Lewis Delalande's first months of life were touch and go, but looking at him you would never know the fight for survival he won.
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Now he is more than ready to start the next chapter of life as he gets set to step into a school classroom for the first time.
Lewis, five, was born 15 weeks prematurely and weighed just 763g when he made a rushed entrance to the world in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He spent 135 days in hospital, and in that time he experienced two brain bleeds, retinopathy of prematurity (an eye problem common in premature babies), needed five blood transfusions, had surgery to repair a hernia, blood infections and chronic lung disease. But, remarkably, Lewis has no ongoing issues resulting from his early arrival apart from remaining a little on the small side.
He might be wearing the smallest school uniform available, but he has a big goal for this year.
"I want to learn about reading books."
...We've been really lucky that he's hit all of his milestones when he should
- Mum Carly
Today he will start school with more than 70 other preps in four classes at St Francis Xavier Primary School, in Ballarat, Victoria. They are among more than 1700 preps starting their school journeys across Ballarat's 75 government, Catholic and independent schools in 2026.
"Considering he was born so prem, we've been really lucky that he's hit all of his milestones when he should, he's gone through childcare then three-year-old kinder and four-year-old kinder and he just goes from strength to strength," mum Carly Delalande said. "He hasn't had any complications from the early start ... we've been pretty lucky to be honest."
Lewis has six or seven friends from kinder and childcare in his class, and in a nearby classroom will be his cousin Charlie, who this week moved from the Mornington Peninsula to Ballarat and will start at the same school in grade one.
Aside from learning to read, Lewis is very much looking forward to playing with his friends and cousin.
"They're very excited to play with each other and see each other in the playground because (Lewis and cousin Charlie) have always lived at least two hours apart," Ms Delalande said.
He has spent the past few weeks wearing his shoes in the house, mastering how to open his lunchbox, and the excitement is building.
"He's all set and ready to go," Ms Delalande said.
She is expecting a smooth start to school for Lewis, who is used to school trips to pick up big brother Harvey.
Harvey starts year seven, so it is a big week for the Delalande family.
