You'll Have To Be More Specific

When my daughter, Sadie, was about two years old, she decided that drawing on the walls was her favorite way to pass the time.  Luckily, this was around the same time that those handy "magic eraser" things hit the market.  We scrubbed off all the walls and gave her a lecture about how we did not draw on the walls.  She seemed to understand.  That is, until we left her alone in her room to take a nap.  When we went in to get her, her door was absolutely covered in 2 year old artwork.  I looked at her, looked at the door, and gave her that "mom look".  You know, the one that just oozes disappointment. 

That little girl opened her mouth and said, "Mama.  You said I not write on the wall.  I not.  I write on the door instead."  She had a point.  I was out reasoned by a toddler. 

Flash forward to this week.  Noah and Sadie had turned their room into a complete disaster area.  I know how they clean (or actually, don't clean) and so I gave explicit instructions, "Pick things up!  Do NOT just shove everything in the closet!  Do you understand?"  They nodded and assured me that they understood.  They banged around made a lot of commotion and finally called me up to inspect.  The room was totally clean, except for one little thing peeking out from under the bed.  All eyes went to that thing.  I walked over to it and realized that it wasn't just that one little thing sticking out. Everything that had previously been scattered was crammed under the bed. 

I was more than a little miffed.  I said, "I thought I told you not to just shove stuff!"  Noah piped up in his cute, little, squeeky voice, "You told us not to shove stuff in the closet, so we didn't.  You didn't say we couldn't put it under the bed."  The boy was dead serious.  And truly, how do you disagree with that logic.  They had me on a technicality. 

One day, I will learn to be more specific.  *sigh*  Perhaps I am raising tiny lawyers?

The boys playing a game where they see who can pretend to sleep under the kitchen table the longest.  Oh, how I love when they play that game. Best game evah!