Helper Harry

HARRY is a very willing helper when it comes to dealing with James – but his enthusiasm is turning both Melissa and myself into nervous wrecks.

On the one hand, we're very conscious that including Harry in everything we do with James is important; the last thing we want is for Harry to feel pushed out by the new arrival.

Generally, Harry is very good. He will, for instance, get a clean nappy, wipes and nappy bag ready when asked which is genuinely useful.

But we still have to be constantly on our guard just in case Harry gets a bit carried away. This isn't always easy as Harry is particularly quick. The other night I was sitting in the living room with the two boys when Harry asked if he could have a drink of juice. Not wanting to leave Harry alone with James, I asked him to go with me to the kitchen.

Harry did as he was told but disappeared the moment I turned my back to use the tap. I chased after him just in time to see him grab a dummy and thrust it towards James' mouth. I managed to intercept it before any damage was done while a hurt looking Harry turned to me and said: “I was just giving him his dummy daddy.”

This is not an isolated incident. Harry will often sidle up to James before attempting to grab his hair, prompting Melissa or me, or more often than not, both of us, to dive towards the pair of them.

Sometimes Harry decides he wants to hold James, which is equally nerve-wracking. In fact, the only sure-fire way to put Harry off is to tell him that James has filled his nappy. It's amazing how quickly Harry decides he's got something more important to attend to.