She sure knows how to break your heart
Ellie colored a picture of a mermaid. Actually it was 2 mermaids. One was her as a mermaid and one was me. She hurried over to show me the picture and I told her how wonderful it was. I love how she does her little fins.
But suddenly her little face squished up and a great big frown spread across it. She said, “But mommy, you know there really AREN’T such things as mermaids… they aren’t even real.” I laughed a tiny bit but told her it was OK, it’s fun to pretend about make believe things, that’s what makes them special.
This didn’t go over to well. She pulled away and said, ‘No it isn’t! That means, I’ll never ever really be a real mermaid no matter what, and all I want is to be a mermaid.
My heart just ached for her. It was like telling her there was no Santa, Easter Bunny or Tooth Fairy all at the same time. “It’s all she wants to be a mermaid” awww.
She seemed slightly happier after I told her we could get a mermaid costume and that would make pretending even better. But still, to see that realization in her eyes, to know that she is getting so big as to not believe she can do anything her heart desires. It just breaks my heart.
