babies are smart

i've been working in the babies room (6months-2yrs) at one of the centres most of the past 2 weeks. its amazing some of the stuff that they say and do especially cuz i've known a lot of the older ones since they first started coming last year and they've definately figured out a few things about life since then.
a couple months ago i asked a 20month old "are you going to canada?" (her mom is canadian-- the girl is 2 in a couple days and will be going on her 4th trip to canada 10 days after we leave). anyway, her response was "airplane". she knew that to get to canada meant going in an airplane.
yesterday at morning tea one of the older ones turned to the staff and just said "is there more toast please?" a full 5 word question! usually this boy just says "more toast?, more toast?, more toaast?, more toast?..." over and over until someone responds (the general way that most of the ones able to talk ask for things).
we have another little girl who's almost 2 who i think is the most considerate toddler in the world. she's soooo sweet to ALL the other babies all the time (holds the younger ones hands to lead them to where they should be, gets toys for crying babies and tries to pat them to comfort them, she shares with everyone, opens and closes doors for the babies AND the staff--without anyone asking her to...). its weird too cuz her older sister (she's 4) was the complete opposit-- she was one of the ones that would push and shove all the others and was just a really mean baby.
at the end of the day yesterday i was holding an 18 month old's hand while he climbed up and down some steps in the play yard. i wasn't really paying much attention but then i noticed that as he was going down the steps he was counting his steps and i could hear him saying "one...two...three" to himself as he went down-- that's pretty good cuz half the babies/toddlers can't even say the numbers let alone actually use them for counting properly.
after a couple parents left with their baby a toddler turned to me, pointed to his boots and said "boots like andrew." (the dad that just left). i was impressed that he actually knew the guy's name (i can never remember his name-- i just see him and think "[baby's name]'s dad")
i think one of the funniest things i saw them do this week (although we had to be stern with them while dealing with it, it was funny to watch it happen). one boy was walking around with this toy trian in his hands. another toddler decided he wanted it so he went up and grabbed it. the first boy pushed him but thtat didn't work too well cuz the one with the train was already walking away. we all just started to raise our voices to tell the first boy not to push and the second boy to give the train back when the first boy decided to run after the one with the train and tackle him-- he dived at the boy's legs and wrapped his arms around his ankles and the boy with the train came down. the first boy picked up the train and walked off (off course we had to go after him, take the train away and expain thats not how to do things but it was funny just seeing him take down this bigger boy and walk off like nothing happened)