Si-i-lent No...

     I can't say I was surprised that my child acted like an outright angel upon arrival in FL.  Grandmommy came into the airport to help and Sophie put on her sweetest face and reached out with excitement.  She got in the car and kept us all laughing all the way to Chipotle, with her comedic timing and the way she repeats what everyone says, she is just the most priceless parrot on the planet.  On the way to the restaurant, she melted their hearts as she held hands and said "loooove you.".  Everyone they passed looked on approvingly.  I looked on said onlookers and welled with pride.  By the time we all sat down with our food, Soph had that look in her eye. You know what look.  That, I know I'm really cute and I might be able to actually get away with something using my cuteness as a distraction, look.  From her high chair, looking round the table as if she had called us here for an important meeting, she folded her arms, gave a big head nod and reprimanded us all, out of nowhere, with a defiant "nnnno.".
     The approving looks snatched into raised eyebrows and flashed back to their own tables. Grandmom and Granddad couldn't help but laugh a bit, and my pride turned to my signature mom look coupled with a dash of close eye contact and pointed direction as I factually "took care" of the matter and said Sophia, "There is no reason for you to act that way.  If you don't want something, you can say no thank you."  There.  All fixed.  Moving on.
     Not so fast, said my baby girl.
     "No.".................  "No."   She played her cards slowly.
     "If you do it again, we are going outside," I cautioned her.
     My 2 yr old put her arms up as if it were a roller coaster ride, looked at me coyly out of the side of her eyes, and mouthed the word "noooooooooo.".
     She soon found out that mouthing the word and saying the word are one in the same.
As we left our food and the restaruant and the company of fun great-grandparents, she began to realize that mommy was serious. That look of "What?  You were for real about that leaving thing?" washed over her face.  Boredom is my ally right now. Taking her out of a fun situation, removing toys and cell phones, and sitting in a time out where mommy is an icy version of quiet, has proved to elicit just the right penance.  Soon enough, she relinquished an "I'm sorry, Mommy" and we headed to the car. She was asleep in minutes. A flight can be exhausting, but having to learn follow rules can really do a toddler in. I reflect on this "Silent No Showdown."  Could I have done a better job of getting her food earlier, did I understand she was tired from a different schedule for flying?  Yes.  Rules are rules though.  No matter where you are.  I will say though, that I appreciate that my little girl enjoys a challenge. We'll just have to try to direct that into a fun, healthy, competitive soccer career or something.  She is one tough cookie, but a cookie nonetheless.



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