Just How Smart Is He?

Yesterday Eric's sister Amy came over for a visit. Sam happily showed her all of his animals and she made him scream with delight when she made the animals attack each other.

I could tell that Sam was very comfortable having Amy here, so I decided to use her as another witness of Sam's knowledge. I got out the alphabet puzzle. Amy (and I!) watched, openmouthed, as Sam started holding up the letters and clearly saying their names.

"A! B! C! D! E! P! O! R! Blblblblblblbl!"

Okay, the last one was W. But I didn't know he knew the others so well.

Excited by his audience, Sam ran and got his number puzzle. It is made out of foam, and Sam likes to stand the numbers up on the table. He got a few standing, and was having trouble with the 1. Of course, its ends were narrow and rounded and it wouldn't stand up. He was so patient! He tried again and again. Then (again to my and Amy's shock) he reached for the 0. He laid the 0 flat on the table and then wedged the 1 into its center - and succeeded in making it stand up.

I remained impressed by Sam the rest of the day. The kid has some highly developed problem-solving skills! We had dinner, read books, and then got into the tub. All was going along as usual. Then, Sam decided to start putting tub toys on his head. He set a few up there, giggling at himself. Then he filled his little cup with water and dumped it right down his forehead.

He sputtered and gasped and furiously rubbed the water out of his eyes. And then he did it again. And again. And again. Each time, he became more indignant and upset. I kept telling him that he was doing it, and he could stop doing it at any time. Most of the time I am a hands-off mom and try to let him figure things out for himself. But I finally had to take the cup away from him. If I hadn't, I think he would still be in the tub, dumping water down his own face, furious about the water on his face.

And thus my son reminds me that it is good to be humble.