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Gareth Ellis
- Jan 11, 2022
- 2 min
Independence Days, Sometimes
I love my kids. They’re funny, they’re sweet and although I may be biased, they’re bloody gorgeous as well. But bugger me they can be a bit full on at times. Currently, Rupert wants to do everything for himself – everything but use a potty that is, but that’s another matter. Now, I know what you’re thinking, a bit of independence is great, children should learn to do things for themselves, and yes I’m all for that. Now, imagine independence while picturing a three-year-old po
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Gareth Ellis
- Mar 25, 2021
- 2 min
Nursery Rhymes are Nonsense
Nursery rhymes and children’s songs are weird. I mean, have you ever properly listened to one? At the moment, it’s a common occurrence to hear the phrase ‘Alexa, play children’s music,’ to keep Rupert and Emi entertained. But in listening to that every day for the last two months I’ve learned a lot of the lyrics to these songs and my god are some of them weird. Take, for example, Old Mother Hubbard. It’s a charming song that starts out simple enough. Old woman has a dog, goes
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Gareth Ellis
- Jul 21, 2020
- 3 min
Not Fair to Compare
When you have children people always tell you ‘no two children are the same.’ You do your best not to compare but sometimes it’s impossible. So and so’s little one down the road walked at 10 months, that other baby is already eating solids at five months, matey boy’s son slept through the night from six weeks. I hate the competition of it. Most of us learn to eat and talk eventually. I mean, I’ve not yet met a person who crawls everywhere like a baby, pointing up at the coffe
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Gareth Ellis
- May 31, 2020
- 2 min
Pandemic Positives: Staying Social
So, the news hit recently that people will be able to meet up in groups of six in gardens or outside spaces as of tomorrow. This is huge news for a lot of people who have been dying to meet up with friends and family and enjoy the sunshine together, while still obeying the government rules surrounding coronavirus. For me, I’ve been meeting up with friends, family, and work colleagues on a regular basis – through the magic of both Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and video calling. Team
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Gareth Ellis
- May 7, 2020
- 3 min
No nod to the Dad Bod
I love almost everything associated with being a Dad, yet there’s one I just can’t bear to put my name to – the ‘Dad Bod.’ Everything else I naturally either assumed when that pregnancy test was positive for the first time, or I already did. For example, I’ve been telling Dad jokes for the best part of 20 years. My humour can be pretty dark at times, childish a LOT of the time, but is also full of cheesy ‘jokes’ that would make even my own Dad cringe. Something else I’ve alwa
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Gareth Ellis
- Mar 2, 2020
- 3 min
The Best Laid Plans…
This weekend was lovely. To be fair I had Monday off as well so actually, this long weekend was lovely. It was full of family time, getting outside and getting stuff done. There was no work stress, which right now seems to be at its worst, and it was so nice to feel real freedom. Over the weekend we thought we’d get out and about as the sun was shining (on the Sunday) and seeing as we’re National Trust members we’d take the short drive to Stowe. Now before I start this I shou
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Gareth Ellis
- Feb 25, 2020
- 3 min
Don’t just give up on Lent
Today (Tuesday) is one of my favourite days – not because of its position in the week (it’s far too close to Monday) but because it’s Shrove Tuesday – PANCAKE DAY! Now I know what you’re thinking, you shouldn’t have just one day for pancakes. However, this is a day when you can heap melted mars bar and ice cream on a pancake and not feel guilty. What comes tomorrow though excites me almost as much (almost.) Lent is a religious festival that is supposed to represent Jesus’ sac
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Gareth Ellis
- Feb 7, 2020
- 3 min
Ru’s Putting His Best Foot Forward
Rupert loves to walk. From the moment he’s finished his milk in the morning, we put him down and off he goes. He walks back and forth mainly, picking up toys as he goes and handing them over, but he rarely crawls now. On one hand it’s amazing. Each day he does something a little differently when he walks. He carries himself a little faster, or he keeps his balance a little steadier, or he learns how to walk across the bed or the sofa. Now though he wants to walk outside. He w
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Gareth Ellis
- Jan 20, 2020
- 2 min
Don’t be Blue on Blue Monday
So apparently, today is Blue Monday. No, it doesn’t mean playing your favourite boyband songs and reminiscing over which one you had a crush on. No, it’s the third Monday of the year, the Monday where you’ve already blown your New Years Resolutions, you’ve got no money as you were paid before Christmas, and you’re stuck doing Veganuary for at least another 12 days. The point is that it’s another made up day, actually made up as a PR stunt by the travel industry to get people
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Gareth Ellis
- Sep 3, 2019
- 2 min
Rupert’s First Hour of Nursery
Rupert has now taken his latest, and so far scariest, step towards being a big boy. Yesterday, he had his first taster session at Nursery. Now, it may have only been an hour and yes, we were both in the same room with him but still, it was massive. To us, Rupert is still very much a baby. Not just a baby, but a tiny one at that. He’s still on the 9th percentile for growth for Christ’s sake. So we went into the nursery (I won’t name it right now) and after we signed in and got
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Gareth Ellis
- Aug 30, 2019
- 2 min
Sun’s Out, Guns In
I am what’s known as a sun worshipper. I am THAT guy who moves his sunbed round on holiday so that it’s always facing the sun straight on. I’m THAT guy who would rather sit in the shade than get vest/t-shirt tan, and I’m THAT guy who doesn’t want to be in the sun if it means I’m not laying in it getting the best tan I can. However, this year has been different. With a baby you don’t really have time to lay in bed, let alone lay in the sun. And with little hope of a summer hol
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Gareth Ellis
- Feb 15, 2019
- 2 min
Valentine’s Night….with a baby
Valentine’s Day is a day for love, where loved up couples, sit across a table gazing at each other over dinner, while they talk about their lovely lives together. That is until you have a baby. To be fair J and I did all of that, we just had a distraction every now and again. Let me take you through our Valentine’s night – and please, parents, tell me if it sounds at all familiar. So I had it all planned out. There was a three course meal (lovingly planned by myself – I even
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Gareth Ellis
- Jul 19, 2018
- 2 min
Wham, Bam, We’ve Bought a Pram!
