~Lottie~

My great grandmother Charlotte with three of her children

When my oldest child was around 3, she began talking about a woman that she said would come into her room at night and talk to her. My daughter said the woman was really nice, that she would sing to her and tell her stories.

I would listen to my daughter's stories about this but didn't really make much out of it. I simply assumed that my daughter was probably making it all up. And I was fine with that, she was after all only 3 years of age.

One day I began to tell my dad about it while talking on the phone with him. My dad said, "Hmm, how do you know she isn't telling you the truth? Maybe she really is seeing someone. Perhaps it's her guardian angel." 

I wasn't really convinced but I didn't disbelieve her either. My dad then said, "Why don't you tell her that the next time this lady comes to talk to her, tell her to ask the lady her name." I thought it was a good idea. And besides, what would it hurt?

That afternoon my daughter started telling me that the night before when she was in her room she had a bad dream and the nice lady came to her again and told her not to be scared. She said that the lady then sang her a song and it helped my daughter fall asleep. 

I then told my daughter, "You know what I want you to do the next time she comes to see you?" My daughter asked, "What?" I said, "I want you to ask her what her name is. Do you think you can remember that?" My daughter said, "Yeah."

It was early morning a few days later while I was feeding my younger daughter some breakfast when my older daughter woke up. She came out into the kitchen and in a good mood said, "Morning mommy." I said, "Good morning. Did you sleep well?" She said, "Yep." 

I finished feeding my younger daughter, cleaned her up and was just taking her out of her high chair when my older daughter said, "Mommy, that lady came last night."

I said, "She did?"

My daughter said, "Mmm hmm, and she told me her name." 

I said, "She did?"  My daughter said, "Yep." 

So I asked her, "What is her name?" 

My daughter said, "She said her name is Lottie." 

I thought it was a strange name and said, "Really?" My daughter then said, "Mmm hmm." Then my daughter told me she was hungry and asked me to fix her some breakfast which is exactly what I did.

At that time the kids show Teletubbies was very popular and my youngest daughter loved that show.  Given the names of the characters on the show "Dipsy, Tinky Winky, La La, Poe", I assumed that my older daughter probably heard the name Lottie from that show. It sounded like something you'd hear on a kids show to me.

Later that day my dad called. While talking with him on the phone I said, "Oh guess what? The nice old lady apparently does have a name and her name is Lottie." 

My dad said, "What?" 

I then reiterated what my daughter had told me that morning.

My dad said, "Your grandfathers mothers name was Charlotte, but everyone called her Lottie. Lottie was the name she went by."

 My daughter had no prior knowledge of any of that information, neither did I.  Also, my daughter had never heard of, or had even yet learnt about her great-great grandma.

My daughter only talked a few more times of seeing Lottie or being visited by her. 

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