Kate and Rio Ferdinand are set for an exciting day with their family on 18 December, as they celebrate the first birthday of their baby boy Cree.
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In an exclusive interview with HELLO!, actress and model Kate opened up about their fun plans for Cree's special day, and how after living through the pandemic lockdowns, she can't wait to have a party for him.
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Kate spoke to us for the Aptamil Follow On Milk Ready to Drink Hackvent campaign which is supporting parents across the UK with helpful Christmas planning hacks.
She and former professional footballer Rio Ferdinand are parents to Cree and Rio's three children, Lorenz, 14, Tate, 12, and nine-year-old Tia, so it's a busy time of year in their household.
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Kate and her baby boy Cree
Kate told HELLO! of Cree's first birthday: "He's turning one, I can't believe it. I didn't have a baby shower or anything like that because of Covid, so I'm having a smallish party for him.
"I'm really excited because we didn't get to celebrate him. So we're just having a little party for him, which I'm really looking forward to."
Is Cree aware that he has a birthday, we ask…
"Absolutely not," says Kate. "He's not aware he's got a birthday, he's not aware it's Christmas, he doesn't know what's going on. But he likes being around babies his own age and doing fun things, so maybe [the party] is half for me and half for him."
Rio and Kate Ferdinand
Of Cree's personality, Kate reveals: "He's really just a happy baby. I think that he gets a lot of love and a lot of attention, so he's really happy. He's quite cheeky. God knows what he's going to be like when he's older if he's cheeky and he's not even one yet!"
And with three older siblings to play with and help look after him, Cree must love all the fuss. "Yeah, he is quite spoiled, bless him," admits Kate.
Kate's a fan of time-saving hacks for Christmas
The family are looking forward to a relaxed Christmas this year – a far cry from December 2020 when Kate underwent an emergency C-section to give birth to Cree.
She tells us: "It was all a very big blur last year because I just came out of hospital, I was struggling, I was in quite a lot of pain, I couldn't really move. So it will be really different this year. I'm excited to have a proper Christmas at home."
The star adds: "I'm looking forward to being a bit more active. I still don't think Cree will fully understand - I think he'll just be playing with the wrapping paper, but I'm just looking forward to seeing everyone all together."
Aptamil’s Follow On Milk Ready to Drink HackVent is a guide to the best 24 festive life hacks for busy on-the-go parents. Read more: aptaclub.co.uk
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