If any of you out there know my daughter Zoie, you know how smart, beautiful and how inquisitive she can be. Sometimes I wonder if she is a 16 year old stuck in a 5 year old body. Please God help me when she really does turn 16. Anyway, I was fortunate enough to take Zoie with me to one of my doctors appointments a few weeks ago and ever since then it's like the flood gates have opened. Not only was she a chatter box in the doctor's office, but she has gone nonstop since that day. In reality I wouldn't have it any other way. I mean, how do kids really learn anyway? I believe it's through asking questions and the guidance of parents, But sometimes I feel the subjects get way above and beyond what I am prepared to handle. Let me just start with our trip to the doctor and then we'll go from there.
I believe it was my 24 or 25 week appointment, I can't remember for sure, I'm horrible with dates. I had taken Sofia a few weeks before and it went fairly smoothly. Well, as smoothly as it can go with a 3 year old plus an half hour wait for the doctor to come in. I knew that taking Zoie would be much more of a challenge. She is older, and tends to understand things a little more than Sofia does. The part that I was really worried about was every week I have to get an ultrasound plus an internal ultrasound to check my cervix. I knew that would perk her curiosity, and I was preparing for what my answer would be. I was really just hoping I could distract her enough so that she would even notice. Yeah, right! So during the external ultrasound Zoie was very excited. The tech was explaining to Zoie what we were looking at, and as hard as she was trying I'm sure she really couldn't tell what she was looking at. Zoie asked the tech how the baby ate. It was explained to her that the baby drinks the amniotic fluid around her and that whatever Mommy eats the baby can taste in the fluid. Zoie just thought that was the stuff. She thought that was pretty cool. Then comes the internal ultrasound...here we go! I talked to Zoie and kept asking her questions and she was throwing the questions right back at me...what is that? What are you doing? Of course I was covered so she couldn't see the actually procedure but the tools alone perked her interest. So as she sat wide eyed we watched the screen as my cervix appeared to still be high and tight (which is what Darin and I call it) which is always the news we want to here.
Overall I feel the appointment and the experience for Zoie went really well. I think it has made her feel closer to the pregnancy and the baby which is nice. Then the other night at dinner the flood gates opened. And this time I had no time to prepare and I was caught off guard. Thank God Darin was there to help cushion some of the questions, but next time I will definitely be more prepared. It all started because I had been to the doctor earlier that day, another good appointment Thank God, and so I was showing the girls where the baby was laying and where certain body parts were. Zoie was very interested in this, and asked once again how the baby ate. I tried to explain to her that the baby is connected to Mommy by a cord and when you are born the cord turns into your belly button. That's when the eyes got big! Zoie looked at me like she was looking at Santa Claus and I could see the wheels a turning. So then that started a whole belly button conversation and as the girls compared belly buttons I thought the conversation was over. Boy was I wrong!
Where do babies come from?? What? Huh? Are you talking to me??? Darin and I look at each other like a deer in headlights. Then here comes Zoie once again, " How do the babies get in there?" After several seconds of silence Darin speaks up and I take a huge sigh of relief. I thought the pressure was taken off of me and Darin was going to handle it. Then I hear his answer, "It's just appears in there." What??? Of course Zoie had the same look on her face as I'm sure I did. Like did you really just say that. Zoie is like, so it just happens? Then of course she asks "how does it just happen?". This time I speak up..."when Mommies and Daddies love each other so much it makes a baby." She was happy with that answer and seemed content. Another huge sign and praying that it was the end of the third degree. But if you know Zoie it wasn't. Next question...."So how does it get out?" I have an out here. It is one of the only times I am glad that I have had two csections. Easy enough, "right out of Mommies belly." Plus I have the scars to prove it.
I know it might not have been the full and honest truth, but I feel the conversation was good considering it was between two nervous parents and a 5 year old. The only thing I kept thinking was how Zoie is like a sponge and usually all the info she obsorbed came out at school, church and other random times to random people. So with all that being said I think we are safe for now. I think Darin and I put our heads together and eased the beast for now. As delivery day gets closer I'm sure there will be more questions to answer, but you bet your ass I'll be prepared with quick, witty answers that won't leave Zoie scarred for life. Any advice out there from other parents that have tackled this subject with their kids your input is greatly welcomed and appreciated.
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