I think Meg thinks stretch marks = baby currently in belly. Which I suppose is pretty much what I taught her. When I was pregnant, she’d point to them and say “you have owie?” I’d say something like “no, they’re not owies, it’s just because Baby Paul is in there.” So the other day, after I got out of the shower, she ran up to me and said “Mommy! Baby Paul in your belly!” I said “No, he’s right there” and pointed. “Remember, he came out of mommy’s belly?” She stared at me, then said “um, OK” in a voice that implied suuuuure, mommy. Whatever.
I can’t tell if she doesn’t get it or just has trouble with tenses – like if she meant “Baby Paul WAS in your belly” and doesn’t understand what “he’s right there” has to do with anything. Right after he was born, she was pretty clear on the ‘this is the baby that used to be in mommy’s belly, then came out’ story. I think she just forgot and since she rarely sees stretch marks, her brain defaulted back to what she was told for months: those marks are there because Baby Paul is in the belly. Right now.
During my first trimester, anytime I would tell my 3 year old that I wasn't feeling well because I have a baby in my belly and it's making me tired/sick/whatever she wanted to kiss my belly. She was sure it would "make my owie better"
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that she calls him "Baby Paul." That is terribly precious.
ReplyDeleteFor my 3 year old everything that happened before RIGHT NOW is "yesterday." Whether it happened 20 minutes ago or 2 months ago it's "yesterday." Usually future stuff is "tomorrow" or sometimes "next week." They say toddlers have a hard time with the concept of time.
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