Today I upgrade my phone.  I talk about this a lot, because I enjoy the process.  The research, endless agonising on gsm arena, working out which one is bestest, flicking between networks’ websites to compare deals, deciding, changing my mind, going back to the first decision… all of it.  So, yes, today I will walk into Carphone Warehouse and demand an HTC Hero.  It fills the gap between a phone and a netbook!  Oh, wait, no, that’s the iPad’s job, apparently.  Good luck with that, Apple, you big mentals.  Still, if you’re a massive giant of a person, the iPad might yet work for you as a regular iPod Touch.  Provided you don’t mind only being able to run one application at a time (SURELY THIS IS NOT TRUE?).

I intended to go to bed at a reasonable hour last night, but then I realised I had to transfer all the pictures of my daughter from my old phone to its memory card and to the computer, so they’re not lost when I reset it to trade it in.  Had a weird moment last night – not the first – when Ella woke up crying and all she really wanted wasn’t food but for someone (it happened to be me) to hold her and reassure her.  It may well be the best part of the job, that, the moments when you realise that your responsibility to your child isn’t just material, isn’t just about keeping her safe and fed and clothed, there’s an emotional need that she has which can be filled *only* by her parents.  Or, to be fair to adoptive parents and whatnot, by their parental figures.

And that, so far, is my favourite part of parenthood.