I honestly can't remember the last time I bought underwear and new bras for myself. It's been a while. Probably over a year or more. So today was the day. With James in tow, I went into my favorite store (NOT Victoria's Secret!) at the mall. I picked out 7 pairs of adorable undies and then I picked out bras I had to try on. We headed to the dressing room area and I handed James my phone to keep him busy and tried on my cute things. As we were leaving the store James turns to me and asks, "Mom. Why do women have boobs?". I can understand the question. The store had many beautiful and colorful underthings for women. Obviously, women put a lot of thought into what they wear under their clothes. So. Here was my answer for James:
Me: First of all, they are breasts. That's the proper term. And women have them for the purpose of feeding their babies milk. That's where it comes from.
James: Oh yeah!
Me: continuing We are mammals remember? And all female mammals have what?
James: Um...
Me: Mammary glands. That's how female mammals produce milk for their babies. Mammals don't lay eggs. We give birth to live babies.
James: That's good. Hatching out of an egg would take WAY too long.
Often with us, a conversation will die to later be resurrected. James picked up this line of thought in the car on the way home. This time, though, he wanted to know how babies came out of the mommy and things progressed from there to what was it was like when he was born, to why did I miscarry last year. Or as he put it, "Why was the pregnancy a fail?". He feels very doubtful that he will ever have a baby brother. I told him that something wasn't developing correctly and God makes a woman's body able to deal with it if that happens. I explained that, statistically, most women will experience a miscarriage at least once. I told him that as far as having a baby brother (or sister), I'm working on it! And I am praying. God loves us and wants us to ask Him for our heart's desire. He will grant it if He desires it for us also. I told him that he should pray for that if it is his heart's desire to be a big brother.
He now knows that women push babies out, not through their butts, as he so eloquently put it. He thought they were cut out. I told him that God made women capable of pushing babies out of their bodies from between their legs. (I didn't offer specifics and he didn't ask). When babies are read to be born, they move deep down in the women's belly so this can happen. He wanted to know if I cried when I was pushing him out. No I did not. He wanted to know if I screamed. (I have no idea where he got the idea that women scream.) No again. I told him I grunted. I was pushing hard! He also asked if women just catch the baby when they are born. Interesting question. "In the hospital", I began, "I had lots of help. Daddy and Ms. Toni were there. There were several nurses and a doctor to help when you came out.
I love his curiosity about EVERYTHING and that he will ask questions about whatever is on his mind. There are times I will tell him, "Ok. I am tired of answering questions" or "I don't want to talk about this anymore. Let's change the subject". But for the most part, answering his questions gives him information and encourages his inquisitiveness. Even in the underwear shop.
