Why? Yeah, but why?

So we have reached that step.

Shane and I knew it was going to happen one day. We have been waiting. And all expectations were realized about a month ago. In the early part of this stage, she would only ask 3 or 4 times. But now, it's like a Why marathon. It resembles verbal diarrhea instead of a genuine inquiry. And I think all parents develop some statement to end (or attempt to end) the barrage of questions.

Here is mine.


Rea: Why do we have noses?

Me: So we can smell things.

Rea: Why?

Me: If we couldn't smell, we wouldn't know how pretty flowers smell.

Rea: Why?

Me: We would only be able to look at them.... And they smell great, so with a nose, you can enjoy the smell of a flower.

Rea: Why?

Me: Because that's how God made us.

Rea: Oh. Ok.

End of conversation.


Now, I like this answer because it is precise, true, and it seems sufficient enough for my advanced toddler. However, I have noticed that she uses it now for random things.

Rea plays on the computer every morning. She is a master at navigating the Disney Channel website. So every morning, Rea drinks her chocolatey milk, eats her breakfast and plays on the computer.

One day when she was finished, she asked if she needed to turn it off. I told her the computer will go to sleep after it is left alone for a little while.

About a week after that, she finished up, climbed out of the chair, and said, "the computer will go to sleep soon."

I smiled and said, "Yes. It will."

She said, "Yep, because that's the way God made computers."

I just shook my head and smiled.


But, hands down, my favorite "that's how Gad made it" came last week. We were going to go run some errands. I told Rea to go upstairs and get dressed. She turned around and headed to her room. A few minutes later she came down. She was wearing a tee shirt, panties, and knee-high boots.

Rea: I am ready.

Me: You have to wear pants.

Rea: No. I don't.

Me: Well, technically you could wear a skirt or shorts, but you have to put something on over your panties.

Rea: Why?

Me: Because we don't go out in public without bottoms on.

Rea: Why?

Me: Because we don't want other people to see our underwear.

Rea: But Mom, this is how God made me.

Me: (suppressing a laugh) I don't think God will be upset if you go put shorts on.

Rea: This (moving arms up and down to indicate entire outfit) is how God made me though.

Me:  (close my eyes, fold hands, stand silent for 30 seconds, then look at Rea) I just talked to God, and he said you could wear pants.

Rea: (does almost exact same thing I did) Ok. I will go put on pants.