A Blood Cloud

I blame this on the fact that I believe in honest with kids with comes to issues about bodies, life, and biology.  I believe in telling them the correct information, just doing it at the level of detail they are ready for.  My experience has been that when I talk to my kids about bodies or reproduction this way they often get bored and want to move on to something else.  I think it important not to laugh because laughing or giggling makes these conversations drag out, but today's almost pushed me over the edge.  I wish I had a recording of it.  It all started because of a bloody knee.  Gigi skinned her knee last week at the pool.  We put a Bandaid on it, but in the bath this week the scab rubbed off and Dr. J put a Tegaderm bandage on it.  At the beach the bandage was doing pretty well but it got sand under the edges and Gigi took it off.  There was blood everywhere...I mean the stuff was just dripping out.  She had bright red blood from her knee down to her foot and I didn't have a bandage in sight.  I got her to the car and then gently poured water on it.  Then I scrubbed up the bloody leg being careful to avoid the actual wound.  "G," Captain E said, "Why did you take the tampon off your leg."  "What?" I said.  "The tampon, why did you take it off?" He repeated.  "Um sweetie Tegaderm is not a tampon."  "Well what is a tampon then."  This started off a conversation about wombs preparing themselves to be baby homes, and then periods that follow if an egg isn't implanted (thank goodness no one bothered to ask how an egg is made).  "So what you are telling me is that once a month girls get followed around by a cloud of blood, a bloody cloud?" Captain E ask.  "Well that's not exactly it, but something like that."  "Well what if you don't want to have a baby, can't you just get rid of the bloody cloud?"  "Well I wish sweetie but it's just something your body does until menopause."  "Man I'm glad I'm a boy."  "Well yes sweetie, you are lucky."  "Then from the middle of the car peach squeaks out, "Bloody cloud! Bloody cloud! I can't wait to get my bloody cloud!  Then I can be a Momma.  Mom when can I get it."  "Well it will probably come when you are eleven or twelve."  "Twelve, I can't wait to be twelve.  Then I'll get my bloody cloud and I'll be a Momma."  Um, ok well I think we need to have a few more conversations on this point :(