"I don't want to grow up!"

That's what Emily said tonight. This isn't the first time she has said this. Tonight, I was blow-drying her hair before she went to bed. "People have been saying stuff to me."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Like, 'You'll have to say good-bye to your mom.'"

"What do you mean?"

"Like when I grow up. I'll have to say good-bye. I don't want to say good-bye," and she started crying. "I don't want to grow-up. I love you," and she started crying harder.

"Emily, I keep telling you that one day you are going to want to move away. You don't have to say good-bye; you can just say, 'I'll see you tomorrow.'"

Still crying she wails, "I don't want to say that either! Did you say good-bye to your mom?"

"Emily, I didn't say good-bye; I was just ready. I wanted to move out because I had met your daddy and I wanted to be with him." At this point, I thought about Mom, and how I called her from the bedroom of my unfurnished appartment on the day I got my key. I was so excited, and Mom cried.

"But Emily, if you never move out, you'll never get married--"

"I don't want to get married!"

"--you'll never have kids--"

"I don't want to have kids! I don't ever want to move away from this house!"

At this point, I realized this tactic wasn't going to work so I said, "Emily, I'm not going to kick you out. You can stay as long as you want. If you never want to move out, you don't have to. This is your home."

At this point, I was tucking her into bed, and Ray came into the room. He started talking to her, and I walked out to kiss Hannah goodnight. It makes me sad that she feels that way. She should be looking forward to growing up and becoming independent. It's me who should want her to stay little and never move out. She's such a sensitive little girl. So sensitive that it breaks my heart to see her sad.