Car ride.

Yesterday, while driving to the mall.

Calvin, from the backseat: Cars!

Abby, driving: That's right. Lots of cars! How many cars do you see?

Calvin: One, two, three...

Abby: Good job, sweeti–

Calvin:...four, five, six....

Abby: Wow! Yes, that's right! Six car–

Calvin:...seven, eight, nine, ten!

Abby: Um, what?

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Two minutes later.

Abby: Hi!

Nate, calling in response to Abby's page at work: Hey, what's up?

Abby: Did you know our child knows how to count to ten?

Nate: He does?

Abby: Yes! He just counted to ten. Like, counted ten cars on the road as we were driving!

Nate: Really?

Abby: YES! He's a genius! Our son is a genius! What are they teaching him at that school?

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One minute later.

Calvin: Talking about. Talking about. Talking about.

Abby: What are you talking about?

Calvin: Dinos.

Abby: You're talking about dinos?

Calvin: Yeah.

Abby: What about dinos?

Calvin: Bad dinos. (A reference to the book Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaurs!)

Abby: Oh, the dinos were bad? What did they do?

Calvin: Um...

Abby: Did they empty their mommy's recipe box onto the floor?*

Calvin: Yes. On the floor.

Abby: Oh? And what happened to the dinos when they did that?

Calvin: Um...time out!**

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*Guess who pulled that neat trick earlier in the day?
**Guess what punishment was instituted after refusing to help pick them up? It took an hour, a time out, and a few tantrums, but those recipe cards got picked up and I was not the one to do it. Any doubt I had regarding the effectiveness of time outs at his age has certainly been erased, thanks to that little conversation. His genius is going to be his demise...