Autumn, birthdays, Weymouth, and William

William recently turned six months old, and although in some ways it doesn't seem like he's been here for five minutes, in another way it feels as though he's been knocking around our lives forever.  Everybody says that having a baby changes your life, and they're right - everything is somehow different now.  Yes there's the ongoing tiredness and endless early mornings, nappy changes are becoming more-and-more frequent, and quiet moments are snatched at, at the tail-end of days.  But the house is more homey since William came along, blankets feel softer, cooking smells richer, and cuddles are warmer.  I've undergone subtle changes too; if William has had an impact on my personality so far, it's that I am a little more emotional, a lot more patient, and have a heightened enjoyment of the little things.

Talking of enjoying the little things, we took a lovely trip up the coast to Weymouth this week.  There's nothing quite like an out-of-season seaside town to put you in touch with the autumn - the Esplanade was peaceful, the cafes and restaurants quiet, the beach reserved for local dog walkers, and the pavilion (where we stopped for a good hot chocolate, and where the man behind the counter gave Schnitzel a biscuit) warm and welcoming.  It has been years - three decades actually - since I last set foot in Weymouth, but the childhood memories came flooding back as we looked across the sandy beach and enjoyed a promenade along the bright-but-breezy seafront.  I love Dorset in general, and it's a county we've found ourselves visiting with increased frequency over these last couple of years, so I'm hopeful that at some point, Weymouth may provide lifelong memories for William, as it has for me.

Moving through autumn always brings with it the seasonal reflections, but this year I feel more settled within myself, and as I prepare to climb another step on the birthday ladder, I'm feeling more together and in control than I have felt for many years.  Our home is full of love, we are financially secure, everything is relatively peaceful in my relationships, and I feel lucky and grateful.  I know my direction now, I've embraced the maturity that comes with no longer being "young", and I feel that - finally - I've found a way onto the first page of a new chapter, after a long period of rocky soul searching.  And it's this inner peace that will pave the way to a wonderful festive season - William's first Christmas - which I hope will be a joyous and memorable one.

Seen around the New Forest

Welcome to my world (built with you in mind)

I'm delighted to let the world know that, a few weeks ago, we welcomed little William John Turner into the world.  I'm utterly relieved to say that both William and Lizzie are fine - Lizzie's recovering well from the trauma of childbirth, and William is feeding, sleeping, pooping and screaming in all the ways a little baby should.  Schnitzel, meanwhile, is being the perfect big sister - curious and patient in equal measures, with enough concern for our new arrival to cast the occasional eye over him and make sure everything's ok.  Schnitz's routine has been well-and-truly thrown out over the last few weeks, so we've been making a concerted effort to make sure she knows she's an important and loved part of our family too.

I've been able to take six weeks' paternity leave, which is a brilliant amount of time to be given, and has enabled us to find some sort of new normal, as well as allowing us to find our feet as a family.  We've actually got out-and-about over the last few weeks, including walks in Teignmouth, Babbacombe, Torquay, and Ashburton, and we've already found that William loves a pram ride - I think he enjoys the bumps and rhythm of the pavement.  Like any new-comer, we need to get to know William, and he us, so that we can build the bonds of love and trust that will eventually last the rest of our lives.  Already we've noticed a few of his quirks and have worked out a few ways to make sure he's settled - every day brings something new, no matter how small.

We've also had a lovely time introducing him to his new family - his grandparents, auntie and uncle, and cousins.  It's fair to say that William has been thoroughly cuddled in his young life, as he's met many of the people that will shape him so much in the years to come.  Others will follow in the course of time - great-grandparents on Lizzie's side of the family (gosh, I wish my grandparents could have met him, and Lizzie's dad too), great aunties and uncles, and a whole plethora of friends mean there are still many more exciting encounters to come.

People have been so kind to us, in many different ways, and from the moment William was born, cards and presents were being pushed through our letterbox and an astonishing rate.  I found the first couple of weeks as a new dad quite emotional, and we have both been deeply touched by people's love and generosity.  The list of people is too long to blog, and we are ever so thankful to absolutely everybody.  But because I haven't seen them in person for so long, I'd like to give a special shout-out of thanks to my crazy work colleagues, who have shown me why I'd struggle to ever work with anybody else again.  Not only did these fabulous balloons arrive with a box of cupcakes:

But then the most beautiful baby book, toys and comforter was delivered (we are just waiting for the photos to be printed!):

And if that wasn't enough, my persistent banging-on about Torquay United Football Club clearly had an effect, because the other day this popped through the letterbox (wouldn't we all William, wouldn't we all!):

So very thoughtful and seriously generous, so thank you so much to Lisa, Lindsay, Megan, Jasmine, Abi, Ali, Dave, Ben, Emma, Julia, Garth, Rob - I can't tell you how much your kindness has meant to Lizzie and I. 

So here I am, a dad (!), looking to the future and wondering what adventures await in the coming years.  I'm sure life's going to be like nothing I could ever have prepared for, so I'll just have to jump onto the rollercoaster, buckle up, and see where it takes us all.

My family