Counting

Four year olds, as we're finding out, occasionally fixate on something. The question gets asked 50 times even though you've told them the answer 50 times. One such incident occurred near Halloween on the ride home from daycare. The weather had been a bit chilly that week and we'd busted out the warm winter coats, hats and mittens (yes this statement is relevant).

I can't remember the exact topic, but Jeb immediately deployed a distraction tactic. It went something like this:

J: Hey, Alanna what's 5 plus 5?
A: 8
J: Noooo. How many fingers do you have on one hand?
A: umm...2.
J: 2! Noooo. How many noses do you have?
A: 1.
J: Right. How many ears do you have?
A: 2.
J: Right. Now count. How many fingers do you have?
A: 1...2! I CAN'T COUNT RIGHT NOW!

She was right. She did have 2. She was adamently holding up her mittened hand at the time.....