Cheryl and Liam haven’t even revealed if their baby’s arrived yet, but they’ve compiled their family to-do list – and are already planning baby #2
Whether Mini Chiam is already here or arriving in the very near future, these two are well prepared
Ah, come on, guys – haven’t you teased us enough? As we waited for news on Cheryl and Liam Payne’s almost-certainly-surelyalready-here baby, the 1D singer finally spoke out – but it wasn’t about fatherhood. Talking candidly for the first time about his relationship with Cheryl, he said last week, “In a non-cliché way, it’s weird waking up every day and literally living out your dream… I have the most beautiful girlfriend in the world and she’s absolutely amazing. She’s been my dream girl since I was younger. She’s so ace.” And friends say the couple are determined to keep things as dreamy as possible as they welcome their new addition with the help of a six-point relationship plan.
“They want to be the best parents they can be. They’ve talked about what they want from each other and their family over the next few years,” says an insider close to Liam, 23, who’s currently in the studio working on his much-anticipated solo album “Number one on the list is that they want to get married in the next few years.” And there are likely to be more babies soon for the pair, who’ve been together for 15 months after originally meeting on The X Factor nine years ago. “They love the idea of having siblings for this baby – and quickly,” says the insider. “They’ve talked about not waiting too long to have more children, because their careers may take over. It would also be great for any future kids to be close in age. Cheryl’s from a huge family, and is really close to her brother, Garry. Liam has two sisters, too, so they want their children to have that same experience.”
Cheryl, 33, has spoken about being “obsessed with babies”, and even admitted, “I know that’s what I was put on the
Earth to do – be a mother.” She’s discussed baby names, too, saying, “I like Alfie for a little boy.” Liam also talked about names before he met Cheryl, saying, “Taylor’s pretty neutral for a boy or a girl. That’s what I’m going to call my first child.”
But while they’re both big family people – Cheryl’s mum Joan lived with her daughter during her first marriage to Ashley Cole – friends say they’ve ruled out any of the in-laws moving in this time. “Being independent is crucial,” we’re told. “Both sets of in-laws are wonderful, but this is their child, so Cheryl and Liam have agreed the parents won’t move in with them. It also wouldn’t make sense, as they’ll be spending a lot of time in LA for the insider. “They think dogs are great with kids.” They also plan to take cookery lessons. “Cheryl has never been able to cook,” says the insider. “It dates back to her days with Girls Aloud when they’d live off takeaways. But not this time. She wants her family to be raised on nutritious food, which means learning how to cook meals from scratch. A nd if they both get lessons, they’ll be able to enjoy more nights in together.”
And while this family to-do list might sound extensive, we’re told
‘They love the idea of siblings for this baby – and quickly’
work. They’ve talked about buying a place out there – Liam’s career is so massive in the US. Cheryl doesn’t want to feel like a glorified housewife stuck at home in Surrey, so she’ll probably go out there with him a fair bit. Liam will have to tour his new songs this year, even if it is just a mini-tour, but there’s no reason Cheryl and the baby can’t go with him.”
Friends say they’re planning to expand their family in another way, too– more dogs. The couple already have three Chihuahuas, as well as Liam’s Great Dane, Watson, but they want more. “Cheryl’s always had a dog by her side, ever since she was little,” says it’s also about avoiding a repeat of the singer’s previous relationships. As well as her failed marriage to footballer Ashley, which ended in 2010 after he was rumoured to have cheated, Cheryl’s second marriage in 2014 to French businessman Jean Bernard Fernandez-versini survived less than 18 months. We’re told, “Cheryl doesn’t want to go down the same path again. She knows it’s different with Liam, but this time Cheryl wants any problems to be out in the open, especially as there’s a baby to consider.
“They want this relationship to be bulletproof.” They got together at the BRITS in 2016