Dear Em,
Last week your teachers asked you what you want to be when you grow up. They read you a book about different things you could be. Afterwards, they went around the circle & asked you & each of your friends (classmates) what you wanted to be.
When they told me, I was a little embarrassed. We've never really talked to you about it, & I feel like we probably should have. Parenting fail. With Daddy working in insurance & me working in sales, we don't really talk to you about what we even do (not that either of us are convinced that we're grown up). I mean how do you tell a two year old that you talked to a doctor about prescribing more Alzheimer's medication or that you bartered with lawyers all day & finally came to an injury claim agreement? Instead, we just tell you that we work.
Back to circle time in the classroom. When asked what he would be when he grew up, the friend (classmate) in front of you confidently said he was going to be a dinosaur (I guess his parents have had the talk with him already). When it got to your turn, you were unsure. After some more questions & prodding, you said, "I'm going to be like Mommy." "Well, what does your mommy do," your teacher asked you. "She works and then she picks me up," you said in a very duh tone. "Well, what does your daddy do," your teacher asked you. I think you gave her a very perplexed & exasperated look like "she's clearly not getting it."
In the end you proclaimed you were going to be a "big strong" when you grow up. I'm not quite sure what that is, but it sounds pretty amazing to me.
As we drove home from school, I tried to do my parental duty of having the what-you-want-to-be-when-you-grow-up-talk. I named a bunch of different careers & told you that you could even be a mommy if you want. You very seriously & obviously replied, "No, you're Mommy. I'm going to be an Emma."
I don't know if you will ever understand the ways that you make me smile. I had to laugh a little bit when you gave me that answer. I don't know what you're going to be when you grow up, but you'll do it in your own, special Emma way. Whatever it is, it will be amazing, of that I'm sure.
I love you so,
Mommy
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