Tuesday, May 5, 2009

becoming a woman

yesterday, my baby girl, my 12 year old beautiful, inquisitive, snarky, funny, sweet girl started her period. omg.

she was home sick w/ allergies and around mid-morning she nonchalantly came to me and said, "i just started my period."

she'd been reading up on it, studying all of the changes, taking stock weekly and telling me specifically how her body was changing. i knew it was just a matter of time, but, wow. i can't believe it. there's no turning back.

she isn't freaked out or anything and even though she's incredibly smart and understands what's going on and why, some of her thoughts/questions amused me.

first--uh, it feels like i'm wearing a diaper. (my answer: we'll get you something smaller. in my head--because srsly they should make youth sized pads right? they don't. i should invent them.)

second--do i have to change this EVERY time i got to the bathroom? (because she'd go to the bathroom like every 20 minutes just to check) (my answer: no, just when it's...you know...full)

third--does this go on all day? (she asked me this last night, like her period only works 9-5 or something) (my answer: uh, yes. all day and night for 3-5 days, depending on the person. in my head: or 4-5 days, stop for a day, start again for a day or two like me. nice, tmi? yeah, i'm hoping it's early menopause.)

fourth--what about swimming? and jumping on the trampoline? (my answer: trampoline, no problem. swimming, yeah, you can't wear a pad and swim and i'm not sure i'm ready for you to wear a tampon just yet. her response: i don't want to wear a tampon. i don't even know how you'd get that in there. and then it's stuck! how do you get it out? me: they have strings. her: what if the string breaks? me: they're strong strings.)

she was grateful she wasn't at school when it happened, and frankly, so am i. i do think she would have freaked under those circumstances.

13 comments:

Hotch Potchery said...

Wowza. It will take a bit for the hormones to kick it into full gear (or it did for mine), but when it happens...send hubs and the boy AWAY!

Kristin.... said...

Oh wow. I'll need you to lean on when I have to go thru this 3 more times........................

Anonymous said...

Glad the Girl is taking this so well. I remember when I first started, and I think I was freaked out. Not crying, but a bit freaked. Good luck!

You didn't tell us the answers you gave to her amusing questions...

Sweet T

Not Your Aunt B said...

Wow. I wasn't freaked, but I was always nervous for a bit until it was all meh. If I would have been at school I would have freaked. Oh, those days. So glad I am not having to live through them again. The hormones were awful.

creative kerfuffle said...

hotch--that's what i'm afraid of! when i told the hubs yesterday he was like, oh god, now we're in trouble! i am a moody bitch when i'm pmsing and if the girl is anything like me (which she totally is) we really are in for some hell.

sweet t--i'll edit the post w/ my answers.

kristin--i responded to you via email : )

bea--she handled it like a trooper! and--for real i'm taking your box of goodies to the post office tomorrow! I SWEAR!

cheatymoon said...

Big deal, isn't it?
For me it is just crazy how fast my child (boy) has grown. Freaking puberty. Little punk kid in a man's body (lol).

Anonymous said...

Wow! I only have a boy so I'll never get the joy...I always wanted to have a girl but sometimes just me and the boys is OK too, that way I"M the ONLY bitch in the house. tracy

drollgirl said...

whoa. this is so cool. doesn't it remind you of when you first started? total flashback. and loved your comments. :)

Ali said...

Oh wow, I am glad that I have the boy who is 13 and not the girl. I am not ready for my 10 yo to start going through this sort of stuff. I hope I will be more ready in two years or so. I doubt it. Sounds like you have a cool, level-headed kid there.

Sherendipity said...

Ah yes, been there.
Now there's never a tampon in the house when I get mine. Never.

Astarte said...

OMG!!!!!! I'm praying that I have another two years before Josie gets hers. I was 12, too, but I was at school when it happened. Wow. Did you have to lay down or something?! I love the questions she asked.

I've been thinking about the tampon thing, too. At least they make tampons for girls now, unlike when we were young. I'll probably let her use them if she wants to, although when I described them to her she nearly turned inside out from shock and grossness.

Gal Friday said...

At least your daughter will actually talk to you about it and ask you questions! Mne pretty much rolls her eyes when i dare to bring it up.
My daughter got "her's" on New Year's Day(and was exactly the same age-in months, even- as I was when I got mine-freaky!). She just came in the room where I was and calmly told me. That was it. I think she was feeling excited and accepting of it, same as I remember feeling.
Oh god...the "feels like a diaper" comment reminded me of those mega-huge pads back in my day. That was miserable.

Pandora said...

Her questions are so cute!I feel so sorry for all the young girls who still have to start going through that stuff.Ugh,it is such a big negative to being a woman.

A little tmi from me - I started mine the on New Years' Day when I was 12.It was not a lot of fun,since I was too shy to tell anybody.

In the end,I helped my best friend figure out everything about periods when she started.We still laugh about that today.She had it bad,she started hers during gym class :O