Dr. No.

"No."

I fear my son thinks this is Daddy's favorite word. I was particularly verbose with it yesterday as I was on deadline. When your world is marked only by mealtime and nap time deadlines and slavish devotion to the clock are jarring intrusions. How to convince a three year old that yes, I will play with you but I have to finish this work assignment first!

I dealt with this in the spring by letting him watch TV, but that then became all he wanted to do. So I'm trying to avoid that this time.

Happily, I was able to get my work done and we went for a bike ride and I took him to Gravelly Point to watch the airplanes take off at National Airport. Then, as nap time approached and with the realization we hadn't eaten lunch, I had to say, No, we can't stay, we have to go.

Sigh.