Thankfully, Dr. Penis was very kind, and very quick.  Troy was visibly relieved when it was over so easily.  However, as we feared, there was simply no choice here.  He would need to be circumcised, and given his age, sooner, rather than later.  As we drove home, I again wrestled with my own emotions, and again, that guilt that we mother’s are able to foster so deeply when it comes to our children.  I finally composed myself enough to ask my son if he had any thoughts or questions.  We discussed the procedure, and I did my best, as someone totally lacking the parts or the experience, to describe all the “ins and outs” of the male anatomy.  I stopped for gas, and as I drove away, Troy leaned up from the back seat and asked if I had bought him a chocolate bar or treat.  I shrugged and replied, “No, why?  Should I have?”.  His response, my precious, wonderful child, who had just suffered through quite an ordeal for a young boy, with even worse to come, will forever ring in my ears as one of the highlights of all my years as a mother.  With that quiet, deadpan way of his, blue eyes twinkling, a little smirk on his lips, my son responded, “Well, I DID just have my penis examined by some strange Doctor dude, Mom!  I think THAT deserves a treat!”.  As I dissolved into laughter, (with various adult quips struggling to NOT cross my lips in the presence of my son), the stress and tension of our shared experience melted away, and a “not so typical” Mother/Son day turned into a bonding moment beyond compare. 

     And of course, a great story to regale my friends with later that day, adult quips and all!