Yep. He Said That

There are certain benefits from having a talkative child.

I seldom have to wonder where he is or what he is doing because he narrates his entire life to me from the next room, or the swings, or the sandbox ... you get the picture.

I can (generally) ask him what is wrong and get some sort of answer.  Of course, as "Mom," it is my job to figure out what the heck the answer means.  We talk in circles a lot.  ME:  "You have to."  HIM:  "I can't."  ME:  "Why not?"  HIM:  "Because I can't."

Now, of course, there are downsides to having an exceptionally talkative child.  For example, we, as a family, no longer have any secrets.  I'm sure you can think of a million examples of how this can go terribly wrong.  Let me share just one -- albeit one I have experienced several times in the last week.

Picture me, Toddler, and sometimes DH, walking into ... say ... a pizza joint to pick up takeout.  Then, picture someone else, a nice, grandmotherly sort, sitting there waiting for her own pizza order.  DH and I go up to pay, while Toddler crawls up on the bench next to the nice lady.  I hear her talking to him about what a big boy he is, crawling up there all by himself.  Then, as I am inspecting our pizza, I hear Toddler say, "I get to watch Bunnytown and climb Grandma's tree because ... because ..."

Oh no.  Don't say it!  Don't say it!  I turn around and start to walk over, but I'm too late.

"BECAUSE I WENT POOPY IN THE POTTY!"

Oh, dear.  He did it again.  Then, as if that weren't enough, he continues, "And I even got to stand up and say, 'Bye, bye, poopies!" 

By then, I arrived to say, quietly, "That's great, Toddler.  Shh.  We don't need to tell everyone."  I know the conversation is only going to get worse from there.

Thankfully, as with all the other grandmotherly types, this nice lady smiled kindly and said, "It's quite all right.  I perfectly understand."  And, she seemed to, smiling indulgently at me and my little chatterbox.

Someday, though, I think I will likely meet someone who does not understand.  No doubt such a person will be cold, heartless, and mean-spirited, but I know such a person is out there, waiting for us and my darling, talkative, adorably frustrating little charmer.

Still, it could be worse.  He could not be talking at all.  Right?

Right?