Last night during dinner, my almost-5-year-old daughter looked at me and said, "Mom, can you get a baby in your belly so I can have a sister or a brother?"

I almost choked on my green beans; I was trying so hard not to laugh out loud. "Sorry honey, that's just not going to happen."

"But why, Mom? I want someone to play with me!"

"Sweetheart, if I had another baby, it wouldn't be able to play with you for a long time. Also, babies are a lot of work and I don't have time to take care of another kid." Yes, I realize it sounds like a "we're-not-getting-a-puppy" discussion.

"Okay, I guess I'll just have to play with my cousins and my neighbors."

Phew.