Popcorn & Peas

Last week I got in one really great stay-at-home-mom day. Our nanny took the day off, so I took the day off of work. Z took an amazing 3.5 hour nap, leaving plenty of time for me to play with Flik. Flik has a play kitchen, and we recently configured a couple small end tables for him to place his cash register on and use as a grocery store. This is all in our sunroom, which will be a playroom for the foreseeable future. Flik loves playing restaurant and/or store; loves setting up all the food in a display; loves asking you what you want; loves the cash register, collecting your money or swiping your card; and loves bringing you what you ordered. He also loves checking back to see of you've finished so that he can take the food away.

While Z was sleeping, I decided to add to this setup and also keep Flik occupied with a new project. We created a menu for his restaurant. First we chose the color for the menu. Next a name for Flik's restaurant. (Note: Flik chose the name, not me.) Then Flik picked out the items that would appears on the menu. Slight detour as we then created price tags for each of the selected items. Then I wrote each of the items on the menu with the prices. Keep in mind playing store often morphs into restaurant and vice versa, it may explain the menu.

Anyway, once we had our menu ready, I sat on the couch and Flik brought me the menu. I pointed to an item on the menu and said, "I'm having trouble reading this one. Can you tell me what it is?"

Flik sounded it out (despite my smushed writing): "p-o-p-c-or-n. popcorn."

Mommy: Oh that sounds good. I'd like that. 

Flik: Um, sorry. That's one of our desserts. 

Mommy: Oh. Can't I order a dessert? 

Flik: No. You have to eat your dinner first. 

Mommy: (smile) Oh. I didn't know that. Well then what about this. (I point to another item on the menu.) 

Flik: (sounding out) ppp-ě-ă-sss 

Mommy: Oh yeah, that one's a little tough. The E-A says "eee." 

Flik: (sounding out) ppp-eee-sss. Hmm. I don't think we have any pieces. (coming out of character) Mommy, pieces of what? 

Mommy: I think that's in your basket of fruits and vegetables, why don't you go see if you can find something it could be. 

Flik: (huge gasp) Hey! Are you trying to get me to learn something? (Look of outrage on his little 4 year-old face.)

I of course denied any effort to teach him anything. I claimed that I was just playing restaurant. He was able to find the peas, by the way. Next week I think we work on adding up the prices for multiple items. Shhhh.