Damien Leith welcomes his second son!

2006 Australian Idol Winner, Damien Leith and his wife, Eileen Stapleton welcomed their second child, a son this morning (Wednesday May 30 2007) at 9.00am, weighing in at 3.9kg and was 50cm long, he is unnamed at the moment as Damien and Eileen are still deciding! He is a baby brother for the couple’s son Jarvis, 19 months. More details will be posted as it becomes available ….

Source: Damien Leith Online

Natasha Stott Despoja talks motherhood

Natasha Stott Despoja is a South Australian Senator and was the youngest woman ever to enter the Australian Federal Parliament. Natasha was Deputy Leader of the Australian Democrats from December 1997 until April 2001 when she was elected Leader, however she resigned this position in August 2002. Her current portfolio responsibilities include Foreign Affairs, Attorney-General’s, Higher Education, Science and Biotechnology, Republic and the Status of Women. Natasha is married to Ian Smith and they have one son, Conrad, 2. Here are Natasha’s responses to an interview on motherhood with Essential Baby.

What has surprised you the most about becoming a mother?

“I am bowled over by the absolute feeling of overpowering, unconditional love.”

Do you miss anything about your life prior to having children?

“I miss having more time… but I wouldn’t change anything!”

What is the hardest part about being a mum?

“I think juggling family and work is always a challenge for working parents. I also can’t bear him being hurt or upset. That is hard to adapt to: feeling so responsible for someone else’s welfare.”

How has your relationship with your partner changed since becoming parents?

“We love being parents – and we’re even closer.”

What advice do you have for new mothers or mothers to be?

“Shrug off mother guilt! Its a great little invention designed to make women question themselves and their abilities constantly! Have faith in your instincts and don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Don’t feel bound by unsolicited advice.”

What are you great at?

“Ian thinks I am great at “teaching” Conrad but I am not sure if that’s teaching him to love chocolate or something more educational like reading! I think I am great at having fun with him. Hanging out with a toddler makes kids out of the best of us.”

What are you terrible at?

“Ignoring a crying baby.”

How has your attitude to work/career changed since becoming a mother and how do you manage the juggle of family and work?

“It’s given me a great sense of perspective: I love what I do for my work and have always had a sense of intergenerational equity but having a stake if you like in that future also spurs me on more than ever. I am determined to help make this world fairer and greener! I am working harder than ever before I guess, there’s little down time these days. As for juggling, it requires discipline and support. As I spend up to 20 weeks a year in Canberra for Parliament and he is so young, I tend to travel with him: I like waking up in the same city as my boy! As he gets older, this won’t be possible. I don’t want to disrupt his home life and kindy years which is one of the reasons I have made the decision not to recontest the next Federal Election as that would commit me to an additional 6 years of travelling. Like many working parents, we spend a lot on childcare.”

Natasha also shared a funny anecdote about combining politics and motherhood which is included in the ‘Mother Who’ book (see Nova Peris post)

“I was in the middle of a nappy change when my staff member ran in saying ‘you’ve got to get down to the chamber straight away’ I ran downstairs, stood up and was angry at the way the government undermined Senate democracy by doing a dirty deal on an education issue I cared about. I was just finishing my outraged speech when I looked down and saw poo on my dress. I thought ‘this is literally a crappy day in the Senate.’”

Source: Essential Baby and Sunday Mail, May 27 2007, pg 41

Nova Peris on her sporting career & motherhood

Nova Peris, is an Olympic athlete (hockey and athletics), indigenous spokeswoman, wife of fellow athlete, Daniel Batman and mother of three; Jessica, 16, Destiny, 5 and Jack, 3. Nova gave birth to her first daughter Jessica when she was 19 and went on to become one of Australia’s most successful athletes, and is also one of three Australian mums to have won an Olympic gold medal. Here are exerts of Nova’s contribution to the ‘Mother Who?’ book. Nova gives her take on motherhood and recalls being a single mum and training to be a world-class athlete.

