This day last year.....

It was this day last year that Celia was diagnosed with Leukaemia and to mark it we spent the day at an outdoor pool where Celia swam like a fish and ran around like a mad thing which just emphasises how far she has come in a year.
We didn't take any photos as she actually looks pretty awful right now. The rash on her face from the chemo is at its worst and she has big dark rings under her eyes as she's not sleeping very well and school is generally just taking its toll. Unfortunately, the teasing has continued (about her hair and now the rash too) and most mornings she has been crying going into class and won't let go of my hand.
Last Thursday I had the very awkward task of telling two of the parents that their children had been teasing Celia since her teacher obviously wasn't doing anything about it, so we will see if that helps matters.

We had a lovely day on Saturday when one of the cancer charities put on a pirate cruise for the kids at Willamstown yacht club. It was so heartening to see how confident and fun loving Celia is around her 'cancer friends' as opposed to the painfully quiet and timid girl she is at school. Max had a ball too as they armed the kids with water pistols and shooting bad pirates is now his favourite activity!

Mabel continues to make us all laugh as she is at that stage where within 2 bars of any song she is jigging along to the music and both Celia and Max adore her and say she is their best friend.

I am still struggling to find enough hours in the day as the kinder work is constant - last week I had a committee meeting, council strategy workshop plus our annual open day on top of the normal weekly workload of emails, calls and form filling.
We have at long last been granted permanent residency so that has also created a load of  extra 'admin' jobs but only 3 more weeks before we go on holiday for 5 days with Louise (Andy's cousin), Deryk and their children - cannot wait!

Andy and his colleague Kate after the Big Shave

Oh, I mustn't forget to add a photo of Andy from Friday as he and 3 work colleagues shaved their heads for leukaemia and raised over $11,000 in about 2 weeks! No big sacrifice for Andy as he didn't have that much hair to loose plus his motivation was of course extremely close to his heart but for his female colleague Kate I think it took real guts, and as you can see she actually looks a lot better bald than Andy!

Uncle Roger comes to visit

Roger is naturally very fond of Celia, Max and Mabel and he tries to pop down and see them as often as he can but a few weekends ago Bruce was most certainly the main draw to Melbourne. Roger must be Springsteen's most ardent fan and since we were all meant to go to his concert last March but couldn't (it was the day Celia got diagnosed with leukaemia) when we heard Springsteen was coming back to tour, we felt it was a sign we should go - unfinished business so to speak.

Celia is loving school  and it is a joy to leave her off every morning. I am obviously not familiar with primary school goings on but I am amazed at the atmosphere during drop off - they blast out pop music from the speakers (ranging from Katy Perry to the Happy Days theme tune!?)  and at assembly on Monday one of the teachers was getting married so they staged a mock wedding with one teacher being a vicar and 2 others being brisdemaids where they proceeded to dance up and down the aisle to 'I'm so excited'!
Celia's blood counts have been a bit up and down but generally she is doing fine and making lots of new friends (including Thomas her new boyfriend!).


 I am still finding the school/kinder run a bit chaotic and last Tuesday I was in such a flustered state, I fell down the stairs with Mabel in my arms, so no hands to break the fall. I ended up on the wooden floor winded and in a pool of blood from the back of my head but luckily I didn't loose consciousness and Mabel was unhurt so after 10 minutes I got up, wiped the blood off, changed my clothes and took Max to kinder and Celia to school. When the bleeding hadn't stopped 7 hours later I thought I should maybe see a doctor and after collecting Celia from school Andy came home and I went to the surgery where I got stitches.  My bandaged head gave Andy and the kids hours of amusement that evening!
My role as kinder president is pretty full on and 15 hours a week is no underestimation. I am not regretting taking it on but it is a struggle fitting everything in.
Mabel has been ill the past week but she is on the mend now and I have seen a real change in her over the past few days - she may not be talking yet (Celia had about a 60 word vocabulary at this age!)  but she is definitely not a baby anymore - I have a feeling she is going to a be a feisty one alright!