Evan: Mama, want a tweet! (translation: Reese's mini peanut butter cup)
Me: What do you say?
Evan: Tank you, Mama.
Me: (hoping for 'please' but thinking, eh good enough). You're welcome.
Evan: You're welcome, Mama.
But, when Evan doesn't get a 'tweet' because he's boycotting eating lunch or dinner, meltdowns can happen. We have a pretty good system for meltdowns. It usually involves saying "Oh no, I guess Evan wants some alone time." Evan is a social butterfly. The worst thing you can do is put him in alone time.
This is alone time. Lest you think we actually have created a baby jail in our house, the gate is on his room to keep the animals out. It also works for alone time.

Though this has backfired a few times. Sometimes he remembers he has a bajillion toys in his room and could care less about this big, fat punishment failure.
That and he also knows the code words for getting out of alone time now. "I be good boy, Mama!" starts as soon as we walk down the hall. It crushes me every single time.
This weekend Evan broke-in a new babysitter. Not only did he take to her right away (didn't even fuss when I left) but she actually got him down for a nap!
I hope (and pray) Evan continues to sail on past the 'terrible' part of this age. :::knock on wood:::