Because, Because, Because, Because, Becaaaauuuse!

Title note: think "Wizard of Oz" when you read this entry's title.

I thought all toddlers drove their parents crazy with "why" questions all day long. Why is the sky blue? Why is that man wearing a hat? Why do I have to go to bed? You know, the usual.

Well, not my daughter. Nope. She's a "because" girl, she is.

In fact, the whole "why" thing was really the last obstacle to break through in our ability to communicate fully with Sweetie. She just didn't get it. We'd ask her why she was doing such and such, or why she wanted whatever it was she desired, and she'd just stare at us blankly. Probably wondering why were we throwing out this random letter of the alphabet whenever she asked us for something.

Now she understands. I (kind of) remember the first time she actually answered a why question. That is, I can't remember what exactly she was asking for, but I remember her response. She had come into our room early one morning this past summer. I think she may have been asking to go downstairs, to which my husband and I asked her why she wanted to do this. She sat for a few seconds then simply said "I don't know."

Okay, so maybe not the greatest of responses, but at least it was an appropriate one.

Anyway, even though she "gets" the whole why thing now, she really doesn't take advantage of asking all those crazy questions. Instead, she tells us why she's doing things. Or even what she's doing - makes no difference to her - it's all the same.

"Sweetie, do you want a peanut butter sandwhich or macaroni and cheese"

"Ummm, I think because I'm sitting right here in my big girl seat, because I wanted to have macaroni and cheese because I was dancing and I was hungry because I'm sitting right here now so I can eat much better."

(Okay, so I may have taken some liberties with that "quote" because I really can't remember exactly what she said. But, seriously, she went on for a good 3 minutes last night explaining something to my husband and I and she used at least 6 or 7 "because"'s.)

It's absolutely exhausting to listen to her. We just sit there, eyes wide open, letting her ramble on, and on, and on, and on.

She's got something to say, let me tell ya. And she's gonna say it, alright. Because that's just what she has to do.