Thursday, October 16, 2008

Part 2...

Well, Em wanted to hop in bed early so she could read me books, I could read her books, and she could draw some pictures. I asked her to pick out which books she wanted and she chose "The Bones Book" by Stephen Cumbaa, and, most importantly in this case, illustrated by Kim La Fave. It's a small booklet about our bodies structure including "An illustrated head-to-toe guide to the human skeleton, vital organs, and body systems." Perfect! And, there on pages 54 and 55 lie the very vital organs necessary to discuss with my sweet girl "Where do babies come from?"

Em: What do you want me to draw for you?
Me: How about Jesus coming on the clouds on a beautiful white horse to rescue us? (NOW, LORD :) )
Em: Okay, can it have a rainbow?
Me: Of course! He'll probably have those in the sky that day, maybe?

Me: Em, how do you think boys and girls are different?
Em, look of "OBVIOUSLY" on her face: Uh, girls are prettier.
Me: How else are we different? (Why argue, right? Hee hee)
Em points below the waist...
Segue onto page 54, the Female Pelvis. I assess knowledge base...
Me: Em, you know women have 3 exits, right? One for peeing, our V (yes, I used the word) and one for poop...
Em: Mom, you could have said, "Number 2".
Me, thinking: (You are killing me kid. This isn't the easiest thing. Work with me, here! Sheesh!)
I talk to her about ovaries, eggs, relate egg/chicken/chick story here, proceed with fallopian tubes, puberty, release of eggs due to lack of fertilization, exit of eggs through the ya ya...no, I didn't say that. Just an edited version on blog because I don't want weirdos here...ANYWAY...

Em: I have eggs?
Me: Yep. God designed women to have eggs, just like chickens, but not crunchy. (Dear God, help me out here...)
Em: Yeah, we don't have shells! What are my eggs doing?
Me: Right now, they are just hanging out...(Em interrupts with a smile on her face: They're just talkin'.) until the time when you become a young woman.
Em: When I'm 16. (Matter of fact)
*(Did I mention she's still just drawing the Lord's return this whole time? COME LORD JESUS!)
Me: No, not necessarily. Even though we are all females, God has made all of our bodies slightly different in that we don't all become young ladies at the same time and we don't all have the same amount of eggs. (Fertility talk at later date...)
Em: So maybe when I'm 13?
Me: Yeah...we just don't know. We'll just kind of wait and see. Not really something we need to worry about, you know? (Dear God, ditto last sentiment...)

Thank you, page 54, for having an inset of an egg and sperm. Segue onto page 55, The Male Pelvis, for further education...

Me: So, Em, these (insert biological definitions here...) are the specific parts God designed for males. Ours are mainly on the inside and theirs are on the outside. So, instead of ovaries that make eggs, males have T's that make Sperm, (again, not really knowing who might show up on google search at this point...bear with me).
Me: Sperm from a male is what fertilizes an egg from a female.
Em: Just like with the chicken and the rooster!
Me: Yep. (Except I didn't sit on you to keep you warm for 9 months...)
Me: So, see here (on page 55)...these are sperm...
Em: Are they fish?
Me: No, but they swim...(God, seriously?...fish don't have to explain this to their kids...but I guess You know that. Nice sense of humor, Lord!)
Me: Men have millions of them but it only takes one to fertilize an egg to make a baby.
Em, wearing hot pink leopard print pajamas, look on face trying to calculate/visualize 'millions'...
Me: That's more than all the spots on your jammies!
Em: Wow! That's a lot!
Me: So, then, the fertilized egg, which is now a baby (insert life begins at conception speech here) then attaches itself to the wall of the uterus and it grows and then when it's ready, it comes out through the V.
Em: Cool. Will you draw me a picture of something?
Me: Like what?
Em: Like a princess, a castle or a rainbow or something.
Me: Gladly...

So, there you have it...the first of many more talks to come, as she wasn't even curious about the actual mechanics of HOW the egg and sperm hook up! THANK YOU, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY! I know that will come, but she didn't ask, I took that as a cue from her that she had retained all she could at that moment, was satisfied with the information, and will be eager to know more when the time is appropriate. So...GET TALKING! Don't leave me out here in sex ed world all by myself:)

9 comments:

  1. Thankfully Em likes art too ...

    Such a cute story Adrienne, and Em seemed quite satisfied with the book and your annotations.

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  2. Anonymous4:14 PM

    I have come upon your blog recently. I am from Australia. I just wanted to say....'Well done, Mum!' It's always best to keep it matter-of-fact. BTW where was your husband during this talk?!lol
    Donna from Oz

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  3. Thats fantastic Ade,

    I just hope Scarlett and River ask me to draw them something too when it comes to me telling them!

    What a gorgeous girl you have :)

    Love Carly x

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  4. I read this wide-eyed and grinning as I have not taken that "leap" yet with my kids! All the oldest knows is that mommies and daddies give each other a special kind of hug...and I have SO put off giving any details! Yikes! You are a pioneer...I will print this one for future reference!

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  5. Well done! Hee hee! Isn't it amazing how we always prepare ourselves for the worst and then our kids innocently accept the minimum and carry on as if there had been no discussion at all! Bless her heart!

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  6. oh you crack me up! i could totally visualize that conversation...

    My little girl is only two but I can guarantee I will be thinking of your conversation with Em when it comes our time to have ours...

    I think of you so often...and also pray, "Lord, come quickly!" I can't wait to meet Noah one day...

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  7. Anonymous11:38 AM

    LOVE this recap! Who knows, maybe some day when Em is a mom herself, you can refer her back to this entry in all its hilarity :)

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  8. oh girl did you EVER have me giggling at this one!!! :)

    that said, I am totally with you on how much you are sharing and why. i have a 5 year old boy and we are, like you, little by little approaching the basics with simple things like "God made boys and girls different... girls don't potty standing up like boys because they don't have (insert part) ;) - they have different parts. we revel in how cool that God made us unique. :) someday i'll be where you are on this conversation and may just write to you for more tips. I'll go check out that website you recommended!

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  9. I found your blog while doing a google search about sperm. HHAH J/K. This was a great story. I can't say that I've been able to so gracefully with any of m six children. But I still have Caleigh I can try to explain this too before the school gets a chance.

    You are soooo smart!

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