Conversation at 2:00 am

Thomas and I are on our fifth child.  She is three years old and not a great sleeper. Thankfully, I am seasoned enough to know that someday her middle of the night visits will stop, and once I catch up on my sleep, I will miss them. So in the vein of recording memories, here is a conversation which took place at 2:00 am Tuesday morning, Nov. 24.

Clara wakes up itching from multiple mosquito bites.  I try to soothe her back to sleep, but soon realize both of us will be awake until she gets some relief.  I head to the bathroom  for the Benadryl.

"Mama, what makes the light come on?" Clara asks.
"Electricity," I respond groggily.
"What makes electricity work?" she asks.  Normally, the science teacher in me would leap at such a question.  But Clara is only three and it is the middle of the night.
"It's hard to explain," I say.

Seeing this conversation is going nowhere, Clara changes course.
"Mama," she asks brightly, "Do squirrels like surprises?"