WHY?!

First of all, we went with Josh to the National Junior Honor Society induction this evening. It was really nice, I was super proud of Josh!

So Clarissa has officially hit the "why" stage. The boys both went through this when they were four so I don't know why it caught me by surprise when Clarissa started it, but I find it both amusing an exhausting. She pretty much follows me around all day saying Why are you doing that? Why are you eating that? Why are you wearing that? Why are you reading that? Why are you saying that? Why are you watching that? Why are you making that? Why are you cleaning that? Why are we going there? Why do I need to brush my teeth? Why do I need to eat my lunch? Why do I need to go to bed? Why? Why? WHY?!

When Josh was a baby and I was still an expert at parenting because I hadn't done much of it yet (come on, admit it, we were all that way at first), I swore that I was going to take the time to answer every one of my kids questions, every time, all the time, no matter what I was doing or no matter what they asked. Because parenting is super easy when you have one newborn who sleeps all the time and you have no idea how exhausting toddlers are, lol.

Then it turned out that Josh was a very early talker and he spoke well and he spoke often. He was crazy smart, even when he was super little and he was the king of the why stage. I was the perfect mom who answered all his questions, all the time, no matter what. For like, three months, lol. Then I bought him a book called "The Big Book of Why" and started hiding in the closet occasionally when the questions became so exhausting that my brain hurt. lol

Matthew was more laid back than Josh as a toddler and not as talkative (because Josh did all his talking for him) but we still went through the why stage. Four year olds are so interested in everything. It's like their brain suddenly realizes that there is a whole big world full of amazing things and they want to know how it all works, all at once.

But because of the big gap between Clarissa and the boys, I sometimes feel like I'm going though all this stages for the first time again. It's been a long time since I've gone through the why stage with a four year old. I forgot how funny and exhausting it is. I think I answered why a hundred times today. Daddy is going to the dentist to get his teeth cleaned. Because the doctor says it's time. Because he wants to make sure daddy's teeth are healthy. So they don't get holes in them. Because that would hurt. Because that's how mouths work. I'm drinking water. Because I'm thirsty. Because my body needs liquid. Because its good for you. Because that's how bodies work. I'm wearing red fingernail polish because I think it looks pretty. You have to eat lunch so your tummy doesn't get hungry. I'm reading this book because reading is fun. Why why why? Because because because.  At the end of the day I can't take any more why. I'm all why'd out today.

But as exhausting as it is, I find it incredibly entertaining at the same time because the world is so fascinating through the eyes of a toddler. Her brain is like a sponge and she just wants to soak in all the information that she can. It's fun to get to spend the day with her, teaching her and answering her questions. I'm going to miss her in a little more than a year when she starts Kindergarten and she's not my sidekick during the day. I like having my kids around and I miss them when they're gone.

So I'll keep answering the questions. Why? Because I'm a mom and that's just what we do. :)