Big news! This week we ordered little man’s pram set! We’re so excited because we got a great price for a set that includes so much. I mean, it comes with a carrycot, cup holder, car seat and even a foot muff! However, our journey towards that decision wasn’t such an easy one. Let me take you back about 2 months. So, J and I had just been for an overwhelming visit to an out of town nursery shop and sensing we might get a bit down we went to Mamas & Papas for another look (and
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Gareth Ellis
- Apr 3, 2018
- 2 min
Every body is beautiful
My wife and I rarely watch something on television when it’s live, meaning we’re forever watching things on catch-up. It’s great in a way because we get to binge watch stuff and watch it all together and all in one, the bad thing is, there’s so much good telly that we feel like we’re missing something. The reason I say that is because as of writing this we’re currently catching up on some really good television – The Real Full Monty. For those who haven’t watched it a number
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Gareth Ellis
- Dec 21, 2017
- 2 min
Blogmas 2017 Day 9 – Snow joke, I love a Christmas film
What’s your favourite Christmas film? J asked me this yesterday and it’s such a difficult question because you could pick so many for a number of different reasons. There’s the sheer stupidity of Home Alones 1 and 2 – I mean who forgets a whole child. No matter how late you are who doesn’t turn round for a brief second and say ‘Oh you know that youngest child we have, is he here?’ How does a child get on to a plane on his own as well (the 2nd one.) I struggled getting a bag o
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Gareth Ellis
- Dec 20, 2017
- 2 min
Blogmas 2017 Day 8 – I think I’m going deaf
I think I’m going deaf. ‘What?’ I hear you cry. Hilarious I know but seriously I have such terrible hearing that my doctor told me that if I was 52 and not 32 he’d be sending me to get hearing aids fitted. So surely there must be something wrong, right? I’ve been told that there is nothing wrong with my ears. No damage to the eardrum, no blockage no anything. So why can’t I hear? It started off as a small thing, I could never really pick up whispers when my brother and I woul
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Gareth Ellis
- Dec 19, 2017
- 2 min
Blogmas 2017 Day 7 – I’m British and I’m sorry
Why do we say sorry so much? It’s a very British thing and I’ve noticed we apologise all the time. I don’t mean for the stuff we actually need to say sorry for like farting in bed – you definitely need to excuse yourself for that. I mean when you walk into someone round a corner, or drop a penny when you’re accepting change. Basically something that you don’t need to apologise for. I tried not to do it for a whole day. I thought ‘I’m not going to say sorry for anything like t
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Gareth Ellis
- Dec 18, 2017
- 2 min
Blogmas 2017 Day 6 – Crying isn’t a soft thing
When I was younger I thought that crying was wrong. I thought it was a sign of weakness and something that soft people did. Then, one day just like Chandler in Friends something got me and ‘I opened a gate.’ From there I cry at things so easily. I still try to hold on to the manly demeanour I think I have but underneath I’m incredibly soppy and I cry so easily nowadays. On J and I’s wedding day I cried four times. When I read the note she left me in the morning, when she walk
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Gareth Ellis
- Dec 17, 2017
- 2 min
Blogmas 2017 Day 5 – Procrastination or organisation?
Procrastination. The thing that harms my life the most and is the reason I do hours’ worth of housework/shopping/work in half an hour. It’s something that’s always affected me. Sometimes I just want to relax while J is out of the house so I sit and chill until she texts me she’s coming home and then I hurriedly do all the jobs I said I’d do. Sometimes, like when I’m working, I need to wait a while to be inspired before I crack through a load of work – that’s how I’m most effe
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Gareth Ellis
- Dec 16, 2017
- 2 min
Blogmas 2017 Day 4 – Food, Not So Glorious Food
Don’t diet at Christmas. The hardcore out there will no doubt be reading that and thinking that I’m wrong and that dieting is an all year round activity. However, that would mean using something I really don’t have – willpower. Literally as soon as my birthday hits in mid-November I will get presents that involve something calorific, and delicious. From there it’s a sea of chocolates, takeaways and people bringing in treats to the office. I should say no, and my ever-growing
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