Why?

{Why am I so cute?  Why?  Why is this water a creek?  Why?   Why those turtles sleeping? Why?  Why say "Bons" to miss Bonnie?  Why?}

There was a time not so long ago that I fretted over my son's lack of speech.  I was concerned that he was not talking much.  Concerned that he was not putting two words together.  I was concerned enough to have him evaluated.  We did tests and it was determined that he had a speech delay.  Not so much that services were recommended, but enough to spin me into a googling frenzy and to make me nervous about all sorts of things related to speech and child development.

Time passes.

Things change.

Here I am now, exhausted from a day that was oh-so-full of talking.  So. Much. Talking.

He just does not stop talking.  I should pause here to say that I am thankful that he no longer has this delay.  I am thankful for the speech that is flowing out of him like a mighty rushing waterfall!  Okay, I am thankful.

But, it would sure be nice for him to use his internal narrative voice at times.  How do you teach that to a 2 1/2 year old?  Suggestions?

What amazes me almost as much as his energizer like ability to speak and speak and speak, is his father's ability to just selectively tune the talking out.  

Here is what I witnessed tonight while in the kitchen washing dishes:

[Drew is on the couch watching football.  Callen is on the couch playing with dinosaurs, sort of watching the football game, and Logan is leaning against her Drew's chest staring at the TV, probably noticing the way the helmets sparkle in the sunlight]

Callen:  "Why those guys playing football?"

Callen:  "Papa, why those guys playing football?"

Callen:  "Pa-pa!  Why those guys playing that football?"

Callen:  "Mama, why those guys playing football?"

Mama:  "Ask Papa."

[drew glances at me]

Callen:  "Papa?"

Drew:  "Yes, buddy."

Callen:  "Why those guys playing football?"

Drew: "They like to play football."

Callen:  "Oh."

Callen: "Why?"

Callen:  "Why, Papa?"

[silence...]

Callen:  "Why those guys talking?"  (referring to the sports commentators)

Callen:  "Why those guys talking?"

Callen:  "Why those guys talking?"

[I just cannot handle it any more!]

Mama:  "They are telling people what is happening."

Callen:  "Why?"

Logan:  "You are just a chatter boy."

And so it goes all day...

If this were a Sesame Street episode, it would be brought to you by the letter Y.