Re pro duc tion

Emma fancies herself pretty grown up these days. I suppose I do too. She's fun to talk to and share inside jokes, quote movies, etc. But last night I caught a glimpse of the little girl still in her and I'll admit, I kind of want her back.

We were working on a school project about snow leopards. This report had a section on the reproductive habits of her selected animal. She had written notes about mating, gestation, etc. So as she's translating her notes into a written paragraph I asked her what gestation is: how long a baby is in the mommy's tummy. OK simple enough. Then I asked her what mating is. OK another admission here... I haven't had the official "birds and bees" discussion with Emma. I've felt the subject out here and there but it's never been something that has turned into anything more. Until now. So I ask what mating is and her face turns the color of all those Christmas decorations just itching to be put up later this week.

And she starts this giggle. Her face reverted from her tween sassyface to this innocent little girl face I haven't seen in a while. She couldn't stop giggling. Through the giggles she said things like "it's when mommies and daddies get married and kiss and stuff" and "I don't know any more than that and I don't WANT to!!"

Knowing we needed to put the final touches on her report (it was already 30 minutes past bedtime and Fisher was wandering in for the umpteenth time to find out when she was going to bed) I got her to stop giggling and told her we'd talk about it another time. Giggle. "We don't need to Mom."

The truth of it is, I want to bring up "mating" over and over again just to see that little girl come out again. So sweet and cute. Those freckles and dimples just kill me, and they are so much cuter when there is innocence behind them.