Roger Moroney: Great arrival makes the lad a dad

When Roger Moroney's additions to the planet came along he "had sheets of cotton squares (nappies) as 'bombing sites' for their past-food meal adventures." Photo / File

Our two daughters are both fine and proud mums and now the last of our arrivals, the lad, has joined them.

Not as a fine and proud mum of course... he is a fine and proud dad.

"It's kinda weird," he said when I called by to help out with some mowing work and to later assist him in defusing a couple of pale ales.

"Kinda weird?" I asked.

"Being a dad," he said with a smile as he offered to get me a glass.

I agreed and said becoming a parent was certainly a major step in the colourful realm of life.

I added that a glass was not necessary as I could imbibe from a bottle in a reasonably gentlemanly manner... for if such an act was acceptable for bubbies when they got a little older then it must be okay for those who assisted in creating them.

So I raised the bottle and said "here's to you dad" and the lad raised his and said "thanks dad".

When you call your kid "dad" it is... kinda weird.

"It all falls into place," I said trying to philosophise things.

"Although at the age of this tiny one it all falls into the crevice of their nappies."

That kind of stifled an immediate sip of the brown and fuzzy beverage before us.

When we initially got the news that our lad, who it seems like only the other day was helping me dismember an old video recorder and scooter, had become a dad we were, of course delighted.

For the little lady who has just arrived has a wonderful mum and an efficient dad... he's already worked out the nappy duties reasonably well.

He is on a good course there... a course to the disposal bin.

How things change huh?

When our additions to the planet came along we had sheets of cotton squares as "bombing sites" for their post-food meal adventures.

Their devoted mum would rinse and wash and disinfect them in the wash-house sink and hang them out to dry... which took up half the line.

There was one memorable occasion when the "damage" done defeated us both and that square of cotton was buried way down the back.

Part of the whole game.

And so, our lad is now a parent and it makes me think.

It makes me think how much Christmas is going to cost now that there's another fine grand-kiddy on the whole family front.

What does one buy a little lady who will be only about six weeks old then?

I figured a book voucher but that would be completely impractical as she wouldn't be able to open the envelope it came in.

Maybe a six-pack of the stuff her dad and I were partaking of... for if she didn't want it I know someone who would.

For this dear little new arrival the world must seem a wondrous place, for she is alert and the eyes are already slowly moving about and taking things in.

What she will see and hear and learn in her most early years, which will be part of our most later years, is anybody's guess.

But it's like anything... it's about preparation and acceptance and understanding and tolerating and continually seeking a bright side to things... which the kids have always steered a course upon in bringing up their little ones.

Oh yes, an intriguing and often unpredictable world awaits.

But I get the feeling that like her fellow members of the "they're rattled the Christmas budget again" club which we (and I daresay many other proud grandparents) are members of, she will have a spark to both succeed and always press on... to help make the world a "neat place".

Unlike their rooms of course which are, on occasions, about as neat as Boris Johnson's hair... and his Brexit pursuits.

So another little one has arrived in our overall family nest, and she entered the world just over a year since my oldest brother left the world.

In simplistic terminology, one departs and one arrives.

That's what it is all about, and to see and hold this new little arrival is ever so special.

So there she was, happily cradled, hiccuping away and to my delight she let go what sounded like a little fart.

"You were good at that too matey," I said to our lad the dad.

"What do you mean 'were?" he huffed.

I smiled at that point because I let one go too, but I could change the audio of my effort from a D chord to an A minor.

Hey, time will move on and she'll get the hang of it.

So much to learn.