A LONG and funny story!

Taiger LOVES to cook!!!!! He really might like to be a chef when he grows up, that's how much he loves to cook. Well, he doesn't like to make things with me...NOT AT ALL! He likes, instead, to get the measuring cup, spoons, spatulas, mixing bowls, and whatever other kitchen utensils he may need. He then starts by filling the measuring cup with water from the bathroom sink. He then collects whatever "ingredients" he needs and ads them to the water (sugar, candy, candy WRAPPERS, cookies...as a side note, it is really yucky to clean up). Recently, he has realized that most of the things NaiNai bakes that are really good (cookies, brownies, etc.) include two eggs. Taiger now thinks he must add eggs to his concoctions. The first time he did this, I found him with CANDY, CHOCOLATE eggs, trying to crack those and add them to his recipe. SO CUTE! The next day, NaiNai and Bampa were tending him and told him NOT to get in to the eggs. They went to do other things in other rooms for just two seconds and when they came back he had broken two eggs into his measuring cup. He had cracked the whites and yolks into the cup and put the empty shells neatly back in the egg carton. Not a drop was spilled! Anyway, he got "in trouble" (my Grandma and Grandpa? HA! I am sure it was really brutal!) and told not to do it again without help.

Tonight, we were all watching 24 when Taiger decided to "bake". He wanted, of course, to add eggs, and I told him no, and so did NaiNai. Anyway, he left the room and I was sure I heard the hitting of an egg on the side of the plastic bowl...an unmistakable sound. A second later, we heard something fall. We thought it was a bar stool, so Jeremy ran to check on him with me close behind. He was fine, but screamed that I not look in the kitchen. Jeremy assured him I would not be mad that the bar stool fell over, but I knew there was more to it than that!! He kept holding up his hand and shouting, "Don't see! Don't see!!!!" He became upset, so worried he was that I would look around the corner into the kitchen, even though I was standing still, just watching him getting so upset. "Don't see, Mommy!" He shouted over and over. Finally adding, "Don't see the egg! Don't see the egg!" When I went to look around the corner, he shouted it again, as if he hadn't just tattled on himself and I KNEW there was an egg out. The whole thing was so funny to watch I had to hide my face and laugh before i could punish him for not minding. It was hilarious!!!! Anyway, I told him he was in trouble and he broke down like he thought I may put him in the dungeon with a crust of bread. I put him in time-out for three minuets, and he wailed like it was the end of the world. Anyone who thinks you have to spank, hit, beat or even just try and scare kids to teach them to mind should really try time-out! It is amazingly effective! He was so scared of time-out (which is standing facing a wall, with his palms against the wall. I put my hand on his back softly as I explain why he is in trouble and tell him that he needs to stand in time-out. I think it is really, really important to touch children when they are being disciplined. Anyway, then, he usually walks himself to time-out and puts his hands on the wall. I tell him to stay there for three minuets...when he was two, it was two minuets, when he was one, it was one minuet. He cannot talk to Mommy while in time out and I don't talk to him. It is a time when he is to be thinking about what he did and why he is in trouble. If he moves out of time-out, or of he takes his hands off the wall, the time starts over. When his time is up, I have him say sorry to me and anyone else involved and then we give hugs and I tell him I love him.)!

Anyway, that is my funny story...albeit very long. Just seeing him saying, "Don't see the egg! Don't see the egg!" was priceless!