Happy Birthday Diva & visits from Poppa.

Well better late than never the expression goes, & I'm certainly late!

Raphaela turned 4 on Thursday!!

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The day started with much excitement and unwrapping of presents, Raphaela insisted on wearing her birthday Tiara to eat breakfast and later wore it to Kindy.


I can't resist also adding a picture of Bruno's "Didor" cereal, a toddlers mind works in mysterious ways!


After Kindy we spent some time baking in preparation for Raphies party, & then waited the arrival of *gasp* POPPA.



On the Friday we had the big birthday girl's party, complete with her "Happy Yellow Cake" and cupcakes.





It was a fun evening had by all, especially the birthday girl...who was practically oozing sugar and hyped up energy from her pores by the end ( see said picture!)



Last but not least, some random Fatboy and Teddybear pictures, just because I try and pretend I have other children.

Back in Black.

Another day another Ballet "ensemble".

No other exciting stories, sorry Constant Reader...just an excuse
to show off my girl!











Dancing Diva's Fourth birthday tomorrow...stay tuned!

Banoffee Pie.

After much fantasising about Banoffee Pie I finally mustered the the energy to make it today.

It was a huge hit with the kids, and an even huger hit with the garbage disposal unit I married.

Aren't I clever, just call me Nigella.

Raphaela is a big kindy girl!

Raphaela started her first day of Kindy today, I can't believe how fast time has gone....she'll be pestering me for my car keys soon!


She started the day with a breakfast on strawberries , she was actually meant to have a hearty meal but would rather filch fruit from her baby sister.





Raphaela decided on a "ensemble" consisting of new season Cotton On Kids & after prying a sobbing Bruno and Theodora from me leg proceeded to Kindy.





We then met with Vanessa who's little girl Kara attends the same kindy.


Raphaela adores Vanessa which basically proves that she has very little sense, she spent most of the time she was there clinging to her.



After staying long enough to admire some of Raphaela's artwork & watch her play with dolls( doesn't it look like a "Didor" ) I then bolted off for a quick David Jones Fix...MMMMM Fred Bare & Gavarlin!







And just a picture of Raphies bag hanging,because it looks so grown up!

Dancing Diva.

Raphaela formally started dance classes today.


I'd love to wax lyrical about how she danced like the sugarplum fairy, but alas she actually spent most the lesson scrubbing the floor with a babywipe & gazing with love at her own reflection.


It could have been worse I suppose, she could have been scrubbing the floor with an actual baby.

Anyway, my eye is still twitching but she had fun, and she looked gorgeous....I've never seen her more in love with an outfit. She spent about 45 minutes racing around the house prancing like a baby elephant!


Then from dancing we went to playgroup where The Diva models (HA!) Beetlejuice.



So there you go Constant Reader, I'm off to drink a bottle of Gin and recover from the whole ordeal.

My kid has more Chromosomes than your kid!

From the 14th of October until the 21st is World Down Syndrome Awareness week.


Raphaela my eldest daughter has Down Syndrome, she turns 4 in just under two weeks.

Since she was a tiny baby we have called her a Diva, she's blessed us with endless joy and endless attitude!

She required open heart surgery when she was just 5 weeks old, but she bounced back beautifully from that (Big thanks to Dr Pohlner & Staff at Brisbane's Prince Charles Hospital) & hasn't looked back.



Now at nearly four she does everything and more that any "un-enhanced" child would do.
She starts Kindy in 3 days, loves Fimbles, Bananas in Pyjamas & her Poppy, she loves playgroup and dancing and her temper is almost as bad as her mummy's.


Less and less children with Down Syndrome are being born into our society, due higher rates of prenatal detection and ignorance about what its really like to live with this Syndrome.

We are losing a whole generation of Raphaela's peers because of fear and misinformation.


The world is not a better place with this practice of modern "eugenics".



Love you baby girl.

Missing in Action.

I have been.


Well according my my darling parents who were ready to call in the troops.


It's school holidays Pater! Of course I'm going to be out alot....back to the grindstone tomorrow unfortunately though.


So here is a current picture of myself and Bruno to prove I'm alive and somewhat well....stay tuned for more exciting updates.....Raphaela starts Kindy & dance lessons this week.

Didor!

It would be an understatement to say Bruno loves dinosaurs.

Bruno lives and breathes for "Didors".

He has Didor clothes & Didor toys & Didor cups & Didor bed linen and Didor.....well I'm sure you get the picture.


So with much pleasure yesterday Bruno not only got to have a "Didor" face painting, he got to meet a real live Didor! (well technically a man in a Dragon suit, but who am I to burst his bubble).

Raphaela also got to meet him, but she wasn't quite as impressed.

A Road Trip Down Memory Lane.

I think everyone must have a special place, the one place that a little part of them always wishes they were.

Mine would easily be Wallaroo on the Yorke Peninsula.

As a teenager I lived there, and spend many a hot day soaking up the sun on Wallaroo Jetty or swimming at the sea pool.

There is no where on earth that has sunsets like Wallaroo and often no where on else I'd rather be.

Erin and I had a charming house ( OK I admit it, Dive ) in Wallaroo & some of my best pre children memories are my adventures there.

Since living in Cairns I don't think a day has passed I havn't missed being there, & I finally got the opportunity on Labour Day to go back with Erin, this time instead of a teenager , as a wife with children of my own.


Our first stop was Bute , where we stopped in to visit Bob aka "Goggles",Erin's dad & my substitute father.


The kids had a blast rolling around in the South Australian red dirt, and Teddy got a chance to "ride" a 4 wheeler.







Then onto Kadina, where the boys got to ride BMX & Erin and I went cruising to drive past my old house & to visit with some old school friends ...






Then onto Wallaroo.






After a quick tour of our old house,my favourite phonebox and Wallaroo Jetty it was back home to Adelaide, with significantly filthier children!