Look At Me!

I know i'm a week late but I had to eat all of Baby Rhys's Easter eggs before Mummy got her hands on them. So, I've managed to squeeze back in my chair to catch up. Rhysy had a great first Easter. Mummy got up early with him to see what Easter fairy had brought him. Mmmmm. I could have sworn that Em bought them all from Asda but no, Easter bunny or fairy brought them. So thanks from Rhys and Me.

Loads of visiting done over Easter. It's a busy old time for me at work but we had a cracking Easter. We all went to see both Nans and Grandpa's and had a nice evening back at home Easter night.
Rhys is growing well, he is a little charmer, smillng all the time and starting to enjoy playing with things. He is kicking his legs up more and more and tries to grab his feet. His hand is in his mouth most of the time, unless he's being fed. He's already out grown about three quarters of his clothes and is on 3-6 month sizes now. He's 3 months old next week, then 4 months the month after! (clever hey!)

How do you look so cool at 11 weeks old?
Well it took me years to master it.
Start early I say....

The pressure is on indeed, I haven't updated Rhys's blog for three weeks!
What happened to all that time?
I have tried guys but Mummy has had me hoovering, doing the garden and generally buying more drinks for when her family come round!
There's been loads going on. Rhys is ace and growing quickly. He's mega alert now to what's going on around him. He is a happy little kid, always smiling and we are all looking forward to Summer very much.

I'll tell you what, that Gaskell family can't half drink.
Wednesday 14th march, Betty's birthday and off we went for some lunch and speed drinking at Albert Dock.
 
Fingers crossed Rhys was going to be on his best behaviour. He was.
The weather was beautiful, sunshine, clear sky and just a little breeze. Perfect for a few beers. Being the driver though I had to stick to Lagar, Betty and Mummy enjoyed red wine. Rhys was great, we had a little turn of sitting him on our knee so he could have a stretch and a look round. Then, back in his pram and off to sleep.....
 
Happy Birthday Betty!!!

8 weeks, is that how long it is already!
It's check up day for baby Rhysy. We've had our first Mothers Day and Nana Betty's birthday. Today is needle day though.....

It's been a good few days since I've been on Rhys's blog. I'm back in work and it's the busiest time of the year for me so it's work work work. I am off today though and it's freezing out. Last night we had a BBQ in work, yes a BBQ. It was 3 degrees and about -10 in the icey winds. We had no lights either which helped because the food looked like shit in the daylight. All went well though and today, just when you need a lie in, it's baby Rhys's first jab day. So up early and off we went. 

Thanks for all my gifts and presents guys....

 2 needles for the little fella this time. He's 8 weeks old now and has to get 2 more lots in the coming months. He was incredibly brave though. He cried only a little and as I held him still he was looking at me as if to say 'stop them!'. After peeing on the doctor he got weighed (13lb 10oz) and he's 2ft 2ins tall. He is at the very top end for his height for his age. It's looking like he's going to be a big kid. His feet will be hanging out the bottom of his cot in no time.  

Rhys chillin after his needles

7 weeks late, Captain manages to join Rhys's blog...
Nice one Captain, good to hear from you.
Keep in touch.
I haven't got a pic to post on te site but I did find this cracker of Emma's brother....

I hope Rhys doesn't wear dresses when he's older....

What a right pain in the arse it is trying to find lifts in shops. We went out to town today with baby Rhys for the very first time. It was a military operation packing everything together, getting his bottles ready, hot water to warm them, nappy's, wipes etc etc. When we finally get to the car park (6th floor) how to you get back down?
We carried his pram downstairs in the end and off to the shops we went. During the 2 hours we were there we spent I reckon 45 mins looking for then waiting for the lift in each shop and another 45 mins feeding him in John Lewis. That left half an hour which we spent looking for bubble bath in M&S. Top tip for shopping with a pram, don't!

Costco was better, until we spent an hour shopping and then realised our card had ran out in Feb', happy days.... It's a good job we didn't buy that pallet of Stella after all.

Rhys is sleeping well now at night time, he tends to feed at 10.30pm for an hour or so then it's between 3 and 4 in the morning for about an hour. He's generally up then at 7-8am ish. We're really lucky I think. I've been doing the middle of the night shift and a few at bed time but I've so far avoided the morning shift all but once. Poor Mummy has been lumped with this while I pretnd I'm still asleep and can't hear Rhys trying to get out his cot. He's only 7 and a half weeks old but he looks like a little boy now. He's pretty big for his age, weigh in day soon...

