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!!

well what a eventful start to the year we have had.  Lots of ups and downs but mainly ups.  January saw Airi turning 6, while just this week Grace is 5 and settled well into Prep!  With the new house (which seems all to familiar) came new beginnings.  Lucas joining the Navy and me joining a Gym! LOL!   There is one that has bought much excitement to our family and that is the arrival of our 'not yet named' pure bread Lilac Border Collie!  So any suggestions for names will be much appreciated.  It has been over a week and I think that he is starting to think that his name is 'Doggy'!  Working on a movie file of our recent Dalmeny camping trip so if anyone has any photos that they can send me from Dalmeny that would be great.  Hoping to have it posted on here in about week or so.  

C'mon all you "contributors" start blogging :-)

Everything in life is writeable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it & the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.
-Sylvia Plath

We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection.

-Anais Nin

Look Who's Growing Up

When Kawehi turned 8, I told her that she was allowed to have her ears pierced. She has thought about it over the last couple of years but couldn't ever build up enough courage. On Saturday (3 days short of her 10th b-day) she informed me that she was ready to go through with it.

On our way to the market, I remembered that there was a silver jewellery shop next door that also pierced ears (and other bits and pieces I found out later). We arrived and there was a nice girl at the desk who explained that "the piercer" had just ducked out but would be back in a few minutes. While we waited, Kawehi chose her earrings and I filled out the necessary forms. As we finished up the formalities, in walks "the piercer" and I immediately thought to myself WHAT HAVE I DONE???? His face was covered with silver studs (yes his face) and his earlobes hung to his shoulders (think African tribesman). I looked over at Kawehi and Ollie and they looked scared. . .

I wasn't sure what to do, but before I could think, he introduced himself and actually seemed quite nice. He turned out to be very professional, measuring and re-measuring Kawehi's earlobes making sure everything was symmetrical, I was impressed. He was quick and precise with the ear piercing "gun" and before we knew it the painful part was over and a mirror was placed in front of her face so that she could admire her new blue/green earrings.

Extreme Makeover

Before

Last week our helpful little Spencer stood perfectly still as Ollie tried out his haircutting skills. Several blonde chunks later, we were left with no choice but to take Spencer for a very short haircut. It turned out pretty cute I think.

After

Pictures of the Ziegelbauer baby exclusive to Wolff 'n' Stuff

Reef Aaron Matthew Ziegelbauer was born at 3:51pm local time in Cairns, north Queensland. He weighed in at 3.3kg (7lb 4oz) and measured 49cm long. He spent the first few hours of his life safe in his mothers arms and was eventually relocated, with his mother, to the maternity ward of the Cairns Base Hospital where he spent most of the next couple of days sound asleep. He took his time to start feeding but eventually worked it out and is now an eating machine! Ali and Reef came home from the hospital yesterday and spent their first night at home. Ali was glad to finally have a bit of help through the night, and I'm getting a clearer picture on exactly how hard Ali's had to work while I haven't been there. The plan, so far, is to remain in Cairns for a couple more days so that Ali and Reef can get a little more settled and then we'll fly down to Melbourne. We hope everyone gets a chance to come by and meet the newest edition to the family.

Hello From Dad

Hello Everyone,

This is my first attempt to post a blog ever. I fully support the Wolf'N' Stuff blog site it's a great way to keep in touch and know what everyone is doing. It's really a modern version of the Rancie family newsletter and has the advantage that the work of collecting and publishing is not left to one person alone. That can be also a disadvantage because there is no one person to push it along. Perhaps Tim since you have started it you might be able to send out a monthly reminder to all of us.

As you all know Mum and I have relocated from the Gold Coast to Seaford. Lizzie is with us and we are all enjoying Kananook Ave. together. Melbourne is very different to the Gold Coast, being larger, hotter (at the present) and very, very dry. There are no beautiful green lawns, tropical trees, green hills or running creeks and rivers. You may be relieved to know that Lucas and Elsi will be renting our Helensvale house; so visits to the Gold Coast might still be an option.

