Do You Remember When You Were In My Tummy?

So, we were at church and my seven year old son was angry at me because I wouldn't let him run off right before the prayer.

When the prayer was over he said, "I think I'm your step son now!"

I asked, "Do you know what a step son is?"

He did not.

I said, "That would be like if I died and Daddy got married to someone else. She would be your step mom and you would be her step son. You were in my tummy. I will always be your mom. Do you remember when you were in my tummy? It was really dark." I was just trying to be silly with him by asking him that question. I had no idea the conversation would turn into something else entirely.

He said something about having videos of him in my tummy. I told him that we don't really take videos of babies in tummies. Then I told him that we kind of do when we have an ultra sound and I explained what that was just a little.

Then he told me how babies are in a bubble when they are in their mommy's tummy. I told him, "Kind of. They are in a sac but it is filled with fluid."

Then, he said, "Then it pops."

I said, "Yeah, when the baby is ready to come out, it breaks. But you took a real long time to come out after it broke. It took almost 12 hours."

Then he said, "Then your body has to open up so the baby can come out." 

I said, "Yeah, it does."

He said, "I don't want to see that."

I said, "You don't have to. Daddy watched for [his big sister] but not for anyone else."

He started crying by this time. When his brain is processing new information, he often cries. I continued the conversation because I knew he was just trying to process the whole thing."

He said, "I don't want to see that. Blood must come out too."

I said, "Yes, but it's okay. It's just extra blood the body had for the baby and it doesn't need it any more."

He cried, "How can you survive that!" And ran off. I chased after him, trying not too laugh!

I finally caught up to him and I tried to explained that was how God created our bodies. Women have been having babies for centuries and surviving. I didn't even want to mention that there are women who don't survive childbirth. I pointed out to several mothers we knew and talked about how many children they had and how they survived just fine.

One mother tried to help me explain things. She said that they baby is really small so it is easier to come out. "That's right," I said, "And before the baby gets too big, the body says, okay, it's time to get the baby out before it gets too big! Then it opens up, the baby comes out, and it closes back up again."

He seemed to calm down after that. It was very traumatic for him but it was hilarious to me. Every time I remember him crying out, "How can you survive that!" I just have to laugh. I love that kid! He makes me laugh every day!

pictures used by permission from www.pexels.com and pixabay.com