Hannah likes squishy hugs

Wow, this is my 100th Emberism post!

It's funny how time passes for small children. Then again I suppose, at four, one year is a quarter of your life, so it's not wonder that a week feels like an eternity, and anything that happened more than a month ago is little more than a distant memory, if that.

Many of you will recall that Hannah, a friend from the UK, stayed with us for seven weeks earlier this year, leaving New Zealand at the end of April.  Ember loves Hannah, and was very put out when she left, but the Hannah references had started to get fewer.  Obviously though, Hannah, you are not yet forgotten, as proved by a conversation Ember and I had on Tuesday night.

I was going to a funeral the following day and said to Ember:

Me: Mummy will be a bit sad tomorrow Ember.
Em: Don't be sad Mummy, I'll give you a big squishy hug.
Me: Ok, thanks!
Em: Does you like big squishy hugs?
Me: I like them from you.
Em: Hannah likes big squishy hugs. (pause) Do you remember Hannah Mummy?
Me: Yes, I remember Hannah.
Em: Do you remember when we went to Nana's house and Hannah was there and we went for a big ride in the car?
Me: Yes, I do.
Em: That was a long long long time ago wasn't it?
Me: Well, it was a little while ago, but not very long.
Em:  Yes it was.  It was a long long long years and years ago.