Inauguration

<- picture of health

Well, we have really been inculcated into the world of parenthood now.

The twins had their two-month immunisation on Thursday and by Friday Junior had a fever of 38.8. We went back to the GP who sent us to Emergency who admitted us (after a five hour wait) to the children's ward overnight. No toothbrushes, no changes of undies, no cardis to shield us from the frigid hospital air-conditioning. We'd missed dinner so scrounged together a nourishing meal of a packet of potato chips, a sesame bar and a packet of jelly dinosaurs from the vending machine. Thankfully my body keeps turning crap like that into nourishing four-course breast milk meals.

Junior was quite comfortable, he slept in a giant metal cot.

Lucky had to make do with a newborn crib - her head hit one end and her feet hit the other. She wasn't allowed to sleep with him, as she usually does, 'in case he's infectious'. I'm fairly sure that if he was infectious, she'd already have it.

I had a bench and Lovergirl returned to the dreaded Jason recliner, so familiar from her week in hospital after the babies' birth.

Junior was fine.

He has, however, blown his 'first bike' fund - our hospital excess is $500. So, I realise, this is why parents are always crying poor (they haven't really cost us much yet, being breastfed and in cloth nappies, and having mountains of toys and clothes given by doting family and friends).

Aren't Emergency departments fascinating cross-sections of society? And children's Emergency departments are so much more interactive than adult ones. I'm accustomed to waiting room attendees sitting quietly and politely engrossed in their outdated No Ideas. I really wasn't prepared for how much parents talk to each other. Even to us lesbian parents. And of course, the children are forming instantaneous lifelong bonds based on comparing broken limbs.