My next question was going to be "Mian, does your child-like state precede his smiling, or is it a reaction to it?" I didn't hear the "words you'll understand" as hostile, but direct. But it depends on the tone of voice and facial expression, too. The follow-up tone of "what?" doesn't really matter for me. But I would see a child/whiny tone as all the more reason that the T would answer directly. I understand the importance of reflection and mirroring, but I'm pretty sure that if I were expressing a regressed state, my T would counter it with an adult state--not mirror it. But a lot depends on your state of mind before, during, and after the moment.