My darling dissident

E's still under the weather so we've been home most of the week. I did decide to keep our appointment at the infant cognition lab since his energy was at full tilt and there wouldn't be other kids (and parents) around to be bothered by little E's drippy, rattly, coughing appearance.

We bundled up and headed out. I picked him up to carry him to the car and as we approached it he pointed away from the car and toward the route we walk to the park. I told him we were going in the car. He said "no no no".

This was the first time he's ever said "no" and meant it (and boy did he mean it).

Maybe it's his cold, maybe it's his French ancestry, but he says "no" in the most adorable nasal manner. To come close to recreating it you really have to press your tongue to the roof of your mouth and purse your lips as you peal off the "n" sound.

I convinced him we were actually going in the car despite his protests.

One of the studies at the lab had E handling a variety of objects. Once each phase of the study was complete the researcher asked E to handle the object back. Rather surprisingly, he cooperated immediately.

Except for one object.

The researcher asked for the object. E said "no". In a moment of parental weakness I admit that I laughed.

E has learned to disagree, and more importantly, how to express it. I predict this gets less funny in ... 3, 2, 1 ...

Little E has also learned to say cheese. Ham goes so well with cheese, don't you think?