First, let me just say a big THANK YOU to lucretia for the delightful and delovely new Van Gogh template I now have. Isn't it fab? Did you see the great buttons over here on the left? There's Starry Night and Van Gogh's Bedroom in Arles, and Sunflowers--aren't these just perfect? I love it and I'm so glad not to be generic anymore. I lamented my generic status every day while I had it. Thanks, Doll--you're a dream!

My day started out with an interesting conversation with my 7-year-old daughter Joey. On the way to school this morning, she asks me "Mom, is it true that you have to have sex to have a baby? That's what Baylee said." Yes, I answer. Why do you ask?About a year and a half ago, maybe 2 years ago, we had this discussion but clearly it didn't sink in because she can't remember any of it. "Mom, is it true that to have sex, a boy and a girl put their privates inside each other?" We-ell, sort of. This is the part where the mechanical description of sex occurs. Do you remember what boy privates look like? I ask her. "You mean his weiner?" Ack! In this family we call it a penis--I don't care what they call it in Baylee's famiy, I tell her. So on I go giving the very general blow by blow. "So how does the girl part go inside the boy?" That takes a little explaining, but she begins to understand that this is pretty much a one-way deal. Then she asks if 2 men can make a baby. I wasn't ready for that. I just said that it took a man and a woman to make a baby. She has a lot of questions--does it hurt? is there any blood? have you done it before? why would you do it if you didn't want a baby? Cats and dogs do it? Horses, too? They must be smart to figure that out. (That was my favorite comment of the day.)She wants to know why her penis is so small. We had to have another anatomy discussion to explain that her little part there isn't a penis. I promised her that I would always give her the straight scoop and she could ask me anything anytime (any appropriate time). She has more questions but I thought I'd give her some time to digest what I'd already tell her today.

Then I called Stacey, Baylee's mom, and suggested that she review that rule about not talking about sex with friends. What a day! And it wasn't even 10am!

My eyes are very dry right now and I'm having a lot of trouble keeping them open. I think that must be my body's way of saying "Get your ass to bed." Guess I'd better acquiesce. I'm not getting enough sleep lately and it seems to be taking its toll.

Later,

--L