School

Mia's first day of school was a challenge for me when I woke up: could I get these two children awake, dressed, fed, and brushed (teeth and hair), sun screened, medicated, shoed and out the door by 8.30am? Oh, and myself as well? It was a trial run for me because Ben had already gone to work, so he wasn't around for backup.

I'm happy to say, we managed and got in the car, found a parking spot, and walked a short way to the playground. Mia wanted to play on a jungle gym - she wanted to swing like a monkey on the monkey bars, but wasn't strong enough yet. Anyhow, the bell went and I told her, "Mia, do you know what that bell means? It means it's time for you to go to your class." She looked at Joshka and shouted "Ok Josh, it's time for you and mummy to go home now!" Down she climbed, quick as a flash, and ran off to her class, leaving me to negotiate Joshka down. We went to her classroom to say a proper goodbye but she was already on the mat in the middle of all the children, waiting for the teacher's roll call. There were a couple of other children starting that day too who were clinging to their mother's legs, which hindered my access into the classroom, so I just waved at her and blew a kiss and said, "See you later!" She waved. I turned. And that was it! She was in school and I had been dismissed.

Every day they bring back a little book to read. She knew her little book off by heart so it was pretty simple for her, but Ben and I could tell she was just memorising the words. That was the first day.

On the second day, Ben said the teacher had upgraded her reading book to a much higher level, so I was interested to see. I don't know how, or what they do at school, but 2 days after turning 5, my little girl sat at the table on her dad's lap and read the story to us. She stumbled on words like 'uncle' and 'auntie' but for the most part she read it word for word. Now I know my girl. She has an amazing memory for words of stories and songs, but at the end of her reading, I was truly impressed. I know a lot of it IS memory, but still, she is recognising words and is enjoying the experience. Yippee!

Birthday celebrations

Mia turns five tomorrow and starts school. We (I) decided to have the birthday celebrations today (Sunday) so she could really enjoy all the gifts and the people around her. I tried to get away without the party we did last year for both Mia and Josh, but Mia kept mentioning a party...So today her grandparents arrived with a beautiful pink number 5 cake and I invited my friend and her 2 daughters (10 and 12) round. We all had lunch together which was an informal affair with nice bread, avocado, ham, tomato, lettuce, blue cheese, brie, olives, crisps, sundried tomatoes... just pile it on and make your own. At teatime Carolyn and her 2 daughters (5 and 3) came round for tea and cake and played really well, so it was all good. They left and slowly things slowed down so I could start thinking about dinner! Maria and her kids went home and it was just us and the grandparents for a bbq dinner. Baked potatoes, lamb chops and salad. Lovely. All in all a really easy, relaxed but busy day in celebration of my little girl turning 5. She received lovely gifts from friends and family alike and is fast asleep now, dreaming of school and walking on the moon.

Joshka also got a present to open so he didn't feel completely left out. His stickers were all over his arms before he'd even had breakfast. Both children enjoyed his lifelike rubber snake...but the most successful gift of the day was probably a $5 pretend camera that says "smile" and "you look as pretty as a princess" and "say cheese!" in the voice of Disney's Ariel the mermaid. Ariel branding too. It was talking all day today and taking lots of cheesy photographs.

Time now to flop in front of tv with Ben and let the dishwasher do it's thing.

jumping on the moon

Mia wants to go to the moon one day - she wants to jump on the moon because "the gravity's not so much on the moon, you can jump really high". To go to the moon, her daddy tells her, you will have to be an astronaut. And to be an astronaut you have to be very clever and do very well at school. "I'm going to do everything my teacher tells me to when I go to school..." says Mia, on her mission to become an astronaut to jump on the gravity-challenged moon, at age 4. Nearly 5. One more week before she embarks on her school life. In New Zealand one starts school on the Monday after one's 5th birthday, or on the day if your birthday is on a Monday, which Mia's is. So I will be joining the rest of the school run and take part in the daily traffic jams. It'll probably take 10 minutes instead of 5. What me worry?

Oh where has the time gone!?

3rd February 2009

I really have so much to write, to tell. However, that can wait. For today is the day my third grandparent, my Ouma, has died. She suffered in the last days of her life, she was in pain...but when she went, she went quietly and peacefully for which I am grateful. I am so helpless sitting here on the other side of the world unable to comfort my mother in any way or to give my Ouma any last messages, but I will just remember that everything is understood in death and that she would therefore know my thoughts that are directed at her. It was just a few hours ago that she passed away.