Sir Noblee has arrived!!

Seb and Mommy a few hours after his arrival

Family photo before leaving the hospital

Seb just after birth - love the hair!

Seb - 4 days old

Introducing to the blogosphere the gorgeous Sebastian John Noble!! Our Seb was born at 3:42 am on Saturday, 13th June 2009, weighing 6lbs 15oz! We had a water birth which was an amazing experience (will spare you the details!) and I can hardly say enough positive things about our time at the Ulster Hospital's 'Home from Home Suite' and the wonderful mid-wives and other staff who looked after us.

The days have gone by so quickly since Seb's arrival - it is hard to believe that he is already a week old! We have had a couple of sleepless nights (I turned to Stu at 5am the first night home and said, 'So people really weren't joking about the no sleep thing!') but overall the breast feeding, sleeping and diaper changing routine is going really well. Stu's mum and dad are experienced grandparents who have been total angels in providing support - feeding us and ensuring we've gotten extra naps during the day as we are adhering to the 'sleep when Seb sleeps' philosophy at this point! Grandma and Grandpa B land this afternoon in Belfast and the introduction to their grandson is an event that we have all been anticipating for a long time! A friend described their arrival as 'the icing on the happy family cake' which I thought was rather nice :)

We think Seb's a wee star and about a billion times cuter than we ever imagined so we are spending any downtime just having fun gazing at him (I think 'besotted' is a good descriptor of us at this point)! Snap happy Daddy Stu has been giving his camera and our new Flip a good workout and Stalkerbook has been working overtime with all our pics. Should also mention that already in just one short week the main man has acquired some quality nicknames including Seb, Sebbie, Baby Seba (a Spanish feel compliments of his Auntie Ninny), The Sebinator, Sebastiano, Sir Noblee and Baby Seabass (as suggested by rugby fans BB and Rickshaw!)

I am guessing my already neglected blog might become a bit more neglected in the weeks ahead, but will do my best to post again soon (realistically more baby pics!)

Drama drama drama

Who knew parliamentary politics would ever get so exciting!?! My (somewhat fuzzy) poli sci brain has been enjoying ongoing analysis of week upon week of shocking expenses stories. Now in the latest twist the Labour Party is fixing to devour itself with a beleaguered Gordon Brown as the main course. Commentators like the BBC's bespectacled Nick Robinson are busy, busy, busy (and thanks to Stu since being off I have also discovered Simon Mayo's afternoon show which features great political interviews and analysis.)

As if that weren't enough, politics junkies will have more fun tomorrow with local and European elections across the UK - here in NI it's just the EU elections (which don't seem to be about Europe at all) and after managing only just to control my blood pressure while watching the Northern Ireland Politics Show earlier this week, let's just say I know who I won't be supporting!

Hello Sunshine

How awesome is this weather? In a shocking turn of events, we have been having a run of gorgeous sunny days in Belfast, with each day improving upon the next! I have to say, after many months of Irish rain and darkness, it's really delightful to see blue sky and feel warmth in the sun's rays.

People get positively giddy when the sun shines here. Was contemplating this earlier, and I think the Northern Ireland reaction to the arrival of warmer weather is slightly different from the reaction of Saskatchewanians emerging from the long months of snow and ice. While Canadians are so filled with relief and joy to come out of the deep freeze, in Northern Ireland there is a special phenomenon where people go absolutely 'buck mad' indulging in summer-ness, knowing (fearing!!) that these meager handful of hot days might actually be the only ones we get. I shouldn't even type that thought, but after two consecutive wet wet wet summers, I consider myself a realist.

Should also mention (at the risk of sounding mocking - all said in love of course!) how fantastically British people do summer - women do well with the rays bringing out lots of lovely summery dresses and skirts that usually only get their airing on hols in Spain or France - but have to say the men take the cake! Around Belfast yesterday we spotted lots of examples of unfortunate tattoos on show (mad props to Stu for the cracking shot!) and also the eternal sin of the dreaded black socks with shorts. Wrong on so many levels!

So anyway, keen to make the most of the balmy climes, we headed to Stu's parents' back garden for a lovely lunch and requisite lounging with the Sunday newspapers.

Blog Interrupted

It's been a while huh? Sometime several weeks ago life got in the way of my blogging and then surprisingly, despite the two and a half satisfying years with APYOC, I got a bit shy. Was trying hard to think of something good to re-launch the relationship, and well, the pressure just got too much . . .

