Skippy!

Every year carnival is celebrated in some parts of the Netherlands. This year my sister asked her youngest daughter Aniek what she would like to dress up as. 'Princess' or maybe 'Mega Mindy' my sister asked. Aniek thought about it, but came up with a totally unexpected idea. 'Skippy'!!!! she said. 'Oh dear' my sister thought, 'were do I find a suit like that'?!

But luck was on her side, because a couple of days later she found a great secondhand 'Skippy' suit for a very happy Aniek on the internet. During Carnival Aniek fanatically jumped around with her little Joe (as baby kangaroos are called in Australia) in her pouch. Apparently my sister got a lot of response. 'Oh how cute, were did you get the idea to dress Aniek up as a little Kangaroo?!' 'Well' my sister said....'that's a long story'.....

And this is were 'Auntie Monique' gets involved. A few weeks before we left for Australia I brought my nieces and nephew a little softie....you guessed it; the little Kangaroo was named 'Skippy' (Yes, I know... how did I come up with an original name like that!!!...hehe). Skippy stayed at my sisters place for a couple of weeks but would come with us to Australia. So my nieces (Ties was just a baby back then) helped Skippy to get prepared for the immigration. My sister sewed Skippy a backpack and bought miniature cutlery, cheese, toothpaste and a camera.

On the day of departure they brought Skippy to the Airport and waved us goodbye (snifsnif).

Here Skippy's adventures in Australia starts. Because every now and then I send my nieces and nephew pictures and a little story of Skippy. 'Skippy and his new bedroom, Skippy goes camping, Skippy misses celebrating Sinterklaas', etc.

It sounds like a lot of effort but it's well worth it for me. We do keep in contact with our family very frequently (I talk to my Mum more now then I did when I was in The Netherlands..hehe) and if I would see them again tomorrow it would be as if I never had been away. But that's different with my nieces and nephew. The level of communication with children is more difficult if you're never around. And the average conversation and 'Kiekaboo' behind the webcam becomes boring very quickly. 'Mum, can we now play a game behind the computer, instead of talking to Auntie'...hehe!

Now they ask a lot for Skippy and they tell me and Skippy what they have been up to lately. Often me and Skippy organize games like find something blue in the livingroom, guess what this sound is, who am I drawing, etc. (Hip Hip Hooray for Skype!) and they can win little prizes! Janne and Aniek love it and so do I! And it might now explain why Aniek wanted to dress up as a little Kangaroo!

Still doesn't change the fact that I do miss them heaps every now and then. And it sometimes is heartbreaking when they ask me 'Auntie Monique can we finally come and play at your place now...'

As a response they often get the answer from me and my sister that I would love them to come over but it would cost to much money to go to Australia just like that.

So it was very funny to hear what my oldest niece had to tell my sister after they read a story about a very rich Princess who had lots of treasures of gold. She said 'Mummy, auntie Monique does have a lot of treasures as well, right'? 'Why do you think that' my sister asked. 'Because Auntie is very rich' Janne answered. 'I she?' my sister asked. 'Yes' Janne said. 'Because she can afford going to Australia, and we can't!' Hahahaha!

Ps. my sister's blog if you wanna read more about these lovely, little rascals:
www.uttemetut.blogspot.com