Short and Sweet

My story begins as I was having snuggle time with my four year old daughter. We were enjoying a television show about baby animals on Animal Planet. Emma was tired and happily sucking her thumb. A commercial came on about a busy mom with hair issues selling a shampoo product. The “mommy” on TV closely resembled a tall, slender supermodel. I wasn’t paying much attention until Emma looked at me curiously and popped her thumb out. She looked at the TV and then at me and she said “Mommy maybe you should be skinnier and have long hair and mommy are you finished growing?” I smiled at her, but considering I am seriously lacking in the “tall” department, had short hair, and a leftover baby belly, I wasn’t quite sure what to say. In the midst of feeling inadequate and a little sad a question popped out and I asked “Emma, would you love mommy more if I looked that way?” “Oh No”! Emma replied, “I couldn’t love you more.” She smiled and popped her thumb back in. I smiled too. Emma is now 10 years old, and I often catch her looking in the mirror. I hope we have been able to teach her that we “couldn’t love her more”.

Submitted By Tammy Kirik