Watching from the sidelines (but some times on the field)

Hiya - Maman signing in
If the past week has been surreal, the day of my arrival can be described as floating in the stratosphere.
As I emerged from the arrivals hall at Schiphol I looked around but could not find my beloved daughter's dark curls amongst the throng of eager heads, nor that of my son in law. I settled in for a bit of a wait, leaning on the handles of my trolley. But alas a scant minute or three later I caught site of the Mart on his cell phone, craning his neck. We had the customary 3-kiss Dutch greeting and I asked where Lizelle was (thinking she was probably waiting outside the bustle- being 9 months pregnant and all). Martijn replied that she was at home - what, for the first time since visiting Holland over the past 10 years or so, she was not at the airport to greet me? But being so heavily pregnant, I reasoned, she is obviously forgiven. Then Mart informs me, as we briskly walk towards the parking pay-station that her water had broken that morning at 07h30 (and we are now at 11h00)... I am reeling... this baby is supposed to arrive a week and two days later! In his efficient manner Martijn tells me that Lizelle had reminded him to pick up some vlaai for me. (This is a little ritual Lizelle and I follow every time I land - we get a type of pastry topped with fruit and loads of cream at the airport patesary). 'Hell no' I said ' let's leave immediately - my child is in labour!'.
I saw Lizelle pregnant for 8 hours and then little Scott Francis van Rooijen made his entrance into the world at 19h26!
He is perfect and adorable and intelligent and charming and has a little dimpled cheek! Proving to be a lady-killer already - all the nurses wanted to take him home!
His mother has taken to her role like a duck to water and his father is fulfilling his role with exceptional flare.
I am grateful that I formed part of welcoming this new little life onto the planet and feel extremely blessed to experience this first phase of Scott's development.
I am sharing some of my favourite pics with you.
From a cold, but (thank God) dry Holland.
The doting Maman.