Where Babies Come From

We have a few friends who are pregnant or have been in the last year. This has prompted a lot of questions from Peyton and Maryam about babies - where they come from, how they get in the mommy's tummy, how they get out of the mommy's tummy, etc. I really thought we would get to avoid these types of conversations for a few more years at least. But, alas, I guess it is better for them to learn about the birds and bees at home, rather than some other place.

Yesterday Maryam and Peyton were telling me a story about when Tobin and I were babies and they were big. (This is their current favorite story basis: When Daddy and Mommy were babies, Peyton and Maryam were the parents.) They proceeded to tell me that I was in Maryam's tummy and Tobin was in Peyton's tummy. Maryam said she went to the doctor, they cut open her foot, and the baby came out. Peyton agreed that this was the same experience he had giving birth. I figured I better make the correction, and informed them that babies do not come out of people's feet. Of course, that prompted the next question: "Then where do they come out?" Well, there was no way around the truth here. So I told them that babies come of out the mommy's vagina. Peyton looked at me with concern in his eyes and responded, "But I don't have a vagina!" (These kids are quick!) Then I had to explain that only girls can have babies. Boys don't have the right parts. Peyton's next question? "Then what do the boys do?" We talked about how the daddies have to help the mommies because it's a lot of work being pregnant and sometimes the mommy doesn't feel that good. They seemed to understand it all pretty well.

Today, our friend went into labor, and we went to her house to stay with her and their two-year-old while her husband went to the airport to pick up her mom. As we pulled up to the house, Maryam said, "Mom we need to pull down her pants so the baby can come out of her vagina now." I calmly explained that it takes a long time for the baby to get here, and we would let the doctors take care of that. Later, she asked if we could go with them to the hospital and watch the baby being born.

I'm glad my kids are so intrigued by the workings of the human body. I guess it's time I started looking for one of those "birds and the bees" books for kids.