Mind like a steel trap

I think that people are generally too quick to discredit the memory power of babies. I mean, I have a baby, and I'm constantly amazed by the things he remembers. I'd guess that people who don't have babies would be even less likely to realize just how much they retain.

Today I took Eric to Old Navy, in search of the fabulous sales that someone told me about (which were non-existent, btw). The last time we went to Old Navy was the week after Christmas. On that trip, I put Eric in the cart and we spotted a bin of footballs in the front window of the store, right by the cashiers. I remember thinking their placement between the cashier and exit was odd, like they were basically asking to be stolen. But whatever. I went and got a football to distract Eric from the fact that I was otherwise subjecting him to pure torture.

On today's trip to Old Navy, I decided that I would let him walk around the store with me. I carried him into the store, but didn't set him down until we got all the way to the back, where the baby clothes are. He immediately took off running. He was chanting, "Football! Football! Football!" He ran all the way up to the front of the store, where we had picked up a football more than three months ago on one isolated occasion. When he got up there, he realized there were no bins of footballs this time. "No football?" he whined. Luckily, they were just moved to another spot. All was right in the world.

It just surprised me that he would remember what would seem to me to be an insignificant detail. He does it all the time, though, so you would think I'd get used to it. I'm thinking maybe it's time to start exploiting his memory by teaching him to be one of those genius two-year-olds who can recite all current and former world politicians or something. Although it seems he'd be more apt to learn something like football stats. Anyway, I have to go. We're going to go shopping now so I can point out all the things Mommy wants for her birthday.

P.S. I'm sorry. I forgot to mention something he did that was too cute to ignore. After a while of chasing him around the store, I finally put him in a cart, which he did not like. In an effort to appease him, I just kept grabbing stuff and giving it to him. Sunglasses! Hat! Shoes! Teddy bear! When I gave him the bear, I said, "Eric, do you want to hug a Teddy Bear?" And he gave the bear the biggest, sweetest hug and cuddled with it for a couple of seconds. Then he got a very serious look on his face and sort of backed away from the bear and started shaking his head no. He handed me the bear and said matter of factly, "All done, bear hug."