Children can surprise you with their wisdom

When my daughter was just days old, I looked at her and wished more than anything that she could talk.

I wanted to know what was going on in that little head, and I wondered if she would be able to tell me things about the world she had just left.

I wondered if she really recognized my husband's voice like she seemed to in the delivery room when he spoke and she instantly calmed down. I wondered if she could remember heaven or being inside my belly.

Now two and a half years later, my daughter, Nicole, is talking up a storm, and most of the time I think the contents of her brain are basically Elmo and My Little Pony running in circles. So much for my theory on profound baby thoughts.

But sometimes, out of nowhere, she will make an observation that is dead on or stun me with the truth of what she is saying — even if she doesn't know how deep she is being.

As I was putting my makeup on this morning, for example, Nicole watched intently and asked me what I was doing.

"Putting on makeup," I replied.

She thought about this for a moment, then remarked, "Oh, 'cause you're old? You're not new? You want to be new like me?"

Awesome. I had to agree with the kid.

And then there was the time earlier this week when Nicole taught me a little bit about spirituality.

We were driving to the mall, and as soon as she saw the huge building, she clapped and said, "Oh, we're going to the temple!"

I had to laugh and say, "No no, some people may think that, but it's not our temple."

She continued, "We going to think about Jesus?"

"No we're not going to ..." I started to say and then stopped short. Why couldn't we think about Jesus? Yes, it was just the mall, but couldn't we think about him in there just as well as in a temple or a church?

So I switched my answer, "Of course we can. We can think about him anywhere."

Nicole smiled and nodded. "We think about Jesus in the mall."

Now I know she has no idea what she's talking about most of the time, like when she told me that God lives on top of our house and Jesus lives in Utah. But sometimes I think maybe my original theory of the depth of baby memories and thoughts might just be right.

I was reminded of this yet again this month when I was looking at a scrapbook with Nicole and she saw a picture of me while I was pregnant with her. She pointed to the picture and said, "I was in your tummy. I could hear you talking to Daddy. I was talking to Jesus."

Yes, I think she's got a lot more going on in that little head than "Elmo Loves You" playing on loop.

And maybe if I just take a break from teaching her how to use the potty or clean her room, I could see that she's got a thing or two to teach me about life, too.

Erin Stewart's blog, Just4Mom, can be found Tuesdays and Thursdays at deseretnews.com.

e-mail: estewart@desnews.com