Kate Middleton in labour! Today is the day. While you Canucks are awaking to the news, Londoners have been giddy—or rolling their eyes at those getting giddy—for hours. This eager reporter got the news in the middle of the night, when her “Kate Middleton” and “labour” and “for real” Google Alert went off. Finally! And also really, today? I fly out at 4. Why universe, why? But first, recall your easel lesson yesterday? Well to check out the scene, I downed three espressos and threw on my summer dress (it’s hot here, I’ll admit it now) and headed on over to Buckingham Palace. Lots of people had the same idea, it seems, and the crowd is rowdy with excitement. “Get out of the way!” yells the Constable as I’m about to get run over by a horse. “How do you feel about the Royal Baby though?” I yelled. “We’re having lots of fun…not,” he said. I made a note, and then moved it along. The Baby Gods smiled on me just a bit though, as he pushed me to front row of the Changing of the Guards, special baby addition, with trumpets and trombones heralding the big news. “Where’s the baby?!” Someone yells. My thoughts exactly. Whenever the time, likely hours and hours from now, the easel will land right here, just as I said. Soon is the time, we hope for poor Kate Middleton’s sake! As for me, well, the Great Kate Wait is ending just as it begins. Babies, Royal or otherwise, don’t often come on schedule, let alone mine. I’m watching now from the lounge in Heathrow Airport, where it looks as if the baby will arrive the minute my plane takes off. The Baby Gods giveth, and they taketh away. Optimistic that I’ll land to good baby news, however, and here’s how I know: the first glimpse of Royal Baby swag, as promised, spotted in the gift shop. Told ya! On site in London, Royal watcher and Toronto writer Rosemary Counter has been our on-the-ground source for all things labour-waiting related. Photography: Rosemary Counter