New Rule

Yesterday afternoon I was working on my church calling at our dining table. Emily was crawling on the floor below me. I did a quick visual to reassure myself that no choking hazards where on the floor and went back to work. That's when I heard Emily shriek and burst into tears.

Bewildered as to what the problem could be I looked over to see Emily--knees on the floor but otherwise upright, mouth open and full of powder. Not surprisingly, Andrew was close by. He was kneeling on the chair above her with a spoonful of said powder in one hand and a cup in the other.

That's when I remembered the question he had asked me moments earlier. "Mommy, what's this?" He had held up a sample of the baby cereal I had picked up at the pediatrician's office recently. "That's baby cereal," I had replied. "It's for Emily." He had looked satisfied.

Satisfied enough to try it out, I guess. He had offered her a spoonful of it with NO WATER. JUST POWDER.

Poor girl! It had gagged her and she was crying and coughing. I quickly rescued her and disciplined Andrew. It gave me a scare for several reasons but ultimately because I thought I had been watching them closely enough.
There is a new rule in our house. Whenever Andrew asks "What's this?" the response should end with "And that is only for Mommy and Daddy to use. Not Andrew."

Two minutes later:

Andrew back at it immediately after his time out.