How my DD learns things is still a completely black box to me-- it often feels like inputs are being poured in with no external indication of it (and past the point at which it feels weird, even), and then this transition happens with the speed of an explosion, almost like a cartoon.
* sense of humor-- she had a slyness about her and a WICKED sense of humor...
* observant and prolific memory for details
I'm quoting these because they express well how my DS2.8 operates.
He is one of the children who showed a lot of early cognitive milestones spontaneously, and later growth has just confirmed that those early events weren't flukes. At 15 months, it wasn't evident that those milestones were imminent, they just had to happen spontaneously with time.
One thing I'll add to the list is an early ability to be reasoned with, and to negotiate in turn. I don't think DS has ever truly had more than a handful of tantrums because he's always been able to process the rational arguments presented to him and, from about 16-18 months onward, he had sufficient vocabulary to rebut and make simple, logical counter-arguments.