On Australia Day weekend Lizzie and I drove up to Gordon on sunday afternoon. We started a campfire and waited for Steven and his girls to join us. When they did we cooked dinner - baked beans and tinned casserole for me. T-bone steak and salad for Steven for the girls. Perhaps success has made him a little more fussy about food.

On Monday Lizzie and I dug and watered around the fruit trees and drove home to Seaford at lunchtime feeling quite satisfied with a job well done. Just as well because in the following week temperatures rose up to the mid 40's. I hope you will all take the opportunity, when you can, to come and have a campfire with us at Gordon; it's usually peaceful and a pleasant rural scene. We intend to put a house on it as soon as we can.

I have started a new job in Melbourne. This week I flew to South Australia to visit some wind farms. They are impressive. The towers are 80m tall and the blades reach up to 124m.

I hope to see some blogs from as many as possible.

Dad

41 WEEKS (OVERDUE)

A week after our Nautilus experience most people are asking where the baby is? Alison and I are wondering the same thing. After all the aromatherapy massage, acupressure, hot baths, pineapples, Clary Sage sniffing, copious amounts of water, steak, laxatives, walking up and down the "red arrow" (a local walking track on the Whitfield range), four wheel driving, raspberry leaf tablets and driving up and down the Gillies range you'd imagine that we'd have welcomed our little bundle of joy into the world all ready. However in spite of him being overdue he remains comfortable and cosy inside his mother's tummy.

We have tried to make the most of or time in Cairns but haven't been able to do all that we've planned. I guess that means we'll just have to come back again...if the baby comes and we can ever leave, that is.

Joys of motherhood

Every once in a while things go very quiet at our house. Unfortunately, this is not my cue to relax it is my signal to ruuun because I might (and usually do) find something like this:

40 WEEKS

The due date finally arrived and assuming that this could very well be our final night alone we decided to celebrate it in Port Douglas at the Nautilus restaurant. We had heard that it was the grand daddy of all fine dining and that we had to experience it at least once in our lifetime. The restaurant does not cater for children under eight, in order to "preserve the experience of elegant outdoor dining with a unique ambiance," and we figured it was either now or never.

Dalmeny Pics!

Dalmeny Summer Holiday

Dalmeny absolutley lived up to all the hype all these years that I have been hearing about it! What a beautiful place... The views amazing. We had to do all the things that lucas remembers growing up. The 'Kinema', listen to the bell birds everytime we went into Narooma. Tilba cheese is the best cheese that I have tasted to this day! We even took over mum and dads role of looking for a property to buy! We have decided on one thing, this is where the kids and I will be living for 6 months while Lucas is doing his training at Jervis Bay only 2 hours away. Already planning the next one! See you there!

Cairns. . . .LOVE it or LEAVE it??

After spending all morning under blue skies at the Lagoon and then stopping at the Brittish Lolly Shop afterwards for Dr. Pepper and other American goodies, Cairns is back on my good side (although the relationship is still on shaky ground). This time of year is always the time that Tim and I decide to leave Cairns. Last year we decided to move to the States, this year Williamstown has caught our eye. I have started to recognize that there is a pattern! We can't stand the whole build up to rainy season and its even more unbearable when the rains come and don't end for months. If we can hold out until April we usually fall in love again but its a struggle to get there. One thing that makes me happy, however, are these lovely paintings. Hayley Gillespie is a local artist (I only just discovered that she lives right down the road). I would love to one day have a children's bedroom with these prints adorning the walls and then it wouldn't matter what the weather was like outside!

on a more serious note. . .I am sure that there are others out there that have something to add here on wolff 'n' stuff (I'm talking to you "concerned citizen " ) Can't wait to hear from everyone soon!

GETTING STARTED

This past week has been about RAIN, RAIN, RAIN. . . Our thoughts have been with the other members of the family who are currently basking in the sun and drinking in the never-ending stretch of blue sky and golden sand that is Dalmeny. Yes, we are jealous! Tim has been digging a "french drain" around the house to keep the waters at bay. It has been a muddy, mouldy, sweaty week and we can honestly say, "we wish we were there!"