TMI, Perhaps
Some of my best conversations with Benja are when I'm laying with him at naptime, in those moments before he falls asleep. In my first trimester I was always so exhausted that I didn't have the patience for small talk. Now that I have more energy, some of his conversation topics have become highlights of my day.
Just now (and because I was afraid I'd lose it before he fell asleep, I bribed him with 2 m&m's to let me come blog about it right now---bribery, a mother's REAL best friend) he asked again how the baby got in my tummy. I am utterly unprepared on how to answer this question and I've brushed it off 3 or 4 times already, resolving to do some research on how to broach this topic with a 3 year old, but I always forget. And so...
Moi: Heavenly Father put the baby there.
B: Yeah, I know, you told me that already. HOW did he do it?
M: Uhhhhhhhhhh. Uhhhhhhhhhh. (scrambling madly for some answer that's not a lie but OBVIOUSLY not the truth---and pathetically coming up with--) Well, Daddy helped him.
B: Oh. So Daddy and....what's that guy's name again.....oh yeah, Heavenly Father THEY put the baby there?
M: Yeah (silently in head: please let that be enough, please let that be enough....)
B: So, how did they do it?
M: Let's ask Daddy when he gets home.
B: Well when the baby gotted in your tummy, did I get to watch?
Should some conversations with my 3 year old not be blogged about?
Another "conversation" yesterday at church. Ben overheard someone at the pulpit say the word baptize and he asked what it meant. I whispered a brief explanation and how when he turned 8, Daddy would probably baptize him. He responded, "Oh, so you get baptized when you are 8 because 8 year olds don't get water up their nose, but 3 year olds do."
I think that might be exactly right.
Later, I overheard him "reading" the bible. "And then they walked and walked until they found the reverent cave and the Lord of the Rings were baptized and gotted berry happy because no dragons could evoh hurt them. Evoh."
It all makes me so proud, as you can probably imagine.
Just now (and because I was afraid I'd lose it before he fell asleep, I bribed him with 2 m&m's to let me come blog about it right now---bribery, a mother's REAL best friend) he asked again how the baby got in my tummy. I am utterly unprepared on how to answer this question and I've brushed it off 3 or 4 times already, resolving to do some research on how to broach this topic with a 3 year old, but I always forget. And so...
Moi: Heavenly Father put the baby there.
B: Yeah, I know, you told me that already. HOW did he do it?
M: Uhhhhhhhhhh. Uhhhhhhhhhh. (scrambling madly for some answer that's not a lie but OBVIOUSLY not the truth---and pathetically coming up with--) Well, Daddy helped him.
B: Oh. So Daddy and....what's that guy's name again.....oh yeah, Heavenly Father THEY put the baby there?
M: Yeah (silently in head: please let that be enough, please let that be enough....)
B: So, how did they do it?
M: Let's ask Daddy when he gets home.
B: Well when the baby gotted in your tummy, did I get to watch?
Should some conversations with my 3 year old not be blogged about?
Another "conversation" yesterday at church. Ben overheard someone at the pulpit say the word baptize and he asked what it meant. I whispered a brief explanation and how when he turned 8, Daddy would probably baptize him. He responded, "Oh, so you get baptized when you are 8 because 8 year olds don't get water up their nose, but 3 year olds do."
I think that might be exactly right.
Later, I overheard him "reading" the bible. "And then they walked and walked until they found the reverent cave and the Lord of the Rings were baptized and gotted berry happy because no dragons could evoh hurt them. Evoh."
It all makes me so proud, as you can probably imagine.
Cal's not concerned about how the baby got in (thank goodness), but how it's going to COME OUT. Hmmmm. My usual approach is that if they're old enough to come up with a question, they're old enough to hear an (age-appropriate) answer in the clearest, most honest terms possible. The problem here being that grown men (his dad) are still a little undone by how a baby comes out. I can't do that to my four-year-old. :)
Love the baptism discussion - water in the nose is a very viable explanation!
Posted by
Code Yellow Mom |
Monday, December 18, 2006 2:45:00 PM
Benja is very cute! Thanks for blogging the great conversations.
Once on a visit to the family, my husband and I were discussing with my sister-in-law her pregnancy. She was only four months and wasn't showing. Our 3 year-old nephew (not her child) became curious about what we were talking about, so we explained that she had a baby in her tummy. He gave us this look that said "You can't fool me." The three of us continued trying to explain, but there was no convincing him. Then we remembered the belly button and told him that is how he was attached to his mom when he was in her tummy. That was the final straw, he definately knew we were trying to pull one over on him.
Posted by
Anonymous |
Monday, December 18, 2006 2:54:00 PM
LOL!!! He is so precious! You'll be so glad you wrote all these cute things down to remember!
My 6-year old has also been asking questions about babies. He just knows the basics like that Mom has an egg inside her uterus that turns into a baby with Daddy's help and that it's special for Mom & Dad to make a baby. I'll have to give him more information as he gets older, but I'm hoping that it's enough for now.
Yikes! I can't believe I'm old enough to be having these conversations with my child! :D
Posted by
Suzanne |
Monday, December 18, 2006 3:41:00 PM
BWAHAHAHA!
Best use of m&m's evoh.
what's that guy's name again.....oh yeah, Heavenly Father, pure gold.
I love it that you're all going to ask daddy when he gets home; yeah J, you get to explain this one! (maybe the Lord of the Rings can help you).
Oh what proud moments you had there sister.
Thanks a million for sharing.
Posted by
Super Happy Girl |
Monday, December 18, 2006 7:08:00 PM
"because no dragons coud evoh hurt them. Evoh."
Oh I just love that! Precious.
How about this? "The baby grew in Mommy's tummy and now is growing bigger until we can hold her/him (?). You know like you are getting bigger every day? Let me see how big you are!" That will put it into terms he can understand without being graphic or over his head!
Oh and the coming out thing? My 6 yearold is completely convinced he was pooped out. LOL Got to sit down one of these days and be clearer I guess!
Posted by
Sketchy |
Tuesday, December 19, 2006 8:16:00 AM
Sketchy: Got to sit down one of these days and be clearer I guess!
WHOA hold it there!
TMI! TMI!!!!!!
Posted by
Super Happy Girl |
Tuesday, December 19, 2006 6:52:00 PM
I'm at a complete loss. My kids never asked how babies got in my tummy.
We're still telling our older kids they're going to be visited by the "hairy fairy".
Posted by
Millie |
Friday, December 22, 2006 11:09:00 PM
Oh my...can't...stop...laughing!
The "hairy fairy"? I'll have to remember that one.
Three-year-olds are the best evoh!
Posted by
Sister Pottymouth |
Wednesday, January 03, 2007 10:37:00 AM
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