Communication gap

Cooper's vocabulary has been growing by leaps and bounds lately. We're regularly hearing things like, "Mama, are you?" "Bye bye Dada. Love you. Have fun!" and "It big mama cow. Baby cow, are you?"
So I guess I forget that he doesn't always understand everything I'm saying. Today while I was showering he decided he wanted to clean up his clothes. He put his shirt & shorts in the bathroom sink. I realize now that the best mommy response to that would have been, "Good job! Thank you sweetie!" but instead I decided to ask him to put them in the laundry hamper.

Me, standing in the shower, trying to wash my hair with one hand & point to the laundry hamper with the other: No sweetie, dirty clothes go in the hamper. Can you put them in the hamper?
(Cooper carries his clothes to the hamper & stands there with them looking at me.)
Me: Open the hamper.
(Cooper opens the closet door.)
Me: No Coop, that's the closet. Open the hamper.
(Cooper smiles at me.)
Me: Right there.
(He smiles.)
Me: Turn your head.
(He looks up. Then turns his head in the opposite direction of the hamper.)
Me: Put them in the hamper sweetie. Right there.
(He smiles.)
Me (pointing to the lid of the hamper): Lift that up.
(He puts the clothes on his head.)
Me (giving up): Good job sweetie! Thank you!

I then go back to showering. Cooper goes back to playing, but first puts the clothes on top of the hamper (good enough!).

I hear the communication gap between parents & kids only last about 18 years though.