The Birds & the Bees...and the Butterflies

This is a memory from about 9 years ago. I just have to write it down so it isn't lost through time.

Rachel was 3 and staying with us for a few days while we lived in Houston. One day Steve and I took her to a museum with a beautiful butterfly exhibit. It was designed such that visitors walked first through an exhibit of all kinds of insects, and then proceed up into a glass pyramid where jungle plants and plenty of sunlight make a great habitat for butterflies. We took in all the sights and listened to a docent talk about truly beautiful beetles and other bugs. Rachel was fascinated, but when we entered the pyramid she was in awe! Butterflies were everywhere and constantly landed on our heads, shoulders and hands.

The three of us wandered happily for quite awhile. It was lunchtime when we left the exhibit so we decided to have lunch there in the museum. We were all eating and being a little quiet, when out of the clear blue Rachel asked, "Mimi, what is 'sex'?" I nearly dropped my sandwich and choked on my diet coke! Had the docent said anything about reproduction? What do I do with this question??? If I say too much, I'll be in trouble with her parents. If I ignore her, she'll ask again, only louder.

I turned to Steve hoping for help. I got a look that said, 'It's all yours! She asked you!" The thoughts that ran through my head! I settled on, "Well, that's whether someone is a boy or a girl." But I could see the wheels turning in that little red head. I knew there would be a follow-up question and I was dreading it! Just as I was about to change the subject to ice cream, she said, "Well, what did they mean about in-sects?"

That's as close as I ever hope to come to the edge of a cliff!!

Too Hot to Handle!

Recently Kate, our 3 year-old granddaughter, spent the night. She wanted to sleep on the floor in our bedroom right in front of the fireplace. We turned on the fireplace so she was cozy and snug. During the night she got too warm, so we turned off the flame. A few days later she asked, "Mimi, is there still fire in your bedroom?" To which I happily answered, "Yes, Kate, there is!" At that point our daughter announced she was about to throw up.

It's wonderful living to the point of being able to embarass your kids!!!