Sometimes, I wonder what it is Eleanor will do when she grows up. She wants to be a space doctor (sometimes a space vet), occasionally a teacher or the staff at a museum. Henry often tells me that he plans to be a cat. But usually when I start thinking along these lines, I give myself a little shake and realize what she probably will do is go back to her home planet. 

Sure. She seems like a regular human kid – sometimes – but then she asks a super casual question about DNA (“So DNA is … What again?”), or gets normal phrases just slightly wrong (“rock it on, girl!”), or reveals a very pragmatic understanding of the food chain (“so when you are old enough to approach a bear…Dad – how do you kill a bear with an axe?”) and I can’t help but be sad for the far future day when she gets homesick for her planet and decides to take her notes and go. Maybe if I ingratiate myself now she will take me along! 

It’s worth a shot – one of us will know the proper age and procedure for axing a bear anyway (and it’s not me).