Emily and I ran errands today, one of which included stopping at the post office. I bought some of the new superhero stamps and immediately realized that was a mistake. Emily saw them and said, "Stickers! Thank you, Daddy!" Of course, I had to explain that they weren't really stickers, and that she couldn't have any of them anyway. That didn't go over well. She simply replied with "my stickers," this time adding a slight whine to her tone. The situation could have gone downhill fast, but luckily, the woman behind the counter saved me by producing an actual sticker for my daughter. Emily was satisfied with the round sticker that proclaimed "I visited the post office today" and affixed it to her shirt.

On our way out of the post office, a woman in Army fatigues was walking in. As we passed each other in the doorway Emily exclaimed, "Police man! Hi, police man!" Some parents might have been embarassed my such a thing, but I was amused. As I buckled Emily into her car seat, I explained about the difference between the police and the Army, though I had no doubt that she didn't register any of it. As if to illustrate the futility of my efforts, two minutes later a mail truck drove by in front of us and Emily exclaimed, "Police car!"