The Saga of Steve and Joey-Part 27

Hello everyone and Happy Monday. And because it's Monday, it's time for a new part in The Saga of Steve and Joey! Enjoy!

Part 27

Steve

I look over the list once again and I sigh. I think I have everything, but I can’t remember if I put the oatmeal in the cart or not. I know I was looking at it earlier, but I can’t find it in the cart. Of course, if it is there and at the bottom, I wouldn’t have a chance of finding it. Joey and I really need to go grocery shopping more than once a month.

Oh well. Oatmeal isn’t that important.

“Ready to go,” I ask Aiden, who is sitting in the cart eating a piece of cheese the lady at the deli counter gave him.

“Yes, Daddy,” Aiden says with a smile. I ruffle his hair before pushing the cart towards the checkout.

We get to the line and I start to unload all of the groceries on the belt. I’m about halfway through when I see a woman with a baby come in the line behind us. She has the carrier in one hand and a basket of groceries in the other. She sets both down on the ground, crouching down so she could be close to the baby. I notice Aiden’s look of fascination, but I don’t dwell on it as I continue to unload the groceries.

The entire time I’m checking out, I notice Aiden can’t keep his eyes off the baby. I can’t help but smile. Aiden has seen babies before, but he’s never reacted like this. It’s actually kind of cute.

Finally, I finish checking everything out and get it loaded back into the cart. It is a royal pain. I can’t wait for Aiden to get a little bigger so he can actually help with this, rather than just help in such a way that it makes more of a mess. Usually, I don’t mind, since Aiden likes helping and it is adorable to watch, but I just don’t have the patience after being in the grocery store for two hours.

When I’m done, I push the cart out of the store, forcing Aiden to stop staring at the baby. When I do, Aiden gets a thoughtful look on his face. But since he doesn’t say anything, I don’t either.

Finally, after I’m done loading all of the groceries into the back of the SUV, I put the cart back before taking Aiden back to the car and strapping him into his car seat in the back seat.

“Daddy,” Aiden asks as I’m strapping him in.

“Yes, Aiden?”

“Was I ever that small?”

I smile. Of course, he’s wondering about the baby. “Yes, Aiden. Smaller in fact. If you want, I’m sure we can show you some pictures at home.”

“Oh. So where to babies come from?”

My jaw drops as soon as the innocent question leaves Aiden’s mouth. I should have seen this coming, but somehow I just didn’t.

“What,” I stammer.

“Where do babies come from,” Aiden asks again, his eyes wide and innocent.

I don’t know what to say. Of course, I know. I’m a doctor. But how to you explain THAT to a five year old?

But Aiden’s looking at me with those wide eyes and I have to say something. And I can’t help but think what Joey would say. I don’t know how, but somehow my husband always knows how to explain the world to Aiden in a way that he understands. I always end up confusing Aiden.

And then I know. I know exactly what Joey would say.

“Love, honey. Babies come from love.”

“So you and Daddy loved so much that I was born?”

I thought about all of the work that had gone into getting Aiden into our family and how amazing it was to hold him in my arms for that first time.

“Something like that,” I say with a smile.

“Oh. Can I have ice cream now?”

I laugh. “Well, not here. But why don’t we go home and get it in the freezer before it melts. Then after you and Daddy Joey help me put all of the groceries away then, yes, we can have ice cream.”

“Okay,” Aiden exclaims.

I give him a little smile before kissing the top of his head. Of course, one day I would have to explain the real way babies were born. But for now, ice cream sounds pretty good. 

And there’s Part 27! Next week, Aiden meets his first real friend. See you then!