Motherhood and elite sport generally don’t mix, so how has Nova managed to combine an 11-year career, which has taken her to more than 60 countries, with being a mum?

“When I fell pregnant I was nothing other than happy and excited to be a mum. Even from a young age I had all my cousins on my hip. I’m the eldest of 38 grandchildren. I love kids and having Jessica at such a young age was the best thing that happened to me.”

Nova managed to combine, motherhood, hockey training and work at the tender age of 20;

“Jessica was part of me. I breastfed her until she was 10 months. When she was four months old I was back at work and going to training. I had no social life. You’re committed first to your child, then your sports and your work. I would ride my bike to the hockey centre, put her on one side of the fence while I trained starting at 6am then I would ride to childcare and drop her off before riding into town to work. I was cycling probably 30 kilometres a day on top of training and looking after Jess. It just never crossed my mind that I would do anything else.”

Sport organisers was very supportive of Nova and baby Jess;

“Everyone knew that I had a child, so they were always considerate of us. When I travelled, she came with me. When I was at the convention they provided a tutor for two weeks. When I had to do appearances, whether it was for television or had to travel, it was always, ‘do you want your daughter to accompany you?’ Jess was part of the whole package.”

(l-r: Destiny wearing an Easter hat and Jack at his 3rd birthday party)

While competing for Australia in South Africa Nova met 400 metre runner Daniel Batman. In the lead up to the Olympics they became friends and great mates, there relationship developed over time and is something Nova considers to have been ‘fate and destiny’. Prior to the 2002 Commonwealth Games, Nova was set to compete in the world championships at Edmonton. The wildcard was the new couple’s decision not to wait to start a family. After talking to the team doctor, Nova decided to run while seven weeks pregnant as she was clocking better times in training than at the Sydney Olympics.

“I really wanted to make the world champs semi-final that year. But three days leading up to it I was as sick as a dog with morning sickness. And then I just ran badly. I felt like crap and I was throwing up and there was nothing more I could do. What made it worse was that Nova couldn’t hose down the speculation about her poor form, because she wanted to wait until the pregnancy was more advanced before telling ‘the world’. Only Daniel and I knew, not even my coach, just the team doctor. I wasn’t ready to tell anyone because you say some things in track and field circles and it’s everywhere.”

The triple whammy of pregnancy, a new relationship and pending marriage to a younger man catapulted Nova back into the headlines;

“It was really odd, I never even thought about the difference in our ages until it became public and people brought it up. We don’t look at ourselves and think, ‘oh you’re 10 years younger than me and I’m 10 years older than you’. We don’t look at life like that. Daniel was 20 when I fell pregnant with Destiny and the funny thing is for someone so young, he’s done so much. We have our own home; he was already a stepfather to Jessica before he turned 21 and had already been to the Olympic Games and the world championships. He’d done all of these amazing things.”

Nova found it difficult to have baby around again after 12 years so she had some adjustments to make;

“Jessica was 12 when I had Destiny, so it was like having a new baby all over again, I think I went a bit silly. I’d think, ‘God was I like this with Jessica?’ I wasn’t, but with Destiny I’d be wiping her hands and telling people if they wanted to touch her they’d have to wipe their hands first. And then along came Jack and by the time he could crawl he was eating dirt and I didn’t even worry about it. I think it comes down to being older, the way you probably think more. When I was younger I probably just reacted and it just seemed to come natural to me.”

(l-r: Nova, Daniel & Destiny at Daniel’s 26th birthday dinner and Jessica & Destiny at ACT Health Day)

There was also another unexpected development to deal with. Nova suffered a health scare after Jack was born. Her weight ballooned by 20kg and her energy levels sank. She was eventually diagnosed with depression and a thyroid condition;

“I have a thyroid disorder where my metabolism is such that I take tablets and even then it’s sluggish. It’s not like I’m going to be a lean, mean, fighting machine ever again.”

