A Rational Toddler, or a Delusional Mother.

Okay, so you know how most toddlers are screaming devils out to get their own parents, embarrassing them in public with their wild-eyed tantrums and causing havoc whenever possible?
Well...The Dot's not really like that.  I think she's weird.
You see, she's...um...kind of rational.  Which, for a twenty-month old, is just plain strange, am I right?
She already knows that when she does something wrong, she'll have to sit in time-out.  And when that timer goes off, she immediately says "sorry" and wants her hug and kiss.  And then she doesn't repeat the behaviour.
That AMAZES me.
Last week we had some horrible bath-times.  Her bath would go fine, but afterwards she would just want to run around the bathroom naked and NOT get into her pajamas.  I mean, I get it, naked is fun and all, but after a long day, paired with this exhausting pregnancy, I just was NOT up for that sort of "fun" when "freedom" is only a mere book and cuddle away.
So the other night, I told her before she got out of the bath, "Listen, Dorothy.  When you get out of the bath, we'll dry you off, put on your diaper, and then you can put lotion on Mama's belly (she loves that at the moment, and it gives me a chance to lather her down with some lotion too - doesn't hurt me either!).  Then pajamas will go on and we'll read a story.  If you don't stay still when I'm putting on your diaper, you'll go in time-out.  Get it?"
Now, that is a LOT of words to say to a toddler, but to be honest, I've always been long-winded and I'm guessing she's figured that out already.  And although there is no real way for me to tell just how much of what I say she understands, I naively believe it's a LOT.  I think we just sort of..."get" each other.  Y'know?
Anyways, so within minutes of being outside of the tub, she's refusing to stay still.  So I give her a warning, and then seconds later, put her in time-out in the corner of the bathroom.
See, now what amazes me is this:  After counting down thirty seconds and telling her she could come out of time-out, she laid down and waited for me to put on her diaper.  No kicking me, no struggling, no massive crying fit like we had all the week prior.
I LOVE her for that, by the way.  
But yes.  My point is, she just seems to understand things, and it's crazy and amazing and completely unexpected sometimes.
And boy, am I ever the more sane for it (or insane, depending on whether or not I'm delusional in these thoughts and she's just lulling me into a false sense of security...).

Her post-nap hair some days seriously kills me.