The 18 month negotiator

"Ihts... Ihts"  He points towards the cabinets.

"Do you want some chips?" 

"Yah!"  He shows relief that I understood and he can have his treat.

"Well have some more peas and I'll get them"

After eating a half dozen spoonfuls he looks at me and gives me the eye his done.  Full.  But he's not full.  He's waiting for those chips.  He loves these Garden Veggie Crisps.

On another night:  we're finishing up dinner and he sees Daddy having an Oreo.  Daddy hasn't learned that we need to make sure we're all finished our dinner before having desert.  But it didn't matter.  Our 18 month old negotiator was at it again.  His eyes were wide and waiting for approval to have a cookie of his own.

"Of course, but can you finish your chicken nuggets first?"  He only had two bites left.  He ate them both at once.

I don't like teaching my son about desert this way.  We only recently gave him his first Oreo just the other day.  He's not a kid that enjoys sweets.  He really likes his fruits.  But on occasion, we like to share a special treat.  And yes, he did what he had to do in order to get that cookie.

It was only 1 Oreo too... but the result was one happy, messy kid...