Julian has shown himself to be a Most Astute Observer lately. The kid pays attention to *everything* apparently, and stores it away in his little head.

Last night Dan was quizzing him on his name. Not just "Julian", but what was his *full* name? After some prompting, he came up with "Julian Baker".

Then we moved on to Daddy. What is Daddy's name? "Dan!"
Good, now what is Daddys' full name?
Hmmm, a stumper....he needed some help, but finally said "Dan Baker".

"What is Mommy's name?"
"Lola!"
Well, close enough.

Now the real trick question...NO WAY would he get this one.

"What's Mommy's *full* name?"

"Lola......"
The pause went on forever, and Dan and I waited to see what he would come up with.
"Lola Hamilton!"

WHOA! Dan and I goggled at one another and then gave Julian some big high fives for pulling it off. How in the world did he know that?

He must have heard me saying my full name when I call customers on the phone, which, granted, isn't *that* often. Maybe once or twice a week?

Then he said, "Name is Mommy Baker! Mommy Baker! Mommy Baker!" So he even grasps my dual personality as "Laura Hamilton", businesswoman and "Mommy Baker", um, mom, I guess. Funny!

Today we were coming back from the post office and we saw a UPS truck drive by.
"That's a big truck!" said Julian.
"That's a big brown truck!" I expounded.
"That's the big brown truck that brings the boxes! And Puppy barks, 'Arf! Arf!'"

I don't know why I was surprised that he knew that. The big brown truck brings the boxes practically every day, and Puppy does indeed bark his brains out when the driver rings the doorbell, if my sign isn't out.

Still, I never thought he was really paying attention to that kind of stuff. But it turns out that he is. I should give his little sponge brain a lot more credit.