I heard Chloe, my four year old saying, “That, that, that, that” repeatedly the other day and didn’t have the time or interest to ask her what she was cooking up.

Then I heard it again in the car while she was browsing the new American Girl doll magazine that arrives at our house about three times a week though I have no memory of ever asking for this service.

“That, that, that, that, that…..” Second verse, same as the first.

Then the other night, I noticed during a tv commercial, Chloe was pointing at the screen while doll items, toys and collectibles were flashing into her life in the form of future presents and I got it.

She was saying, “I want that, that, that, that, that…” with each new item but quickly realized saying “I want” before “that” was taking up too much time and she might miss out on a toy wish.

Last night while stirring something in the kitchen, I heard, “that, that, that, that, that, that, that” and tuned it out completely. It’s become background noise we can’t even hear anymore. That hum of the highway you thought you once heard but now lives somewhere in the back of your mind only heard when there’s a violent honking or a “THAT!” when a dog bed or a Barbie with luggage pops up on the screen.

That.