Why?

Just a week or two ago, Stephanie and I were discussing that fact that, for all the progress she has made, one of the key little kid things Sophie doesn't do is ask "Why?"  That's the quintessential toddler thing: why this? why that?  because.  because why?  Why, why, why?  They should be driving you nuts, right?

Sophie has never asked this.  In fact, I don't think I've ever even heard her say the word, "why", ever.  I ask it all the time to her, for just this reason: to try to get the question in her head.  She quickly learned to just say, "Because."  Then, I have to say, "Because why?" and she says umm.  Usually, she'll something kinda backward like this,

"Why is your shirt wet?"
"Because it needs to go in the washing machine." (instead of because I spilled my drink on it)

Lately, she has started saying "I don't know," at times, which is pretty new and somewhat exciting.

Well, today we had a big storm coming in.  She and I went out in the backyard to wait for it.  It was cool and very windy and smelled like rain.  Finally, drops started to fall and we went back in.  She was playing and I was laying on the couch when it started to rain hard.

I was dozing a little bit, so I don't remember the exact context, but she was looking out the back door at the rain and jabbering something.  Then I heard her say, "Why, Daddy?  Why?"

That jolted me awake and I said, "Why what?"

"Why is it raining?"

I was so excited and groggy that I just mumbled something about the clouds coming in and getting too heavy.