The Cutest Conversation . . . about Babies

I don't remember how our conversation started, but after school, Andrea informed me that she wanted "a girl baby." We were playing, so I thought she was talking about wanting one of her baby dolls. But she kept insisting, "I want a GIRL baby," so I said, "Okay, we ARE going to have a new baby, but I don't know if it's a girl or a boy." (I'll admit, I hesitated a bit to open this conversation, only being 8 weeks pregnant, and still spotting daily, but she was so insistent about pursuing this topic!)

Andrea: "What kind is it? Is it a girl baby or a boy baby?"
Mommy: "I don't know. We have to wait a long time until we can find out--maybe not until it's ready to come out of my belly."
Andrea: "Can I SEE it?"
Mommy: "Not yet, honey, it's in my belly."
Andrea: "How do you eat with it?"
Mommy: "Well, it's not IN my belly where the food goes. It's kind of in a special place just under my belly."
Andrea: "Where is it? I wanna see it!" (as she starts patting her hands on my belly, and jiggling it)
Mommy: "Well, it's deep down inside, and it's very small right now, so we can't see it from the outside. Would you like to see a picture of what our baby looks like right now?"
Andrea: "Okay!"

So, I got out my pregnancy week-by-week book, and showed her the illustration of baby at week 8, and its actual size. She was very impressed by the book, and asked to see more images.

Andrea: "So it's in your tummy, and it comes out of your mouth!"
Mommy: "Well, no, honey . . . the doctor will put a little cut in my tummy, and gently pull the baby out, when it's ready to come out."

I showed her an illustration of a baby being removed by c-section (not at all gory, so it was entirely kid-friendly), and she was again quite impressed.

Andrea: "So when can it come out?"
Mommy: "Around Halloween. It's going to take a long time to grow. See how tiny it is now? It has to get big like a baby doll before it's ready to come out."
Andrea: "And THEN we'll have a girl baby."
Mommy: "I don't know . . . you don't think it might be a boy?"
Andrea: "I'm having a girl baby. "
Mommy: "You are?"
Andrea: "Yes. It's in my belly."

Later in the evening, she asked to "see the baby" again (meaning the pictures). She especially likes the 8 weeks one, the one at 25 weeks of a side profile of a baby in utero, and the c-section image.

Tonight, while brushing her teeth, she brought it up again. (I think she's seriously pondering this whole process!)

Andrea: "Mommy, when they take the girl baby out, the doctor will have to put your belly back in. It will be a hole."
Mommy: "It's just a little cut, and they don't take my belly out--just the baby. Then the doctor will sew me back up. But it doesn't hurt too much."
Andrea: "That's good!"

Then once again, at bedtime . . .

Andrea: "Mommy, when's the girl baby coming out?"

Sigh . . . I'm glad she's so interested, but it's going to be a LONG seven months for both of us if she keeps asking for her "girl baby" every day. But at least she didn't ask how it got in there! :))