Best Buddies

Kids here in Hong Kong start playgroup and preschool very early. Because Maddy is not delayed socially, cognitively or behaviourally, I thought it was important to get her into a class where she could meet some other kids her age and interact with them. So when she was 18 months old, I signed her up for a playgroup that she attended for three months before her cleft surgery. I wrote a little about it here.

In this playgroup, she met two very sweet and very cute twin boys who really took a shine to her. Check out this photo from February last year... (the twins are directly behind Maddy in the blue jackets).

In September of last year, Maddy started going to preschool, or "kindy" as they call it over here. She has been attending five days a week, two hours every morning. She is at the same school as her playgroup, and I was happy to learn that these sweet boys would again be her classmates. 

One of these boys in particular has been a very special friend to Maddy. He's always looking out for Maddy, but not smothering her.

 Maddy adores him, and whenever I ask her who she saw at school that day, his name (along with the wonderful teachers who have made this year amazing for her) is the first mentioned.

 As you can probably already tell, they stick together like glue in class, often dressing up together and doing activities together.

 Check out where Maddy's hand is in the above picture! Cracks me up. 

We will be travelling in June, so I decided to take the girls out of school at the end of May to save a little on school fees. Tomorrow will be their last day at this school. 

In the new school year, Maddy will be moving to a new campus that I feel is more suitable for her physical needs. It is all on one level with no internal staircase, and also has access to a fantastic outdoor playground which the kids can use. While I feel this is the best choice for Maddy, I know that she will miss this very special friendship - as will I. 

So far, we don't see this little boy outside of school. I'm hoping that this will change. I sent a little note home to his parents today with my contact details, so fingers crossed...

I know that this friendship is just as special to these boys at it is to Maddy. When they had to choose their "best friend" to be the sun in their birthday celebration a couple of weeks ago, they chose Maddy. They also both wanted to give Maddy THEIR gifts that they received from the school at the Christmas play!

Whenever I think of Maddy's first friends, I will always think of these two gorgeous boys who have made Maddy's first year of "school" one to remember. I hope we are in touch with them for years to come!