Why?

Like so many other young children, Ryan's favorite question when he was little was "Why"?

Why is the sky blue?
Why did the dinosaurs die?
Why do people believe in God?

I found that his barrage of questions was aggravating not only because of their frequency but also because it highlighted just how much actual knowledge I lacked about most things.

What am I Buddha?

However, as time passed, Ryan stopped asking so many questions and frankly has determined that he knows just about everything there is to know.

You'd think this would make me happy.

But then there's Justin.

I never knew just how much I would miss having to answer all those "why" questions until I realized that Justin wasn't asking questions at all.

The dreaded "wh" questions. The backbone to socially reciprocal conversation.

Like so many things for our kids, asking and answering questions is really hard. Truth be told, I really don't think I appreciated just how difficult and complex our language is until I had a child for which none of it came naturally. He has had to work so hard for every word, every concept, every nuance. Just when you think he has it, it's gone. It reminds me of the arcade game that Ryan loves to so much. It's the one with the "claw" that you lower down into a pile of stuffed animals, and then have to grab one without dropping it. Just when you think you've got it, it disappears.

I remember in the early days how I use to think that all of Justin's problems would be solved if only he could master talking. I automatically assumed that once the light bulb switched on that he would just "get it" and the rest would follow naturally. I had no idea that even after he had well over 300 words that he would still struggle with putting those words into a coherent and meaningful sentence.

Thankfully, little by little those sentences are coming. First came his ability to communicate his wants and needs. Then came some "what" questions. Over the summer came "where". Each step a building block for even more to come.

So, the other night, we were at the dinner table and Justin was looking disdainfully down at his plate. He is a very limited eater and was not at all happy with the cheeseburger that stared back at him. I have long since given up trying to cajole, beg, and bribe him into eating. My husband is more stubborn.

"Come on, Justin take a bite for daddy."
Silence
"Please, just take one bite."
More silence.
"Justin, please eat."
Wait for it...
"Why?"

HOLY CRAP!

I, who had no problem stuffing my face with said cheeseburger, nearly choked.

"What did you say? Did you say why? He said why!"

My husband shot me a look to say, calm down don't make him self-conscious. As if I'd scare him away like a skittish deer. But honest to God it was so cool. Now to be honest, I'm not sure if he understood what "why" meant. He wasn't waiting for a response from my husband and, no, we haven't heard it since.

But it's a start.

As an aside, last weekend at the movie theater, Ryan and I had some time to kill and they had one of those "claw" games there. With willful determination, Ryan put his money in the slot. I waited patiently while he gave it a shot, knowing it wasn’t going to happen. But then it did. With the finesse of an experienced crane operator, he grabbed his prize and out it came. Ryan is now the proud owner of a pink and purple fuzzy dolphin that he has slept with just about every night so far.

Why do people believe in God?

Because miracles happen everyday.