unbelievable

Just when I think that I KNOW my kiddo, she goes and does something unbelievable. Take today, for instance. We're eating lunch {ham and bean soup, my favorite from my own kiddo-dom}, and gabbing away. The conversation was something like this:

E: "Soup"

me: "Yes, Em is eating soup."

E: "Soup. Uh-Ga-Gah {That's Uncle Craig for those of you who aren't fluent in Emersonese}

me: "Um, yeah. I think Uncle Craig likes soup."

E: "Uh-Ga-Gah. Soup. Soup."

me: "Yes, Em. Uncle Craig likes soup. I don't know why you keep looking at your soup and saying Uncle Craig...OH!! I KNOW! You remember when we went out to dinner with Uncle Craig last month, and he shared his soup with you!"

E: "Soup. Uh-Ga-Gah. Soup. Soup."

At this point, I've about fallen off my chair and have already dialed Jeff to tell him what a genius our kid is. SHE REMEMBERS SHARING SOUP WITH UNCLE CRAIG WEEKS AGO. HOLY COW!!! I'm amazed that she 1. remembers, 2. was triggered by a completely different flavor of soup all together, and 3. is thinking abstractly about Uncle Craig.

{Incidentally, we called Uncle Craig and left him a message to tell him that we were thinking of him. He texted me back saying that she made his day. How sweet!}

Is this normal for 19 month-olds? Because I'm about ready to find my local chapter of MENSA for her :) Seriously, I thought I knew what motherhood would be. But no one prepared me for moments like these. If this is what lunch is like with a toddler, imagine how I'll feel when she's in college.

Sigh. I heart her.