Not Tricked, No Treat.

Mabel:  Mom-mee? For eating so much dinner, can I have a treat? 

Me:  (looking at her virtually untouched dinner plate) No, Mabes. You can't.

Mabel:  Whyyy? 

Me:  Because just saying 'I ate so much', isn't the same as actually eating. You didn't eat anything, Mabes. 

Mabel:  I'm not hungry. 

Me:  Okay, but then don't ask for a treat. 

Mabel:  My tummy told me that it doesn't want broccoli. 

Me:  Well, my Mommy-ness out-ranks your tummy. 

Mabel:  Then I'm not going to love you anymore. 

Me:  Okay. 

Mabel:  When you ask for a hug, I'm going to say 'no'. 

Me:  I'll take it under advisement. 

Mabel:  Mom-mee? If you give me a treat, I'll eat the rest of my broccoli. 

Me:  That's not the way it works, buddy. 

Mabel:  Do you know what I'm doing right now? I'm looking for another family to come get me.  I'll go live with Anasofia's mommy. Then you'll never get to see me. You'll miss me. 

Me:  Yes I will. 

Mabel:  You'll have to find another little girl to love you, because I won't love you anymore. 

Me:  I'll be very sad. It will be hard because I love you so much. 

Mabel:  Maybe your next girl will eat my broccoli. 

Me:  Ooh, do you think so? I'll put that in my ad. 

Mabel:  What ad? 

Me:  The one I'm going to put in the paper, looking for a new little girl to replace you when you go away. Ooh, I guess I'd better go pack your bag. This is the sad part, huh?

Mabel:  Yes. 

There's a long pause, followed by several mouthfuls of broccoli. 

Mabel:  Mom-mee? You wouldn't really get another kid, would you? 

Me:  You'd be impossible to replace, Mabes. I'd never let you go. 

Mabel:  I love you Mommy. And I love broccoli! I just remembered! 

After chewing several bites of broccoli at the same time, Mabel takes a messy hunk of green out of her mouth and not-so-subtley drops it on the floor beneath her chair. 

Mabel:  Mom-mee? NOW can I have a treat?