Issue 16 Spring 2015

NEWS
STEP
PARENTING
WELCOMING
A NEW
ADDITION...
IT has been quite a month
following the birth of our
very own bundle of joy.
Betty May Williams was born
in the afternoon of April
10 and, oh my, how she has
undoubtedly transformed our
lives for ever.
Already it has been the
most exhilarating, hugely
rewarding and proudest
moment of my life.
But with it has come a
significant challenge.
Changing dirty nappies? Not
a problem. Sleep deprivation?
Coming to terms with it.
Reassuring my stepdaughter
that she is cherished by her
family as much as the new
centre of attention? Not so
easy.
Before Betty’s arrival, Evie
was everyone’s crowd pleaser.
All of a sudden she has had
to learn how to share the limelight and
sometimes, because everyone loves a new
baby, even surrender it.
Evie, like many older siblings, has been filled
with excitement and insecurity in equal
measure – frequently asking me if I love
Betty more than her.
And a close friend of mine recently asked:
“So, do you love Evie as much as your own
Betty?”
The truth is, there is no answer to that. Of
course there is no feeling like cradling your
baby and staring into his or her eyes for the
first time. I now understand what a truly
amazing and overwhelming emotion that is.
I didn’t meet Evie until she was almost four
years old. She has a strong relationship with
her father and step mother too. But, if I am
honest, I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Our relationship is what it is. We have a
unique bond that, I am sure, will never be
breached. We have our own laughs, our own
6
Spring 2015