For the most part, N has accepted that he is required to eat at mealtimes. We still have meals, however, where we really have to work to get food into him.

The other day, as we were eating dinner, he suddenly put his hands over his ears. His mom asked him what he was doing. With his hands over his ears, of course, he couldn’t hear her. So she repeated herself (much) more loudly.

“Oh,” he said. “I’m thinking.”

Tough to say no to thinking. We went about our meal while he sat there with his hands over his ears.

After five minutes or so, he took his hands off his ears. The rest of us quieted down to hear the results of his deep thinking. Looking around solemnly, he said. “I think I’m done eating.”

There was clearly an awful lot of thinking behind that pronouncement, but his momma was unimpressed. “Eat your food.” she said firmly.

He looked at her for a moment, pondering rebellion, and then gave it up and started eating.

That momma – she don’t truck with no thinking.