Getting to know Jill

For the first 15 years of motherhood, I only knew what it was like to have boys, and then we were graced by the arrival of Jill. She is all girl – a veritable whirlwind of pink and perfume. She has been exploring the world around her and taken to trying out future professions. Lately they have gotten more and more elaborate. There was interior decorator. She re-did my bedroom with all of Jeff’s Spiderman memorabilia. She carefully draped coordinating red and blue fabrics to balance the bed-side of the room which was redone with a Spiderman throw and plush toys. Then there was the restaurant. She made it clear it was a fancy restaurant, the kind you had to be quiet in. She had menus that were hand colored, matching cloth napkins and flower arrangements. She was the chef and the maître di, and owner. They only had special pancakes that day. With two kinds of syrup. Lately, however, she has become a newspaper magnate. She actually takes the photos, does the layout and prints the papers. She has been taping typing papers together to make a full page lay and she has been reporting the news around the house. Most current events revolve around family dinners and chores. She has a photo (hand drawn) to highlight our recent visit to Woodruff and prominently features Granny, for the front page of today’s paper. Other careers she has recently tried out are: Singer, bus driver, teacher, portrait artist, Star Trek Science officer, princess, cosmetic Chemist, and of course, baker/ pastry chef. When I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up she said, “Fireman.” Really? I talked to her all day about the risks and what firemen do, saying that they get really dirty, the heat at times is unbearable and they risk their lives. After all day she said, “I really wish I could be a fireman NOW, even as a little girl.” “Do they let little girls be firemen?” She had her hopes up, and said “Because I can’t wait to fly and say – FLAME ON!!!” I finally figured out that she was talking about being Johnny Storm, the Human Torch from Marvel Comics.