Too clever by half

I often buy a little treat for Thomas at the grocery store. Debate amongst yourselves whether or not this is a valid parenting technique. The truth is, I like to, so I do. Usually he's allowed to have a small part of it and then it goes up in the cupboard for bribery/threats later on as needed. "Don't want to take your bath, huh? I hear the sound of a dozen peanut M&M's plunging into the abyss of the garbage..."

Because Thomas is as addicted to sugar as I am. Clearly, I have passed on this unfortunate predilection. I have to be pretty clever about what I do with the leftover treat, or I will find it, entirely eaten, within a few hours.

Today I bought some little chocolate squares with raspberry filling. Yum. Thomas got one in the car, but once we were home, they were off limits. However, before I even realized he had located them in the grocery sack, he had taken off with the package. He couldn't get the plastic wrappings off them, though, so I was able to get them back unscathed. I told him, "No more today. You already had one in the car."

We have a rubber bathtub faucet cover that is shaped like a hippo head. It's to keep little riotous bath takers from clubbing their noggins on the tub faucet. I was putting the rest of the groceries away when I was confronted by the hippo head, peering discreetly around the corner of the kitchen.

"Hello, my name is Hippo," said the hippo head in a deep voice. "I'm not Thomas. Can I have the treat?"

I confess I nearly rewarded Mr. Hippo with some chocolate. Quite nearly. After I recovered from laughing myself sick.