Gardner had his very first free cookie from our neighborhood Publix's delicatessen this morning. It was mid-morning, and I thought, "Why not." He was missing his normal mid-morning snack due to our errand-running, and I could always postpone lunch a little.

"Chocolate chip or sugar?" the sweet little old lady asked me. Gardner didn't answer. I smiled at him and said to the lady, "Chocolate chip." As she reached into the bin, I said, "Errr....sugar!!" Chocolate chip would melt in his hands, and it would get way too messy. She grabbed a sugar cookie instead, and I watched as she sweetly handed him a round cookie studded with Valentine nonpareils. He smiled widely and stared at his treat with fervor.

Two aisles down, I looked back at him as I placed something into our cart. All I could do was smile, albeit nervously, when I saw that he was halfway into his cookie, and red and pink streaks of slobber were trailing down his irrestible little chin and onto his peacoat.

Less messy, not quite.

But it ended up being the highlight of my day, seeing him enjoying that simple little cookie so passionately. :)