Ieuan Lisle Cennydd Harry

Ieuan Lisle Cennydd Harry* was born on January 2nd 2004 in St Mary's hospital, like his two older brothers.

Dad: The last three years have been extremely difficult for me and I can honestly say that the absolute joy that fills my heart every time I see Ieuan is one of the main things that has kept me going.  I have never known a happier child or a child with such love inside him bursting out and bestowing itself on everyone he meets.  And he is so cute too!  Ieuli (a nickname derived from his first two Christian names - an alternative nickname is Ilchy derived from his initials) only lives with me, Morgan and Lewis from Thursday through to Sunday evening since his mum left - he spends the early part of the week with her - but although ours is always a happy house it still comes to life 'that little bit more' from Thursday tea-time until after the Sunday evening service when he takes his suitcase of clothes back to his other house.  It's an awful way for him to have to live but it is totally out of my control, I'm afraid to say.

Sometimes Heather works extra nights - what a bonus for the rest of us if he stays Wednesday as well!

Ieuan attends the Haven Nursery at Portsmouth Citadel Salvation Army.  This is situated on the top floor of the Haven Community Centre built on the land his grandad bought for that purpose some 20 years ago whilst the Commanding Officer at the Corps.  He would be proud not just to see his grandson using the facilities but hundreds of local residents every day.

 Ieuan was a Pompey fan from the start - this photo from the day he was born.  He attended his first Premier League match just over a fortnight later (v Chelsea).

A lovely picture taken by Lew of Ieuan in the Princess Diana Memorial Park in London - Summer 2006

Later the same day in Trafalgar Square

And through the park railings opposite the Royal Albert Hall

*The 'Lisle' is a tribute to our great friend Lisle Linnett who died in August 1992.  Lisle had given Heather and I lifts for several years to and from Army events and had been a great friend in many, many other ways as well - sometimes helping us in a most practical way and also being a wonderful listener and confidante in times of trouble.  When we left for our summer holiday in 1992 Lisle was the only person outside of close family that we told about Heather's pregnancy (with Lewis).  He was delighted for us, of course.  Had we not told him he would never have known for he died in a car accident near Honiton, Devon while we were away.  We had already decided on names for our 2nd child (Lewis John for a boy,  Amber Marion for a girl) but immediately we decided that if we ever had a 3rd boy he would get his Welsh name first (they were the boys' consolation prizes for being born English!) then Lisle.  By the time Ieuan came along we had lost my dad as well - he was Kenneth but had always wondered why it was not spelt the Welsh way - so we put that right!