We were supposed to be going for a walk. Liverpool centre, by the Pier Head, Formby woods or Southport? It was a really nice day so Southport it was for a walk by the sea. When we got there though there was just sea and sand so we thought we'd go somewhere else. I don't know what we were expecting. Mummy clearly had other ideas and mentioned the restaurants and pubs she had saw on the way in. Next thing you know we are in Mexico, well, a Mexican restaurant anyway!
               
So here we are, Rhys's first visit to a restaurant with Mummy and Daddy. The waitress even gave me a balloon but I decided to give it to the baby to play with, he loved it. We were in a new place on the front by the sea-side. The fair has all been closed down right next door and we were talking about how sad it was. We'd both been there as kids and now there's just left overs of the Go Cart tracks, Burger Vans and Roller Coasters. There was only a few people in there, some 60ish year old dude who was dancing in a corner by himself and slicking his year back in his reflection. Must avoid that route to the loo.

We kind of rushed our meal though as Rhys was threatening to kick off a couple of times. He was due a feed and was getting a bit fed up of sitting in his pram. He was good on the whole though but we got out before we had to pay! (only joking).
We'd only got down the road and Rhys was reminding us that he was hungry. His cries are definitely getting louder. They hurt your brain sometimes. So we pulled over by Ainsdale beach for a quick feed. The strong winds kept taking Rhys's breath away and it was no fun for me either in the freezing cold trying to get him out of his chair and in to the front of the car.   
View from the car at feeding time
Now home after another adventure for the little fella. Only after I turn around in the sand puddles. I'm quickly reminded by Mummy that I'm a responsible father now and we could get stuck and then we are really in the shit!
She was right, she usually is though!!!!!

Today Rhys and Me went to China, well the Chineese restaurant at the top of the road. Same thing really. Our favourite restaurant has been closed for ages so on a walk today we thought we'd see what was going on. To our suprise it has been taken over, yes Yee Fu Wahs will never be the same again!
We met the new owner, a Chineese bloke with a typical Chineese name, Peter. It opens officially this Monday. For those who don't know Aintree too well, Yee Fu Wahs was the best Chineese in Aintree. 
I don't know whether it was the warm beer, the meals being brought out at all different times or the musical tables (like the game musical chairs but with tables). We loved it though and while Mummy was pregnant we were there plenty of times. Yee's will be missed.

Rhys looks like a little boy now, he's 6 weeks old and growing well. He is very sharp and his eyes follow anything moving around. He is awake much more and becoming more lively. He punches the shit out of the spooky dangling things that hang from the rail over his chair, can't say I blame him. His legs kick like crazy at nappy changing time and he's smiling loads more. Every morning when Mummy gets up with him he has a blazing smile which really starts the day off well.
 
I am off work after tomorrow for a few days so will be able to spend more time with the little fella. We are going to go to town, take Nanny Betty out for her birthday, tidy up the garden and visit Paul and May, they're expecting another kid soon too. Em's pal Clair is due any day now, the very best wishes to you....
It was Jo's birthday recently...
Happy birthday mate....

It's been 5 weeks and 2 days and weigh in time for baby Rhys. So off to the weigh in place with Mummy (Daddy at work). He's piling on the ounces and came in at 11lb 8oz, just above the average for his age. So he's doing really well, he wolf's his food down as if he's been starved all week. He's grown out of most of his first born clothes and will be wearing mine in no time.

Rhys and Mummy have been out all day today, not in the pub like the old, no kids days but out shopping and having it large with Mummy's friends. I had to make my own dinner again, I had to make when Mummy was giving birth as well. I can't get that boil in the bag rice to cook properly though, it's always crunchy when I do it. Anyway, Rhys and Mummy back from night in Jo & Neils. Susy has kindly bought Rhysy a New York Yankies kit from her trip to NY recently, happy days, ta luv....

Rhys would really love to go to the home tie of Liverpool V Barcelona. I can't get a ticket due to the usual agro. If anyone has one, Rhys will pay top price and we'll even throw in a carton of his fave SMA Gold Blend!