His First Con

My children are slow to sit, crawl and walk. They are content to be where they are. They are laid back. But I've made the mistake of assuming their sluggishness extends to their gray matter. Number Two just reminded me I should not be so cavalier.

He is sitting next to me in his exersaucer, munching on a bagel as our dog, Roxie, watches. Every so often I catch a subtle movement in my periphery. The slow turn of my head reveals him reaching toward Roxie with foodstuff outstretched. As soon as Number Two sees me, he pulls back. I narrow my eyes and scrunch my nose. He crams the bagel into his mouth and looks at me with the same old expression I've been chalking up to vacancy. In fact, my son is a nine month old con artist.

He's been told before not to feed the dog, but I didn't think the message actually got through. Seeing him now, sitting in slick wait as I turn my attention back to the computer, I realize I was wrong. He knows what he's doing. Again, I look at him. Again, the dog is nosing in for bread held out. Again, Number Two catches my eye and stuffs the bagel back between two red gums beginning to show the first signs of teeth.

I'm more impressed than perturbed. I'm sure that will change soon, but right now it's the first sign of my son's cognitive wheels being put in motion. It's manipulation, not of the motor-skilled variety, but of the thinking kind. There's something going on there.

I'm shaking my head. I'm staring at these words on the screen. And, suddenly, he's doing it again.

He's growing up when he thinks I'm not looking.