Blue is the Colour. Being a Daddy is the game

So it's a boy.

We didn't want to know, we liked the idea of a surprise, but when offered with the chance to know during the scan we crumbled.  Like knowing you have to go home but are being offered one last drink in the pub, you know you'll be in trouble later, but it was on offer and you can't turn it down can you?

It could have been totally different, but for one little thing...

Number 1 has been incredibly excited about the whole thing she's told just about everyone at her school, so when my wife asked if she'd like to go to see the baby in Mummy's tummy at the hospital she jumped at the chance.

We turned up at the scan and were politely asked if we wanted to know towards the end the sex of the baby, my wife and i looked at each other and smiled and said "no, thanks".  "YES, YES... YES we do" came the shout from the up until then quiet as a mouse #1... it was the equivalent of the elbow nudge and "come on one more quick one" every man knows so well from being with friends in the pub.

A twinkle in my wife's eye said she was ready to accept that illicit drink.

"Shall we?"

and the die was cast...

"it's a Boy"

"Owwwwww...." grumped #1 wanting yet another sister

A few minutes later we're sitting in the waiting room waiting for Mummy to go to the toilet.

"So Daddy. Oscar is a nice name isn't it?"

I think I've created a monster.

Rugger? Bugger.

One of the things never mentioned in any of the parent manuals is what the bloody hell to do when the weather is not great, you’re stuck at home and there is rugby on the TV…

Now i’ve tried to watch the Rugby the at the same time as entertaining the girls, it doesn't work, as Number 2 either stands at the TV shouting ‘Peppa’ or Number 1 wants some musical from the 1940’s or a Disney Film (thank god for the excellent LoveFilm streaming service on the PlayStation 3).

I've tried playing with the girls while keeping an eye on my Sky Go on the phone. But to no avail. As soon as my back is turned I recognise the ‘silence’ which means Number 2 is most definitely upto no good.  Either climbed on the table, playing with the washing machine or digging in the cat food again.

Certain indoor games do work for a short while, you can buy 10 minutes at a time with Number 1 with hide and seek, sitting there counting loudly to twenty then watching TV for 10minutes before an irate 4 year old susses that’s she’s been played and then insists you hide as punishment.  Even hide and seek leaves you with Number 2 who for that 10 minutes will get hold of the remote, press buttons on it that will render your TV useless as a large “you have no new messages” sign pings up slap bang across the middle of the screen leaving you no idea how to get rid of it.

I've even tried deflecting the attention onto the cat trying to make her the centre of attention, But NO she gets a blanket and a cuddle.

Even when Number 1 was going through a short lived Harry Potter spell, where role play meant I could lock her in the cupboard under the stairs for an entire afternoon, didn't last long after the wife pointed out that social services might not like it as much as Number 1 did.  

Now that might make me sound like a bad parent, I love my daughters dearly. So on Saturday at 2.35pm just as England kicked off against Fiji, i admitted defeat, pressed Rec on the Sky box and went for a walk in the countryside. I loved it more than the girls did… but thank god for 3G reception