taking things literally

Gareth is at an age... an age that is annoying. But one that Isaiah says is payback for me. He takes everything (or everything that he wants to) literally. Last week, I asked him to pick up some paper off the dining room floor. He picked it up and promptly let it go (where it fell right back on to the floor). He insisted that I only told him to pick it up. On Monday (our at-home-inside day), I let them take the cushions off the couch to build a fort. Later, I asked him to put the cushions back on. So he piled them on. He then pointed out that I didn't ask him to put them on the right way. Testing testing... yes, it's what he's supposed to do... test. And for now, I can see the (slight) humor in it. But one of these days I think I may reach my limit with this particular test.