Bio 101 (by KAC)

While my Yankee husband makes me grits for breakfast (amazingly good grits if you can believe it) and my child plays with his new hot wheels, I am going to relay the topic of conversation that occurred this morning as the Comber family discussed the basic difference between boys and girls.

This morning started with a knock on our bedroom door. Every morning begins this way as Harrison lets us know that he is awake and ready to start the day. Unfortunately for Harrison his parents weren't as willing to start the morning.

In my current pregnant state, between my bladder waking me up in the middle of the night and racing thoughts keeping me awake, it was difficult for me to get a full night's sleep last night, and with the recent addition of the family Wii Matt was in the same sleep deprived state this morning. Since pregnancy trumps late night golfing, Matt got up, stumbled to the door, and let in a burst of energy we call Harrison.

Harrison ran to the crib to inspect the latest gifts given to his soon-to-arrive little sister. One by one we pulled out onesies and burp cloths from a large gift bag until we had formed a small mountain on the bed. Thanks to my sister-in-law Holly and her daughter Evelyn, we counted enough clothes to last us the first six months of Libby's life! It was exciting to see the tiny outfits and dresses. Pinks and yellows and greens. Ruffles and terry cloth. Soft pajamas with ducks and giraffes and alligators. It made me feel one step closer to being prepared for this little girl.

Among the gifts for Libby, Holly had also included a book for me about the postpartum stage of childbirth. Entitled, After the Baby's Birth... A Woman's Way to Wellness: A Complete Guide for Postpartum Women, the book gave me another boost of confidence as to my level of preparation. Harrison and I flipped through the pages and looked at all the newborn babes, and when we came across a picture of a boy, Harrison pointed and said, "Adia."

The boy did bare a slight resemblance to Harrison's female cousin, but we decided to correct him. "No, Harrison, that's a boy."

"That's a boy?"

"Yes, see he has a penis."

"Boys have penis?"

"Yes."

"Does Isabel have a penis?"

"No, girls don't have penises."

"What do they have?" Harrison took in this new information, squinting his eyes as he pondered, and then asked sympathetically, "They just have a hole?" Harrison gestured to his bottom. I thought, okay, this is the beginning of a series of talks. Lets keep this one simple.

"Girls have a vagina."

"A ge-aye-na?" Then he laughed as if it was the silliest word he'd ever heard.

"Vagina. Yes. That's one thing that makes boys and girls different from one another."

"Oh." Harrison nodded, pensive at first, and then he asked his favorite question, "Why?"

"That's how God made us." There. A simple, yet very complex statement.

"Okay." Pause. "I'm hungry." Lesson over.

Now I'm blogging and waiting to eat grits with my two favorite guys, and wondering about future conversations. I pray that future conversations about men and women will allow Harrison to grow up as a Man who understands the gift of gender differences, the gift of marriage and sex, the gift of the women God will put in Harrison's life. I pray for Harrison's future relationships and companions, influences and mentors, and for his future wife. That they love and respect each other as equals and partners. That celebrate their differences. That they treat each other as gifts from God and never take one another for granted. That is my prayer and the grits are ready.