Nonsequitors

Today, I picked Maia up at 6:45. We drove Matthew to Boy Scouts and then had to go to the grocery store since we've been out of town and had NOTHING in the house which was edible. Maia and I had a pleasant evening together with stimulating conversation. It went something like this:

6:45 pm
Me: Hi Maia! How are you sweetie?

Maia: Mommy, go back to work! I want to stay and play with my friends! (Then she ran away and thought she was the funniest thing on earth.)

Me: Come on sweetie, we gotta go! Matthew has boy scouts and we've got to be there in 15 minutes!

Maia: but why? why does he have boy scouts? is there girl scouts? i don't want a snack. i'm not hungry. i don't want to sit in my car seat. mommy, why don't you have a car seat? where are all the cars going? are they all going to boy scouts? are they going to the gym mommy? are they going home? why? mommy- it's light out. is it morning? why is it light? why isn't it dark? it's not night time. mommy it's not night time.

Me: Bye Matthew! We'll be at the grocery store - see you later!

Maia: but why? i don't want to go to the grocery store. i don't want food. i'm hungry and thirsty. mommy, i want water, and milk and chocolate and macaroni and cheese. i don't want to go to the store. i want mickeldonald's. no i not being naughty. i tired. i hungry mommy. i thirsty and tired too. i want water. i want water. i want water.

Me: We have to go to the store first, and then we'll go home and eat.

Maia: but why? why mom? why? i hungry. i want to get a bag too. mom, put the fruit in my bag, ok? next time you get fruit, use my bag. (as she pulls three bags off and opens all of them with great fanfare.) i want apples. i want bananas. i want strawberries. use my bag mommy. i want CHEESE! i want orange cheese. no orange! i want yogurt. i want milk. i thirsty. A cart! mommy, I push this one. (A little cart for those her size. - She only ran in to a few dozen people...) Mommy, put food in my cart. Mommy, why did you put those eggs in YOUR cart? I want them in my cart. Hi - what's your name. but why? is that you daughter? (asked to a little boy in the cart...) i don't have a daughter. i have a baby when i turn five. right mommy? then you be a grandma. ask me my name. i'm diego. lol. lol. lol. i want this barbie doll mommy. (No.) but why? i want these socks. (No.) but why? Hi - what's your name? but why?

Me: OK, time to check out Maia.

Maia: but why? i hungry. i thirsty. Hi - what's your name? i diego. mommy, do you want gum? why not? do you like gum? you chew gum. but why? why do you like gum? why? mommy, can I have gum. (No.) but why? what did you just buy? (Tic tacs - they are mints). Oh. but why? Can i have one? (Maybe.) I love mints. I want a mint. Hi - what's your name? i diego.

Me: Let's go to the car - be careful - hold my hand.

Maia: but why? so i can be safe. i no want to hold your hand. i want to hold your shirt. choo-choo. choo-choo. choo-choo. mommy - it's getting dark. is it nighttime? why isn't it morning? is it going to rain? why is it windy? is matthew at boy scouts? but why? i hungry. are we going to go this way? (No, we are going to turn left.) but why? mommy, is this the way home. this isn't right. this is the wrong way. why are we going this way? i want to go home. i hungry. i thirsty. is this the right way? mommy, this is the wrong way. why are we on this road mommy? are we going home? but why? i hungry. why are you putting that up? (the garage door.) why don't you just leave it closed? why you open it?

Me: OK sweetie - we're here.

Maia: but why? i hungry.

Me: ok - let's eat! (it's 8:30 p.m.) we'll have eggs for dinner.

Maia: but why? i hungry. i thirsty.

she stopped talking while we ate...

Maia: i tired mommy. my eyes are watering. i tired.

Me: ok, let's go to bed.

Maia: but why? i not tired. i tired. night night mommy. i love you.

Me: i love you too, maia! more than you can even imagine...
9:22 p.m.