My daughter came home yesterday telling me that they were studying the body's musculature and circulatory system and that she was to pick one or the other, pick a spot in the body and create a report about it. When asked, she said she wanted to focus on the circulatory system but couldn't think of what she wanted to report on, when suddenly I had my big, "Oooo! Oooo! I know! I know what you can do!" moment (and yes, I actually said that).
The Placenta.
What a very, very cool, temporary piece of amazing circulatory brilliance!!
This lead to an in-depth discussion about the placenta, how it oxygenates and nourishes the baby while somehow keeping the maternal and fetal blood separate. "How does it do that, Mom?"
YES! My kid is finally somewhat interested in the geeky stuff that I am so passionate about! S has been privy to all things birth and reproduction related since she was 2. My 5 year old son could probably handle a phone call from someone who's water just broke.
So we continued discussing the placenta, it's function and the exciting fact that we still have Magda's placenta in the freezer waiting to be buried in the spring under some new tree or bush.
(And check out this awesome shirt. I'm so gonna get it someday!) I said we could thaw it out and bring it to school to demonstrate the vessels, the fetal and maternal sides, and how it works. I'm sure it wouldn't be allowed as it's considered a "bio-hazard". Still, fun to think about. I was going to post a pic of Magda's placenta because it was huuuuge (to match her hugeness, no less), but it's in color and I'm not able to crop as I'd like. ;)
At any rate, all this placenta talk and burying the placenta talk led to what kind of bush or tree should we plant over it? Honestly, we've a lot of trees I don't much like (half dead, big old trees), so I don't really want to grow something big to create more shade over our growing spaces. Perhaps a dwarf fruit tree? Another blueberry bush? Something different like currants or gooseberries?
S was sad to learn that because she was born at the hospital, I wasn't able to save her placenta and plant anything over it. I did plant E's placenta and planted an ornamental Zebra Grass over top, but the plant should have been in a full sun spot and it died after the first year. However, I usually plant morning glories or peas where his placenta was buried and they do great!
How about you? Did you plant a temporary body organ in your own yard and plant something over it? Come out and tell me about it you crunchy granola parents out there!
4 comments:
What a great post! Made me smile so much. LOVE that t- shirt too. I am afraid the best I can offer is planting daffodil bulbs over my childhood cat, (after she had died of course!) Not very granola- ish I am afraid. :)
A dwarf cherry tree: they don't need a friend to pollinate, and because they're dwarf, they are easy to throw a net over, and you get CHERRIES!!! Tom knows that this will be my (perhaps early) Mother's day present this year, or there will be trouble. No placenta's in our yard, just lots of love.
We finally planted Vera's in the garden this past fall. I'm actually kind of glad that we waited so long, she was involved in the planting a little, and that was really cool. Anyway, I thought about a tree or bush, but then I thought it would make me sad if the tree didn't make it- so I went with the garden instead. I thought about making a print with it, but I didn't... maybe with this next one. :)
You'll have to keep us posted on her project- that's so cool!
Mo- love the daffodils over the kitty memory! So sweet!
Bridg- am gonna look into the dwarf cherry tree. That might work for us and our yard.
Grace-that was my initial thought last fall when Magda was born, to plant it smack in the middle of the garden. Maybe this spring after we re-till everything if I can't do a tree. :)
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