Page 136 of Breeding Clinic

Pulling out the packet of seeds I bought at the store today, Ishow them to her. The flowers are pink, her favorite color. “Should we grow these ones?”

“Yeah!”

I show her how to pack the dirt, and make a divot with her finger. How to put a few tiny seeds inside and cover them with soil. Then I fill her plastic can from the hose and show her how much to water them. “Good job. It’ll take a few days for them to grow. We’ll check on them again tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay.”

“You know, babies are a bit like seeds,” I tell her. “They grow in a mommy’s tummy like flowers grow in a flowerpot. I’m growing you a sister or brother right now.”

“A baby?” Holly tilts her head and thinks about it. Then she drops her plastic gardening toy and points to my stomach. “In there?”

“Yeah.”

“And it’s gonna come out when it’s big?” she asks.

“Yes.”

“Wow,” she says, blinking while she thinks.

“Do you want a sister or a brother?” I ask her.

Holly’s silent for a bit as she thinks some more. I give her time to process it. “I want a brother. When will the baby come out?”

“Not for many months. They take time to grow.”

Holly nods. “Like my flowers.” She stares at my stomach. I wonder how much, if at all, she remembers about my last pregnancy with her sister. “How does a baby get in there?” she asks.

“Umm…” I cup my stomach and take a second to think of an age-appropriate answer for that. “A mommy and a daddy put it there when they love each other.”

“Okay.” She looks toward the house, distracted. “I’m hungry.”

“I bet Papa’s working on dinner. Let’s go have a tubbie andget in pajamas. But first, can you put your garden toys away please?”

“Okay.” Holly grabs her plastic shovel and brings it to her tool basket. I pick Marcia up from where she was scratching in the dirt with a twig and pop her on my hip while Holly runs to the kitchen door.

“Boots!” I shout, reminding her to take her garden boots off. She runs back outside and sits down to pull off her muddy boots.

By the time she’s done, I’ve met her at the door.

“Daddy put a baby in Mommy’s tummy,” she tells her papa, Matthew.

“Yeah?” Matthew puts his macaroni and cheese-covered spoon down in the spoon rest. He glances at me, wide eyed, for direction.

“I told Holly that babies grow like seeds in a mommy’s tummy.”

“What do you think about that?” Matthew asks Holly.

“I want a brother. I have sisters,” she says matter-of-factly.

“We won’t know if it’s a boy or girl for a bit,” I say. “Come on, let’s get washed up for dinner.” I take her hand and lead her toward the stairs so she doesn’t get distracted and get mud everywhere.

After baths and dinner and bedtime routines, we finally have some time for ourselves.

“I heard you had the birds and the bees talk with Holly,” Liam says, snuggling me closer on the couch.

I put my hand on his stomach and my head on his shoulder and tuck my legs up under the blanket. “Not in depth, but yeah. I read that it’s better to talk about it before the baby’s born. I doubt she remembers my pregnancy with Lily. She was too young.”

“I can look for a kid’s book,” Matthew offers. Reading tothe kids is his favorite. He says he wants them to love books and reading as much as he does.

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