Tan I do dat?

Charlie has discovered a new dimension: time.

It started while I was making Halloween costumes. I was working on Larry Boy and he asked me, "Tan you make me a cat costume for da next Halloween?"

Finally an indication that, in Charlie's mind, not all events occur in real-time. He understands that there will be another Halloween.

He's also started asking, "Tan you save dis for later?" when he doesn't want to eat something at just that moment. I've saved away the last half ounce of something that he will never again return to, just because it thrills me to no end that he gets that there will be a later.

He had a little fun-sized package of M&Ms left after Halloween. With two little candies left in the grubby yellow bag, he handed them over to me. "Tan you put dis away? I need it to be way up high so Schrodinger don't get it. He likes dat."

I hide my candy from the cat all the time, buddy. I know what you mean.

The word CAN has opened up so many things for him. Instead of insisting that, THAT VERY MOMENT, whatever he wants must happen, he has started asking, "Tan I do dat?" If we respond with a no, he has even begun asking if he can do it, 'da next dey.'

For so long, everything has been that instant and that moment. It's such a relief that there's a future in his mind now.