I can count to ....

I have posted about the Improviser and the Daredevil. One learns early with three boys that you have to try to appear to be fair. So in all fairness to the Chowhound, I will tell one on him. (But, as you will see, I don't have as many stories about him because he has usually been my good child. There are still some though.)

Grandmothers and Aunts who aren't accustomed to being around children can get suckered in without notice. The Chowhound, who was about 5 or 6, sweetly and politely asked to ride back to our house with his Aunt L and Grandmother. No harm in this, (ha ha) they thought. After all he's the sweetest of all my boys. Sweetness had nothing to do with it. It was all about pride. Shortly after the trip began, he pipes up with, "I can count to 1000. Want to hear?" (Yes, that is a one and three zeros. He picked ONE THOUSAND. Not 10 or even 100, BUT 1000.) Suckers. Evidently, they said yes. For when they staggered wide eyed into my house, 3 hours later, they looked like they wanted to scream and badly needed a drink. He could indeed count to one thousand---by ones. To their credit, when he said, "I can count to 2000, too. Want to hear?" They wised up and quickly screamed, "NO!!!" He was really proud of himself, and you shouldn't discourage children. But, I guess even Aunts and Grandmothers have their limits.