I have come across several instances where my villagers when they are 'going indoors' don't actually need to make it indoors before a new baby appears - it appears that if I let them embrace, and then select one of the two villagers with my mouse and move them, the baby appears! neat! but perhaps not the intended behavior?

That is the normal and intended behavior.

i don't even let my people go into the house i look to see how many people i have put two people together and if the number goes up i just grab the girl before she gose into the tent and stick her in the feild then put the dude back to work if the number doesn't go up i don't let them go into the house i just keep puttin the together untill i get a baby

me too