"Well, but..."

Have you ever had moments where if you heard your kids say something one more time you thought you would explode? I'm there!!! Jackson is in this stage where EVERYTIME I ask him to do something or ask him why he did something (that he wasn't supposed to do), I'm told, "Well, but..." followed by something that I could care less about!!! Where did this come from and why is this happening?!?!?!? Is this done by ALL 4 year olds in America? Why isn't this in the "book"? oh yeah - there ISN'T a "book"!!!! I've explained to him why mommy doesn't like this response and have told him that the appropriate response is, "yes ma'am" but that doesn't seem to sink in to his head (notice I didn't say "thick skull" - that reminds me of when I was younger and heard it from my mom). So, now I'm thinking this is just a phase and will go away - at some point - when he's 40!!!

So, I need some wise counsel by those of you who have "been there and done that" because I'm at the point where the poor kid is going to get a "meeting with the spoon" everytime those word come out of his mouth. Seriously, those of you who know my email address, please respond with some wise counsel before I lose it with our child. I'm off to relax in a bubble bath......