How are we made?

Chely has been asking lots of questions about birth and babies, for instance "how are we made?"

Our cat Cresh recently gave birth -- she was clearly in discomfort for a few minutes and meowed loudly. Chely was witnessing this, and she turned to me and said, "Is that what you are going to do when the baby is born?" I told her "yes" and she touched me on the nose, looked me straight in the eyes and asked again, "YOU?" So I told her, yes, it hurts to give birth, but it makes us so so happy when we get to hold the baby in our arms and we don't care about the pain anymore. (I did not mention that I will be in pain for much longer and make much more noise than Cresh did!)

The other day she showed me a picture of two holding hands and said to me, "Think why they are holding hands." (The way she phrased that made me chuckle because i often encourage her to think things through by saying "think why...") I said, "Because they are friends." She said, "Think why more." I tried out some guesses, but then she gave me her answer by explaining, "They're sad because their mommies are having their babies and they hurt."

She keeps saying that she wants to be there when her baby sister is born. She assures us that she will not be scared. One time Edwin was looking a little nervous when I was talking about some discomfort in my ribs, and Chely informed him that he could not be at the birth because he was too scared! Anyway, I think we won't take her along to the labor, except maybe for the early stage, because I think it would be too overwhelming for her. In the meantime, she plays a lot that she is pregnant or giving birth - sometimes she puts a doll or kitten inside her shirt and then pretends to give birth to her!

She talks a lot to her little sister. She has told her that she will share her books and her toys with her, and whenever a piece of clothing no longer fits her, she sets it aside for her baby sister. She says that she will teach her to talk and play. When we ask her what language she will use to speak to her baby sister, she goes back and forth between saying English, K'iche', or Spanish. Maybe the two of them will come up with their own unique mix of the three!

We have talked about the fact that the new baby is a girl, we call her "she," etc. But one day Chely looked at me as if she had just realized something and said, "Mommy, you know what? Maybe my baby sister will have a vulva or a penis!" I guess that gender thing is still confusing! And honestly, as parents we haven't been overly focused on defining gender terms to her.

Another little sister tidbit: the last time Chely came to an ultrasound with me, the baby's foot was way up by her head, and Chely remarked, "The baby is doing yoga!" The doctor got a kick out of that!

The baby update is that she is engaged now, which means she is in positon in the pelvis to be born...it's hitting me that it is really going to happen fairly soon!!! I am looking forward so much to meeting her!