I decided to paint ... DON'T ask me why.

When I say paint, I mean PAINT! Yesterday I painted for ten hours straight (in between taking care of kids, of course) and then after the kids went to bed, I painted for another three hours. When Erik got home at 2am from work, he was so surprised with how much I got done. So far I have put the first coat on our entryway, living room, and hallway. I have also painted half of the first coat in the kitchen, however we don't like the color, so I'll be repainting a few coats on that soon, I'm sure. I also have the dining room and two bedrooms to paint before I'm done.

One of my [only] favorite things about painting is that Maida likes to sit and talk to me while I paint. She not only tells me how great I'm doing and how good my painting looks (which is great encouragement to keep going), but she tells me all about her babies and her husband and even her Hostas. Yesterday, I got a kick out of it when she said, "Kara, you know what? I can't figure out what's going on with my Hostas in the front yard. They are dying, but I really don't know if they are dying Easter eggs or dying on the cross. Hmm. It's just weird, you know?!"

Through all of this painting and talking that she and I have been doing, though, she's learned a new word. I really thought that we had bypassed this stage in her development. I was convinced that she was going to be a child that never had to ask, "Why?" over and over and over and OVER again. However, yesterday, we had a little conversation (and several of this very same conversation) that went something like this:

Maida: Mommy, what are you doing?

Me: I'm painting the house?

Maida: Why?

Me: To make the house look nice.

Maida: Why?

Me: So that it looks really cute and so we can finally have people over without having to worry about what they'll think about our walls.

Maida: Why?

Me: Because what people think of our house means a lot to us. And we need to resell it someday.

Maida: Why?

Me: We'll have to move.

Maida: Why?

Me: Either for Daddy's residency or because of jobs.

Maida: Why?

Me: That's just how it is. Life changes and we move on.

Maida: Oh, but why are you painting?

Me: To make the house look nice.

Maida: Why?

Me: Didn't you already ask me that a couple times already?

Maida: Yes, but I'm asking you 'why' again.

Me: Okay, well, I'm painting to make the house look nice.

Maida: Why?

Me: So that it looks all nice and pretty for when we have people over for dinner.

Maida: Why?

Me: Maida! Stop asking 'why'!!! You are asking 'why' to the same things over and over.

Maida: But, Mommy, do you know what? I just want to know why you are painting.

Me: You've already asked me that about five times and I have already told you. Do you remember why I'm painting?

Maida: No. Why are you painting?

I don't know why (Ha! - why!), but I was just so annoyed with her asking 'why' to the exact same thing, over and over and over again. The anger coping techniques that we taught Maida last year (three big deep breaths) came in rather handy yesterday afternoon! And breathing in the paint fumes while doing it even made me feel a little better! ;)