Say "please!" Now say "thank you!"

Disclaimer: yes, I realize this is a terrible habit but it's ALL Brian's fault.

You see, I have the terrible job of dropping Rylie off at the babysitter's house each morning. And Brian has the awesome and rewarding job of picking her up! Not fair. But to top that off...he has started this new "thing" during their drive home that makes Rylie love her daddy even more. This new "thing" is Brian's attempt to help teach Rylie manners; more specifically, he's teaching her to say "please" and "thank you." Sounds cute and innocent and, well...very parent-like, right?! However, he's teaching her this by using COOKIES, a.k.a. animal crackers! If she says "please", he hands her a cookie and makes her say "thank you." See how that works? But he does that every day. As a matter of fact, one day he forgot the animal crackers at home so he stopped at a convenient store just to purchase another bag for their ride home. Crazy, I know!

But it gets "worse." Now, every time Rylie gets buckled in her car seat, she thinks she gets an animal cracker throughout the entire trip and constantly shouts, "coo-oookie" in the most adorably high-pitched squeal of a plea. Thanks, daddy!

Second Disclaimer: even though Brian is teaching our child "please" and "thank you" by bribing her with animal crackers...she doesn't sit around eating cookies all day long! We are also trying to instill healthy eating habits. Not counting the Holiday season, of course. She has a weakness for puppy chow.

My Daughter, the Genius.

Mommy asks, "Rylie, do you want to take a bath?"
Enthusiastically, Little Missy responds..."Bath!"

Mommy says, "Here's your ducky," purposely over-emphasizing the "d" sound.
With bright eyes, she shouts..."Ducky!"

Mommy hands baby a diaper.
Baby repeatedly utters..."Diaper, diaper, diaper."

Mommy quizzes, "Rylie, where's your nose?"
Within seconds, she is gently pushing on the tip of her adorably perfect little nose.

Mommy quizzes, yet again, "Rylie, how big are you?"
And as she smiles from ear to ear and screams in delight, her hands go up above her head and we shout, "SOOO BIG!"

Mommy turns around to watch Rylie Bug take a scrap of paper over to the trash can, lift the lid, and proudly throw said paper away. Mommy glistens with pride and wonders how on earth she knew how to do that.

Harvard, Yale or Princeton...which one of you wants first dibs on my daughter?!

Puppy Chow.

Here's what my kitchen looks like when I attempt to make puppy chow...with help from Rylie Bug, of course!

Oh! but it's worth it!

Come on in...

Santa Baby...