why?

for a long time (pre-pratt), i wondered what the big deal was about a toddler asking "why?"

i had heard my parents talk about how my sister constantly asked questions.  con.stant.ly.

i can remember certain people, in response to spencer's multiple questions, responding with, "i'm not bothered at all by the questions.  it's the only way she will ever learn."

and learn she did.  she's like an elephant.  anything she has ever heard, she remembers.  seriously.  she's freaky like that.  i can call her "freaky" because she once described me as a "pipsqueak".  yes, spencer...you did.

anyway.  i now understand the big deal about questions.  they NEVER, EVER, EVER seem to stop.

i always thought, "surely...if you answer their question in an adult sense...and don't talk down to them...give them the full explanation, then that will end all questions then and there.  and you'll be set."

WRONG.  i'm such an idiot, i know.  how crazy was i to think that?!

like, i swear i could have stephen hawking over here.  he could do a bang up job of explaining why the ping pong ball still moves when on a train.  (which, let me say...i've NEVER really understood the explanation.  but i mean, i had to read each page in that book like 5 times before i ever even got a little bit of the information.  a genius..i am NOT.)

anyway, ole steve could explain that concept...and pratt would still somehow manage to come up with some other question.  related...but something that wasn't explained initially.

like today.  today he asked me why cars had headlights.  i said, "well, because they drive at night.  and at night, we have to have lights to see because at night, it's dark outside.  so the headlights provide light to see so the car and the driver can see where he/she is going."

sufficient, right?

you'd think so.  but no.  not at all.

next question: why is it dark at night?

so i think...okay, i can do this.  and i explain how the sun goes down.  and he immediately says, "oh yeah!  and the moon comes up!"

i sort of skirted around how the moon is always up...you just can't see it...but basically yes.  that's right.  you see the moon at night and the sun during the day.

i'm fist pumping thinking i've stopped it.  stopped the questions.

no.  i haven't.

he says, "why is there a moon?  what does it do?"

there's no way i'm getting into the tides.  and the purpose of the moon.  because first, i don't really know.  and second, i'm exhausted at this point.

so i say, "i don't know.  i bet daddy knows.  he knows everything.  let's ask daddy."

i know this is horrible.  but i'm just too tired, y'all.  too, too tired.

it never.ever.ever.stops.  he's like the energizer bunny.