Curious Kate

Kate has recently been hearing a lot about her body due to potty training. I guess it must occupy a lot of her thoughts since she has seen her body in action in a whole new way now that the diaper is off! She has been asking a lot of questions about what parts of her body are and what they do - pretty much only while she is actually on the potty and things are happening, if you know what I mean. I have just been quite frank in my answers of what body parts are and what they do. I don't make a big deal about it, I don't want her to be ashamed of her body, but don't want her necessarily running around showing everyone either you know?

Anyway. Her new found abilities and new words are interesting to her now not just while she is in the bathroom. Today I was putting Kate down for a much needed nap (it took a couple of days to get over the late night ice cream insanity that put her to bed around midnight the other night!). She looked so sweet all snuggled in her cozy bed. I leaned down to kiss her goodnight and she said "Mom? I have a question for you!" I said "What, sweetie?", fully expecting her to ask for water, a song, a story - anything to delay naptime. Instead, with furrowed brow she asked me "Where did I come from? From Mommy's belly like Wiam?" I told her "Yes! From Mommy's belly, just like Liam. We loved you so much in our hearts and God gave us you!". She smiled and seemed satisfied with the answer. Then she asked right away, with a little mispronounciation, "And did God give me my Pagina?" while pointing to her pants.

Ok. I almost lost it. Where to go with this one? I played it cool, answering "Yep! God made ALL of you!" More rapid tucking into bed. Quick kiss goodnight. Quick about face to exit while calling out "nighty night! Sleep tight! Love you!" in some strangely high pitched strangled voice because I was trying SO hard not to laugh! She was SO serious about that question. And my answer apparantly met with her satisfaction. We'll see what other body questions come up - I know it is not the end of them.

This is not the first time we have had a good laugh at Kate's use of body part terminology. When she was a bit younger, she basically referred to the whole diapered area as "her butt". Fine. No prob. Then one day she grabbed between her legs and said "Mommy! My Trash hurts!". Shocked, I asked her to repeat herself. "My Trash Hurts". I immediately began to wonder who on EARTH taught her to call her privates "Trash" and WHY they hurt? My heart began to beat out of my chest. I took a deep breath and asked her to explain. She said "I have a wittle trash on my butt". OOOHHHH!! She had A RASH. Her RASH hurt. Ok. Breathe. Get the diaper cream out. Explain the difference between Trash and Rash. Problem solved. But funny.

Kate has also taken a recent interest in the difference between her and Liam when it comes to what is beneath the diaper. She proudly announces "I SEE WIAM'S PENIS, MOMMY" often when I am changing his diaper. I just calmly acknowledge her observation (If I don't, she will repeat in incrementally louder tones "I see his penisI I SEE HIS PENIS" until I credit her discovery). Then I move on to another topic. This has not really deterred her from trying to get me to be super impressed by her knowing what a penis is. She still shouts it to the mountaintops at various intervals. And if someone else happens to be in the room - particularly friends or relatives - while I am changing Liam, then she most definitely crows about her knowledge of Liam's equipment. On a recent visit from my Mom and Erin, Kate shouted during a diaper change "LOOK NIA AND AUNTIE ERIN! IT'S WIAM'S PENIS! IT'S HIS PENIS! HIS PENIS! PENIS!" When met with mild disinterest, she then decided to make up a lie about the Penis to try to get them to pay attention. There is no way she could have known that the lie would cause such laughter when she pointed and shouted, "LOOK! HIS PENIS IS GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER!!!!!"

OMG. I thought I would faint with laughter. I thought all of us would. Sadly - Kate got JUST the reaction she wanted. A BIG REACTION. She was so proud. In between gasps for air, I told her that was a fib and it was NOT getting bigger and bigger....Kate moved on. But we all get the funny in that.

Ok - enough of the incessant genital talk. What has HAPPENED to this blog?! Poops, pee, penis's and Pagina's?!!!! Hey, all these "P" words are just part of the big "P" word that is our life "Parenthood". And Praise God it is all so wonderful!