Letters to my Grandchild

New Year's Eve 2010:   This has been an eventful year for you Em.  You started crawling in January and by July you started walking - in spite of a fracture to your right tibia in May.  You also started signing at the start of the year and once you got the hang of it you learned a new sign nearly every week!  Please, thank you, cheese, ice-cream, apple, drink, dog, cat etc etc etc. You have been for regular Pamidronate treatments every two months but from next year it will be every three months. I think the treatment is really helping and although its a bit traumatic for you and your parents, it is wonderful that there is something to help make your bones stronger. In April you started going to the Shongololo Day School with your Mom and you loved it right from the start.  Unfortunately you had your 3rd fracture in May but it wasn't long before you were back at school and then you started standing, and walking, and my hair started turning white! You had a...

What a Christmas season you've had Em! Dad's friend Kevin and his girlfriend Jacqui were supposed to arrive in South Africa last week but there has been a big freeze in Europe with major airports closed and their flight cancelled.  So, earlier in the week Mom and Dad took you to the Emdodeni Lodge and Cat Rehab Centre in Zululand, close to Umfolozi-Hluhluwe Game Reserve. Their aim is to care for wild Cheetahs, Cerval Cats, African Wildcats and Caracal (Lynx), which have been orphaned or injured in the wild and are in need of care and rehabilitation.  Some of the cheetahs have been reared at the centre from young and visitors get to interact with them.  You were able to touch a grown cheetah!  You were afraid at first but eventually you plucked up courage and touched one when it lay down.  On the way home you travelled through the Umfolozi Game Reserve and saw nearly all the animals there excepting for the cats. On Christmas Eve we all w...

On Sunday we were all invited to Dennis and Rita's 40th wedding anniversary lunch in Kloof.  Dennis's sister Dawn, and her son and daughter-in-law were there with their little boy, Connor.  They had told him that you would be there and that you were a special little girl and that he must be very gentle with you because if you fell you could break your bones. Connor was smitten by you!  He held your hand and walked you around the garden (with an adult hanging onto the back of your shirt, of course!)  He shared all his toys with you and was quite happy to oblige with a hug and a kiss when asked to do so.  It was very sweet!       You didn't object!  You played 'hide and seek' with him and played with all his 'boys toys' - cars, trucks, Buzz from Toy Story. Sharon sent us this email from Connor's mother: "Hi Last night we were chatting before going to sleep with Connor. We were just telling him again how proud ...

You are two years and one month and this Christmas is going to be very special.  You understand about presents and parties.  On Saturday your Mom and Dad invited me to the children's Christmas Tree party at Derivco (where Dad works).  I was a bit worried about you being afraid of Santa because when I took you into Checkers at the Pavilion about a month ago you screamed hysterically when you saw a mechanical Santa playing music and saying 'Merry Christmas... ho. ho, ho!"  I had to rush you away from him and calm you down.  When I went back to the shop I saw that the Santa had been moved!  Maybe you weren't the only child terrified by the large man in a red suit waving his arms about ringing a bell and shouting out Christmas ho, ho, ho!? At the Christmas Tree party Santa arrived in a little train engine.  You didn't mind the fairies but you weren't too keen to get close to him.  Inside, there were displays of food - snacks, ...