Dinosaurs, Feminism, and Strokes

I'd like to share with you a little story. This is the story of how my husband had a stroke.

Okay, he didn't really have a stroke. It was more of a psychological stroke. Physically speaking, he's fine, so no need to send get well cards.

Kaiti comes into my room, where I had Jurassic Park on the TV. (I don't know, it must have been what came on after Golden Girls or something.......) She is watching intently, deep in thought and then turns to me. Here's how it went down.

K: Mom, why are there ladies around all of these dinosaurs?

S: What do you mean Kaiti? The girls are around the dinosaurs because they are studying them and are interested in dinosaurs, I guess.

K: Well, it isn't safe for them, and ladies should NOT be around dinosaurs.
---clearly, my little feminist she is NOT. she gets the traditional bone from her daddy--


S: Kaiti, women can do anything men can do. If men can be around dinosaurs, then so can women. Being a lady does not limit what we can or cannot do.

K: -very stern faced and annoyed with me, now- Mom, ladies have babies, and it is NOT right for them to put their babies around danger. You should know that.
---this is about where Jeremiah is beaming with pride---


M: You're right. If one of those ladies was pregnant, it would not be safe to be around dinosaurs. But otherwise, it would be fine.

---and here is where she branches off---
K: Mommy, when you have babies, does it hurt?

S: Umm, it hurts a bit, yes. But they give you medicine to help with that.

K: And having babies makes you get really sick. Remember? When the nurse was asking if you were still getting sick after Evie came out?

S: Kait, I only got sick because of the medicine they gave me. Having a baby does not make you sick. And as soon as they stopped giving me that medicine, I felt better. Plus, it wasn't that bad.

K: So when they cut your belly, did they use real grown up scissors or a sharp knife?

S: --in stunned silence, and annoyed that her question gave me no safe out-- I am not sure what they used- but it was a medical tool, unlike what we have around the house. And I want to make sure you know that they gave me medicine that made it so I did not feel any pain at all.

K: Right, I remember. But that medicine made you really sick. You 'frew up a lot in buckets.

S: --deep sighs here-- It did make me sick, but nothing that was really bad. Kaiti, why are you asking me all of these questions?

K: I want to have a baby when I grow up but I don't want it to hurt me bad.

S: Well, it does hurt a little bit, but more after than during, and it really is not that bad. If it was so bad, Mommy would not have had 4 babies. Aunt Kelley would not have had 3 babies. It just hurts for a little bit, but you are so excited to meet your new baby, that you barely even feel it. --okay, so I took a little poetic license here-- And Kaiti, this is not something you need to be thinking about for a LONG time.

K: Yeah, not til I am triple or something.

S: Not until you are much, much, much older.

K: I know. Not until I'm 12.
---enter Jeremiah's stroke---