DIARY: Seven tots ... what is in the water cooler at ICLP's HK office?

Perhaps it's something in the water, but loyalty specialist ICLP expects to welcome a total of seven new babies by July.

Stephen Hay, the company's director of loyalty development, welcomed a baby boy last week, while Paul Smitton, general manager at ICLP, is expecting his first child in July.

ICLP's obviously one of those new-age, touchy-feely companies, that allow its fathers-to-be to take paternity leave.

Hay says: "Paul has been very generous in giving me the time off, although since he is also expecting a baby soon, I suspect he is letting me do all the research work on this one."

Smitton and wife Claire, who most recently worked as account director at M&C Saatchi Sydney, are adjusting to their new priorities.

They may take some comfort in hearing that, mercifully, Hay's wife Jessica Tung had a quick labour and was out of Colchester General Hospital in England after a couple of days with a baby boy - William Alexander Stratford Hay (or Billy for short) - weighing in at eight pounds.

Hay recalls: "The most frightening bit was the evil look my wife gave me when I pulled the anestheic gas pipe out of her mouth during labour."

Hay, who left Hong Kong on May 7 just in time to welcome the bouncy package, won't be back in the city for a while as he gets to grips with his new role. There is obviously a lot of learning to be done, from changing nappies, bottle feeds and getting by with minimum shut-eye.

His new role has also spurred Hay to get fit so he can keep up with little Billy once he gets mobile.

For now, Billy is clearly calling the shots. Hay says: "I tried for ages to get him to open his eyes (for the photo), but he was not playing ball on this one."

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