Now Charlotte’s four she’s not shy to speak her mind and it’s gorgeous to see her going up to people and ask a question (though sadly she isn’t always understood, so we have to stand by her side and translate – which clearly frustrates her, as she normally takes a few deep inhalations when this happens!).
On her Birthday she was very excited and after dropping Daddy into work she decided a train ride was a must! So she went up to the ticket office and said, ‘We’d like to ride on a train please. I am 4 and I love transport!’.
We rode the train to Johnsonville. The track winds its way through narrow passes and several tunnels, which Sophie HATED. She wanted to get off at every stop. Fortunately she stopped bawling and cuddled into my arms like a newborn baby (I hope she doesn’t have the same reaction to planes as trains!). Of course a trip to Johnsonville required some ‘filth’ for lunch (my Dad will be appalled!) and the girls had a ‘Mucky’ D’s.
The return train ride was equally as rickety and Sophie went rigid in my arms as we boarded the train. Charlotte, on the other hand, loved it and her beautiful smile never left her face.
In the afternoon we had a lovely dinner round at our neighbour’s house. Charlotte had a lovely 4th Birthday and now we have the party to look forward to on Sunday! Wow! She’s having so many celebrations! I think she’s a little confused at having her party on a different day to her Birthday, as she said, ‘Mummy, will I be five on Sunday?’! I think we’ll do it all on the same day next year, but we really wanted a weekend celebration in our home this year (it’s been a whole year in Houghton Bay already!) and it will be great to catch up with friends before we fly to the UK.
