We were sitting having lunch together at the table and Andrew randomly says, "Mommy, I don't have piggy tails."
He's cute when we eat out too. Whenever we leave he smiles and waves to the people still sitting at tables and says, "bye!"
Mosquitos LOVE Andrew. They hardly touch me this year, but Andrew has come in twice from playing outside in the evening and later had welts all over him. Now I bring him in and run a bath adding apple cider vinegar, baking soda, tea tree, castile soap, and coconut oil. It seems to be helping because he hasn't been itching thought they're still biting!
His favorite color has been purple for several weeks.
His latest intrigue is intestines. He understands that when he eats something it eventually ends up in the intestines. He understands that people and animals have them, but objects like the lawnmower do not.
Ted and I have been concerned that Andrew seems to have regressed since being at preschool just a few months. His language skills went backwards, his behavior went backwards.. it feels like we have to retrain him every other day! Everyone, including his teacher, told me to look into Montessori. So we went and toured a Montessori school in Franklin. Love the school, I think Andrew would thrive there... but they only 'part-time' they offer is a half day every day. Otherwise its 9-3:30 every day. I don't like that. I enjoy having him home twice a week right now. That and the drive would be twice as far. So we're not sure what to do right now. His teacher told me that it wouldn't even matter if they moved him up a level in the preschool because he already knows everything academically through the Kindergarten prep. At Montessori, he'd still be challenged and learning new things. Anyway - on Wednesday, I gave the preschool his 'two weeks notice' that we're taking him out. We'll figure out later what we should do with him.
Sunday, August 26th:
I got up with Andrew and let daddy sleep in some. I asked him if he'd like to practice writing and we decided to write "Dad." So I got some paper and a pen and described the letters to him (first a straight line, and then a half circle that starts at the top and ends at the bottom of the line, or a small circle with a tail, or a small circle with a straight line that touches it but is next to it, etc) He did beautifully!! I was really impressed with how well he wrote each letter.
The perfumes were really bad in the hall and I was feeling really sick. Daddy was operating the microphones so Andrew and I slipped outside and listened to the meeting by phone under the carport. I had my phone sitting between us so we could both listen. Every couple of minutes, I'd see Andrew's little fingers just walking their way to my phone (as if I wouldn't notice) and touching the screen to make it light up. Then he'd touch the unlock button and touch anything he could (like taking it off speaker phone) before I'd push his hand away. He couldn't resist the temptation so I finally made him scoot over on the bench and just had the phone next to me.
We came back in on paragraph 17 so he could read his prepared answer. He read it very clearly.
After the meeting was over, I stayed in my seat up front, too sick to move around. A couple of friends came and chatted with me. All of a sudden, there are people yelling to me from behind and pointing. I was too fog headed to react quickly. I look across the hall where all the fingers are pointing to see Andrew on his tippy toes pulling the fire alarm. As I turn to my friend and very gently ask, "can you please stop him?" I saw Ted flying down the aisle. By then it was too late, though. The fire alarm had been pulled... but oddly enough, no siren! So thanks to my dear son who probably read the words "Pull Down" and followed the directions - we discovered that the fire alarm at the hall is broken!
After lunch and nap, we headed to the park. Ted was meeting up with several friends to play football. Andrew and I played on the playground for a little while and then went and sat on the bleachers (or "bleach chairs" as Andrew called them a few times before getting it right). We were only there for a couple of minutes when Ted got the ball, took off running and ended up rolling to the ground. Andrew immediately had a melt down crying that daddy fell and was hurt. I got him calmed down and then he wanted to play 'pretend football.' You should have seen his fancy footwork and he imitated all the running around. He even had his own victory dance!
Monday morning he was up well before I was ready to be awake. He crawled into bed with me and we cuddled for a bit. Then I told him to go to sleep on daddy's side of the bed. "Okay mommy." A moment of silence. Then he starts singing, "listen obey and be blessed!" "Shhhh. Honey go to sleep." "Okay mommy." A moment of silence. "chugga chugga chugga chugga WOO WOO!!" Things like this went on for a good 20 minutes before I gave him the warning that if I have to ask him to be quiet one more time I would make him leave my room. Of course, he did it again and I sent him out to play with toys in the living room. By then I only had 8 minutes left to sleep soundly and wake up again anyway.
