August, 2005

Wow. While I’ve been in new-baby-honeymoon-period, an issue has united most Northern Irish bloggers like nothing before!

Yes, I’m talking about the latest high-quality, totally unbiased Northern Irish publication, Love Ulster. And like the other decent folk out there, I will not link to this piece of crap!

I got the heads up on Jo’s blog, then another piece at Everything Ulster. David Vance hasn’t seen it yet, but finds it hard to love a country!

For my part, I’m disgusted. I took a look at the site earlier today: “How has Sinn Fein / IRA affected your life?”, “Are you angry about the RIR disbandments?” were the first forum topics I saw. Then I dug a little deeper, into a couple of the threads. Strictly for the biggots.

When I started the Levee Breaks website, my aim was to have a site where I could share my thoughts and ideas, particularly about Northern Ireland. How we should and could find an all-inclusive way forward in time. I had a goal.

So, when I look at Love Ulster, I think “What were they (the webmasters) trying to achieve?”. Despite what their blurb might say, it’s all about creating tighter enclaves. More one-sidedness that people don’t need. Especially in the current climate, do we really need to build more fear and distrust?

I don’t think so. Beano at Everything Ulster says he went on to try and stir up sensible conversation. I can see why, and I think it is a noble sentiment. Get them to analyse their preconceptions and see if their reasoning is sound or if it’s on shaky foundations.

Tuesday, August 30th, 2005 // Northern Ireland: Politics

I just had to write and say how gorgeous this wee one is!! Now I am normally a bit uncomfortable around babies due to their size and the fact that they are so fragile and rely on you for everything. But perhaps because I am getting older or because the Levees just keep having babies, I feel much more comfortable around this new arrival, I can even walk while holding him which is a new one for me.

The other 2 Levee children are in awe at this new member of the family too, with the most memorable comment to date by Ray, the baby is drinking milk from my mummy’s belly like a pigling!

Tuesday, August 30th, 2005 // Family Life

When I first saw my newborn baby, I didn’t think”Oh, he’s got my nose…”

I mean, for the first day or so, any baby is still a scrunchy, wrinkly little thing. How on earth is it possible to determine likenesses so early?

Yet there we are, in the hospital, not four hours after baby being born and the mother-in-law is claiming him for her clan! “Oh yes, he looks like me when I was a baby….” Pl-ease!

And she’s not alone. The other in-laws said their piece about who he looks like and obviously he’s their posse. One of the first questions from my own mother was “So, who does he look like?”. Why does it matter?

Seriously. When I look at this child, all I see is innocence. A blank canvas. A mind to be moulded. Infinite opportunities. Dirty nappies.

I cannot understand why the families insist on this gene pool stampede! This is the third time I’ve witnessed the ‘gold rush’. Any other parents out there have the same experience?

Monday, August 29th, 2005 // Family Life

So much information, so little time!

I suppose I should start by welcoming our new baby to the fold! After doing battle in the labour ward for a full four hours, Mrs L delivered a beautiful baby boy yesterday afternoon at 4:10!

The day was not uneventful: I took a whitie at the sight of an epidural needle and my own mother decided to reveal clairvoyant talents we had never suspected before!

First up: I am very squeamish. A labour ward veteran by now, I’ve seen my share of afterbirth and been curiously unaffected by it. This time, as Mrs L was receiving her epidural (which is administered into the back), I started feeling light-headed. I knew she was supposed to stay still, so I persevered, not wanting to upset her.

By the time the anesthesiologist had finished, my head was spinning. I tried to walk out of the room, but was caught by a midwife just outside and made to sit down. Anyway, I recovered fairly quickly, but felt a little weaker for the rest of the day.

Second: The Psychic Mother. Mother Levee has never displayed any signs of having supernatural powers before. In fact, both my parents have been strangely detatched from the whole pregnancy process this time which has been disappointing.

Anyway, Mrs L and I were still in the labour ward with our newborn. We were enjoying those first few tender moments with the baby and had no immediate intentions to start ringing around with the news. Both of us were knackered….when my mobile started to ring. I’m sure I cursed, thinking it was the mother-in-law checking up on progress. Instead it turned out to be a frantic Mother Levee!

