Why?

Mac has been in a very questioning mood today. David took charge at breakfast so that I could leaf through Heat magazine with a cup of coffee in peace. I listened idly to the exchange going on over by the fridge as I slouched at the table. "What would you like for breakfast?" David asked Mac. I cringed. Never ever ask him that without limiting his options. I usually say "What would you like for breakfast? Toast, strawberry cereal or apple porridge?". He then happily chooses from one of my choices. Asking Mac an open ended question is like waving a red rag at a bull. I slid down in my seat as Mac pondered his response.

"Erm, some eggs please daddy and toast and mumlade and bacon and sausages and 'shrooms and apple." David looked over at me. I didn't see him do that, I sensed it. I was engrossed in the letters page.

"Okay, how about toast and marmalade then?" said the breakfast amateur. "No daddy, want eggs and sausages and bacon and bread and yoghurt and porridge." David laughed nervously and stuck his head in the fridge. "You can't have all of that, you'll burst!". "Why?" said Mac, thereby starting the first of many uses of that word today.

"Why are flowers pretty?" - this while we were in Sainsburys, along with "Why does fish smell fishy?". "Why do footballers spit?" as he watched one of Arsenal's finest do that thing that professional footballers seem to think is manly. "Why are books made of paper?" as we perused the childrens section of Nunhead library. "Why is daddy going to hide in the bathroom?" as David disappeared up the stairs. You can imagine how I was feeling by about ten to one. "I've got a headache!" I muttered as I rifled through the cupboard for some paracetomol. "Why?" piped up the voice behind me. "Because I've been doing a lot of thinking." I said as I threw two down my neck. "Why?". Deep breathing from me as I answered "Because you've been asking a lot of questions today." "Why?"

I knew the answer to that: "Because you're learning about lots of things and it's only natural to ask questions". "Why?" asked my wonder child as he patted the sofa seat next to him. "I can't sit down yet, I'm doing lunch" "Why?". "Because it's lunchtime!" "Why?"

I could go on but if I incorporate every single question I've answered today into this post then I'll get RSI.

I must just tell you this one though. I decided to turn the tables on him and answered "why?" to when he asked me if he "had to" eat the carrots in his Shepherd's Pie tonight. He rolled his eyes, put his hands on his hips and said "Because I don't like carrots that's why. Honestly mummy, you do ask some silly questions sometimes."