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Will
A very special present Sarah's sister gave us last month, was a reworked picture of Will -
without his tubes. While those tubes allowed him to live his short life and hence were very much part of him, they obviously should not have been there. He is a different person without them.
Mum took the kids to the aquarium. We studied the penguins and the gigantic spider crab. On the way back, we took the ferry from Darling Harbour to Manly.
Over the last few weeks, Piet has become very peculiar if not neurotic about his doona (duvet): it has to overhang exactly as much on the right side as on the left side of his bed. This is hard enough in the morning when he insists on making his bed. But when he goes to sleep in the evening and he is in his bed, it is impossible for him to check how much the doona is overhanging without moving the doona. In this case, dad's help is really required.
Three-school day
Another change for Piet has been three orientation days at his 'big school'. On three Thursdays, he would go to Manly Village primary school with mum from 9.30 to 11am, then on to pre-school till 3pm and then to Dutch school from 4 till 6pm. He was proud to have these 'three school days'. He coped well and is enthusiastic about the prospect of going to 'big school' after the summer holiday. A few friends from his pre-school will go too. Emma has realised that she will go to Piet's pre-school next year (two days a week, like him), and she has decided she doesn't like it. She is still very happy at her creche, which we will continue for one day a week for the first quarter in the hope that helps her transition.
Since France, where oma Bep showed him how she uses water paint, Piet has become keen on water painting. For the moment, he concentrates on his colours and ignores his shapes. Emma still sticks to regular paint, which can be applied by brush or by hand. She also fancies helping mum doing the dishes, but as the water is hot, she is only allowed to do the drying. One day she asked:
Mum thought she would be.
One weekend, both Piet and Emma had a party to attend. Piet's pre-school friend had a party at home with cake and playing, where siblings were allowed to tag along. Unfortunately, Emma's friend from creche had a party at an indoor play center, with organized dancing and shopping, where Piet was not invited. Piet proposed that Emma wasn't allowed to go either, but in the end he was happy spending time with just dad at home, building a cubbie house and lego vehicles.
On 24th November, we all painted a butterfly in memory of Will and lit the candle used in his funeral service.
