Jared The Genius

My 19 month old son Jared is special.

Of course, these kinds of admissions are not uncommon from a child's parents, but I have proof.

For instance, he's been walking since 8 1/2 months, started talking before 12, and has long been insisting that his father share a pot of oatmeal with him just about every morning. He also loves to watch basketball games, and insists on helping me "pay" video games when he sees a controller in my hand. Plus, he's a terrific dancer.

Yes, yes. You've heard these sort of things before. You know lots of kids who started talking early, walking early, and eating an entire bowl of oatmeal (with a spoon) at 18 months. But, do you know any 18 month old who can pick out all of the members of the First Presidency (for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) from a lineup, as well as most of the Apostles (including the very difficult to pronounce Dieter F. Uchtdorf), and even several members of the Presidency of the Seventy (his favorites are Earl C. Tingey and John H. Groberg). In fact, one of his favorite activities is sitting with me or Michelle with an open Ensign (a church magazine) and pointing out the headshots of the people he recognizes.

This past week, Michelle told me that while she and Jared were in AZ visiting family, Jared provided the dinner table entertainment by one by one pointing out and naming his aunt, uncle, and numerous cousins--none of whom he'd met before that evening.

Of course, I wasn't even surprised. Even after having been home a few days, he's still asking regularly for his cousins by name and talking about the toys he wasn't allowed to play with there.

We have some friends with an 18 month old son of their own who told me the other day that they're convinced Jared has a photographic memory. Given what I've mentioned above, am I that far off in being inclined to agree?