No-yucky-away!

We're entering a new stage of toddler declarations. Yep, you guessed it: "no", "yucky", and "away!" have entered the rotation. To be perfectly honest, "no" has been around for a while - mainly because I say it a lot - and while it's not my favorite word, I do respect the girls' right to assert their preferences. It doesn't mean we're going to give in, necessarily, but they are entitled to their opinions. I am trying to refrain from laughing as I type this, and believe me, it's even harder not to laugh when cute little voices reject something with a resounding "yuck!" Even if I just cooked it myself.

The other night, I got out a box of macaroni and cheese and asked Erin if she'd like that for dinner. In hindsight, I probably should have explained that I was going to cook the contents of the box. She pursed her lips and shook her head. "No. Uh-uh. Yuck."
I sighed and asked her what she did want for dinner. Or perhaps she didn't want dinner tonight?
Erin: "No. Yes. Food."
Sarah: "Okay, then this is what we're having. Macaroni and cheese."
Erin (takes box and shakes it, is delighted with rattling from inside): "MMMM! Nummy!  'Heez! Food!"

I suppose even if she can say the words, she doesn't necessarily know what they mean. Nor can she understand that we cook boxed food before we eat it. Do I actually want her to understand that? Well, as a working mom, I probably don't really have a choice. At any rate, she and her sister consumed vast quantities of macaroni and cheese mixed with frozen vegetables, with no mentions of "yucky", or her new favorite when something undesirable is pressed on her, "away!" (not to be confused with another favorite word, "hoo-way!"