The "Whys" Child

Hilary is driving me crazy.

I know you shouldn't say that about a child, much less your own niece, but the fact is Hilary's got a new habit that just makes me nuts.

Lately, all that comes out of her mouth is question after question after question. I'm all for encouraging curiosity, but for the most part, these are questions to which she already knows the answers. (I'm more tolerant of the questions she actually doesn't know the answers to, like "What if we didn't have any skin?" Really, what if we didn't?)

On a recent 90 degree day when Molly was crying in the car: "Why is Molly hot?"

After Gretchen pinched Aaron's face: "Why is Aaron crying?"

When Ronan's in time-out after pulling Hilary's own hair: "Why is Ronan in time-out?"

And a classic: "What's a bathtub for?"

Usually I just respond with, "What do you think?" and she answers correctly each and every time.

Then there are the questions that she might not know the answers to but still shouldn't be asking:

To her grandmother: "Why is your skin like that?"

To me, a few weeks before Molly was born: "Why are you fat?"

To me, just the other day, pointing at my still-recovering belly: "Are you growing another baby?"

To a family friend: "Why do you eat so much?"

I've asked Amy to teach Hilary some tact, but to be honest, I think Amy finds it all too funny to put to an end.