Conversations with a toddler

Yesterday at lunch Micah and I had a conversation that went like this:
"Micah baby belly." (pulling up his shirt and pointing)
"No, Micah. Mommy has a baby in her belly."
"No! Micah baby belly!" (very emphatic)
"Micah, the baby is in Mommy's belly."
(laughing with eyes twinkling) No, Mommy. Micah baby belly.
He is so silly! I think he was making a joke. Is a 20 month old capable of making a joke?
Anyway, today we got it sorted out. I asked him where the baby was and he told me, "Mommy belly" and this time lifted my shirt and pointed. I asked him to give the baby a kiss and he did.

One day last week, Micah climbed in the front seat of the car instead of into his seat in the back where he belongs. Just before I scolded him for not getting into his seat like I had asked, he looked up at me with both hands on the steering wheel very seriously and asked, "Mommy, Micah drive, okay?" I couldn't help but laugh as I scooped him up and put him in his carseat, explaining that he wasn't quite big enough to drive yet. He was very disappointed.

I haven't quite figured out how to convince him that it takes time to warm up tomato soup and why it isn't a good idea to turn summersaults on the kitchen floor (which he can successfully do on his own about one out of every ten tries). Maybe in time those things will make sense to him, too.