I've just written a blog post on my Letters to Noah blog, which belongs here too. A wonderful yet heartbreaking moment that I shared with Charlotte... Here it is, copied directly from letterstonoah.blogspot.com
Dear Noah,
Today is Mummy's birthday. I'm 30. It's funny, because when I was little, 30 seemed so, so, so old. It seemed as if when you are 30 your life is almost over. When I was little I felt like all 30 year olds had life all figured out, their plans had been made and fulfilled. My plan was to have finished having all of my family by the time I was 30. Who knows, maybe I am finished. We'll have to see what the next few years bring for Mummy's aging, and fertility - challenged womb. I guess 30 means I am all grown up. Somedays I really don't feel like it- and other days, I feel like I have aged enough in the past few years that I should be a 70 year old women.
I wanted to tell you about a moment I had with your sister the other day. We were playing in her playroom (you would love it! it's cat in the hat themed- with yellow walls, and all the books, toys and craft supplies you would ever want.) We were playing with Charlotte's babies, because right now, she loves babies. Mummy had her locket on that Grammie gave me soon after you died. Charlotte loves necklaces, so she was playing with it while it was on Mummy's neck. I said 'gentle' and so she started to rub the locket instead of pulling on it (your sister is slowly learning to be more gentle!! it's taken a while!)
Then she said 'see, see', which means she wants to see something more closely.
So I opened up the locket
Charlotte said 'E', which means Baby
and I said ' yes, That's Noah. '
'NoNah' said Charlotte (which is what she calls cousin Norah, so I'm not sure if she thought you were Norah or not!)
Then I said 'Brother Noah'
and Charlotte said 'Buffa?', gave your picture a kiss, and said 'awwww, Buffa'.
Then, she went on playing with babies, asking me to put a diaper on one...
This melted Mummy's heart, and broke it at the same time. I want her to know you and love you, she will know you and love you. But I so, so want things to be different. I want her to KNOW you , really, and truly know you- play with you, argue with you, play games with you... This was a perfectly, wonderful, yet heartbreaking moment.
Charlotte is young, very young. She isn't going to understand about you, her brother, for a while yet. But I will keep talking to her about you for now, ad forever- at her level, to help her understand that you were here, you are with us, and you are loved. Loved like any other brother or sister than may grace us with their precious presence. Loved, like she is loved- without all the same cuddles, and kisses.
I love you Noah.
Forever and ever, and ever, and ever- you are my baby boy!
Love you forever,
Mummy
