Are you a connoisseur of fine weather?

If so. . . . for the next few months Cairns is the place to be. I am officially inviting all relatives for a holiday up north. I am finished complaining about heat, humidity, and torrential rain because right now this place is perfection. If you can put up with slightly cramped quarters and noisy (bordering on annoying, oops I mean adorable) children book a cheap flight(s) and come on up and enjoy.

Can't wait for Easter? Apparently Coles feels the same way.

The Easter chocolate has been in the shops for so long now that today I noticed it is already being reduced, almost 3 weeks before Easter!

I told the kids that they will STILL need to wait for the actual Easter holiday before they consume ANY Easter treats, whatsoever! I don't care HOW yummy hot-cross buns are!

re: Dalmeny Movie!

If anyone wants a copy of the movie on DVD just let me know and I will post one to you! Love Elsi

Dalmeny Movie!

Would like to have had a bit more time but here it is... What a great time we had!  See you all next time at Dalmeny (end of the year so start preparing)

Wynken, Blynken and Nod

New babies sleep a lot. Don't they? 16 - 17 hours out of 24 right? Or roughly the equivalent of 2 hours out of every 3. Right after dinner time, play time and a little bit of cuddle time or as one "expert" labels it E.A.S.Y. Eat, Activity, Sleep and a little bit of time for You. (SNORT).

So far in the last week Reef has stayed awake from 10 till 4. He's been rocked and shushed in the basinette, in mummy's arms, in daddy's arms, sung to, and bounced. He's listened to 'soothing' music from classical, jazz to new age synthesized to the "sounds of rain" but to no avail because being free spirited and stubborn since in utero he won't sleep until he is ready. The following night he slept nowhere but on mummys chest (and she was very tired by the end of it). And then tonight he went down without complaint, wrapped up, plonked in the bed wide awake and asleep in 10minutes without a peep of sound.

And lets not get started on the day time naps. Do they even exist for longer than 20minutes? Who said parents got to catch up on sleep during the day while their child naps? Seriously, who are these people?

New parents brag about how well their child sleeps like its a badge of honour and good parenting.

Smug new parent: "My four week old baby slept from seven to seven last night. A whole twelve hours!"

Me (a little envious): "WOW. How'd you do that?" (like they did anything).

Smug new parent: "Oh he's such a good little baby and he loves the cot we bought and the new monitor that's remote controlled and plays music and doubles as a night light"....(also insert equivalent for smug parent with schedule or smug parent who demand feeds).

Joe and I have had some thoughts on this and we've come to realise that parents who think they've trained their six week and under babies to sleep through are full a load of rot. It can't be a sign of good parenting, a smart baby or even good luck, simply because a baby is designed to wake up when it's hungry or cold or hot or unable to breathe. Can you imagine poor little Reef all cold in bed and not waking to tell me? Don't you hate those nights? I certainly would want him to wake and am beginning to be glad that he has such a finely tuned survival instinct.... which must be why god created babies with a shortened sleep cycle most of which is active sleep (filled with grunts, squeeks, sighs, sleep smiles, sucking noises and flailing arms if they manage to work free and the ability to wake up at the drop of a pin).

Like all mothers at mother/baby club I'm convinced my baby is the cutest in the room. I know he is the most alert. While they sleep like slugs he's awake and usually crying very awake-like (i.e shrilly not quiet and grizzly) and sometimes he's playing. If he's awake more often, he must see and know more about the world. That must also make him the smartest baby in the room. Did you know that a little persons brain does most of its growing, 90%, in the first 2 years of life and, while deep sleep is necessary, its the active 'awake' part that cements the things learnt during the day? How smart (or healthy) can a baby be who sleeps deep?

On top of that, while a formula fed baby might have a full belly for a while, the digestive system of a breastfed newborn takes no longer than 90minutes to digest all its food. And as a little person needs its food to grow into a big person how can night time feeds be bad baby or bad parenting? Why do we spend so much energy, time and even money trying to get our babies to sleep longer through the night? Is that bad parenting?

So the next time that conversation comes up again it might go something like this -

Delusional new parent: "My baby has slept through the night from birth."

