Delicious Distractions

So the other day the Mother of the Gremlin was heading out to get dinner - she usually does a homemade meal almost every night, and rarely takes a night off. So when she asked to take a night off, both the Gremlin and I were okay with it. We began the ice-cold schlep over to foodie row (McDonald's, Subway, four middle eastern places (two Lebanese, one Iraqi, one Egyptian) a Starbucks, and Dunkin' Donuts, two pizza places, and brand-new hot dog store. All within two blocks of each other.

Once we stopped at the bank, we had to again pass by the Dunkin' Donuts. The Gremlin, having already figured out that 1) donuts are delicious and 2) you have to have money to get one (he's currently saving his regular holiday money from grandma for Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway - Rocky), saw that we had just gone to the bank.

We have been trying to get the Gremlin used to walking with us and not being carried, and he's always been extremely good about walking with us, not crossing streets without us, etc... But when the guy walking in front of us stepped into Dunkin' Donuts, the Gremlin darted in after him. The man was so amused that he held the inner door open as well, and the Gremlin was off to the races.

He ducked in and out of the maze of tables, glanced at the twin 5-person deep lines, and stepped right in front of everyone. The Latino man, short but sturdy and looking like a craftsman or construction worker by trade (read: tough), that the Gremlin had just brushed aside began to chuckle as the employee looked confused between the two.

The Gremlin was undaunted. "I would like one chocolate donut please!" The Dunkin Donuts worker just stood there staring at him, so the Gremlin made an addendum. "Oh, and a coffee for momma. Thanks!"

We finally caught up with him at that point and tried to pull him to the back of the line, but all 5 men the Gremlin cut off were chuckling and telling us it was okay. So the employee rang it up as the Gremlin looked at his mother. "Okay momma, you can pay for it now."

He's gonna be fun in high school. Especially when he learns about credit cards.

Already Outsmarting Us

So this morning the MOTG (Mother of the Gremlin), and the Gremlin decided they needed chocolate and went to Dunkin' Donuts. The MOTG ordered a chocolate donut and the Gremlin ordered a regular donut with chocolate frosting. Needless to say, he was so good on the way home that he was awarded his donut early, and finished it before they made it into the apartment.

I should explain that we live up 3 flights of stairs, and no matter what time of year it is, everyone is always sweating by the time they get all the way up the stairs. So the MOTG puts the Dunkin' Donuts down on the window sill by the couch and goes into the kitchen to get milk, a towel, and various other Gremlin-related cleaning/feeding items.

"Hi Mommy!" She looked down to see the dark little face staring up at her.
"Wow, I didn't think you had that much chocolate on your face before."
"Mommy, I need to show you something!" He took her by the hand and started pulling her into his room.
"Buddy, I need to get you cleaned up and settled so I can sit down and relax."
"No, Mommy! I need to show you something now!" And he pulled her into his room and sat the MOTG by his train tracks.
"Okay, Momma. Wait right there."

So the MOTG waited. And waited. And waited. After a few minutes she realized the Gremlin had closed the door when he left, so she scooted over and cracked it open. This was just in time to see the Gremlin stuff the last bite of her donut in his face.

"Hghf, Mgrhfmma!"

The look of shock on the MOTG's face must have said it all, because the Gremlin spit out the half-chewed bite.

"Mfg, sorry Momma! I share with you." After the chocolate-stained hands and face of the the Gremlin had been cleaned, the MOTG sat on the couch and started trying to regain her composure. The Gremlin walked himself out of the bathroom and sat down in time out. Even after his mother called for him to come over, he stood up, went into her purse, picked out a $10 and came back over.

"Here you go, Momma, we can go back to Dunkin' Donuts!"