Mama...

...'Why you love me?'
-'Because you're my daughter.'
-'Why I your daughter?'
-"Because God gave you to Papa and I.'
-'Why God give my to you?' (fyi she often replaces me with my)
-'I don't know baby.  He must have wanted to give us a really wonderful daughter.  You will have to ask Him.'
This is just one of the many, many, many questions Abigail asks over and over (and over and over and over).  Everything is questioned these days.  But they aren't all just why questions.  Some are deep theological things that I didn't know would come up with a three year old.  Others are just questions I'm unsure how to answer.  And some days I just tell her that she can't ask my any more questions and redirect them all to her Papa when he gets home.
Some examples of our daily questions: 'Why Jesus love me most?' (Nightly Jason tells Abigail, Papa loves you, Mama loves you, and Jesus loves you the most). 'Why you get married?' 'Why you love each other?' 'Why she not 'dopted?' 'Where does God live?' 'Who made our car?' 'Who give this to me?' (about everything. literally.  underwear, shoes, socks, toys, bed, carseat...everything) 'Who give us this house?' 'Why is her skin brown?' 'Why her have earings?' 'Why he not talking nice?' 'Why nobody can touch my gina?' (this stemmed from the good touch bad touch conversation we have been having) 'Why you like tea?' 'Why Papa have to work?' 'What's Papa working about today?' (this really means is Papa at the office or out somewhere working today).  These are examples, but nowhere near the entirety of questions we answer daily.

To give you a better idea, this is a small glimpse into a day with my inquisitive daughter.
-'Mama!  I awake!!'
-'Good morning bug.  Did you sleep well?'
-'Mama, please go to Jo Jo's and get some ice cream?'
-'No baby, we are not going to get ice cream this morning.  You can have some yogurt.'
-'Mama, please go see the dinasours another 'gain?' (another again is a favorite or ours, it means another time, or just again)
-'Yes, we can go see the dinasours another 'gain.  That was a lot of fun wasn't it.  What did you like about those dinasours.'
-'Mama, can we call grandma (insert whichever one she wants to talk to that morning)?'
-'Sure.  We can call her while we are eating breakfast.'
-'Mama, please can we go see grandma?'
-'Not today sweetheart.  But we will see her again sometime soon.'
-'Mama, please go see the firehouse another 'gain, and ride on the fire truck?'
-'Yes we can go to the firestation again.'
-'Mama, please have a sucker?'
-'No sucker, we need to eat breakfast.'
-'Mama, please have a marshmallow?'
-'No marshmallows.  Marshmallows and ice cream and suckers all have lots of sugar.  They are really fun treats, but they are sometimes foods.  We don't eat them every day.  Okay.'
-'Kay Mama.  Mama, please get a sticker on for not hitting my friends?'
-'Yes, if you do a good job being kind today you can have a sticker.' (at this point I sigh)
-'Mama, why you say aghhhhhh?'
-'I don't know Abigail.'
-'Mama you tired?  You need to take a little nap?'
-'Yes Mama feels a little tired.  I'm not going to take a nap right now.'
-'Mama who you tired?'
-'I don't know bug.  I'm just tired.'
-'Mama what you think we should do today?'
This conversation just keeps going, and going and going.  While she plays she asks to watch television, read a book, do something on the porch, paint, play with play-doh, go outside, do bubbles, ride her bike, go for a walk, and request sugary treats about 36 more times before our morning snack.  Abigail is awake for 10-11 hours a day.  While you might think I'm exaggerating, around 8 of those hours are spent with me, answering questions.
I had no idea that I could feel this emotionally drained from answering questions.  I couldn't quite figure out why I felt this way for a while; until I started to replay my days in my head.  Even while Abigail is upstairs in her bedroom, playing by herself, I still get called for multiple times so that I can answer questions.  When Jason gets home around 4 everyday I launch Abigail at him full force and sprint from the room.  As I do so I hear Jason say, 'Honey what do you want for dinner?'  With all the question answering energy I have left in me for the day I say something like, 'There's a list of choices in the kitchen.  I'm pretty sure you can read and choose for yourself!'  He turns his head sideways and gets a puzzled look on his face as I retreat to a quiet spot to rock back and forth and cry listen to some peaceful music and regroup.  As I sit down I hear the door open and a little round face peaks in and says, 'Mama, what you donuh?'  *Sigh*


Just a little end note.  I really do love the time with my daughter.  I'm EXTREMELY grateful that she is speaking, and doing so very well.  I'm also thankful for how intelligent she is, and that she wants to know and understand everything. :)


This is a stage right?