"No" means I'm growing up

We have gotten pretty used to a generally amiable child over the past year or so. Binbin generally listens and responds to reason, if you explain why something could be dangerous, he'll use as instructed. And, still, he won't insist on eating something if you tell him it has egg or soy or peanut in it. We've also gotten used to a kid who marches to the beat of his own drum, literally and figuratively. If all the other kids are running after a ball, Binbin is content with gazing at vegetables and remarking on the smallest one ("a teeny cucumber" "a baby carrot" "I love it") or the biggest one ("ooh look! it's a big beet"). But nowadays, he is more apt to feel left out. Especially if Coco and Anjali are running through the sprinklers at Miss Donna's, and he isn't keen on exchanging pants for shorts or having water run down his face.

Fortunately, the moodiness passes. But there are days when, if I could have a dollar for every time he said "no," why, I'd be rich! But then I realize that my life is already rich.