What a difference a year makes. When I wrote my siblings post this time last year, my girls were reunited again after Jessica’s Fontan procedure and we had just arrived home. I remember the joy of that moment when they were back together once more – the way Jessica waited by the ward door for Sophie to appear and the adoring way she looked at her little sister and hugged her. My girls had such a beautiful bond.
The bond between Sophie and Thomas is also a beautiful one. Sophie adores her little brother and it is clear that he loves her too. She loves to cuddle him and is good at keeping him entertained if I need to do things like make dinner. Occasionally she can be a little over-enthusiastic when it comes to loving her baby brother though! I have to remind her to be gentle with him, although he is very tolerant of it all.
Last week I was watching them together and it suddenly hit me that Sophie is now the big sibling. It seems so strange. She was always the little sister; looking up to her big sister and now she is the one leading the way. It makes me so sad that she no longer has someone that she can look up to. How lovely it would have been to have been able to watch the three of them together – Thomas with his two adoring big sisters. Moments that I can only imagine. How I wish I could have known what it would have been like.
Thomas (0 years 24 weeks)
- Can roll from his front on to his back.
- Is starting to play with toys more and reach out for them.
- Seems to be teething at the moment – no sign of any teeth appearing as yet though!
- Is very smiley and chatty – although getting a laugh usually requires a lot of coaxing!
- Has a fuzzy head as is starting to regrow his hair having rubbed off most of his first baby hair. It looks quite fair at the moment – I wonder if it will be a similar colour to Sophie’s.
Sophie (5 years 2 months)
- Loved spending Christmas at Coombe Mill and getting out on the feed run each morning.
- Enjoyed a dip in our friends’ hot tub on New Year’s Day.
- Had a wonderful time at the trampoline park for her friend’s birthday party.
- Is enjoying being back at school, ballet and Girls’ Brigade and seeing her friends again.
- Is enjoying having Nanny here to stay for a few days.
Jessica (forever 6 years 7 months)
- The outdoor arts and crafts space that is part of Jessica’s memorial is now in place at school.
