my deliberately sneaky boy

I've been wondering when the sneaky side would come out. I've been surprised at really how long it's taken. Today Nolan tells me in the backyard to go around the porch to the other side and to stay there. He has an odd look in his eyes. I do so cautiously and peeking around the corner I see him sit down in front of the flowers, picking the petals off! He's heard me tell him many times not to do that despite the obvious pleasure it gives him. I tell him we want to enjoy looking at them... but Nolan wants to enjoy picking at them. He sees me catching him in the act and smiles and then comes over to where I am and does start to pick at a flower right in front of me and he tells me how much he likes to pick at the petals, but you shouldn't, or something oddly cute. I wish I could remember exactly.

We've been through a similar run around on the subject of peeing in the backyard. He loves it. Once it was warm enough this year, Nolan would ask me if he could and I always said no and attempted to explain to him about privacy and living in a city with lots of neighbors and how it just wasn't polite. So one day I am leaving Nolan in the backyard by himself for a moment and I come to the door and look out to see one happy boy making his pee go as far as he could and as high up as he could.

Today Nolan also pushed up his step stool to the side of the counter that has the candy jar with his treats. I've always left it out in the open because it's a sentimental candy jar that was my Grandmother Ruth's and also because Nolan has never actually tried to get into it, until today. He did ask first though, which may be a mistake he won't repeat again. I am now wondering if we'll find candy wrappers hidden away after he sneaks some, but I think he's smarter than that and will put them in the trash...