Sprite's First Sentence

I always thought Sprite's first sentence would have a verb in it.

"Sprite, no!"

I was in the kitchen. I didn't see it happen. I just heard the lead in.

"Sprite, I said no." I could hear John's frustrated voice from his office and Sprite's squeal as she obviously found delight in tormenting something or someone. (Harry? Blue? John?)

"That's it, you need a time out!' John came out of his office, Sprite's hand grasped firmly in his as he led her to her bedroom.

"Her room may not be the best place for that," I mentioned as I watched them move by, "too many toys."

John stopped suddenly. "Where then?"

I didn't know. We've never called a time out before. I surely thought there would be more warning than this. An email announcing time outs may begin at this age? A bulletin on the 11 o'clock news the night before? A parade? Oy.

I looked around quickly. The corner by the front door looked plain enough that we could keep an eye on her and she wouldn't be able to get too far before we started the chase that would surely happen. "There," I pointed.

John brought her over and in an authoritative voice, said, "Sit down, Sprite."

Sprite walked the rest of the way to the entry rug and sat her tushy right down, facing away from us towards the front door.

John and I looked at each other in silent awe. Maybe we were imagining the easiness of this, but it looked as if she had done this before. Clearly, this was our first time out, but she seemed to be sort of a veteran! Maybe she's been sent to time out at day care before and they just haven't told us?

Then, Sprite turned her head to look at John, her jailer, and blew him a raspberry and a mischievous smile before she turned to face the door again to serve the rest of her 2 minute sentence.

John shot me a look of warning as I worked hard to contain the laughter.

"If you laugh, you'll go to your room!" he warned me, his eyes bright with the smile he had swallowed.

Promises, promises.

John knelt down to Sprite when her time was up. "Sprite, say sorry."

Sprite looked down at the ground. "Sahwy," she said, before looking up at John and giving him a kiss.

He released his prisoner and looked up at me, rolling his eyes as I still couldn't quite hold in my humor.

Me thinks she'll be a repeat offender.

Comments

[Wendy]

Yeah, she sounds like a pro. Maybe she's a little hellion at daycare, and they just assume she's not the angel she is at home, so they don't even bother to tell you when she's been to time-out.

www.notesfromthesleepdeprived.blogspot.com

[Kim/hormone-colored days]

Ugh. My comment got eaten. Cute story!

[Lisa]

The other day Jonathan walked to an area of the sitter's yard she doesn't allow him. She told him to come back. She said he turned, looked at her blankly and turned his back on her, going anyhow.

Let's just say, our kid is getting to be a pro at the time-out thing too.