thanks but no thanks

becoming more and more expressive, the little monkey often wakes from a nap, screeches "Mom-MEE!!" over and over, and then when i come in to get him, decides he doesn't want to get out of the crib. giddy with all of that newly stored up energy, he runs as far as he can before he trips on blankets, and stumbles to his knees/face/back (whatever hits the mattress first). he giggles and squeals and smiles up at me as if to say, "watch this!" and gets up and tries to run around the crib again. it is adorable, hysterical, and all at once melts my heart. but yesterday (or the day before...time is flying by) after a few laps and falls around the bumpers, he spotted his tractor book w/wheels (his favorite book these days) on the floor of his room and pointed to it. i asked if he'd like to read it and he got very excited (after all, he hadn't seen it in a whole hour!). when i handed it to him, he promptly opened it to start reading, looked up at me, and did the sign for 'thank you'... completely his own initiative!!! the only place we've practiced 'thank you' is in his high chair during meals. never with a toy or book. i almost fell over with astonishment... and welled up with whatever you call that maternal feeling that makes you want to run and tell the world.
and just in case i was tempted to think how incredibly well-mannered and thankful-hearted he is becoming, today he refused to say 'please' OR 'thank you' when demanding a cracker, and proceeded to have a meltdown over it... he never did say it.... or get the cracker. looks like he's inherited his mother's stubborn will. look out world!