Tuesday I was starving and didn't get a head start on dinner and I wanted a lot of food with protein. I can't even remember why now. Anyway, we went to support 10% off Tuesday at our favorite bbq place since it'd be good and fast. Andrew had stayed in his pajama shirt all day and all we did was throw some shorts and sandals on him and left. The cashier at the bbq place asked him if he was still in his pajamas. That really bothered Andrew and he got super self-conscious about it and tried to hide. Then he told me he needed to go home and change into play clothes. Poor kid. I told him it was totally fine to be wearing his pj shirt and not to let it bother him.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Fourth generation photographer?
Wednesday, August 8th, cousin Dylan was giving his first Bible reading so Andrew and I went to Smyrna to hear it. Andrew started following cousin Kaleb and another little girl their size around the Hall and all three of them were running. They were all reminded several times to walk. All the kiddos were gathering in the back school after the meeting, and pretending to give their own bible discourses. Andrew came up to me and said, "I want my bible!" I told him it was in his bookbag and he took off running to find it. On the way - he got in trouble. Another brother scooped him up in his arms and just held him while continuing his other conversation. Andrew didn't know what to think! Eventually the brother walked over and handed him to me saying, "He wasn't the only one, but he was the fastest." lol I told Andrew that he got caught running and needed to walk. Andrew walked up to the front and got his bible and returned to the back school. The big kids lowered the podium for him and crowded around him. He told them he wanted to read from Deuteronomy 17. So Grace Burnett found it for him. Right then, we were told it was time to go. So I quickly pointed to two lines at the bottom of his open bible and told him to quickly read those. Grace and Dylan both said, "i'll help him!" I told them he could read it himself... and he sure did! Grace was so impressed, "He reads really well! How old is he?" Dylan responded with, "I dont know, 4?" He couldn't believe Andrew wasn't even three yet.
We spent the night at Nana and Papa's house since it was late when we left the meeting. There were two twin beds in the room we stayed in. We pushed one all the way against the dresser along the wall, and then the other bed flush against the first one. That way, Andrew wouldn't fall out of the bed on either side. He was a little nervous sleeping in a different room and bed. Then Nana reminded him it was just like staying in a hotel! That calmed him down a little bit, as did the reminder that Mommy would be right next to him all night. There were several times during the night he called out for him, or reached his hand to feel for me.
Thursday morning he woke up bright and early as usual SO excited to be at Nana's house and hearing the rooster crowing outside. I knew there was no way I'd get him back to sleep. We went downstairs and he immediately asked to play with Nana's toys. We played with Legos and played ping pong in the parlor. Eventually we took a walk down the driveway. There were some new baby calves that were interested in him and Daisy. When we reached the house, I realized that I'd been wanting to do a picture of Nana and Andrew and the Rolleiflex cameras - and we were there! So I changed Andrew's shirt into his meeting shirt and vest and Nana got the cameras. We stood in front of the weeping willow tree and I got some pictures I will treasure for a long long time. Both Nana and her father used those rolleiflex cameras back in the day, so it was special to me to have both Nana and Andrew pretending to use them. I love the images of them. I photoshopped a couple to look like they were taken with old film.
Saturday we met at the hall to go out in the ministry. There were a lot of people there. When we were ready to go, I couldn't find Andrew anywhere! I was worried he'd slipped outside with a bunch of other people and was running around, but I couldn't find him there either. I was starting to panic when Ted came and told me he found Andrew - he locked himself in the men's bathroom stall and was going potty all by himself. *whew* I have to say, I think it's neat that he knows he goes in the men's room when he's by himself or with daddy, and that he goes to the women's room when he's with me.
We all of a sudden have a ton of little kids in our congregation. A bunch of new, young families moved in. After the meeting on Sunday, they all went to the back school. Andrew came up to me and said he needed his song book. Then he asked for his Bible. Then off he went to his secondary meeting. He was a good boy - he even brought his books back to me when they were all done.
Sunday night before bed, I asked Andrew to go pick out a book to read. He chose the Dictionary. He knows I want to read stories to him, but he always chooses books that are about words.
Every single day, Andrew asks to go play outside. Once we're outside he asks if Amber is home and if they can play. She's our next door neighbor who is six. They both look for each other and ask to play. If we wont let them play together in the same yard, they throw a ball over the fence to each other. Andrew has even tried climbing the fence. He's made it all the way to the top before I've caught him and told him to get down. He also picks colorful leaves off the bushes and gives them to her as flowers. What a sweetie.
