ari counts

So as we're watching Elmo's Potty Time together, Ari is saying something under his breath which Mama is not astute enough to get, as usual. Mama says, "Tree? Do you see a tree?" But Andi, always more adept at Ari Interpretation, says, "No, he's counting to three."

"Ari, are you counting?" I say, which usually is the surest ticket to stifling him.

Sure enough, he says nothing at all, just nods his head. But I wait a little while, letting him think it all over while Elmo is dancing on the screen with Grover, and finally Ari says, "Five!" The five is as clear as clear.

Of course, Mama doesn't like to quibble, but... it does sound like he has missed four, doesn't it?

For the next half hour that he is awake, Ari says over and over, "Two, three, five!" There is something that comes before the two, but it sure doesn't sound anything like one, no matter how hard you try to turn it into that. And there sure doesn't seem to be any four. Then he goes to sleep.

This morning he wakes up, smiles at me, and says, "Un, two, tree, four five!"

What, did he figure it out in his sleep?

What a funny little man.