"Can we watch?"

We went to a baby shower for good friends on Sunday eve. "What's a shower?" he wanted to know, of course, as we busied around getting ready.

Absentmindedly is no way to answer questions in a hurry, but it is the law of the land around here. "What's a shower? Oh. you know... you go give presents and celebrate the baby being born... Now, where did I put the tape?"

As an aside, last summer we walked into the birthing barn at the State Fair and just happened upon a calf being born. Mama Cow's water had just broke so our timing was perfect. An hour and half later, the calf was born. We watched the entire thing and it was quite an unexpected memory, very moving, we'll never forget it, etc. The whole thing lasted about two hours, which happens to be how long I told Jude we'd be at the baby shower.  So... naturally:

"Oh, so you mean we're going to go watch?"

"Watch?"

"The baby borning?"