Picey

Liam: Whas' dis Wisa?

Me: That's candy, but you won't like that kind of candy.

Liam: It's candy?

Me: Yes, but you won't like it.

Liam: Uh huuhhh.

Me: No, Liam, it's really hot.

Liam: It's hot?

Me: Yeah, it's spicy.

Liam: Picy?

Me: Yeah, it's yucky.

Liam: Dis candy?

Me: Yes, it's candy Liam. But yucky candy.

He'd then stop for a minute and stare at the Atomic Fireball candy.

To him, obviously the candy did not feel hot.

And he had no clue what spicy meant.

All he knew was that I told him it was candy.

Why did I even tell him it was candy?!

That's where I went wrong.

After staring at the Atomic Fireball some more, the same conversation would start again.

Whas' dis?

It's candy.

It's candy?

Yes, but I promise you won't like it.

Why?

It's spicy and spicy is yucky.

Then he'd pause again

and stare at the candy.

Finally, I thought to myself.

"How else will Liam learn what spicy is?

It's up to me, Liam's Aunt Lisa, to teach him."

Hehe... this will be good.

Okay Liam.

You can have that piece of candy if you promise to sit right next to me until it's all gone.

Okay?

Okay!

So Liam hops up on the bed next to me.

I open the wrapper and hand the candy to him.

He puts the candy in his mouth and starts sloshin' it around.

I sit there curiously watching him.

I expected him to spit it out right away.

But nope.

Liam, do you want to spit it out?

No.

Okay, you can spit it out if you want.

About a minute goes by and see the inside of his mouth get all red from the coloring of the candy.

So I knew that the strong cinnamon flavoring must be all over his mouth.

I see his eyes starting to tear up.

Liam are you sure you don't want to spit it out?

He shakes his head.

So I sit there a bit longer, just watching him.

At this point, the tears are comin' down his cheeks.

Is Liam really THIS stubborn?!

He is crazy!

I put my hand up to his mouth and ask him again if he wants to spit it out.

This time he does.

After he spit out the candy, Liam wouldn't shut his mouth.

I handed him a cracker to try and take the strong taste away.

Liam was that candy spicy?

Yeah, it's picey.

Did you like it?

Noooo.

And that is how you teach a 2 1/2 year old what spicy is.