With my heart in my mouth, last night, my partner and I read the storybook "Hair in Funny Places" by Babette Cole, to stepchild last night - she asked lots of questions about body hair and breasts last hols - and the book explained hormones in puberty and what happens to boys and girls - so it was a perfect segway to say, well that's what happened to daddy and me when we were a little older than you, so that when we were adults, we could have a baby.

We put the emphasis on how lucky the baby would be to have such a wonderful big sister as her, how we could imagine stepchild reading a story to baby (stepchild is a good reader).

We showed her the pregnancy test from the GP, she was pleased, wanted to know who else we had told (we let her know it was a secret that not many people knew but didn't broach the topic of her telling her mum).

She was puzzled that i look thin (her words) - well pg sickness has made me lose weight!

As we kissed her goodnight and left the room, she called out "Goodnight baby" to my stomach!!! so cute.

This morning she told us she had been so excited she had trouble getting to sleep last night.

So thanks to all of you for giving me confidence.

We still have to go thru the minefield of the ex's reaction which will be the worst bit.

Just realised, as we only see stepchild in school hols, (with our due date) it is highly likely, stepchild will not be here for the birth, will never be with us when it is baby's birthday, father's day, mother's day, my birthday, her father's birthday, and only alternate xmases.

God i hate what divorce does to children