What did those Cheerios ever do to you?

We sat at the counter eating breakfast. Jack had a bowl of honey nut Cheerios and I had egg whites on toast. Hm. I watched him shovel the food into his mouth with loud smacking chews. I let him read a little Calvin and Hobbes while he ate, even though it went against my own rule of no reading at meals. (I know that one of my absolute favorite things is reading while I eat cereal. Why deny him this simple pleasure?)

Then he asked for a cereal refill. When he was almost done I gave him a straw so he could slurp up the rest of the milk. Instead he sucked up each of the cereal pieces and attached them to the end of his straw. Then he moved them over to a huge pile on his spoon with loud crane-like noises. A small pile started to form on top of the spoon. I had an idea where this was headed. But first, without missing a beat, and apparently while still reading his book, Jack turned his head and took a huge chomp out of my toast.

me: Heyyyyy, that’s my breakfast.

Jack: But it’s sooooo good!

me: How come when I ask if you want this for breakfast, you say it’s gross. I can make you your own eggs you know.

Jack: It tastes better when it’s someone else’s.

me: True. What are you doing with that cereal pile? (He had resumed moving pieces onto the end of the spoon.)

Jack: (glancing across the room where Ed lay sleeping) Nothing.

me: Uh-huh. You are not launching your cereal at Ed.

Jack: Awwww, you never let me have fun with my breakfast!