not for sale

Yesterday we all went to a friend's apartment/art studio where she and her husband were showing their art as part of an open house. We stayed quite a bit and people came in and out to see the art. My three year old daughter was running about, pretending to skate, and reminding people to "look at these paintings!". Baby boy was hanging out with us on the couch. A couple came in and was looking around the apartment. On their way out, one of them says to us, "this is your baby?" yes. "And her, too?" Yes. "Oh, you bought her?"

WTF?

Okay, the worst part of this whole exchange, for me, is that neither my husband or I responded. I was dumbfounded and concerned that my daughter may have heard him. Thankfully, I *think* she was too wrapped up in playing/jumping to notice. My husband really didn't understand what he had said, as English is his second language and the guy saying these things was a mumbling type in any case.

But all of this doesn't erase the fact that neither one of us addressed it. I feel ashamed to even write this. I do write it because it's a fact of our family, and I really need to think of what to say before this happens again so I make sure it doesn't go unaddressed again. We've been sick about it since it happened yesterday afternoon. My husband feels horrible that he didn't understand what he had said. What will I say next time? Children placed for adoption are not for sale? No human being can be bought or sold? Still even now I'm not sure what would be the best response.