When I Grow Up ...

Someone has officially decided what he wants to be when he grows up.

A firefighter.

When he first mentioned it to me, we also just happened to be reading a book about fire trucks. I figured it was just a passing fancy and that 5 minutes from then he would probably already have moved on to another career choice.

But I was wrong.

It seems the little man has his first when I grow up dream. And his dream is to be a firefighter.

And he would be a good one.

Now, when lighting a candle little man always promptly reminds me not to play with fire.

"Mama, we don't ever touch fire," he sternly warns me. "It's hot. It will burn you."

"Yes, yes," I tell him. "We don't ever touch fire."

When we ventured out to see Thomas the Train a few weekends ago, the local fire department also had a fire truck on display for the kids. And little man zeroed right in on it.

"A fire truck mama!" He squealed. "Look!"

He ran as fast as his little legs would carry him to the big red fire engine. He immediately crawled up the steps and hopped into the drivers seat.

"Vrrrrmmmm.... errrcchhhh .... weeeoooo... weeooooo," he said, making imaginary fire truck and siren noises. He turned the big steering wheel as if he was speeding on his way to a 5-alarm fire.

"I wanna be a firefighter!" He yelled. The firemen behind us giggled.

The entire time his big blue eyes were wide with amazement. He told the firemen all about how he wanted to be a fireman and drive a BIG fire truck when he got bigger.

{Nevermind the big, blue Thomas engine that was just a short distance away. He was too focused on the fire truck.}

Eventually we convinced him that it was time to leave the fire truck. But only if we promised to visit it again.

And later that afternoon, on the ride home after a fun day, little man's eyelids grew heavy.

"Did you have fun today buddy?" I asked him as he began to doze off. "Did you like seeing Thomas?"

"Yeah," he said. "And the fire truck."