We spent the night at Nana and Papa's house since it was late when we left the meeting. There were two twin beds in the room we stayed in. We pushed one all the way against the dresser along the wall, and then the other bed flush against the first one. That way, Andrew wouldn't fall out of the bed on either side. He was a little nervous sleeping in a different room and bed. Then Nana reminded him it was just like staying in a hotel! That calmed him down a little bit, as did the reminder that Mommy would be right next to him all night. There were several times during the night he called out for him, or reached his hand to feel for me.
Thursday morning he woke up bright and early as usual SO excited to be at Nana's house and hearing the rooster crowing outside. I knew there was no way I'd get him back to sleep. We went downstairs and he immediately asked to play with Nana's toys. We played with Legos and played ping pong in the parlor. Eventually we took a walk down the driveway. There were some new baby calves that were interested in him and Daisy. When we reached the house, I realized that I'd been wanting to do a picture of Nana and Andrew and the Rolleiflex cameras - and we were there! So I changed Andrew's shirt into his meeting shirt and vest and Nana got the cameras. We stood in front of the weeping willow tree and I got some pictures I will treasure for a long long time. Both Nana and her father used those rolleiflex cameras back in the day, so it was special to me to have both Nana and Andrew pretending to use them. I love the images of them. I photoshopped a couple to look like they were taken with old film.
Saturday we met at the hall to go out in the ministry. There were a lot of people there. When we were ready to go, I couldn't find Andrew anywhere! I was worried he'd slipped outside with a bunch of other people and was running around, but I couldn't find him there either. I was starting to panic when Ted came and told me he found Andrew - he locked himself in the men's bathroom stall and was going potty all by himself. *whew* I have to say, I think it's neat that he knows he goes in the men's room when he's by himself or with daddy, and that he goes to the women's room when he's with me.
We all of a sudden have a ton of little kids in our congregation. A bunch of new, young families moved in. After the meeting on Sunday, they all went to the back school. Andrew came up to me and said he needed his song book. Then he asked for his Bible. Then off he went to his secondary meeting. He was a good boy - he even brought his books back to me when they were all done.
Sunday night before bed, I asked Andrew to go pick out a book to read. He chose the Dictionary. He knows I want to read stories to him, but he always chooses books that are about words.
Every single day, Andrew asks to go play outside. Once we're outside he asks if Amber is home and if they can play. She's our next door neighbor who is six. They both look for each other and ask to play. If we wont let them play together in the same yard, they throw a ball over the fence to each other. Andrew has even tried climbing the fence. He's made it all the way to the top before I've caught him and told him to get down. He also picks colorful leaves off the bushes and gives them to her as flowers. What a sweetie.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
The Red Seed
Sunday morning in the car, we were stopped at a traffic light and Andrew all of a sudden blurts out, "When I become Magnet Man, I can do this..." I turn around to see him sticking both legs straight up in the air. My the abs he must have! He said something else funny but we can't remember what it was.
Andrew pulled two wallet-sized pictures off of the refrigerator, hopped on his little tonka truck, and drove to my desk. He hands me the two pictures and says, "here mommy, here are your clients."
Later he was eating a banana and sitting on the floor with his keyboard. He held the microphone up to his mouth and chewed loudly. Of course that awful gooey chewy sound was amplified through the microphone. He got a kick out of it.
Monday evening, I opened a brand new box of overnight diapers. I figured it'd probably be our last box of them. He is dry more often than he is wet - but when he is wet - he is soaked! Since he isn't wearing pull ups during the day or at naps - I figured we'd use up the night time diapers we had stocked up on, and then finish up the pull ups and then be done entirely. Andrew had different plans. He took one look at that diaper and very sadly told me he didn't want to wear it. He almost looked embarrassed. I put it on him anyway and then he begged me to let him wear underwear. I consented and changed him into underwear. Then he crawled into bed, pulled the blanket up and went right to sleep. (this is unusual - he usually talks or sings for a good 20-30 minutes before settling down.)
I was nervous though, because we'd had a late dinner and he'd had a lot to drink. So right before we went to bed, Ted and I woke him up and had him go potty. Boy was he mad at us! He was very defiant and irritated with us. He kept saying "I don't want to go pee" and I finally threatened him.. "go pee or I put you in a diaper." He immediately peed. Still mad at us and fussing. But he went right back to sleep and woke up dry!
