My little artist

I forgot to ever mention that Andrew has figured out how to get a tricycle to go. He doesn't steer very well, but he can make it go forward and backward once he gets going. Sometimes he has trouble getting it started.  (this is a tricycle at Storybook Village) I found a used Tonka Truck Bicycle with training wheels for only $15 so went ahead and got it, knowing full well Andrew isn't ready for it.  Of course it's all he talked about so thankfully we had a day of mild weather where he could get on it and see for himself.

A sure sign that we have eaten out too much:  Andrew has figured out that we tell the person who comes to the table what we want to eat. He practically yells at them "Soup please!! Soup! Andrew wants some soup please!"  LOL  He orders all on his own too. The odd thing is when the server actually thinks that is okay.

Recently daddy was home when Andrew awoke from his nap. He told daddy that he gave a talk on stage. Ted told me Andrew must have dreamed that because of how he was telling daddy what he did. We keep telling him he has to practice his reading to get better before he can give a talk.  I'm starting to find him reading out loud to himself all on his own.. I guess he's practicing! 

 Andrew has a few toy phones lying around. When he finds one he tells me he wants to call someone. I ask him who he's going to call. It can vary - Aunt Eese, Nana, Papa, Grandma, Muzzy - even the vacuum cleaner!  Friday morning he told me he was going to call the vacuum. I asked him what he thought the vacuum would say...   "noise."  So true!

I was in andrews room putting away clothes.. i hear him playing with toys in the living room. He yells "Booyah!"

Andrew has taken it upon himself to be in charge of emptying the other garbage cans into the big kitchen garbage. He does so at least every other day. He gets a trash can out of the bathroom, brings it to the kitchen. Turns off the automatic kitchen lid, takes the lid off and sets it on the floor. Empties the trash into it, puts the lid back on the garbage can, and returns the trash can to its place. Repeat with next trash can from other bathroom and office. 

He now asks for peanut butter and jelly for lunch nearly every day.

I think he may have some blood sugar issues like I did growing up. Last Saturday we made a jaunt through Kroger and Andrew got all excited to see a bin of those Cadbury chocolate creme eggs. I figured I'd let him have that awful experience and let him pick one and put it in the cart.  We didn't give it to him until Sunday morning. Daddy helped him bite off the tip, and then barely stick his tongue in the goo. The egg cracked and Ted let him have just a small piece of the chocolate layer. That was all he had.  I know refined sugar gives children an energy high, but then causes the blood sugar to drop lower that it started. I was kind of hoping he'd get his energy high out before the Sunday meeting and then he'd be mellow for the meeting.  Well.. I sort of got my wish. He acted so tired and out of it. It almost scared Ted and me.  I took him into the bathroom and gave him some snacks and he perked up a bit. whew!  Not doing that again!!
I KNOW he is affected by food coloring. He is not very nice shortly after having something with food coloring. I've only knowingly done that twice and both times he got destructive and defiant.

Andrew really enjoys painting.. but even moreso, he likes "white glue." I let him paint on paper and then give him the white glue and some pasta and he'll glue a few pieces to the paper.

A few months ago we bought Andrew a challenging puzzle. Its of the United States. Its definitely over his age group for activities.. but he really likes it. The astounding part is he can do the entire thing! He did the ENTIRE puzzle by himself yesterday. Just about a week ago I only had to help him with three pieces.  Sometimes I think he is testing me.. lol. He'll put a piece down on the board in the wrong place and then say, "nope!"  I ask what piece he has, he tells me, and then I ask where does that go. And he puts in the right place without me telling him. In this picture, this is how far he got with NO help. After this, I only helped him with three pieces.

We also took him to the Discovery Center in Murfreesboro one Saturday. It was quite overwhelming. Here are a few pictures from some of the activities: