Having described their kids as entertaining mini “flatmates”, Hamish and Zoë Foster-Blake are constantly making new memories with Sonny, ten, and Rudy, six.
They may now co-parent two adorable kids, but when 23-year-old Zoë met 21-year-old Hamish in 2004, she decided they should stick to the friend route.
After six platonic years and a co-authored book called Textbook Romance, the pair eventually exited the friendzone and eventually headed for the aisle in December 2012.
Less than a year later, Hamish and Zoë announced they were expecting their first child.
“Introducing Dracula Von Sandwich Twinklestar! Or as we call him, Sonny,” Zoë, 43, tweeted on May 11th, 2014.
“Born yesterday, loved immensely, adored forevermore. (As IF I wasn’t making the Mother’s Day cut-off.).”
Hamish, 42, similarly announced the news via his own Instagram in his classic comical fashion.
“I met a young man called Sonny yesterday who I am particularly fond of. I just told him that @zotheysay is the best mum in the world, and as fate would have it, she’s also his mum,” the comedian wrote.
“He nodded, closed his eyes, and said, “So that makes you my father”. I was very proud of his vocab for a 20-hour-old. Today’s Mother’s Day I don’t think I’ll forget in a hurry. There’s not a happier man on earth. It’s pure love (even if he wasn’t in a novelty beanie).”
Since giving birth to Sonny, Zoë has publicly spoken about the medical problems she experienced throughout her pregnancy. As well as being diagnosed with gestational diabetes, the mum-to-be grappled with severe chronic pain that was misdiagnosed multiple times.
“I’d get shooting pain down my abductors,” she revealed on the Australian Birth Stories podcast.
“By about 25 weeks, it got to the point where I couldn’t walk. I was really bad. And by 32 weeks I was in chronic pain.”
In what was an arduous health journey, Zoë was finally diagnosed with Osteitis Pubis (a fracture and inflammation of pubic symphysis and the surrounding muscle). She was offered treatment by a friend as well as a strict Pilates regime to avoid issues in the future.
But once the Go-To entrepreneur gave birth to Sonny, the pain did not disappear as she anticipated.
“I expected the pain to f**k right off once I’d released the human in my uterus, but post-partum the pain was even worse,” Zoë wrote on her personal blog, zotheysay.
“I couldn’t walk for longer than 10 minutes, and it took many exercises, much frustration, two years (and about a million dollars) of osteopathy, pilates, and myotherapy to heal my pubis, and get my glutes, core, and pelvis strong again.”
Despite the torment involved in her first pregnancy, the silver lining was that the beauty guru was prepared for next time, explaining that – even without the pain she experienced – carrying a baby was easier the second time around as she knew what to expect.
“You’re better at it round two. You know stuff. You don’t panic about every weird twinge. You don’t ‘eat for two’, cos you know that’s a filthy trick.”
“Round two” came around 2017 with Hamish and Zoë welcoming their second child, a daughter named Rudy, in July.
“Admitting another patron into the nightclub my wife and I run (I’m security, she’s the DJ),” Hamish joked on Instagram. “We have a fairly strict door policy as you have to be a child of the DJ and/or bouncer, so it’s always great to get someone new through the door.
“The photo copy I took of her license says her name is Rudy Hazel Blake and I’m just about to tell her it’s a $12 cover charge. Nah, just messing with you Rudy, babies drink for free and you’re cute as hell. Free entry.”
With the Foster-Blake clan officially at four, Zoë and Hamish’s platonic origins seem to be the secret to their relationship.
“When you’ve got kids and you’re sleep deprived, you’re falling back on your friendship far more than you’re falling back on….” Hamish started to say during an interview with 60 Minutes, before Zoë finished his sentence with “….sexy times”.
And sleep deprivation is to be expected considering Zoë has described both her children as having “endless energy” (keep up the gusto guys).
WATCH NOW: Zoe shares Sonny’s adorable way of supporting Hamish in Lego Masters. Article continues after video.
“Their endless energy and emotional turbulence can be very trying some days,” the author said in an interview with Bonds. “Before kids, I was a hermit/writer who could sit for 8 hours straight in my own world writing a book. Now I’m a playground aficionado, activities coordinator, and CEO of snacks.”
With many a watchful eye being enamoured by the energetic family dynamic, Zoë has expressed concern that her kids may not be partial to the attention as they get older.