Me (a little smug): "Really? Reef wakes up several times a night. He's such a smart little baby. I feed him, change him, and occasionally rock him when his houdini brilliance has worked body parts free while sleeping. He sings and sighs through the night. I just know he'll be a great musician. Sometimes he chatters too and all that night-time talking and thinking so wears his little brain out he actually wakes just to tell me about it. His appetite is great, he'll be big and strong, and there is nothing sweeter than his 4am feed when his big eyes stare up at me though the dark and upon finishing his snack rolls over flat, kicks his feet and grins his peter pan grin, ready to play.

Aren't kids sweet?

Today Ollie was playing quietly on our driveway lining up leaves, rocks, and flowers. As I walked by he looked up and in the sweetest voice said, "Mummy, when I grow up I want to be a doctor." I was delighted and said, "that would be great Ollie!" With a confused look on his face, he said, "not a doctor who helps people, a naughty doctor who makes potions to stop his enemies."

I decided to be supportive, I am sure even a naughty doctor requires more education and receives a better wage than the Incredible Hulk, his other career ambition. "That sounds like it would be a lot of fun!" I said enthusiastically. He looked at me with a satisfied smile and continued plotting.

Tim- Halloween 2008 (maybe Ollie's inspiration?)

No teeth? No problem, all welcome!!

Calling all Collingwood fans. . .

As part of Tim's 35th birthday package (which also included sizeable portions of lasagne and carrot cake) he is flying down to Melbourne to see Collingwood take on Adelaide on March 28th. Anyone in the vicinity is invited to join him.

Sexy People

Feel like cracking up?

Check out this blog:

http://www.sexypeople-blog.com/

I am sure we all have a few that we could add to her collection. If so, feel free to post them on Wolff 'n' Stuff.

yep...I'm cool

ok now I am excited ,yeahhh I did it.But you'll just have to wait for anything signifigant,now I'm knackered.To much excitement for one day.

Better late than never

I think this time I really have worked this out.But not before I accidently created my own blog.It tells me I have one following,me!I am guessing that is how it will stay.Anyway this will be brief until I am sure that I have managed to post anything at all for wolff n stuff.I was feeling very uncool not knowing how to sign up and contribute.I feel like I have stepped into an elitest club...if this actually makes it to the blog site .well before I get to excited ,let me click and see what happens!

First Friday Interview

Something new has arrived at Wolff 'n' Stuff. The first friday of each month will feature a family member interview. . . . .and the first subject is . . .drumroll please. . . JOANNE!

What is your favourite colour?
Blue.

What is your favourite city?

Have to say Paris. I wish that I could go back in time and spend a year or two there as a single twenty something.

What is your favourite thing to cook?
Any braised dish in my le Creuset cook pot. Yum and fun. It makes me feel like I am in Paris.

What beauty product can you not live without?

Mascara. My eyes look naked without it.

What is your favourite restaurant?

Currently it is the local Thai restaurant called Thai Splendid. The food is amazing. Always fresh and exploding with flavour?

What is one thing you can't help but splurge on?

Chocolate. Not a $ splurge, just in the calorie department.

What is your favourite word?

At the moment: Holy Crapperoly. Should I be looking for something more eloquent? Wish that I could come up with an unusual, exotic word from a dictionary out of the top of my head. But I would have to look one up and that would be cheating.

What movie can you recite by heart?

Can't quote many, but can quote Miss Congeniality.

What is your favourite thing to do on the weekend?

Hmmm, hard to choose one thing. Maybe, watching a movie.

Which T.V. show makes you happiest?

Used to love curling up to watch the British t.v. series Coldfeet. I wish they would do more episodes.

What is your favourite beverage?

Favourite beverage was a cold diet coke. But I've given it up. Now I'm boring.

What is one trend that totally victimized you?

The old spiral perm!! The bigger the better!

If you could trade lives with anyone for a day, who would you choose?

Diane Lane, in Under the Tuscan Sun. But only for her house and lifestyle.

What is your favourite comfort food?

Favourite comfort food? Thats easy. Chocolate!

What celebrity do you most resemble?

Well I've been told over the years Helen Hunt, a little bit of Jodie Foster and the blonde girl from Hey Dad. So you can be the judge of that.

Diamonds or Pearls?
Both?!

What was the last film you saw at the cinema?

Last saw Bride Wars with Maddie and before that Seven Pounds. That was a brilliant movie. I recommend it.

What do you usually have for breakfast?

Special K with light milk or raw muesli.

Thanks Joanne, you have always been a fantastic big (but little) sister!!