The Steel Trap

At Uncle Matt's rehearsal dinner we all realized how much alike he and Sam looked at the tender age of 2. More recently, I've come to realize that Sam not only resembles him physically, but shares some of his personality traits, too. Top of the list: a memory like a steel trap. The kid seems to remember everything.

Take, for example, our car ride to church on Sunday morning. After informing me that we were also going in the direction of the gym (he also recognizes the turns for school, Kroger, home and church), he reminded me "Daddy take you that store buy plants" as we drove past Home Depot. Half a mile down the freeway he recounted "Last time wait our turn, its raining!" See that would make sense to you if you knew that last Sunday we had measurable rainfall for the first time in 3 months, causing an accident and major traffic on our way to church. We had to wait our turn to get through the one open lane in that very same spot. One mile later, we passed a temporary carnival in a mall parking lot. "Gammi, Papa take you that, go high around!" Y'all, my parents joined us on the Ferris wheel when they were in town for the Rodeo LAST MARCH.

He regularly tells stories from weeks ago. (Ok, so it helps to understand his stories if you were there with him, but they are still correct.) In the mornings he asks me what we're doing today, and he can remember not only the days plans, but the order in which they will happen. Its quite helpful that now he remembers where he leaves everything.

Sometimes its overwhelming to think that he is absorbing, processing and remembering SO MUCH of what happens in his every day life. Will he remember my less-than-friendly reactions to other drivers? Will he remember the times I react in frustration or anger when he's just being two? Sometimes I hope not.

But maybe 50 years from now when Uncle Matt is on the mental decline and no longer able to remember such details, we'll be able to ask Sam exactly what he was wearing on his 39th day of 2nd grade.