Don't peel that banana!

The other day I was busily doing some salsa canning in the kitchen so the counters were cleared and everything was on the table--including the fruit basket. Jonathan came in the kitchen and proceeded to remove a banana and get ready to peel it. I asked him what he was doing and he said "I'm hungry for a banana." I told him since he didn't ask he couldn't have it and he needed to put it back. He looked right at me and snapped off the top of the banana to begin the process of peeling. "Don't you dare peel that banana! I just told you that you can't have it because you didn't ask for it! Put it down right now." (beeping timer in the background=me slightly distracted for a moment...) I can hear the sound of peeling banana behind and me and turn to find Jonathan almost done with the peeling process of the banana I just moments before told him to put down. "No. You cannot have that banana!" 

"But mom, I am not peeling it for me. I am peeling it for Reagan. I am doing service right now."

(a pan boiling over...)

J: "Here you go Reagan I peeled this banana for you."

R: "Uh uh. I don't want a banana."

J: "Then can I have it Reagan?"

R: "Sure."

J: "Mom, Reagan doesn't want the banana that I peeled for her and she says that I can have it."

(mom boiling over...)

"Jonathan you cannot have that banana. You need to start listening to me. You can't have anything to eat until you start listening to me!"

Jonathan sets the banana down, looks around, and walks up to the fridge. As he pulls open the fridge door I snap. "Shut that door right now!"

The fridge door shuts. The 3 year old looks at me with a sly smile. "Ok. I did it. I listened to you mommy. Now can I have the banana because I listened to you?"

WHAT THE?! Where did this kid come from and how did he learn this type of logical reasoning skills mixed with creative dishonesty?! And how is he so stinking cute about how he does it?!

Jonathan ate the banana.

Jonathan 1

Mom 0

Well played Jonathan. Well played.