K.Lo certainly loves to talk. All throughout the work day, whether to her coworker, Management, or with whomever is around, K.Lo chatters. Sometimes, this lack of quiet can provide a challenge for Management, in particular the Manager, who requires quiet at times in order to achieve peace. But, we do our best to navigate through the work day in a way that appeases the whole company. It doesn’t always work out, I’ll be honest… however, I do appreciate what comes out of some that excessive talk.

• During company-mandated Quiet Time, which occurs sometimes in the afternoon, while N.Lo is on break, K.Lo sometimes battles Management. “No, no. Talk to me,” she pleads. I tell her that Mommy needs some quiet right now, so no, I’m not going to talk. On Friday, in response, K.Lo placed stickers all over my back. Very quietly.
• She often does not hear Management. So anticipatory and intuitive is her little radar for what she believes we will say that she often asks the same question over and over and over and over and over and over again, looking for what sort of answer, I’m not sure. Depending on my mood, I might answer with the correct response, an answer completely off the wall (i.e. Daddy is going to the moon), silence, or a turnaround question: “I don’t know, K.Lo, what do you think?”
• And/or, she is just plain curious. I don’t mind the curiosity, especially when I can give a useful answer to help shape her knowledge and ideas about the world. She asks questions about things we see while driving, or about what I’m doing. Lately, she is very preoccupied by goings-on in the kitchen, like what it is I’m cooking, and what exactly is in the bowls and pots, what they will become, and are they hot. Those exchanges are pretty fun.
• And of course, she is just plain funny and endearing. She transforms her voice sometimes, maybe imitating silly voices she’s heard us use, just to make us laugh... Last Thursday before preschool, she asked, “Are we singing today?” wanting to make sure the answer would be no... She stills says “damn,” despite my best efforts to curb it, but the tone and phrasing are so benign: “May I have my damn bucket, please?” Indeed.