Private Conversations

Yesterday I took the kids to the mall. I had some things to return, and we were meeting some friends for playgroup at the play area. When we arrived I decided to take Rebekah to the restroom since she had not used the potty that morning after having had a wet diaper upon waking. We went to the restroom in JCPenney, and I helped Rebekah up on the toilet in the handicapped stall where I could park the stroller.

Rebekah sat there a while and wouldn't do anything. I asked Rebekah where the pee was. Her answer was, "In my pbajina." To me, this meant that she indeed did need to pee, so I encouraged her to do so. Soon after this she asked me, "Where is your pbajina?" I pointed to show her, and then she said, "Girls and Mommies have a pbajina." "Yes, they do," I replied. Then Rebekah asked, "Where is Joshua's pbajina?" I told her, "Joshua doesn't have a vagina." At this point I was very relieved that we were at the mall just as it had opened so no one else was in the restroom with us.

Rebekah then asked, "Where is Daddy's pbajina?" I responded, "Daddy doesn't have one." I told her that boys and Daddy's don't have a vagina. Then she thought for a moment and said, "What does Joshua have?" Oh, no! I wasn't even about to go there! I told her, "You will just have to ask your Daddy about that." To my relief she dropped the subject.

This evening Rebekah and Joshua were taking a bath together. Usually Rebekah does not pay any attention to Joshua's private parts, other than the one time she tried to touch him during family portraits when he was a newborn. There were times I thought she was talking about it, but she was actually referring to his belly button. I'm so glad the belly button is a fun body part for kids!

Several minutes into their baths after they had both been washed Rebekah reached over to touch Joshua. I told her not to because that was Joshua's. I told her that was his private. Well, she really liked the word "private" and declared that it was her private. She kept referring to "my private" then started calling the star fish bath squirt toy "my private". Fortunately, once I referred to it as a star fish she totally changed the topic. This girl really keeps me on my toes!