Underestimating

It's so hard not to underestimate NJ. He's not really talking yet, so it's easy to assume he doesn't really understand much yet either. But I'm constantly reminded that he understands everything we say: This morning, after breakfast, he was moping around the family room pointing to where his toy bin usually is and whining. I reminded him that he had a lot of toys in his room and suggested he play with them, so he ran off to his room. A few moments later he came back around the corner making some complaining sounding grunts and turning back and forth. Daddy took the bait and followed him to his room where his box of mega blocks was partly pulled out from under the bed, but stuck on one piece that was a little too tall. So, daddy helped him out and returned to the kitchen. But just seconds later, NJ comes back out again making more complaining noises and pointing to his room. We both look at him a moment or too and finally daddy figures it out and says, "maybe you'd like to bring your mega blocks out here to the family room to play with them here near us." After a split second look on concentration, the biggest smile appeared on his face and ran back to his room and started gathering them up! Daddy pitched in and soon NJ was happily playing with toys in the family room.