truth, lies, and too much remembering

Henry’s ability to recall things is a bit disconcerting sometimes. As we were just rocking before bed he was telling me about things that happened recently and things he has seen on tv (he has been sick and watching too many cartoons) and things that Jason or I said to him. Have I mentioned that he uses fake voices to repeat back to us what we have said? This is odd enough in and of itself I tell you. So, he starts telling me about something that happened in a cartoon he watched. It wasn’t very detailed and he basically just told me there was a moose on the doodlebops and that a doodlebop couldn’t find his robe. No big deal, except that I am certain he hasn’t seen that show any more recently than two and a half months ago. We watched it earlier in the summer once when I was tired (I remember the moose) and didn’t have a babysitter and needed to wake up before starting the day. He wasn’t even 2 yet and I have hardly heard mention of it since. How in the hell can he remember that? Fwiw, I am not convinced that Henry is particularly unique in this regard it just blows me away.

In a related event, one morning about a month ago, Henry and I played with a piece of crap plastic party favor that was surely a choking hazard for about an hour. He had already broken it in a bunch of ways and it included a small green plastic ball that ultimately rolled under the guest bed. It was naptime so we left it there and I threw it away a day or two later along with the rest of the broken parts. He asked for it a few times and then seemed to have forgotten. Then, a week ago, I was sleeping in the guest room (snoring issues coupled with my very light sleeping lately) and Henry came in. I believe his first offense was turning on the overhead light and then he started demanding that we find the green ball “right there!” under the bed immediately. I was clearly half asleep and not thinking because I told him that it was gone and, oh, I don’t know, maybe dee dee (the beagle) had something to do with it. Yes, I lied to him. I am just not that sharp in the morning. Now he randomly tells me “dee dee ate green ball” and shakes his head. I feel sort of bad and sort of stupid but mostly just afraid that he will never ever forget and when he’s old enough to realize that this particular dog does not eat toys I am going to be in big trouble. I think I will go look for a replacement piece of crap party favor soon. Preferable one that comes in a multi-pack so I don’t ever have to lie again. At least not about something so stupid.