Nova feels that she has achieved her sporting goals and in now enjoying motherhood;

“I’ve seen the view from the top of the mountain, I don’t need to go back there’. I’d represented Australia at a senior level for 11 years. I was happy I had Jessica, Destiny and Jacky boy. And you can’t ever trade your kids in for a sporting event. It’s hard to have that inner drive when you have other little beings around you.”

Nova wants to instil various values in her children;

“I want to instil three things in my kids. Number one: don’t be lazy. Number two: don’t lie. I hate laziness and lying. Number three is don’t be a sook. Get up and have a go. It’s amazing the number of times I’ve been at the track and my kids will fall over and other people will go ‘oh my god’ and I’ll go ‘get up’. That’s the way that we were brought up.”

Nova is loving her life and another baby is on the cards!

“Daniel and I have a beautiful home, we have Jessica, Destiny and Jack, and I want one more. I’ve got my home just as I always wanted and life couldn’t be any better. I have a great job. I’m coaching and doing all the things that I love and Daniel’s career is going really well.This is our life and we’re happy. At the end of the day we’re true to ourselves. We love our kids, we love each other, and we want to be with each other for the rest of our lives.”

Source: Nova Peris Website

Michelle Williams and Matilda Ledger out in Brooklyn

Actress, Michelle Williams was spotted out in Brooklyn, NYC on May 27 2007, with her daughter, Matilda Ledger, 19 months and a friend. Matilda’s dad is Michelle’s fiancee and Aussie actor, Heath Ledger.

Matilda rides around in her Maclaren 2006 Techno XT Stroller in Storm Grey, available online for $299.

Source: Terminator at Celebutopia

Jimeoin and wife welcome third child

Comedian, Jimeoin and his wife, Catherine, welcomed their third child, a daughter, Grace two weeks ago. Jimeoin and Catherine toted Grace in a baby capsule whilst they attended the Melbourne premiere of Eric Bana‘s new film Romulus, My Father, last night (unfortunately I haven’t found a photo which includes Grace, if anyone has please feel free to email me or leave a comment!) Grace is a sister for Rose and Mario, 3. Jimeoin was born in Northern Ireland, but moved to Australia when he was 22.

(left-right: Rebecca Gleeson, Eric Bana, Catherine and Jimeoin)

Source: Who

Daisy Daddo loves singing as much as Lochie does!

TV personality and It Takes Two contestant, Lochie Daddo, who is married to Karina Brown, revealed after he was eliminated in week one, how much his daughter, Daisy, 2 loves singing as well;

“She’s really cool actually, she’s fantastic. She knew all the words to Come Fly With Me, which I sung in week one. She picked up my iPod the other day and brought it over to me saying, ‘Fly with me dada, fly with me!’ We sat together to watch the first show last week and she goes up in front of the TV going, ‘Dadda on the TV!’ That was really sweet!”

Source: Who

Damien Leith is keeping name suggestions under wraps

2006 Australian Idol Winner, Damien Leith and his wife, Eileen Stapleton are expecting their second child any day now, a brother or sister for their son, Jarvis, 19 months. The couple shared some insights about their pregnancy at the MTV Awards, in Sydney last month.

Has Jarvis been suggesting names?
Damien: No, he just comes up and kisses the stomach and goes, ‘ba ba ba ba ba ba’.

Do you know if you’re having a boy or girl?
Damien: No.

Have you got names in mind?
Eileen: We’ve got a few but not saying them just in case.
Damien: There was some story a while back where someone said the name to a friend and the friend said, ‘That’s the name I always wanted’ so we’re keeping it a secret now and we’ll see what happens.

Source: Who

Sarah Wynter is looking forward to motherhood

Actress, Sarah Wynter, (from TV show 24) who is based in New York, recently commented on how she is looking forward to parenthood in the near future with her husband, mens magazine Details editor-in-chief, Dan Peres;

Do you and Dan hope to have children?

“Yes, it’s definitely in the life plan … Hopefully, it won’t be too far away.”

