Her Crazy, Tiny, Wonderful Brain

I thought Sylvia's "Why" phase was annoying when she was two, but I knew how important it was to address her "why's" as legitimate questions that need to be answered.  For the longest time I was able to give her very reasonable, detailed answers to her questions, but I always had a limit - usually four questions, sometimes five if I thought the fifth one was useful or cute.  She outgrew that phase and I thought the questions were over, but here are TWO conversations we've had in the last six hours that would suggest otherwise:

Sylvia: Mommy, what's tuna fish?
Me: It's a fish that people eat.  Usually on a sandwhich, but Daddy eats tuna fish right out of the can, which is totally gross.
Sylvia: Why does Daddy eat tuna fish?
Me: Because he thinks it's yummy!
Sylvia: Why is it yummy?
Me: I don't know, yummy is just one person's opinion.  Daddy thinks it's yummy but you might not like it.  It just depends on your taste!
Sylvia: But why does Daddy think it's yummy?
Me: I DON'T KNOW!  Why does anyone think anything is yummy?!  Why do you think pizza is yummy?  You can't explain it!
Sylvia:  Yes I can.  Pizza is yummy because it has bacon on it.

Sylvia got out of bed at 9:30 for a million stupid reasons and while she was walking down the steps she saw a picture of a friend's daughter on my computer screen.  She fired off the following line of questions and I, being tired and fed up with the day, gave her very brief answers:
Sylvia:Who's that girl? 
Me: My friend's daughter.
Sylvia: What's her name? 
Me: Sudie.
Sylvia: What's her whole name? 
Me: Sudie Bell ****
Sylvia: Why does she have all those toys? 
Me: Because she's a kid.
Sylvia: Why can't I have those toys? 
Me: You have toys just like those.
Sylvia: Are those Ariel covers? 
Me: Yes, I think so.
Sylvia: Why can't I have Ariel covers? 
Me: I don't know.  
Sylvia: Is her teddy bear wearing a dress? 
Me: Yes.
Sylvia: Is her hair like mine? 
Me: Sure.
Sylvia: Why is her hair like mine? 
Me: Because it's the same color...?
Sylvia: I haven't ever been to her house so where does she live? 
Me: Louisville
Sylvia: Louisville?! With Uncle Jordan?!
Me: No, not WITH Uncle Jordan, just in the same town.
Sylvia: Why doesn't she live with Uncle Jordan?
Me: BECAUSE SHE BELONGS TO OTHER PEOPLE!
....and then I walked away.

When I stop to think about it, I find it fascinating that her questions have gone from "Why?" to "I haven't ever been to her house so where does she live?" in a year's time.  Talk about verbal development!

Don't forget all the stories she makes up...
"Once there were a bunch of cats and they went to The Museum.  They saw Captain Hook.  They ate him.  Then they didn't see him anymore."

...and the scenarios she drags us into...
"We're riding the carriage to the ball.  It's a really fast carriage, as fast as Daddy's car.  We're going to dance all evening here (points to her ornament of a castle which is still hanging in the playroom), then we're going under the ocean in a submarine.  Then we're sleeping at the castle because we'll be tired from dancing and from the submarine ride.  Okay?"

For real, people.  She wears me out!