Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Grocery Clerk, Teeth and Being Pretty

A while back as we drove away from the grocery store Erin told me that she knew what she wanted to be when she grows up. I was so excited because she's never mentioned anything before. "What?" I asked. "You know those people that check out your groceries at the store? That's what I want to be." Not a teacher or a doctor or a musician or even a princess--a grocery store clerk. Later I asked her why and she said, "Because it looks easy." I asked, "Don't you want a job that is fun?" Her response was, "Oh, I think it looks fun too." I may have mentioned that it would be a good job during high school or to earn money for college, but that ultimately she wouldn't make much money doing that. Although... every time I ask her about college she assures me she isn't going. Maybe she's on the right track after all.

Later she told me, "Mom, you know how I know that Dora show isn't real? It's because that monkey wears boots... and talks." So, not because it's a cartoon? I laughed.

That same week Erin lost her second tooth, or should I say that Jared pulled it out with dental floss. After seeing that Marissa became obsessed with her teeth. One night she came up to me with dental floss and said, "Mommy, my tooth hurts. Can you pull it out?" I told her I would pull it out in four years. She said okay, then ran off yelling, "Guys, mommy said she would pull my tooth out in four years!" Then I went to check on the status of the teeth brushing and found Marissa on the counter with some dental floss in her hands. I asked if she had brushed her teeth and she said, "I'm not done pulling out my tooth." (So I actually wrote this story before she knocked her tooth out. I guess she wasn't kidding about wanting it out.)

Tonight as I was tucking Marissa in I said, "Goodnight my sweet Marissa." She looked up at me, put her hand on my cheek and said, "Goodnight my sweet mommy" and then kissed me. I love that girl!

The other day Alex found the 72 hour kits and was asking what they were for. I told them they were for emergencies and he said, "So like if someone can't breathe or something then you use those?" Yes, not breathing is definitely an emergency, but hopefully he'll realize that's not the solution by the time he can babysit.

About a week ago I went to the store with just Erin. Two people in line kept telling her how beautiful she was and how she should be a model. In the car I told her how everyone keeps telling her that and she said, "Yeah, I know. How did I get to be so pretty anyway? I mean, I'm way prettier than you and daddy." (A little dose of Erin is always good for the self-esteem.) This, of course, is said in all seriousness. She has no idea she is being funny and would not appreciate being laughed at. She was just stating the facts. And I must agree, she is prettier than us and I don't know how that happened either.

2 comments:

Lisa said...

You and your kids always crack me up. You can tell Erin what I tell my kids- I was a lot more fun and much prettier before I had a bunch of kids . . .

Callie said...

Laura I love you and your posts! Seriously that Erin is so so funny! I wanted to be a bagger at the bagger, not the clerk at the store and I didn't turn out too bad. I never did get a job doing that but I bag my own groceries whenever I get chance. What a rush!! At least Erin wants to be the clerk. That's got to be a step up of responsibility...scanning the groceries and taking money. Oh Erin---what a babe!