I am now at the age where old school friends and college buddies are becoming grandparents and, after many years of having no contact with Huggies or Pampers it makes me realise just how quickly I had forgotten how those small bundles of joy take over your life.
One of my oldest friends has become grandfather to twins and that`s how I came to be looking at fairly identical photos of babies gazing into a camera after diving into a swimming pool. `Was that photo shop? ` I venture.
I receive the sort of looks that one receives when attempting a mild wind up ` That`s `Water Babies` and that`s where we`ve been this morning, haven’t we boys? ` I look toward the proud father `So did you take that? It`s really good`. I then learn that Water Babies have specialist photographers and the basic portrait price starts from £70 though it was a bit more for the photographer who had worked with Bear Grylls.
One of the twins then starts shaking his little fists whilst the other watches. `Oh look, he`s trying to tell him something` says Mum ` We`ve only been to 2 sessions of `Sing and Sign` but they`re picking it up really quickly` I then learn that babies want to communicate from an early age and can be taught how to sign for everyday things like bath, biscuit, book and bed.
`What other classes are they taking ?` I venture.
I then sit spellbound whilst the benefits of baby massage classes are outlined before Dad picks up a twin to demonstrate how `Yoga Babies` is helping to strengthen their spines, he hoists the little one aloft as if he is doing the breast stroke as he kicks his legs out, strains and lets rip as babies do.
Some things just can`t be taught.