THE Talk (da du DUM!)

Aiden and I were sitting on the couch chatting about Freckles and how I used to own her mother before her. He was asking about when she was born, how I flew out to Texas from Georgia to pick her up. I mentioned something about "breeding" and then he asked, "What does that mean--she was bred with another dog?" Having tackled the basic idea that babies come from s-e-x last year, I said "It means the two dogs had sex and they made puppies." But then came the question that strikes a small feeling of dread in every parent's stomach: "How? How does that work?"

I knew this conversation was coming. We'd had an unfortunate "prostitute" mention in church last year and an even more unfortunate incident at the zoo involving two very LOUD and enthusiastic camels having a little afternoon delight, so little questions had been popping up every now and then. Following my normal protocol, I simply answered what was asked factually, waited a second for it to soak in, then asked if he had anymore questions--which until now had been met with a quick "No" as he ran back to resume whatever activity he had been doing. That day, I didn't get off so easy.

What followed was a lengthy discussion about sex that had my kiddo cringing and saying, "Mom! That's gross! And awkward!" I laughed, remembering how I felt the first time I heard it--that there was no way it really worked like that.

Aiden is growing up so fast, it seems. Times like these remind me that he isn't such a little kid anymore. I'm excited to watch him grow up, and believe it or not, I'm not all that freaked out by the questions and conversations--I think it is fun to be able to let my guy in on the grown-up world bit-by-bit, even if I am sad to see him begin to lose his childish innocence. We still have many conversations ahead of us, and he's still got plenty of wide-eyed wonder at the world, but days like that one are reminders that the days of innocence are fleeting. I have to cherish them while they last.