“I’m worried he might not love that (Sonny) has fans everywhere when he’s old enough to realise that he does,” she told The Daily Telegraph, before adding that it’s important that her son never takes anything for granted.
“He’s walked into this loving, fun, abundant home but it’s important for us to make sure he’s always aware that that’s not a given.”
“Loving”, “fun”, and “abundant” are certainly apt descriptors for the Foster-Blake household. From Hamish’s annual birthday cake creations to Zoë literally recreating Beyoncé’s birth announcement while pregnant with Rudy, there never seems to be a dull moment with this family – which is exactly the way Hamish likes it.
In an interview with Wil Anderson for his podcast Wilosophy, the comedian stressed how much of his parenting philosophy comes down to the concept of “memory making” and something he deems “the 75-year-old test”.
“I’m a bit obsessed with the belief of going ‘If I was 80, what would I give to be back in this moment?'”, Hamish told Will.
“Basically, even if you’re a bit sick, or a bit tired, think about how much you’d give to go back to this very moment and live it again. I am 36, my kids are babies – and I just know I’d give everything. I’d give all the money in the world, to be back right here in this moment, because we will never get this chance to live this moment again. It makes every moment with my kids super valuable.”
“For me, it’s about memory making,” the now-41-year-old continued, “I really believe my core life philosophy is about creating the best memories and the best inputs for people around me, and for my kids.”
And Zoë is clearly on board the memory-making train, revealing she likes to live in the moment as a mum.
“Are my children growing up too fast and do I feel like I’m watching it woosh by? Yes. But I’m learning to accept that my life is big and busy, and that’s okay. Being focused on the kids when I am with them is key, and I find something like an outing, or bike ride or day trip is the best way to ensure I’m present (or in English: off my phone/email)”, she said to Bonds.
The family has taken to sharing excerpts of their memory-making ventures – which have seen them travel across the world on wholesome bike-riding adventures.
Recently coining themselves ‘Blakes on Bikes’ (with matching t-shirts and all), they’re truly soaking in all their time together.
“The combination of nature, family, and exercise; it cannot be beaten,” Zoë wrote on her Instagram.
In the aforementioned Bonds interview, the 42-year-old described parenting Sonny and Rudy as being in their audience.
“They’re so funny; their brains work in such wild ways,” the beauty guru said. “I can’t believe we get to hang out with these fun little flatmates every day.”
Flatmates who don’t pay rent? Must be nice!
Ultimately all of Hamish’s efforts to be the best darn dad in the world paid off as he was awarded Australian Father of the Year for 2023 by The Fathering Project.
Speaking with 9Entertainment about his win, the doting dad said it was “very humbling” to be recognised in such a manner.
“I did talk to my son about it and he went, ‘How did they know?’,” Hamish joked.
“That’s a good point, to be honest, I really can only be two people’s Father of the Year which I’m very happy with.”
Wife Zoe was beyond proud of her husband for being recognised in such a manner, taking to her Instagram to share a sweet tribute.
“I am proud of the father of my children, for going all in on parenting, and showing up every day when much of society would still have us believe this was optional, not essential,” she wrote.
“Proud of him for creating a wonderful podcast, How Other Dads Dad, because he was hungry for dad wisdom, as so many young/modern dads are, and he wanted to create an enduring resource and a community of confident, compassionate men who wanted to dad as best they could.”
In January 2024, the ‘Blakes on Bikes’ returned as the family embarked on an epic cycling trip along the West Coast Wilderness Trail in New Zealand.
“Each time we do this I feel more certainty that the combination of nature, exercise, and team accomplishment + all the unknowns that come with these kinds of adventures = my favourite family holiday. 11/10 recommend 🚲,” Zoe penned on her Instagram after the trip.
“I’m not sure if there’s a professional racing circuit for family bike rides but we have been making a play to break into it in the past year. Unless you get disqualified for high blood sugar levels from trail mix, in which case, we’re not interested. Another great Blake’s On Bikes chapter in the books,” her husband Hamish jokingly added in a post of his own to his Instagram.
Two months later Hamish shed new light on his home life, revealing that he and wife Zoe have told numerous white lies about what they both do for a living to their youngsters.
“I tell them I work as an umbrella salesman and they think Zoe is a heart surgeon,” he joked to 9Entertainment.
“It might seem strange from the outside, but to [Sonny and Rudy], they don’t care what we do for a job. We’re just mum and dad.”
“First and foremost [fatherhood] is my number one priority. I love it more than anything,” he added.
Awww!
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