Say What?

Every day I go about my daily business not knowing what impact it's having on a 3yr old.  I never know exactly what Nate is retaining.  How much of the tv shows does he comprehend, how much of what I say does he pay attention to, what interests him... he surprises me sometimes and other times I think he is all *boy*.  You know the Y chromosome lacks that listening gene ;)  

I especially like when he changes the title of something.  For instance, he still calls dandelions *flower bubbles* and when he cries he says, 'wipe my drips'  not tears or face, but drips.  Yesterday (or last wk) (or last month) is still 'one last day'  He will say, 'Did we go to the store one last day?' Kona is still being called 'Kaka' and he talks really well so it's not because he can't say Kona... whenever her image and name formed a link in his brain it is forever kaka.  

Besides changing titles I've learned he is a quiet observer.  We were standing outside his classroom the other day with his teachers and they asked him 'what did we do today' and he went on and on about a worm activity.  There was a big one and small one, they live in the dirt... yada yada... but the teachers were impressed because he doesn't say too much during the activity.  I have no idea how to gauge that, but they said he basically recited all they said... you just don't know when he is listening.  Sometimes I'll ask a question and he looks at me like I"m from the planet Mars and other times he will know everything.  BTW, if I said I was from the planet Mars he would be quick to correct me and say I live on Earth (Nate is a very literal child haha)

Here is one that caught me totally off guard.  We got some castle molds for his kinetic sand the other day.  He opened them on the way home.  He yells from the back seat, 'Look mom Taj Mahal'.  I know I never taught him that, so I asked, 'What did you just say?' I figured I just heard him wrong.  He repeated Taj Mahal.  I got home and looked at it and gosh darn it, it was a little Taj.  I asked where did you hear that?  He said Little Einsteins.  Ok.  Guess those cartoons aren't totally bad for you!    

Now for the worst part of him listening to everything (well everything that he chooses to listen to... y chromosome remember).  Kona came to the door with a dead bird in her mouth (long story.... we have a salmonella outbreak maybe, I think..) anyway.  The minute I said 'Oh No' I realized the 3 yr old next to me said something else 'OH Sh*t'...  While impressive that he used it in the right context, not impressive that I've probably said that at some point.  I don't cuss often, but when I do there is probably a 3 yr old picking up on my every syllable.  Oy Vey