ditto. Since I do the bathing detail, I can hardly remember the correct hold on a newborn (and Robert is but 20 months in 5 day's time. ``Bou Die Nasie'' etc...)

It has been a marvellous birthday present (I am 37 ***today*** :-), but I shouldn't be doing this at my age :-)

Kathleen is my mother's name, (1924--1966), Brenda is Les's mother's name (--1999). I have really liked the name Kathleen for many years, but thought it rather olde-fashioned, until recently when I have come across a flurry of (young) Kathleens. To hell with it........... :-)

I had the rather odd sensation two months ago of having a letter in my pigeonhole addressed to Kathleen Clark. (Couldn't have been a bill yet, surely!) hence confirming again that Kathleen was IN (and at Wits apparently!).

When Robert was born the alternative name was Mellissa Joy. Mellissa after the Hawk and the Dove (Penelope Wilcock's Classic), Joy being Les's second name, but Kathleen Brenda has recently found a stronger home. It is odd how these things happen, but also feel ``right''.

It feels odd sharing a birthday with my daughter, but it does make the sums easy. When she is a young 20, in third year, I shall be doing the 57 thing. When she is my age (37), if I am still around, I shall have been retired for 14 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Eina!

Les and I and my (growing) (BUT STOPPING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) family thank you for your support and prayer!

God Bless Alan

Digital Camera shots taken on day 1:


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This file last updated: Wed Jun 27 00:10:10 SAST 2001