So what's the update then? I can hardly claim that I haven't had time, as I am now officially on maternity leave and leading the luxuriant life of a lady of leisure. I think this period would be aptly described as the 'calm before the storm' and, while I know that soon and very soon the (baby) sh*$ will hit the fan (in about two weeks actually) it is lovely every morning not to have that obnoxious alarm clock sounding telling me to get up and att'em. It's been a great mix so far of napping, coffeeing and lunching with friends and nesting (aka organising and cleaning our house, which, let's be honest, was long overdue!) People keep asking me if we're 'ready' for our new arrival - not sure if we ever will be, but the good news is that we now have a place for the little person to sleep, and even some clothes and diapers for him or her to wear. Game on.

There now. That wasn't so hard. Promise to write again soon x

Sunday Night in Belfast

That's Bull

I especially like the shot of the farmer being chased down the aisle!

Credit where credit is due

Had a quality experience at the cinema tonight. Stu and I went to Flash of Genius starring the excellent Greg Kinnear at our beloved QFT. Based on a true story, it tells the tale of Dr Bob Kearns, inventor of the intermittent windshield wiper and his long battle with Ford for proper credit for his creation. It was both sad and inspiring to watch as Kearns' becomes obsessed with seeking justice in his case - sad as his quest became his highest priority eclipsing his family and previously happy life, but inspiring as we felt ourselves rooting for the underdog in this David and Goliath type tale. Kinnear is very good at playing a tortured soul and other strong cast members include Lauren Graham of Gilmore Girls fame, an appearance by my favourite, Alan Alda and also Dermot Mulroney who has a nice voice.

While we're on the topic of movies though, I should mention that the pre-movie ads were particularly unpleasant tonight - a hateful (and misogynistic as usual) Lynx ad was sandwiched by two gruesome public service announcements which I think are unique to Northern Ireland (if you've seen any of these, you'll know what I'm talking about . . . queue creepy ghost child voice, 'You forgot the battery Mommy . . . ')

Anyhow, there are a few goodies coming up on the QFT programme that we hope to get to - gotta get in those cinema visits now before Baby's arrival and we are sequestered to the house! In the Loop has gotten good reviews, and I am also keen to see the documentary American Teen. The amazing Waveriders and delightful Son of Rambow are both showing again and we'd be tempted to give them a second look.

This made me smile :)

Not being a regular Britain's Got Talent watcher, it took me until tonight to watch this - warm fuzzies abound!!

“The time to relax is when you don't have time for it.”

If I had a penny for every time people have advised us in recent weeks to take advantage of every piece of free time for relaxing and enjoying ourselves now, well, I'd have a lot of pennies. Because apparently, after D-Day (which is, ahem, actually approaching quite quickly) life as we have known it for the past six years together, will officially end!! We are bracing ourselves as reading, cinema going, eating out and the extravagant luxury of sleeping are on the list of things that don't really jive with a teeny tiny Baby . . . Oh, and obviously a weekend getaway at a nice hotel.

So when we went trawling on the internet for a little vacay deal, Easter weekend at the Knockranny House Hotel in our beloved Westport (pics compliments of Stu of course) seemed like the perfect solution. And it was. We had a lovely time really chilling out and even were treated to some lovely spring sunshine. The deal also included a spa treatment for the mom to be (yes, I've apparently started referring to myself in the third person) which was an added bonus. By the end of the trip I was so relaxed, I was bordering on comatose! Remind me of this in about three month's time would ya?

Mon Mome, I love you

I am generally clueless when it comes to organised sports. I am something of a disappointing Canadian as I don't really know anything beyond the very basics about hockey, football or baseball. And I have to confess to being even more daft when it comes to sports in Ireland and the UK - highly significant events in the annual calendar of football (soccer) and rugby pass me by, and I am even worse when it comes to Gaelic football. I once asked a woman at work who mentioned that her daughters were into camogie if that was a martial art . . . errrrr, that would be no.

So, not being much of a sports fan (or a gambler for that matter) it will come as no surprise then to you that I don't follow horse racing all that closely! However, when the envelope comes around the desks periodically at work with the chance to throw in a pound to draw a horse for the chance to win, I just can't resist. Recently for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, I tried my luck on Barber Shop who was a loser in the end, despite being owned by the Queen! And on Friday for the Grand National, when I drew a horse with odds of 100-1 I was disheartened and thought that once again I had wasted my hard earned pound.

But luck was a lady for me on the weekend and I was delighted when my Mon Mome won me a windfall of £40!! The only annoying thing is that I've always said I'd like to go to one of the seedy betting shops seemingly on every corner around East Belfast to place a bet, just for kicks, and I was sooo wishing I'd gotten a bit crazy and put a bit of dosh on Mon Mome! Baby on the brain, I promptly spent my takings on this lovely changing bag by Pink Lining that I've been eyeing.