Her dream day

The first time we took Ava to  Luna Park she was two & a half. She had spotted a Ferris wheel across the harbour & she was intrigued by it. She kept asking questions about it. We took her as a treat just after Anouk was born. I thought she might like it there, but what I wasn’t expecting was that she loved it! I thought she might like to see the Ferris Wheel up close, but had no expectation she would want to go on. She did. Twice! After that I lost count of how many days she played ‘pretend going to Luna Park’ at home. She would make me sit next to her and pretend to be on rides. I eventually convinced her that baby Anouk on the bouncer could be the other person on the ride. That was three years ago.

This year as we got closer to the winter school holidays and the four of us were recovering from being unwell, I could see that my kindergartner was really ready for a break. To help her get through the last week of school, I thought Ava might need something fun to look forward to. I told her that in the holidays she could choose one thing to do for a special day out. It could be the cinema? or the zoo? or anything that she thought would make a fun family day out. Without hesitation she said “hot chocolate & Luna Park!”.  I think she has the day from three years ago filed in her memory bank as one of the funnest days ever. A couple of times I have taken her for hot chocolate just on our own, so I think she connects hot chocolate to quality time with me.

So that was the plan. We invited another little member of our family, Gabriella. We picked her up, stopped for hot chocolates at a café (coffee for Pete & I) and took three very excited girls out for the day. Anouk is now just a little older than Ava was the first time we went & she was just as excited. She carried a back pack on her back for half the day. The back pack was empty, but she wore it because adventures require backpacks & this was an adventure.

On days like these I just watch them. Soak it up. Every smile, every jumping up & down moment of joy. Anouk was jumping on the spot & saying “I can’t wait”, with little shaking fists, just waiting in line for the carousel ride. Their joy. The wonderment on Anouk’s face when she actually won a slinky from the clown game. Their fun sense of humour (the silly poses are all them…. I was after some natural shots… so they ‘acted natural’… made me laugh). Most of all I love that they appreciate every moment of something they know they don’t do often.

These little girls make everything seem fun again. For children the world is new. I am grateful for everyday I get to see things through their eyes.