That was Eva’s pressing question; and she was more than a little agitated with me when she believed that was what I was suggesting.

Amanda pointed out to me a few days prior to this conversation that we would have a stranger visiting our house to evaluate us on our ability to provide a safe place to grow a little human and our resident little people had no idea what that was going to be about or why and that it might be a good idea if they could at least have a ballpark conversation about the topic. Fair point, Wife.

I thought about it for a couple of days. What an odd idea to translate to a kiddo, surrogacy. In the moments of pondering what to tell my almost 4 year old and my 5-going-on-25 year old is when I came up with our blog name, a borrowed oven. Though effective, they were clearly unimpressed at the cleverness of my analogy and went straight to doubting my ability to consider a child’s needs (ha!):

Naomi: Wait. So mommy’s having another baby, but we don’t get to give it milk?!

Eva: Dad!? I’m worried. How can you have a baby and not give it any milk!?

Ever the hospitable preschoolers, they skipped over all the “why can’t we keep it and snuggle it” thoughts that I anticipated they might have and went straight to meal time; not all that surprising.

Me: Girls, we don’t have to worry about that because the baby’s parents will figure out what to do; they will give the baby milk that mommy can send or–

Before I could get into the wonders of formula with these master inquisitors, they promptly cut me off at that pass…

Both girls in an explosion of concern: If mommy makes the milk here– But how can the baby drink if it’s far away? Does mommy have to leave with the milk?! How long will she be gon–

Me: *laughing* It’s fiiiiiiine. If baby’s parents want mommy to give it milk, she will send it in the mail.

Naomi: *super dubious* …I don’t know…

Me: *laughing a little harder* It’ll be great. Eva, do you have any other questions.

Eva: *barely paying attention/doesn’t look up from her cereal/a little condescending* No. As long as the baby is going to get enough to eat, we can let someone use mommy’s tummy to have it I suppose.

And just like that, we have the blessing of our children: as long as the little mouth will get fed, they are okay with us facilitating its entrance into existence. My kids are so funny. If laughter makes you live longer, I might be immortal.