The Difference Between the First and the Third

When David was about 2, every morning when he woke up he would ask for a cookie.

"Cookie? Cookie?"

And point to the cabinet where he knew I kept them.

They were just those non-Oreo cookies. You know the kind I mean.

And I would give him a cookie. He'd smile and eat the cookie. And never ask for another cookie until the next morning, when we would start the new day with the same ritual.

Peter (almost 5): "Can I have a cookie, pwease?"

Mama: "Sure, here you go."

Peter: "Now some milk."

Mama: "That's not how you ask."

Peter: "Some milk, pweease!"

Mama: "Try again."

Peter: "Pweease, can I pweease have some milk pweease?"

Mama: "Here's your milk."

Peter (licking his milk mustache): "Can I have a cookie, pwease?"