Somewhere between all my doctor’s appointments and procedures…and Valentine’s Day…my daughter seems to have found her voice.

It was always there, but only known to us. We had the privilege, nay, the honor, of seeing her ham it up around the house. However she always seemed to become shy if anyone else dared watch. Sure she would let it out here and there, but she always saved the real her for when it was just the four of us.

She would let others talk first, she’s the baby after all. She would withdraw and cuddle into our necks if anyone asked her name, or how old she was.

And then, almost over night, something changed. Her fear and shyness and hesitation were gone. Well, almost.

While I am glad she’s seemed to have found the courage to be herself in public and beyond, I’m also…well, scared.

Why? Easy…she’s..she’s… gah. I don’t even know how to explain it. Leave it to my only daughter to have me struggling for words.

Let’s just say the girl already has her own hashtag on twitter and *I* didn’t give it to her. She’s been known to render men helpless with her cuteness, and make her father double over with laughter with her jokes. Lately she’s been singing every sentence instead of saying it and this comes just after a spell of only speaking in her ‘fake’ baby voice for months.

But what really matters here, is that just shy of her sixth birthday, she’s starting to come out of her shell. She is starting to show the world exactly who she is and who she is becoming. Sure she still hides a bit when friends come over, and refuses to speak at her school presentation…but just give her a bit. This girl we know and love is coming out, little by little, and trust me…once she gets going, you won’t want to miss the show.

This was the scene in the back seat just moments ago as the puppy and the kindergartener looked at the clouds outside and imagined shapes.

I think that one looks like a parakeet, what do you think Nicky?

And all was well and good.

Until…

Mommy, how do puppies like Nicky get made? I mean, how do they get born?

Cough.

Something something penis. Something something vagina. Something something mostly just like people.

But Mommy, do they have to get married firsts? Do puppies get married?

This is where I realized I had failed my little girl. Or not. She clearly thinks babies only get made if you are married and we all know that’s not exactly true.

While I would love to keep her from sex for as long as possible, I realize that is not practical or fair to her. She should be sexually aware and active when she’s mature enough and ready, and it has nothing to do with holy matrimony.

But if I lied, and she continued to believe babies are only made by married people…would it really be soooooooo bad? Cue evil thoughts.

In the end I told her the truth. Damn my truth telling ways.

No honey, puppies don’t get married. And lots and lots of people with babies don’t get married. All families are different, remember? Not everyone is just like us.

I know Mom. But I like our family the best. I want my bruddur and I wish I could marry him but I can’t so maybe I will marry my new friend Nicole.

That’s just fine honey. You marry who you love or don’t marry at all… and have babies or don’t have babies. It’s all up to you.

It’s up to me? Wow.