Tuesday we ended up out to lunch and Andrew chose Fulins. He wanted sushi so I got him a green dragon roll. It had eel and other stuff inside and avocado on top. He ate the ENTIRE roll by himself, and with chopsticks! And he ate one of my pieces too. He loves his sushi!
Before bed, we turned the tv on briefly to see what the gymnasts were doing in the Olympics. Andrew saw them doing their somersaults and immediately started doing his on the floor, asking us to say "yeayy" and then would run for a hug - just like the ones on tv were getting from their coaches and parents.
I don't know if I've blogged this or not. Andrew fully understands and can explain to you the differences between boys and girls and the anatomy of them. He knows how they are different, and how they are the same. I am, however, still trying to get him to learn that only girls wear flower headbands. He likes going into my studio and stealing the flower headbands I've left out and wearing them.
At one point, Andrew was wearing a teal crocheted hat, a yellow tank top, bare bottom, gray socks, and pulling a train around the house. He's so cute. I just adore him.
Wednesday morning Andrew was on the potty and asked me to come sit on the side of the tub and talk to him. We chatted about all kinds of things. He told me about Moses and how the Red 'seed' got split in two "like this!" as he makes a swooping chopping motion with his arm. We talked about the waterfall painting and other random things. Then he started talking about friends and how one name can be two different people. Then I asked him if he had a most favorite friend. He said, "Yes I do." Me: "Oh? Who is your most favorite friend?" Without any hesitation he said, "Mommy is my favorite friend." All I could do was hug him and kiss his forehead. What a sweetie.
Andrew pulled two wallet-sized pictures off of the refrigerator, hopped on his little tonka truck, and drove to my desk. He hands me the two pictures and says, "here mommy, here are your clients."
Later he was eating a banana and sitting on the floor with his keyboard. He held the microphone up to his mouth and chewed loudly. Of course that awful gooey chewy sound was amplified through the microphone. He got a kick out of it.
Monday evening, I opened a brand new box of overnight diapers. I figured it'd probably be our last box of them. He is dry more often than he is wet - but when he is wet - he is soaked! Since he isn't wearing pull ups during the day or at naps - I figured we'd use up the night time diapers we had stocked up on, and then finish up the pull ups and then be done entirely. Andrew had different plans. He took one look at that diaper and very sadly told me he didn't want to wear it. He almost looked embarrassed. I put it on him anyway and then he begged me to let him wear underwear. I consented and changed him into underwear. Then he crawled into bed, pulled the blanket up and went right to sleep. (this is unusual - he usually talks or sings for a good 20-30 minutes before settling down.)
I was nervous though, because we'd had a late dinner and he'd had a lot to drink. So right before we went to bed, Ted and I woke him up and had him go potty. Boy was he mad at us! He was very defiant and irritated with us. He kept saying "I don't want to go pee" and I finally threatened him.. "go pee or I put you in a diaper." He immediately peed. Still mad at us and fussing. But he went right back to sleep and woke up dry!
Tuesday we ended up out to lunch and Andrew chose Fulins. He wanted sushi so I got him a green dragon roll. It had eel and other stuff inside and avocado on top. He ate the ENTIRE roll by himself, and with chopsticks! And he ate one of my pieces too. He loves his sushi!
Before bed, we turned the tv on briefly to see what the gymnasts were doing in the Olympics. Andrew saw them doing their somersaults and immediately started doing his on the floor, asking us to say "yeayy" and then would run for a hug - just like the ones on tv were getting from their coaches and parents.
I don't know if I've blogged this or not. Andrew fully understands and can explain to you the differences between boys and girls and the anatomy of them. He knows how they are different, and how they are the same. I am, however, still trying to get him to learn that only girls wear flower headbands. He likes going into my studio and stealing the flower headbands I've left out and wearing them.
At one point, Andrew was wearing a teal crocheted hat, a yellow tank top, bare bottom, gray socks, and pulling a train around the house. He's so cute. I just adore him.
Wednesday morning Andrew was on the potty and asked me to come sit on the side of the tub and talk to him. We chatted about all kinds of things. He told me about Moses and how the Red 'seed' got split in two "like this!" as he makes a swooping chopping motion with his arm. We talked about the waterfall painting and other random things. Then he started talking about friends and how one name can be two different people. Then I asked him if he had a most favorite friend. He said, "Yes I do." Me: "Oh? Who is your most favorite friend?" Without any hesitation he said, "Mommy is my favorite friend." All I could do was hug him and kiss his forehead. What a sweetie.
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