developing the if, then muscle

We drove to the coast on Friday. After a too-short nap (because of our ill-timed selection of when to fill up the gas tank), Lucy rode quietly in the back seat, looking out the window, then later she requested her favorite music and we all bopped along. It was great, and reminded us by the sheer difference how terrible it used to be to drive in the car with Lucy and the non-stop screaming.

All in all, she was a perfectly delightful traveling companion, except for one small glimpse into a possible future: at the very end of the two and a half hour trip, she started saying "Mama Mama Mama Mama Mama Mama Mama Mama Mama" etc. for no particular reason in a rather loud voice. I asked her to stop, and she thought for a second, then said:

"What will you do if I don't stop?"