“I’ve been hearing Mrs Levee scream for the last hour!” she gasped. “What’s going on with the baby? Has she given birth? Is she alright?” She was shooting questions at me. Here’s the rub: she didn’t know Mrs L was being induced. We hadn’t spoken for over a week at this point and my parents had no idea what was going on.

I was guarded at first. Had she been in contact with the in-laws? Had somebody let them know? It wasn’t possible. Eventually I got my more rational father on the phone and he concurred. About 4:00, my mother had started rabbiting on about ‘having a feeling’ that something was happening and hearing Mrs L in the pains of labour! Uncanny stuff!

There’s so much more to tell. I’ll hopefully pick this up again later when there’s a bit more time. Right now, I’ve got to straighten up the house for the inevitable (or is that unenviable) round of visitors later today!

Saturday, August 27th, 2005 // Family Life

I’ll never forget my first time in the labour ward (nearly four years ago).

I walked in with a heavily pregnant Mrs. Levee, into a large yellow and pink room with a hideous wallpaper border at waist-level. The furnishings were designed to look ‘homely’, with a nice sofa beside the window, proper bedroom funiture and everything else. OK, the decor looked a bit dodgy, but the point was that you were meant to feel relaxed.

Then there was the bed.

The labour bed is a real piece of art. Remember the Child Catcher’s wagon in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? Just like that.

At first glance, it looks like a slightly raised perfectly normal bed. It even has wooden headboards! But take a second look!

The headboards can come off at a moments notice and underneath, just waiting to be snapped into action are the stirrups! Not so innocent!

Anyway, Mrs. Levee is currently in hospital awaiting induction. I’m writing this as I wait for the call to the labour ward and the hopefully short delivery of our third child. It seems a lifetime since I announced the unexpected pregnancy on these pages, but here we are at the end of the road.

Breaking News: As I was typing this, the call came through! I’m off to the hospital now to see my wife and meet my third child! Wish me luck!

Friday, August 26th, 2005 // Family Life

I saw a real class act yesterday while out and about.

At that point, there was a cool breeze blowing and a clear blue sky. Driving up the Springfield Road in Belfast, just past the junction at Lanark Way I saw a man walking with two women. In his hand, a no-doubt-chilled bottle of white wine.

As I got closer, the classy fella raised the bottle to his lips, threw back his head and started draining the bottle. He was still going when I checked in the rear view mirror a moment later!

I just hope he wiped the neck of the bottle before sharing with his lady friends!

Thursday, August 25th, 2005 // Spirituality & Stuff

No. I’m not talking about sending the army away.

I mean, is it time to bundle the kiddies into the car, wave goodbye to the relatives and set sail for distant shores?

Read the rest »

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2005 // Northern Ireland: Politics

Has anyone noticed the similarity between the brutal killing of Mr de Menezes at Stockwell tube station in London and killings in Northern Ireland?

Mr de Menezes, contrary to previous reports, was not wearing a bulky coat and running from police officers, he was going to work and was restrained by an undercover officer yet he was shot SEVEN times in the head. The police are bound to be under pressure at a time of such uncertainty but this doesn’t give them carte blanche to kill innocent people just to show that they are ‘doing something’.
Read the rest »

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2005 // News & Media

I have just been reading over the recent posts and comments by Mr Levee and my sister and I can see that I am going to become known as the stupid one of this blogging team. I am the one who will write about boring mum things like toddler tantrums and cloth nappies.

Its not that I’m not interested in current affairs, on the contrary I keep quite up to date with the news etc, but I feel most comfortable writing about stuff I thats familiar to me. Unfortunately that mostly entails child rearing and reality TV!!

I’ll just have to hope that there are other people out there that are interested and don’t mind the lack of intellectual ramblings in my posts!

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2005 // Family Life

Beano at Everything Ulster is - like many people - getting frustrated by the state of policing in rioting hotspots. He ends with the tongue-in-cheek suggestion that a few live rounds might calm things down!

What can the police do, though? If they sit by and do nothing, they’re condemned by the local communities and the politicians. But if they take action, the politicians - yes, the same politicians - condemn them for being ‘heavy handed’!

Oh, and let’s not forget the claims all the spides will have against the police when they are ‘injured’ resisting arrest.

On a serious note, we do need action from the police. Chief Supt Mike Little’s right though, the communities need to support police action and start giving up the names of the perpetrators. A few jail terms might make the rest think twice before chucking bricks.

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2005 // Northern Ireland: Politics