Source: Woman’s Day, June 4 2007, pg 90.

Alison Whyte talks about her baby’s stillbirth

Actress, Alison Whyte (Frontline, Marshall Law) sadly lost her third baby, Stella, at 36 weeks in 2005 and recently discussed the experience with New Idea;

“While Stella’s death was a very sad thing to happen, she’s very much a part of our family. We got to hold her and had a beautiful funeral service.”

Alison and her husband Fred Whitlock, also have two daughters, Rose and Milly and recently welcomed their fourth child, a son, Atticus

Alison and her husband Fred.

Alison also said that Stella’s death has brought her family closer because they’ve been;

“to the depth if sadness and still been there for each other.”

Source: New Idea, May 26 2007, pg 44.

Hugh Jackman & family plan an outback adventure

Actor, Hugh Jackman who is currently filming ‘Australia’ in Bowen, Queensland is planning an outback adventure with his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness and their kids, Oscar, 7 and Ava, 22 months after his filming commitments wrap up during summer of 2007;

“I’m bringing the whole kit and caboodle up and we’re doing a three-and-a-half month adventure in the outback. At times we’ll be in tents, we’ll be out on Aboriginal land, there’ll be crocodiles. My son just turned seven, my daughter is almost two – she’ll forget it, but my son never, ever will. I’m thrilled I have a wife who’s up for it.”

Source: Contact Music

Stefanovic family model winter knitwear

Today co-host, Karl Stefanovic, his wife Cassandra and their children, Jackson, 7, Ava, 2 and River, 6 months modeled the latest in winter knitwear for Australian Women’s Weekly. Karl also discussed how much he enjoys fatherhood;

Karl loves that his job at Today allows him to spend most of every day with his children;

“I can watch how much they change and develop every day. It’s wonderful.”

When Karl and Cassandra found out they were expecting River, they wondered how they would manage, as Jackson and Ava were demanding babies;

“But we’re blessed with him, he’s always smiling and hardly ever cries, and it’s lovely that he’s so close in age to Ava – they’ll be good company for each other. Both she and Jackson are already so good with him.”

Karl really enjoys that he can be with his children, rather than them being in childcare;

“We moved to America when Jackson was young and we know now how much we missed him in childcare, but now we’re here all the time and it’s wonderful.”

Source: Australian Women’s Weekly, June Issue, pg 192-8.

Budding Crows stars practice their skills

The sons of Adelaide Crows AFL players Andrew McLeod and Tyson Edwards enjoyed a friendly kick around Max Basheer Reserve. Connor McLeod and Jackson, Luke and Brodie Edwards showed off their AFL skills on Sunday. Connor McLeod will be the first of this foursome eligible for the draft in 2016, Jackson Edwards will be available in 2017, with Luke in 2019 and Brodie in 2021.

Source: The Advertiser

A Royal Yacht Outing

Crown Princess Mary, her husband Prince Frederik and their two children, Christian, 19 months and Lilliepigen, 5 weeks boarded the Royal ship Dannebrog at Langelinie in Copenhagen on May 26 2007 to have lunch with Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik. It was also Crown Prince Frederik’s 39th birthday and the 75th birthday of the Royal Yacht Dannebrog.

Source: Danish Royal Watchers

Beach fun for the Jackman family

Actor, Hugh Jackman took some time out of his busy filming schedule to take his children, Oscar, 7 and Ava almost 2, to a beach off of Bowen, in Queensland (where ‘Australia’ is filmed).

Source: Just Jared

Isla Fisher is pregnant…according to Just Jared!!

Actress, Isla Fisher and her comedian/actor fiancee Sacha Baron Cohen, were spotted at Los Angeles International Airport as they headed off on a Memorial Day holiday, yesterday and according to Just Jared Isla is approximately five months into her pregnancy. However, I have to agree, her dress does make it look like she is covering a baby bump! What do you think?

Source: Just Jared