Monday, September 29, 2008

the birds and the bees (and buttons and babies)

First for some background . . . as Ellie was learning the name of her body parts she learned she had a belly button. She asked me if she has three buttons on her tummy -- I thought it was a great idea to call them that so I didn't get a three year old in the store shouting something about a strangers boobs; instead she would talk about buttons and no one would ever really catch on. I plan on teaching her the real names of things . . . when she's old enough to know how to use the words correctly. Like D picked up some pizza at Papa Murphy's on Saturday & Ellie was running around his leg like it was London Bridges - and she looks up and says, "Daddy I'm walking under your peepee!" As the whole store stifles laughs Darik was probably grateful she doesn't know anatomically correct terms yet so we weren't reported to Child Protection Services.

Anyways -- fast forward to the present. I have LOTS and LOTS of pregnant friends, and relatives, and sisters-in-law . . . and they all have babies coming (two just recently arrived). So Ellie has watched all these bellies get big and then all of a sudden a cute little baby is at the hospital. Most recently my friend April had baby grant about 10 days ago and we went to see him at the hospital. Ellie was in heaven. She loves little tiny babies. And she told April, "Did you have to pull your baby out really hard?" Uhhhh, yeah we gotta pull those babies out!

So later on she asks me, "Mom, will you make a baby in your tummy?" And I have to explain to her that mommy's belly can't make any more babies. So she asks me, "Then why do you still have buttons?" She knows buttons are for feeding babies momma's milk. So, yeah. I told her I needed to feed her momma's milk and then they never go away. And I changed the topic quickly to tell her "The Story of Baby Ellie". It it goes like this:
Once upon a time there was a Prince Darik and Princess Kristine who got married in the temple. They loved each other very much. They wanted to have babies but mommy's belly wasn't working. So they went to the magic doctor who helped mommy & daddy make a baby and the magic doctor put the baby in mommy's belly (all of which is true!). So then mommy's belly got really big and mommy got big too, and then it was time for the baby to come out so they went to the hospital. After a long day of trying to get baby Ellie out the doctor helped mommy and all of a sudden there is baby Ellie! And she says, "waaaaah! waaaaah! waaaaaah! etc." [Ellie loves this part about hearing that she bawled her head off] and that the nurse said, "Your baby is a redhead!! What is her name?" and I said, "Eliza Beth Anderson" and then they took you and cleaned you and weighed you and mommy wouldn't let you out of her sight. Then they let me hold you and we loved each other very much. The end.
So fast forward to this morning and she asks me if she can put a baby in her belly. Now I have to explain that only mommies and daddies can make babies after they get married in the temple. It seems she is really thinking this whole process through and trying to figure it out. But she is really looking forward to being a mommy and thinks it's hilarious that I will be a grandma. ~sigh~ I never imagined I'd be having the birds and the bees talk with a young three year old . . .

5 comments:

  1. So funny!! Wow, three years old and she's trying to figure everything out. She's a smartie.

    Ya, the girls were a little interested when I had Jacob, and I think to this day they think I fed him with my belly buttons. I'm totally with you about waiting to correct that! Plus, it helped that I had Jacob C-section cuz then I could say the doctor cut my belly open and took him out. Ah, motherhood. Where's the instruction manual?

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  2. Your little girl is so bright! I wonder when I will be having that discussion with Jayda, right now she can't get past her lust for fruitsnacks and cartoons!

    I love the story you told her, so cute!

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  3. Oh boy, I have such good things to look forward to with my little man! I'll probably be asking you for advice later! ;o)

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  4. I love it!!! We have been having a lot of talk with Landon about babies and such. He know there is a whole just for babies to come out by mommies bum. And knows only girls get to have babies. And sometimes him and Kylie think there is a baby in her tummy. I am just glad he hasn't really asked how the baby got there.

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  5. That is too funny! I love that she thinks it is funny that you will be a grandma! You did a great job at explaining things though and there are some great children's books you can get that talk about this. Don't you just love kids? I know I do!

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