Fish or Cookies?

That's what I asked after Katy had finished her dinner last night. Simple enough of a question, even for an 18-month old, right?

You see, my mom started a ridiculous reward system when I was growing up that has now carried on to a third generation, the Empty Container Prize. Anyone who emptied a container during the course of a meal (can you tell leftovers were common?) got a prize, and usually one that involved a new container of leftovers, or (yippee!) something from the freezer of leftovers. Who came up with this ridiculous game?

So, since Katy's dinner is usually concocted on a per-night basis, the container-emptying-opportunity arises quite often. However, so as not to traumatize her with some mystery dessert from the freezer that is totally unrecognizble without an ice pick and some carbon-dating, we rely on life's simple favorites. Vanilla wafers and goldfish crackers.

"Fish or cookie? "

She spent the next 4 minutes playing verbal ping-pong, repeating "fish" and "cookie" one right after the other. And she didn't need to be signing fish and cookie for emphasis, that was just to be cute, I'm sure. The look on her face wasn't the typical "maybe-she'll-actually-fall-for-it" look that I normally get when it's in the middle of dinner. This time it was sincere, earnest, and inquisitive. Why can't I have both? Why should I have to choose?

Fish and cookies it is.