20 Comments
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Andy Carter's avatar

Haha. Thanks, Wendy. Hopefully he will…

It took me 3 attempts and I was 29 but got there in the end!

Hope all well with you look forward to your next piece.

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Wendy Varley's avatar

I was 30 when I learned and it took me five attempts! I was desperate to pass so I could get out and about with my daughters without having to depend on Ian all the time.

Just back from a choir tour to France and drafting something about that - I think that will be next, anyway. I’ve returned full of ideas!

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Kate's avatar

Brought back some memories, Andy. Thanks for re-sharing. I love the dialogue.

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Andy Carter's avatar

Thanks, Kate - really appreciate it!

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Wrong Channel's avatar

That was brilliant! You had me swallowing down chuckles next to my sleeping girlfriend

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Andy Carter's avatar

Ah, cheers, mate. Great to hear you enjoyed it! I’m gonna have a deep dive into your posts this weekend. Thoroughly enjoyed the couple I’ve read so far.

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Mark's avatar

Fantastic read, makes me wish I'd documented the birth of my daughter better. I did write about it but it has long since been digitally lost and my memory of it is now clouded by the years in between.

I do remember the midwife telling me to give my partner a back rub and my partner telling me to fuck off though. That, we still talk about.

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Andy Carter's avatar

😂 Not just me then?! Lesson learned, I didn’t back rub with our second baby.

Thanks for reading, Mark!

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Mark's avatar

Haha me neither, I'm still weary even 10 years after!

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Kwaku's avatar

Hilarious. Gave me flashbacks but lightened some of the more *traumatic* recollections I had of my wife and I’s experience 😅

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Andy Carter's avatar

Ha, thanks, man. Glad you enjoyed it!

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Ros Barber's avatar

Should’ve called him Helmut. A life time of laughter for you. Resilience training for him. What’s not to love?

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Andy Carter's avatar

Ha, you make some good points but I feel it may have irrecoverably damaged our relationship (no offence to any Helmuts out there...) Thanks for reading, Ros!

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Kate Baker's avatar

Loved this! Brought it all back.. all 26 years of it ago 😂 My farming husband brought the only thing into the hospital he thought he’d need; that week’s edition of Farmers Weekly!

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Cherry Coombe's avatar

just lovely x and quite beautifully written; just as is without artifice or bullshit shame. Lovely.

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Andy Carter's avatar

Thank you, Cherry - very kind!

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Wendy Varley's avatar

Funny and tender, Andy. At some point your son will thank you for writing this. Maybe.

Your mind-reading driving instructor, Barry, sounds a right one! Hilarious. (But you passed your test, so he must have been doing something right.)

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Sarah Harkness's avatar

Brilliant. I have just shared this with my son-in-law James, who will be going through all, or hopefully only some, of this, sometime in the next 3 weeks!

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Andy Carter's avatar

Thank you, Sarah. Glad you enjoyed it. Congratulations (and good luck to your son-in-law) on the impending new arrival!

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Charlotte Stephens's avatar

Loved reading a birth story from the other side.

I'm yet to get my licence, my driving instructor replied "that's probably for the best" last time I quit so I don't have high hopes. Barry wouldn't like me, that's for sure.

Love to Helmut and all the fam

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