Oh Olivia, ye of many questions

Olivia Ashley is ever bit a Wagner/Hayward with her incessant questions and talking. She is the child who never lets an unknown word in a conversation stump her, she immediately interjects/interrupts (whether it's her conversation or not) with, "What does XYZ-word mean?". The great part about Olivia is that she is really interested in your answer and tries to reiterate the definition using something that she can relate to. Something like, "Oh, so the word before works like this, 'I brush my teeth, before I go to bed.', right?". This can be really draining, but it is also a really beautiful thing! She is actually fun to teach because she tries really hard and catches on very quickly. I guess that's why I've been much more interested in teaching her how to read (per previous post).



Along with this curiosity comes some very amusing and semi-embarrassing public conversations. Tonight at baseball practice Olivia met a mom and 3-year-old daughter on the bleachers. After close talking with the 3-year old, she walked to the mom and said: "Does this little girl live with you?". The mom answered so sweetly, "Why, yes she does. I am her mommy." To which Olivia replied, "Oh, well where is her Daddy? Does he live there too?" The mom was so great and played along, "Yes, he does. He is getting off work shortly. May be home by now." This could have gone in so many other directions........

Then there was the time today at the mall with Nana. From what I was told it went something like this (in a changing room at a women's clothing store), "Nana, this store is for grownups." Nana replied, "Yes, it is." Then Olivia had to clarify in that tone that screams you don't get what I am saying you dummy, "No, Nana! A grownup, grownup store!" To which Nana said, "You mean old people?". Olivia shrugged smugly, "Yep!"

The other byproduct of this chattiness is her urge to divulge any family secret that comes to her mind. The other day our neighbors came over and asked what we had done today, and Olivia did not hesitate to describe a play-by-play of the prior 4 hours including:
1- Olivia in timeout for hitting Gray
2- Dylan kicked out of the trampoline for being too rough
3- Mommy/Daddy having a 'serious conversation'
4- Grayson saying 'dammit' when he fell in the hallway
etc....
NO SECRETS with this little open book! Love her little brain though, especially when I remind myself to appreciate the curiosity and intelligence behind the questions.