DS (3.2) in strange role play scenario re bump

[nagoo]

My DS is generally nice to babies. I'm 16wks and already showing quite a lot. He knows that we are having a baby, and is kind to the bump, trying to hug it. He's even come up with the idea that we should look in the cupboard for his old toys, to give to the baby as 'we don't have any baby toys mummy!'.

BUT...

he does this weird thing where he wants to play babies (normal so far...) and then he used a high pitched baby voice and tells me that a 'horrible boy has pinched/poked/hit me' I ask him what boy, and he says his name, and tells me that I should tell him (the boy: this is in the 3rd person) off.

What is this about!?

Does he go to nursery or anything? Is the boy's name someone he knows there...?
Maybe it's a way for him to tell you, and pretend it's a game?

Or MAYBE - just MAYBE - this is the age my DS started to really think about and discuss his dreams, but he was confused at what dreams were, and didnt quite realise they werent real and hadnt really happened.....?

It sounds like he's just playing and testing the water somewhat. Maybe he's trying to figure out what your reaction would be if he hurt the baby (either on purpose or accidentally)?

This is the sort of 'game' my DD (nearly 3) plays all the time.

Also she plays a game where she is 'Mummy' and I am 'DD' and she helps me get dressed, washes me and tells me what to do, and I have to pretend to be 'naughty' and she then admonishes me!

This is sort of similar to the kind of thing my DS (3.4) has been doing - saying "I want to hit/hurt/squash/pinch etc the baby" then looking at me for my reaction. This is as well as LOTS and lots of role-playing at being a baby.

I think as SerialMom says its a way of testing you, and I think it probably comes out of insecurity about whether the baby will replace him, whether you will favour the baby over him etc.

I have been pretty much humouring him / dismissing what he says without making a big deal of it. Last thing I want is to turn things into a big confrontation before the baby has even arrived! I'm hoping it will be a phase and will pass soon.

thanks vmcd28 but he's got a fairly unusual name, and he wouldn't hesitate to grass up his nursery friends, 'x wouldn't play rocket game' 'y pushed me and Nurseyworker told him off'!!

Serialmom I think he is testing my reactions!

jacks I'm glad someone else's child is doing this stuff. We'll see when it's here!!