It's the China

There are lots of things you think about when you become a parent. What will I do the same way my parents did? A fairly extensive list. What will I do differently? Sometimes a much longer list. One decision that I made early on was that I would be upfront with my kids about their bodies, how I felt about what they should or should not do with those bodies, and the proper anatomical names for body parts.
With veterinarians for parents, they have probably seen a whole lot more than most kids their age in the way of reproductive organs of various shapes and sizes. After watching their dad castrate a horse for the first time, I asked what they learned. My daughter looked at me and said, "That horse tentacles are gross and they come out of their butt!" I'm thinking we are going to need to revisit that topic at a later date. I mentioned once that a woman in our church had prayed for a baby and now she was expecting. My child immediately deduced that babies come from prayer and you won't get one unless you ask for it. Yet another topic that is going to require some further discussion.
I confess that I fully expected a call from the kindergarten teacher asking me to have my children refrain from sharing the proper names for body parts with their classmates, but fortunately it never came. We did get more than we bargained for regarding our girls' education this year. The second day of school we learned that little boys pee standing up (and don't know how to lock the door on the class bathroom.) Thank you, Mississippi public education system.
I have had multiple conversations with the girls about what the parts of their bodies are called (not a big deal) and why those parts look different when we are adults (a less comfortable, but necessary conversation.) Ever tried to explain stretch marks to a five year old?
The other night the girls were in the bathtub with their baby sister. Now that she's old enough to defend herself, at least partially, she loves nothing more than to take a bath with the big girls. Naturally, the bathtub is where we have most of our discussions about anatomy. For instance, during a bath I was informed that "little boys and mans have a kenis, Mom, and that's why they can pee standing up!" Thanks for letting me know.
A few nights ago, as the three of them were sitting in the tub, the following conversation took place.
Sister 1: Look at the baby's little tiny brown breasts! Aren't they cute?
Sister 2: They are! I think that's what makes girls different from boys.
Sister 1: What is? Breasts?
Sister 2: No, that's not right. Mans have those, too. So what is it?
Sister 1: It's the china! That's what makes them different. Girls have a CHINA! That's what makes them different from boys, right, Daddy?
Daddy: Sure. That sounds right to me!
So between the kenis, the tentacles, and the china I guess they were sort of listening when we went over the body parts. I must say, girls, in my life I've heard it called a lot of things, but never a "china." Just can't wait for the sex talk. That one should be a doozy!