Sitting to pee

B is starting to learn about gender. Specifically, the anatomy that makes us different.

You know that movie Kindergarten Cop ("It's not a tuuumah")? Well, he's like that kid that screams, "Boys have penises and girls have vaginas."

Yesterday, Jeff told him we would go to Home Depot, to which he looked at me and said, "Mommy, you can't go to Home Depot. Only people who have penises can go to Home Depot. Me, Daddy, and Cash can go, but not you."

Sweet. My three--almost four--year-old is pointing out the glass ceiling to me.

Since then it has been a lot of, "Is this a girl or boy doll?" or "Do boys do _______?" My favorite is when I head to the bathroom he tells me to put the seat down because "that is how girls pee".

I am very well aware that I have to tread carefully here. I don't want him thinking that one's gender defines him/her much beyond biology. I guess you could say we are a very progressive family, and this particular area is important for me not to screw up.

Oddly enough I found myself at Lowe's today. I am (finally) redoing our master bedroom and I needed a new staple gun (take THAT gender roles). Like many stores I was baffled by the placement of their merchandise and had to ask a clerk where to find my new toy. Giving me the once over he asked me with a patronizing edge if I needed an electric or handheld one.

Just for gits and shiggles I wanted to tell him that I wanted a pneumatic one for the house I was building with one hand tied behind my back. I was satisfied enough to tell him that I had one at home, I just wanted a small one for my projects that didn't require a massive compressor following me around.

I think he was impressed that I knew what a compressor did. Score one for Team Vagina.