Lie in, brand spanker and everything comes.

1. Alec is still asleep at 8am, so I go downstairs and make myself a particularly delicious breakfast. I'd like to say I got to eat it in peace, but I didn't.

2. "It's a brand spanker," says the man, opening his coat to show Alec (and me) a scrunched up little person in a sling, all fine black hair and squeezed shut eyes. "Six weeks," he says.

2b. Alec and the baby's older brother screaming to each other in the swings -- not a very beautiful sound, but marvellous to see my little son responding to another child.

3. Alec sits hopefully on the roundabout. I sit solidly on the bench. I've been carrying him all round town in the backpack, and I've brought him to the park for a run around, not a bloody push around. Another little boy climbs on to the roundabout, and his grandfather follows him over. "I'll push you if you hold on," he says." The other little boy holds on with both hands, but Alec leans in louchely, waving one arm. The grandfather puts Alec's hand on the rail and holds it there while he pushes. Other children join in. When the grandfather straightens up, complaining about his back, there are five children enjoying the ride.