Our morning conversation

"Mommy, can I have breakfast?"

"Mia, come snuggle with me!"

"Mommy, I want breakfast. Will you puhleeze get me breakfast?"

"Mia, I want to snuggle. Why do you want breakfast anyway?!"

"I'm hungry, Mommy!"

"But, Mia, you're getting too big. If I feed you breakfast, you'll just get bigger. You can never eat any food again. And you can't sleep, either, 'cause you need to stay just the way you are forever."

"No, Mommy! I need to eat!"

"Nope, Mia. Never again."

"But, Mommy! I need to eat. I need to grow and get bigger, like you!"

"But I don't want you to be big like me! I want to be little, just like you are right now!"

"But, Mommy! I need to grow! And you can still snuggle with me for a long time!"

"Are you sure? I can still snuggle with you for a long time?"

"Mommy – I'm only 4! There's a lot of snuggle left in me! Promise!"

(pause for consideration)

"But, Mia, you're eating and reading and getting so big!"

"I like to eat! And I like to read!"

(another pause for consideration)

"Alright, Mia. I guess you can eat and sleep again. And I guess you can keep learning to read if you really want to."

"Oh, good, I do. Now, Mommy, can I have breakfast?"

JJ