Some time ago during dinner, Anna announced when she was older she was going to be a Mommy. She said she was going to “born” four babies! I told her that was wonderful and I was really looking forward to it.
She became silent for a moment and with a very serious look asked, “Where do babies come from anyway?”
There is an unspoken assumption in our family. Perhaps it is my biology background or simply the fact that I’m the Mommy of two girls, but I am the one who needs to answer this question. If Anna had asked about stocks, the current real estate market, or even the details of how beer was “born”, Daddy would gladly take over.
So, I knew this was coming, but I wasn’t really prepared. She was, after all, only 4 and I’m sure not quite ready for the full details of the human reproductive cycle. I can’t recall the “talk” with my mom, but I do remember the book she gave me when I was 6 or 7. It was an in-depth description, complete with illustrations, of an unaltered housecat’s life. It detailed everything and quite honestly I was never able to look at our cats the same way after reading it.
I glanced at Doug, but he had suddenly become extremely focused on his salad, which rendered him temporarily mute.
So I said, “Well…. when a mommy and a daddy REALLY love each other, they can make a baby. “
Anna said, “NO WAY. You’re not serious. “
“I am serious Anna, that’s where they come from.“
“NO, that’s NOT where they come from!”
“Trust me Anna, it is.”
“No, that’s not right.”
I said, “Okay, where do you think they come from?”
“The hospital.”
I conceded, as I feel like she had a pretty good answer. She’s a smart cookie and I can’t pull the wool over her eyes! But just in case the topic should arise again, I should probably find that cat book.
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