Fabulous Parenting Moments (not)

Not my finest hour . . . I got myself totally backed into a corner the other night at dinner trying to answer a question about why some twins are identical and others not, beginning with explanation that there is an egg from the mommy in the place in her belly where the baby grows and the man's part of the baby joins the egg to start a baby. Girls were immediately curious about how the man's part of the baby GETS there, whereupon I literally burst into nervous giggles and lamely explained the basic facts, using the correct anatomical terms. A bit more lame explanation ensued in which I said that this is for when people are married, and it doesn't happen every time, but it could (wanting to ward off teen pregnancy from the "we only did it once" myth). Oh God. They were sort of horrified ("eeeeeew!"), and definitely found it extremely funny, and of course then Wendy wants to know if Papi and I do that, and as my mother pointed out I should have answered with a resounding yes, because we love each other -- instead I said I didn't want to get into my personal business, but since it is something married people do and we are married, there she has her answer. THEN she says, "But you don't have a baby!" I agreed that this is in fact the case, and she replied, "Text him! Text Papi right now and tell him to come home to make a baby! Just one, please, just one!" Oh God, times ten.

I did finally get back to the idea that some eggs split to make identical twins, and in other cases there are two eggs from the start. I could have avoided all this by explaining about IVF, I suppose, since that is how many sets of fraternal twins come to be these days! Didn't go there, though.

I'm sure there will be an opportunity in the future to add on to this stellar beginning -- hopefully next time I'll be in better shape.