Associations

Finn's latest habit is associating certain objects/actions with either myself or Tim. When he hears a mower outside his immediate exclamation is "Oh, Dada" (even if Tim is in the room). When he sees a paintbrush his immediate exclamation is "Oh, Mama." (I've been busy painting lately.) He does this frequently and the reaction is always the same. Other associations include, for example:

beer can, shirts, batteries, trash, window blinds, AC filters, pickled herring : Dada

screwdriver (not the drink kind), purse, chapstick, outlet covers, vacuum: Mama

He's a very observant and analytical little guy and is clear about his distinctions. The smaller ladder get associated only with me ("Oh, Mama, ladder"); the big ladder, with Tim. This is true--in our latest painting project I only used the short ladder and Tim alone got on the big extension ladder.

I find it fascinating, from a developmental perspective, how kids are naturally inclined to attach certain objects to a particular individual. Moreover--perhaps without Finn really realizing it--such associations in list form as above could provide quite a lot of information about a person.

If this is the case, what does it mean that Finn always associates the canned tomatoes with me (Tim also does his fair share of cooking)? Indeed, I think Finn believes the Contadina woman pictured on the can is me. I caught him staring at the can and after his usual exclamation "Oh Mama" he then gave the woman's face a kiss. Very sweet.

I managed to get him to do it for a video, though normally this is a very natural and spontaneous kind of thing--it's just that I never have my camera handy around the canned tomatoes.